Where to Learn & Dance Salsa in New York City
Salsa follow along at our Gala
New York City, United States- Ah my home city. NYC is truly the capital of the world which is what I love about it most. You can find so many salsa classes from so many types of people from around the world, it’s insane. And you have a ton of choices when it comes to classes which is why it was so hard for me to narrow down.
I want to preface this by saying, this list is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to salsa in NYC. Use it as your gateway to the NYC salsa scene. As you explore it you will find even more places you will like.
Type of Salsa: New York style on 2.
New York style salsa, is danced linearly along “a track” instead of around each other in circles like you would in Casino/ Cuban style salsa. Salseros move toward or away from their partner after the clave sound on count 2 of the music. When watching this style of dance, you’ll notice its fast intricate turn patterns. This technique was codified by Eddie Torres in the 1970s.
Top Class Recommendations
They have drop-in classes for all levels at 3 locations: Peridance, Alvin and Aiely, and Navatam. They also have private classes which can be taken at up to 8 studio locations. They really make taking class convenient if you are staying in Manhattan. With this company, I did a salsa performance series class that ended in me performing for their spring showcase. It was super fun. I highly recommend it.
This is the studio I frequent most often. They have classes for all skill levels. And their instructors are both super friendly, and top notch. It is located not too far into Queens where you can take the 7 train only a few stops from midtown to get here.
3) Mambo Royalty NYC
https://www.mamboroyalty.nyc/nyc-classes
This studio carries on the legend of the creator of on 2 technique, Eddie Torres. If you want to take class from his son, this is the place to go.
Socials
If you are in NYC in the summer, you need to come to Sunset Salsa. Set out on a Pier 76 in Manhattan, this is a magical place to dance as the sun sets over the Hudson River. This place gets packed, so you are sure to find a partner to dance with.
2) Socials at dance studios-
Most dance studios in NYC have socials of their own once or every other month, usually on Thursday, Friday or Saturday. I’ve been to Piel Canela’s Social, Cucala’s and there are so many more. If you find a studio you love, go to their social. It’s always fun dancing with teachers and students you know since it’s a way of building community.
This is the next salsa social I want to go to. It is one of the top-rated salsa socials in NYC. Honestly, if you watch the promo video it looks like a super good time.
Bonus Tip: Where to Watch Performances
You can go to salsa socials to watch performances. There usually will be a performance by the pro-team of the studio, sometimes guest performers, and student performances. I love watching these pieces because you get to notice what you like in a salsa performance. And you can scope out who you’d like to take class from based off their dance set.
