Salsa classes welcome experts, novices alike

BY MARIA GALLUCCI
The News
Aug. 5, 2009

"Cubana!" the instructor calls out as claves clack and trombones sound. "Turn to the left! Turn to the right!" he shouts to the beat, his footsteps keeping rhythm with the music.

The group before him copies the steps, moving on the dance floor with either flustered faces or with practiced ease. They have all come out on a recent Wednesday night to hone their salsa skills at Mojito Room's weeknight classes.

For many newcomers to Mexico City or to Latin America, dancing can become one of the first culture clashes they face. Foreigners accustomed to dance-less house parties and crowded bars might find themselves bashful when a Mexican friend drags them by the hand to the dance floor.

Those hoping to look a little less clueless when that fateful moment comes have found a near-perfect solution in virtually free salsa lessons.

At Mojito Room, with bases in the city's Condesa neighborhood and SatAclite in the State of Mexico, novices and skilled dancers alike can come out every Wednesday, Thursday or Friday night to move their hips and practice the steps.

Rows of glasses filled with mint, sugar and ice line the bar, already prepared for the swarm of sweaty dancers seeking mojitos between sets. Bartenders expertly add rum and mineral water on cue, serving up a delicious cocktail that is neither too sweet nor too strong.

Rodrigo Irra, floor manager at the Condesa spot, said the salsa classes have always been a part of the Cubíthemed bars, whose parent company is based in Miami.

While Mexico City staples like the Mama Rumba dance clubs have long since offered classes to the public for a 100 peso cover charge, the Mojito Room provides a fresh alternative to the scene; the Condesa branch will celebrate its one-year anniversary in October, and the SatAclite bar has been around for two years.

The classes, which kick off at 9:30 p.m., are open to anyone who can fit on the dance floor. Cuban and Mexican instructors guide students against the backdrop of prerecorded salsa and bachata music, teaching individual steps first and then transitioning into partnered movements.

"Básico!" the instructor calls out again, challenging dancers to place the left foot forward and the right foot back. "Susie Q!" he says into the microphone, taking exaggerated steps and swiveling his hips. Some of the students shuffle awkwardly and giggle to their friends while others move sensually, making the steps look simple and effortless.

Classes on Wednesday and Thursday teach "salsa en línea," a variation of the dance with movements circling toward the left and involving a quick pace and lots of turns. Friday classes teach "salsa cubana," a slightly distinct form with movements toward the right and more incorporation of the arms and the whole body.

Until last Wednesday, the classes were offered free of charge. Now, Mojito Room charges a 70-peso cover from Wednesday to Saturday in exchange for a ticket worth one free classic mojito (also worth 70 pesos), part of a pilot program the bar is testing out, Irra said.

By 11 p.m., the dance floor clears and a live Cuban salsa band takes to the stage, pumping rhythmic stylings like son, cumbia, huahuanco and, of course, salsa. Mojito Room regularly invites bands Son Cubano or Valentini y los del Caribe to play, and the bands alternate nights and locations depending on the week.

With horns blaring, maracas shaking and smooth voices singing in the front, dancers reclaim the floor in a salsa free-for-all, experts and amateurs alike swiveling and stepping to the beat.