Salseros dance away to glory at Shiro pub in Worli. Nirmal Harindran Salseros dance away to glory at Shiro pub in Worli. Nirmal Harindran AS Latino tracks resonate through the night, there’s a shimmy here, a swivel there, a pout and a spin and strobes bouncing off bodies moving in tandem. It’s a weekly ritual for many Salsa dancers in the city, their evening just beginning in the pubs and underground digs as, close to midnight, while the city readies to sleep, the community of Latin dancers comes to life. Watch What Else is Making News This sultry partner dance form and the very concept of Salsa socials in the night have broken the monotony of everyday life among many dance and Latin music aficionados, ranging from the novices to the near-professionals. “Salsa is a way of life for many of us,” says Mary Lobo, host of Latin Twist by Mary and Derek, a Salsa social organised every Wednesday at Shiro in Worli. “I have been hosting Salsa nights here for over four years. While there are many dance schools that teach you Salsa, the only opportunity people get to practise and rejuvenate is at these socials. The dance form has evolved so much that people do not want to just limit themselves to learning it in dance institutes. At socials, you meet different people with the same passion, who have fun and dance away to glory.” She adds that from doctors, lawyers and media professionals to actors and businessmen, people from all walks of life and age groups come together to dance after work. The nights start around 10.30 pm and go on till 1.30 am. Besides Salsa, its extensions such as Bachata, Rueda, Kizomba and Zouk are also part of these nights. The city has at least three to four Latin nights a week, in different chic spots of the city and suburbs. Sameer D, a doctor who attends these socials regularly, feels Salsa nights are when dancers flaunt their skills, improvise and, of course, bond with the rest of the people in the community. “I come here after work and no better way to end the day than dancing Salsa. It’s therapeutic to say the least,” he says. These nights organised either by Salsa instructors or individual Salsa promoters have dedicated DJs whipping up popular Latin, Cuban and African tracks. At a time, 200 to 300 Salseros hit the floor in pairs. The same community of people attend every social and fresh faces keep getting added, in their best attires and dancing shoes. Vineet Bangera, who runs a dance school called Dance Central, hosts Salsa nights at Escobar in Bandra every Thursday. “The Salsa community is growing in the city. These socials help both the new dancers as well as the experienced ones to experiment. A lot of teaching and learning also happens at these socials. These nights are literally the social network for the Salseros.” These nights are also complemented by Latin dance performances by dance institutes or even international artistes on a regular basis. Digvijay Desai, a sales and marketing executive with an apparel brand, promotes Salsa nights in Thane. “We have some real talent emerging out of socials. I started out as just a student and then a social dancer. Then I met some interesting people in the community, learnt new techniques and now I have been teaching and promoting the form in whichever way I can. Salsa is a universal language for many of us and truly addictive. We don’t miss even a single social night,” he says. So it’s no surprise that when the clock ticks 10.30 pm, Salsa takes over. The music rises, “Yo no se manana…quimbara quimbara…vivir mi vida”. At one point, in chorus the dancers shout: “Viva La Salsa (Long Live Salsa)”.

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