# Salsa Scene



## Ema (Sep 15, 2008)

Hi,
Ive been here just over a year now and really missing my salsa scene. 
Is there one going here? Workshops, clubs etc.
Im also looking for a companion if i find something.
Hope i find something soon


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## eyad84 (Jun 20, 2009)

hey, I know a place but I dont know how to dance :d
I go there sometimes with friends , I just watch :d


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## eyad84 (Jun 20, 2009)

sorry, I forgot to write the place's name 

it is called Casa Latina, in a small hotel "Ibis Hotel" on SZR
ppl who go there r nice, they organize it every friday with live cuban band


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## Carlozz (Sep 15, 2009)

Salsa classes are also conducted at CAPITOL HOTEL, Al Mina Road


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## basimoli (Feb 13, 2009)

Mina Siahi Hotel have a salsa night every Moay (in the basement, not sure of the name of the bar/restaurant)
Also I think Jumierah Beach Hotel (I believe every Tuesday evening)
El Malecon is a great place also but not sure what night is the class
Also a free party in Sevilles every fortnight on a Wednesday


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## vincetruong (May 10, 2009)

*Malecon*



Ema said:


> Hi,
> Ive been here just over a year now and really missing my salsa scene.
> Is there one going here? Workshops, clubs etc.
> Im also looking for a companion if i find something.
> Hope i find something soon


I believe Malecon Salsa nights are on Sunday.

www.salsanight.com offers lessons and they may be able to point you in the right direction.


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## ccostello451 (May 27, 2009)

Have only been in Dubai a couple of months but here's what I've managed to find so far:

Friday nights at Casa Latina (Ibis Barsha) are great, good atmosphere and band. They are organised by Del Piero, a cuban instructor who also runs the Monday night at Mina Seyahi (in Pomodoro). He does courses at Ductac, website is ritmo-de-havana.com

Phil Bedford does great classes, really fun and friendly, in the Pharoah's club in Wafi on Sundays and Tuesdays (drop in basis). He also runs party nights on first and third Wednesdays of the month at Sevilles. His facebook group is the original salsa dubai.

There are classes and freestyle every night at Savage Garden but I haven't got round to going to any. Malecon has mixed reviews, they can have a bit of a racist door policy apparently. Barasti has salsa classes and freestyle on a Tuesday, not sure who runs those. 

Roger Baez does classes at Aviation Club and Shangrila... Personally I didn't like his teaching style though.

And if you fancy a change, you can try ceroc or swing (cerocarabia.com and swingarabia.com). Very friendly crowd, ceroc is a very easy partner dance you can do to any music.

I go to quite a few of these events and am fairly new to Dubai so always happy to meet new people, message me if you want a companion!


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## apexjay (Mar 27, 2011)

Guys! Any salsa enthusiasts here? Have never been a good dancer but really want to give salsa a shot. So I write this message to:
(a) figure out the best classes for Salsa in Dubai (specially for beginners)
(b) figure out if there are other newbies to Dubai / Salsa who would want to join too (the more the merrier, rt?)


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## Guest (Apr 15, 2011)

*Salsa*



apexjay said:


> Guys! Any salsa enthusiasts here? Have never been a good dancer but really want to give salsa a shot. So I write this message to:
> (a) figure out the best classes for Salsa in Dubai (specially for beginners)
> (b) figure out if there are other newbies to Dubai / Salsa who would want to join too (the more the merrier, rt?)


Oh you made this thread alive after years. I am a male already finished beginners' and wud be available as a partner, if any female is looking for :eyebrows:


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## apexjay (Mar 27, 2011)

@raminviper: Any suggestions on which classes to take? 

@All: I came cross a few on the web, ritmo de havana, familia de la salsa etc but would love to hear some first hand reviews.


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## Dubai_NewKid (Feb 17, 2011)

hey i'll be moving to Dubai this week, also interested in doing some activities once thru with work. The option of Ibis Hotel on SZR sound sgood, as i will be living very close to that. I had initially done a beginners way back in India, forgot a lot of it already! I am interested in joining a salsa dance workshop which is a friendly place, good teacher and above all a lot of fun! Let me know if anyone is interested in giving it a shot! Oh just to let you know I am 29 y.o. male.


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## Melody (Jan 21, 2010)

Dubai Salsa | The Dubai Salsa Guide, your portal of information to learn and dance salsa throughout Dubai.
James and Alex - Dubai Based Salsa Performers, Instructors and Choreograghers
Salsa in Dubai - Ritmo de Havana

Tuesday nights at Barasti is definitely a good start to discovering Salsa in Dubai. Enjoy ...


