Road Warrior's Journal: Salsa dancing in Philadelphia
by Bernette Wheeler
posted September 27, 2005

After working in Delaware for the past couple of years, it was time to say goodbye to my new friends and salseros. Being just a short jaunt to Philadelphia, I took advantage of salsa dancing in Center City. During my last week, I decided to forfeit sleep and sanity for salsa.

Tuesdays at Marbar
Latin Tuesdays at Marbar (near the University of Pennsylvania on 40th and Walnut St) just recently started so I was quite anxious to investigate during my nightly salsa marathon. The scene was cool and contemporary with a good mix of beginner to advanced dancers and thankfully not too crowded. Organized by Buster Adams of Latin Nation, the night kicked off with a beginner salsa lesson. Afterwards, I watched in awe of Buster and his partner, who spins faster than a tornado. Not to be outdone he matches her with lots of style (get this he teaches a ladies styling class). I was a little wary of the concrete floors but that didn't stop me (with the help of some suede bottom shoes) from attempting some whirlwind spins of my own. Salsa dominated the playlist with a short break around midnight for some merengue, bachata and reggaeton. Things died down around 1am: the DJ stopped playing and the staff started mopping the floor so I took that as my cue to head home.

Wednesdays at Brasils
Most local salseros agree that this is Philly's best salsa venue and it's been my long standing Wednesday night outing since the beginning of this year. Brasils is located in the heart of Philly's eclectic and urban entertainment district, Old City, on Chestnut (between 2nd and Front Streets). A long narrow stairway leads to the main bar and dance area which is stripped of any fancy accoutrements leaving the bare basics - well worn hardwood floors and cooling fans. Sonya Elmore of La Luna Dance Studio teaches an intermediate lesson around 9:30pm which everyone takes. It's not unusual to have as many as 90 dancers attempting to do Round the World turns in this tight space. Throughout the lesson, the guys or ladies rotate to the next partner so you end up dancing with every salsero by the end of the class.

Dancing right after the lesson when it's most crowded is a little risky as I've had more than my share of bruised feet but I've learnt to improvise some steps to avoid this. I have a new appreciation for dancing in the slot and other dance space etiquette. Warning! This is not the place for neck drops. Nonetheless, the energy level is quite addictive. When I get a break to catch my breath, I'm captivated by the advanced dancers (many of whom are seasoned performers and instructors) strutting their stuff. The women are very sensual and stylized and the men seem to just glide across the floor with smooth confidence. This was the first place I saw women do splits in the T-stance. (Men do them too as I learned in Puerto Rico when a salsero told me it was his turn!)

This particular night I experienced the birthday dance, firsthand. Everyone but the birthday salsera leaves the dance floor and the guys dance around her in a circle anticipating the right moment to scoop her away from her current dance partner (for the duration of one song). One of my friends was celebrating his birthday (they give the guys a chance to shine too) so I mustered up the courage to join the line-up.
The DJ spins 99% salsa with a bachata or two thrown in for good measure at the end of night. By the time this place closes around 2am, it's down to the die-hards: Everyone's drenched but still holding up for that last salsa fix.

Thursdays at Casa de España
After a few nights of little sleep, exhaustion started to set in but my mission forged ahead. Driving to this location took me through some of the less desirable areas of Philly but at least there was parking in the back (you have to pay for street parking in the city until 10pm). Casa de España (restaurant/bar on Whitaker Avenue in NE Philadephia) has a great dance floor and lots of nearby table seating to rest weary feet. This location just introduced Thursday Salsa nights so the crowd was sparse and the night kicked off late (better to go with people you know). Nevertheless, the dancers made ample use of the shiny new floor as the DJ kept it live with about 70% salsa, mixing in some merengue, bachata and even a dabble of hip hop. Many farewell dances later, it was time to end the night.

Hasta luego!

P.S. Check out http://www.trinijunglejuice.com/salsainthecity.html for more info and pictures on salsa in Philadelphia.