Full dance floor at Mérida’s Sunday social at Las de Guanatos restaurant
If you haven’t figured it out by now, this blogger is also an avid salsa dancer. So much so that dance has critically shaped my travels. It often dictates places that I will visit, and for how long. Typically the first thing that I google upon arriving at a new destination is “where to dance salsa in XYZ city.” Dance is also one of my primary forms of meeting people while I travel, and it’s due to dance that I have formed many relationships both at home and while out in the world.
My trip to Mexico was no exception. I made an effort to dance in every city that I visited in Mexico. And lucky for this globetrotting salsa dancer, I found many of the cities that I visited in Mexico to have thriving dance scenes. And to aide other traveling dancers hoping to visit and dance through Mexico, here is my (non-comprehensive) compendium of dance spaces in various cities throughout Mexico. It reflects only the cities that I visited and the venues that I managed to try out, and my thoughts on the places in which I danced. Keep in mind, though, that dance spaces have the tendency to change frequently, so double check your sources (and ask locals as well) upon arriving in these amazing cities!
(Also, if you like this post be sure to check out my general guide to social salsa dancing in Colombia, as well as my guide for to where to dance salsa and bachata in Medellin, Colombia!)
General information about dancing around Mexico
Most people in Mexico, I found, dance one of two styles of salsa: either “en línea” or Cuban salsa. En línea refers to linear salsa, i.e. salsa On 1 or salsa On 2. I found that most people who dance en línea dance On 1, though there are On 2 dancers in Mexico as well! In a typical social or club, I found mostly On 1 or Cuban salsa. