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Possibly outdated Much of this article was written in 2006. Some information may be out-of-date. If you can improve it, please do.

This page is intended for Salsa dance lovers who are travelling around Latin America. It is surprising, but usually it is quite difficult to find good salsa clubs while travelling in Latin America. In this guide you can find information about Salsa Clubs around Latin America.

Understand

Salsa is a popular form of social dance that originated in the Caribbean. The movements of salsa have origins in Puerto Rican bomba and plena, Cuban Son, cha-cha-cha, mambo and other dance forms. The dance, along with salsa music, originated in the mid-1970s in New York. Different regions of Latin America and the United States have distinct salsa styles of their own, such as Cuban, Puerto Rican, Cali Colombia, Los Angeles and New York styles. Salsa dance socials are commonly held in night clubs, bars, ballrooms, restaurants, and outside, especially when part of an outdoor festival.

In many styles of salsa dancing, as a dancer shifts their weight by stepping, the upper body remains level and nearly unaffected by the weight changes. Weight shifts cause the hips to move. Arm and shoulder movements are also incorporated. Salsa generally uses music ranging from about 150 bpm (beats per minute) to around 250 bpm, although most dancing is done to music somewhere between 160–220 bpm. The basic Salsa dance rhythm consists of taking three steps for every four beats of music. The odd number of steps creates the syncopation inherent to Salsa dancing and ensures that it takes 8 beats of music to loop back to a new sequence of steps.

Argentina

Bariloche

• Asia Bar, Mitre 774. Salsa evening every Friday, 1AM-5AM. (updated Jun 2018)

Buenos Aires

• Azúcar Abasto, Avda. Corrientes 3330 y Agüero (Subway B "Carlos Gardel" Station - Colectivos 24 - 71 - 124 - 142 - 168 - 180), ☏ +54 11 4865-3103. Th-Sa evenings. Has a great reputation. Old style Cuban and Puerto Rican salsa. (updated Jun 2018)
• La Salsera, Calle Yatay 961, Villa Crespo (a short taxi ride from Azúcar Abasto), ☏ +54 11 4866-1829. All styles of salsa. All ages. (updated Jun 2018)
• Maluco Beleza, Sarmiento 1728 (a short taxi ride from 9 de julio & Av. de mayo). Th midnight-5PM, F Sau 1AM-6PM, W 9:30PM-midnight. Brazilian music - Samba & AXE - great place for Brazilian music lovers. (updated Jun 2018)

Brazil

Salvador da Bahia

• Sankofa African Bar e Restarante - Live Salsa music Tuesday nights. Pelourinho neighbourhood, no 7 Rua Frei Vicente (next to Sorriso da Dadá restaurant). Open 6 days of the week except Mondays with live samba, salsa, forro, etc. DJ plays music of the African diaspora from salsa, zouk, samba, reggae, congolese rumba, axe, soul, funk, coupe decaler, mbalax, etc. The ambiance here is wonderful. The band is live playing "latin" salsa while the DJ plays some excellent salsa cubana - charanga habanera, los van van, manolito, etc.

Colombia

Generally you can find lots and lots of salsa music in Colombia. Most of the people would know how to dance and move with the rhythm. However there are two problems for the advanced salsa dancer. First is that they usually don't do any turns, most Colombian girls get confused by Cross-Body lead ("Dile-que-no"). Second, usually people get to the clubs by pairs and sit around tables.

The elements of Cali-Style Salsa, also known as Colombian Salsa and Salsa Caleña, were strongly influenced by dances to Caribbean rhythms which preceded salsa, such as Pachanga and Boogaloo.

The central feature is the footwork which has quick rapid steps and skipping motions. Colombian style does not execute Cross-body Leads or the "Dile Que No" as seen in other styles, but rather step in place and displace in closed position. Their footwork is intricate and precise.

Cali

Cali is also known as the "Capital de la Salsa" (Salsa's Capital); due to salsa music being the main genre in parties, nightclubs and festivals in the 21st century. Cali has the most salsa schools and salsa teams in the world. Cali hosts many annual salsa events such as the World Salsa Cali Festival and the Encuentro de Melomanos y Coleccionistas.

• Blues Brothers - Live Salsa every Thursday night. Close to Avenida 5 Norte & Calle 26.

• Tin-Tin-Deo, Calle 5 # 38-71, Barrio San Fernando (in Calle 5 & Carrera 38). Th-Sa 8PM-3AM. It claims to be recommended by The New York Times as the Cali site to visit for its musical identity and its salsa culture. 15,000 peso entry includes 10,000 peso credit at the bar. (updated Jun 2018)

• Zaperoco, Avenida 5 # 16-46 (close to Avenida 5 Norte & Calle 14). Th-Sa 8PM-4AM. Quite crowded (but not too crowded), good music. Mostly pairs. Authentic Colombian salsa. Upscale bar. (updated Jun 2018)
• La Topa Tolondra, Calle 5 # 1437, ☏ +57 316 4944768. 10PM-. Large dance floor. Caters to old and young, foreign and local dancers. Come at 9:30PM or 10PM to avoid the queue. Free salsa lesson on Mondays. (updated Jun 2018)
• Club Changó, K3, Cavasa, [email protected]. Th-Sa 8PM-6AM. (updated Jun 2018)

Cartagena

• Cafe Havana - Live salsa on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Open from Tuesday thru Sunday. Opened in 2006. Address: Getsemani, corner of Calle del Guerrero and Calle de la Media Luna, Phone: +57 5 664-9454, cel 310 610 2324 Website: www.cafehavanacartagena.com

• Donde Fidel - a salsa pub. Seating inside on two floors, and outside in the plaza. The owner's name is Fidel. Since the late 1980s. Large variety of old salsa. In old city of Cartagena, close to the clock tower (torre del reloj), in the plaza where the candy sellers are under the arches, Address: Centro Portal de Los Dulces #32-09, Phone: +57 5 664 3127 or cell +57 300 808 6849

• Quiebra Canto - a salsa pub. Located near the convention center in the old city of Cartagena. Address: Getsemaní Carrera 8B Nº 25 - 119, Phone: +57 5 664 1372 - if you have a table there is a minimum liquor consumption charge.

