City Salsa Vibe

Vancouver salsa scene is such a gem to find. Great mixed crowd in dance skills, ages, cultures and genders. It’s hot! Had lots of fun at the New Years party at Landmark hotel.

Salsa… bachata. mambo…merengue…cha-cha-cha…reggaeton…
ALL IN ONE NIGHT!
i was at the howard johnson plaza hotel on kingsway on a saturday for a friend’s post bday bash.
because there was a guest who was under 19, she opted to NOT head to a club afterwards and came here.
you pay $ 10 for an entry fee, but if get there early @ 9pm, there is a complimentary 1 hour free dance lesson! and then you are welcome to stay for the actual dance part of it afterwards. (i think it goes til 1 or 2am, just like a regular club)
i had so much fun trying to learn the new steps they take you through in the hour. we rotate partners every few minutes so you get to dance with almost everyone in the room. there are NO bar stars. everyone is just there to have a good time.
when the floor was open to the dance portion, the place was packed! people were spinning and flippin their hips and being swung around like pros! it was so exciting to watch!
i was no where close to any of them, so i hung low for a little while to enjoy the show. i watched as men came up to random women with a little bow and asked them for a dance. it was super cool to see that happen and no one having a problem with who was dancing with who! very soon, a guy came up to me and asked for a dance… without a second thought i accepted.
i nervously warned him that i wasn’t very good. he just smiled and said «don’t worry, just follow my lead, you will do fine». and he was right! i was soon turning and twisting and doing things that i most likely will not be able to duplicate ever again… we ended up dancing to at least half a dozen songs!
for those of you who still want a somewhat cluby vibe, there are alcoholic drinks to be bought… and tables and chairs to sit if you prefer to be a watcher.
but with the sexy wicked latin beats, its hard to stay still for too long!
They have this particular night at the Johnson Plaza Hotel every saturday night… and at other various venues around vancouver on other nights.