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## apexjay (Mar 27, 2011)

Melody said:


> Dubai Salsa | The Dubai Salsa Guide, your portal of information to learn and dance salsa throughout Dubai.
> James and Alex - Dubai Based Salsa Performers, Instructors and Choreograghers
> Salsa in Dubai - Ritmo de Havana
> 
> Tuesday nights at Barasti is definitely a good start to discovering Salsa in Dubai. Enjoy ...


Hi All,

Thanks for your help. To add to my question, I seem to be confused on which style of salsa to learn, cuban or NY/LA style and I have been told by people (who are not in Dubai) to learn the style which has the most followers in the city/ country. Could some one please help me with this? Which style is the most followed in Dubai?

Tx,
AJ


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## Melody (Jan 21, 2010)

NY/LA ... leave the Cuban for when you are comfortable with your steps, turns and the beat


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## yankee79 (Nov 27, 2010)

Hey I have never tried salsa but would be more than keen to learn. maybe we can get a group going as it would be fun...a beginners group or something


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## apexjay (Mar 27, 2011)

Melody said:


> NY/LA ... leave the Cuban for when you are comfortable with your steps, turns and the beat


Thanks, Melody! Would you also be kind enough to refer a good school if you have been to one you liked? It would really be very helpful!


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## jander13 (Mar 12, 2009)

apexjay said:


> Thanks, Melody! Would you also be kind enough to refer a good school if you have been to one you liked? It would really be very helpful!


just google for james and alex


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## Lita_Rulez (Nov 4, 2010)

I'll have to disagree on this one.

There is not really any issue of one being easier to learn than the other one, as when you start from scratch, and for a guy, there is already so much to pick up (rhythm, your steps, the moves you have to lead, how to lead them, etc.), though if you push me really hard and I have to suggest one over the other for a beginner, I'll go with Cuban : as your arms are going to be locked to each other 95% of the time, there is much less posturing to worry about at the beginning, and that's a load off.



There are 2 major differences between LA/NY style (mambo) and Cuban style.

1. Mambo is slot dancing : you have a line of dance, along which lead and follow will trade places, and there is usually a lot of spinning and posturing involved, whereas Cuban is more of a revolve around each other kind of dance, with a lot of arm-locks and over-under.

2. The music is different. While you could technically dance either style on either music (and some will do), there are some sub-categories of Salsa on which I for one would never dance Cuban style, and some other on which I would never dance Mambo.

The third difference, which I can not list as a "major" difference, because I will remain politically correct on a general purpose forum, but this is a global debate that fuels salsa forums the world over : the mood in a cuban party and in a mambo party is (very) different.

Mambo dancers are usually viewed as a more pompous crowd, with it's stars, and status delimitation for dancers, as an advanced follow (girl) will seldom condescend to dance with a beginner, and an advanced lead (guy) will gladly invite a beginner if she is pretty, as you need to show off in front of the crowd. They want to look good first, have fun second.

Cuban dancers are usually viewed as a more messy crowd, with arms and legs all over the place, no sense of space between the couples on the dance floor, and no dancing skills. They want to have fun first, and look good, well... further down the line.

Now, I am not saying this holds true of every dancer in each style, and I am not saying that you can't dance both styles, but as for all stereotypes, if they exist, there might be a good reason for it at the root.

What I would suggest is to go to a couple of Mambo parties and a couple of Cuban parties, and see where you feel more comfortable, and go from there.


As for parties and classes, you have been given a couple of websites to check out. Just know that :

1. James and Alex are Mambo dancers, Del Pierro (ritmo de Havana) is a Cuban dancer, Phil Bedford and Rohit are calling themselves "mixed styles".

2. Dubai Salsa is run by James and Alex, and you will mostly find only James and Alex parties there. The only 2 they list that are not theirs are Sevilles (once a month during the summer, 3rd Wednesday if I'm not mistaken, run by Phil initially) and the Trader Vics every evening (which is not worth going to for dancing, as the floor is about 3 square meters between the bar and the band...).
So basically, you can just go to James & Alex website for this, you'll also get their classes timings.

3. Ritmo de Havana is run by Del Pierro, and you will only find his parties and classes there.

4. www.salsanight.com to have a fairer overview, will give you Phil & Rohit's parties and classes.


