Why did you start dancing? If you are like me its because you wanted some sort of regular social activity that didn't necessarily involve a club or bar. You wanted something that you could work/improve; a hobby and something that could help you meet people. I started for all those reasons and its for those reasons that salsa is awesome. Let me clarify.
1) Its an alternative to bars
I love going out on the weekends, but I am not much of a bar/nightclub person. At least I am not anymore. The salsa scene is a great alternative. If gives you something to do and somewhere to go at night. Most cities have larger regular parties on the weekends and smaller more casual social dancers during the week. Salsa keeps me off my couch after work and gives me something to look forward to on the weekends.
2) Its OK to go alone
When I started dancing I didn't really know anyone in my town. Salsa lessons gave me something to do for a few weeks but as I started getting immersed in the salsa seen I realized that most salsa dancers are going just to dance and as a result most dancers come out alone. Its really funny actually seeing the line up to get in and everyone shows up alone, but knows everyone else who shows up alone. Its amazing how many people you will meet to the point that you won't even feel like you are showing up alone, cause you will now most everyone else there. Which brings me to my next point.
3) It opens up a social network and community.
Salsa is a community, a "scene". By that I mean that it has lots of regulars and people who dance tend to do it very regularly. People who get hooked on dancing and do it as their passion and hobby. Start dancing and very quickly you will see many of the same faces and sooner or later you will become one of them and start meeting people. Also whenever you travel you will be able to access a social network of salsa dancers in that city/town. Lastly almost every weekend somewhere in the world there will be a salsa festival or congress. I know have so many great memories of road trips with salsa friends to other cities to experience their salsa congresses.
Now here is why its not so hot.
1) It can be elitist
When I started dancing and even to this day there are people who will only dance with other "dancers" meaning they tend to be very picky and hold others to a certain standard. This is just one dimension of the scene and I am guilty of it myself. For most of us this tends to be a stage in development that most people will grow out of. I personally try to dance with someone new/beginner dancer every time I go out to help the community and the scene grow. If you have been dancing for awhile do the same.
2) It can lack a fun factor.
One of the major comments I hear from newcomers to the salsa scene is that it tends to be a little serious. As I said before the majority of people who are going out salsa dancing are their just to dance, but this can be a double edged sword. When not dancing a lot of the people along the edges of the dance floor are watching and there is not the social interaction aspect that I find in clubs and bars. Of course this varies, but its something that I see and hear a lot from Hong Kong to LA. This is not to say that people are not having fun, but the dancing tends to take precedent and people have fund while dancing.
So that is the salsa scene, good and bad like most things in life. If you are curious about salsa or want to learn how to salsa and are reading this I think you will find it a great adventure and something that will change your life...serious. If you are already a "salsero" than hopefully you will read the not so good and prevent it from happening to you and make your salsa scene even better for it.
Ivan Wan is a teacher and dance in Vancouver, BC, Canada. He originally learned how to dance in south america while growing up. He has been dancing for over 10 years around the world in a variety of dance styles, but is a self confessed salsa addict. You can contact him through his website http://www.dance4uvancouver.com/.
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