Medellin

• El Bodegon - A little salsa pub in Parque Poblado.

Lots of clubs around Carrera 70 (near Estadio Metro Station).

• Salsa Romantica - Great place, only soft romantic salsa, in Carrera 70, in front of the Estadio Metro Station.

Cuba

In Cuba, a popular dance known as Casino became popular in the 1970s. Dancing Casino is an expression of popular social culture; Cubans consider casino as part of social and cultural activities centering on their popular music.

Casino traces its origin as a partner dance from Cuban Son, Cha Cha Cha, Danzón and Guaracha. Traditionally, Casino is danced "a contratiempo". This means that, distinct from subsequent forms of salsa, no step is taken on the first and fifth beats in each clave pattern and the fourth and eighth beat are emphasised. In this way, rather than following a beat, the dancers themselves contribute in their movement, to the polyrythmic pattern of the music. At the same time, it is often danced "a tiempo", although both "on3" (originally) and "on1" (nowadays).

What gives the dance its life, however, is not its mechanical technique, but understanding and spontaneous use of the rich Afro-Cuban dance vocabulary within a Casino dance. In the same way that a "sonero" (lead singer in Son and salsa bands) will "quote" other, older songs in their own, a Casino dancer will frequently improvise references to other dances, integrating movements, gestures and extended passages from the folkloric and popular heritage. This is particularly true of African descended Cubans. Such improvisations might include extracts of rumba, dances for African deities, the older popular dances such as Cha Cha Chá and Danzon as well as anything the dancer may feel.

In the 1950s Salsa Rueda or more accurately Rueda de Casino was developed in Havana. Pairs of dancers form a circle ("Rueda" in Spanish means "wheel"), with dance moves called out by one person. Many of the moves involve rapidly swapping partners. "Rueda de Cuba" consists of about 30 calls.

Havana

• Casa de la Musica, 20, La Habana (in Miramar neighbourhood about 20 from the old city). Live bands every night. Taxis tend to overcharge on the way home. 10-15 CUC cover for foreigners (4 CUC for Cubans). (updated Jun 2018)

• Casa de la Musica in downtown Havana is where the Cubans arrive in company with friends and family to eat and dance. Table reservations are requiered for Cubans, foreigners are allowed to enter without reservations but at a higher price at the entrance.

• Piano Bar in downtown Havana next to Casa de la Música is a small but popular place serving good and relativelly cheap drinks. Live performances are hosted frequently. Entrance for foreigners costs 5 CUC.

• Rosalina de Castro is somewhat hidden in an old building which in daytime hosts the local house of culture. Despite being central, few tourists make their way here, it is between El Capitolio and the central police station, the easiest way to find it is to ask a local around El Parque Central. The place is small and live events are normally not foretaken here, but it is a popular dancing place among the local youth.

Trinidad

• Casa de la Musica at the stairs next to the Main Square in the old town hosts live performances every night starting at 10 pm. Free entrance.

Mexico

Sayulita, Nayarit

Bodeguita del Medio - live Cuban band every night of the week except Mondays. (April 2011)

Don Pedro's (on the beach), Mondays is Salsa Night. (April 2011)

Peru

Cusco

Lots of places around the main plaza. All of this places teach salsa for free every night. Usually after midnight the music is changed for mixed music. Cusco is a great place to start learing salsa. but the experienced dancer would proabably satisfy with dancing only with the instructors.

• Mama Africa - 10PM to midnight, teaches Cuban style, and sometimes LA style (depending on the teacher)

• Mystery - 9:30PM–11:30PM

• Up Town - teaches LA style and Cuban style (depend on the teacher)

• Night Sky - start after Mystery finish, small friendly place, play Cuban genre and mostly LA dancers

Stock up your water prior to dance. Dancing first time dancing above 3400m will !air you thirsty.

Lima

• Son de Cuba - Calle de las Pizzas, San Ramón 277, Miraflores. Good place to learn basic steps with Cuban teacher Mauricio Triana. He has lived in Peru for a long time so you can see a bit of a mixture of Peruvian and Cuban salsa.

• Cohiba- Avenida del Ejercito, Miraflores. Good dancing experience.

• La Casa de la Salsa Peruana, Calle de las Pizzas, San Ramon 279, Miraflores. This is the place to visit if you want to learn authentic Peruvian Salsa. The lessons are taught by Peruvian teachers Freddy Vivanco and Marina Quispe. They are very passionate about their style of salsa and are very eager to teach you the steps and moves that make Peruvian Salsa unique.

• Muriel's Dance School-Jr.Anselmo Andia 751, Urbanizacion Sta. Luzmila, Comas, Lima 7. Muriel Pelayo is a very enthusiastic and experienced dance teacher. She is one of the pioneers of Peruvian Salsa.