As far as I can tell, all of them are good teachers for beginners (though obviously, I have not gone through a full beginner course with all of them), so I guess once again there is no "right or wrong" teacher as a rule (which is a good thing compared with other countries), just see what type of salsa/parties you like, and go with the teacher for this style.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I just want to add a more general note to all those "looking for a partner to go Salsa with".

We are not talking about ballroom dancing here, where you have your partner and you stick with him/her for the next 15 years. This is social dancing. The whole point of it is to have fun, and dance with many different people.
While I understand that getting there all by your lonesome and start inviting people while you are not confident in your own skill will be overwhelming, and may not be a good experience for you, the best thing to do is join a class. Even by yourself. Everyone will be a beginner there, there will be girls alone, guys alone, and you will meet and learn to dance with different people. Aside from the fact that this is the best and fastest way to learn social dancing (changing partners) it will also allow you to then know that when you get to the party, you have several partners available to dance with, and there is no issue of skills with them as you are all beginners. 










Lita, who should stop ranting about dancing and start doing it again...


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## apexjay (Mar 27, 2011)

Thanks a bunch for your very comprehensive reply, Lita! I know I have been asking a lot of questions but I really want to invest my time at the right place and right skill. 

Another thing I request your views on would be: Which style seems to be most followed in Dubai? As you correctly mentioned this is social dancing and I would want to join the bigger "society". 

AJ


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## Lita_Rulez (Nov 4, 2010)

I've been asked a couple of questions by PM, but will post the answers here as I believe others might be wondering the same things:


1. Parties are open to all, and are not limited to students of one class or one teacher, as most of them are in regular venues.

They will play salsa, they will have a dancing space for salseros, and it will be the theme of the night, however anyone can go and have a drink or dinner there, even if it's not to dance at all. No reason then for them to not accept someone from a different dance teacher.

You even have dancers dropping in from anywhere in the world, as they could be passing by for their "regular" work, or passing through on the way to a Salsa congress somewhere or the other, the venues and the teachers would be ill inspired to refuse entrance to an international star because they are not "from their class" 


2. As much as the parties are opened to all, going to an all Mambo party when you only know Cuban style, while interesting to see if you'd like to learn it, or if you like the scene, the feel, etc. will definitely not lead you to a nice dancing evening, as most people will not be able to dance the style you are used to, and will not be able to lead you (if you are a girl) or follow you (if you are a guy) properly. The reverse is obviously true.

In other words, as much as you can go to James & Alex parties if you take classes with Del PIerro, you won't have too much success dancing there. If you take classes with J&A, you'll be welcome at Del P. parties, but will probably not have much fun dancing there either.

And if you are a beginner, you will probably leave wondering why you were not able to dance, while you usually do get the hang of things...


3. What is the biggest crowd.
Now this is a tough one. For one, I haven't been going out much lately (nice way of saying I've gone dancing 5 times in the last year and a half) so things might have change "a little", as things in Dubai will tend to do.
And for another, I don't believe it is relevant.
There is more than enough people coming to the parties on either side of the fence to have fun. 
You could look at the number of parties per week as a way to choose also, but as venues change, parties get canceled and parties get added fairly often to both sides. I think over the last quarter, a party that had been absent from J&L schedule for a long time has found a new venue, while one of the parties from DP has stopped because the venue stopped it, but he's scouting new places. So who has more parties today might not be the one having more parties tomorrow...

I really feel it is a matter of where you feel more "at home", what type of music, mood and people you will have more affinity with, than anything else.

.
..
...

Just hope you don't end up preferring one style of dance and music, and favoring the mood and crowd from the other parties


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## Deets (Sep 19, 2011)

apexjay said:


> Thanks a bunch for your very comprehensive reply, Lita! I know I have been asking a lot of questions but I really want to invest my time at the right place and right skill.
> 
> Another thing I request your views on would be: Which style seems to be most followed in Dubai? As you correctly mentioned this is social dancing and I would want to join the bigger "society".
> 
> AJ


Hey AJ,

Was just doing some research on the Salsa classes and saw your thread. Was wondering if you ever signed up for the classes? If so, where did you end up going and would you recommend them? Do let me know!

Cheers,
A


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## ManiChamar (Sep 19, 2011)

Ema said:


> Hi,
> Ive been here just over a year now and really missing my salsa scene.
> Is there one going here? Workshops, clubs etc.
> Im also looking for a companion if i find something.
> Hope i find something soon


I like salsa. Can I study dancing with you?


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