Salsa dancing on weekends in NoVa
I’m disappointed that Clubs and Dance venues out here in Loudoun County and Northern VA, relegate Salsa music to mid week. It is a great social dance music. Most people here who like to go Salsa dancing on weekends end up going into DC.
My point is that even if you don’t dedicate the whole night to salsa, because there is a significant Latino population in the area, you should at least mix in some salsa. Yes, you can do it on your weekend deejay’ing. Time for a multicultural change babies.
I’ve seen the Latinos in the various bars and clubs in the area, going along with the hiphop, rock, and country & western. There’s no excuse, not even economically, for not mixing in some latin, specifically Salsa. Do that and watch the ladies go “OOOhhh” and start wanting to mimic Shakira and JLo, then watch the guys light up, and buy more drinks for them. Watch people want to learn the graceful moves of slick dancers…
So, club so and so plays Salsa on Tuesday night, because they don’t think its profitable on Saturday night. They can have it. I’m not supporting them who won’t support me culturally on the weekend. The demographics are there. With your Rock, Hip Hop, etc. you can mix in Salsa. There’s enough healthy variety in our music that it blends well and crosses over. And don’t argue about a language barrier, there’s a lot of Salsa music in English, and French, and Japanese, somewhere I even have Celtic Salsa!
You can help. You guys who go out of your way top do a little Salsa on Tuesday and Wednesday, start TELLING the owners or managers of those venues, that when you come on the weekend you’d like to hear some salsa mixed in, maybe just a few songs during their 4 hour sets. Point out that on the weekend there’s Latinos patronizing their establishments as well. Tuesday night I’ll be listening to vintage Ray Barreto and Eddie Palmieri in my own space.
And, in case you’re wondering, yes, I am a New Yorker who grew up on this music, loves it passionately, likes to dance and spends money on the weekends.
Siempre Pa’lante! Ask me anything!
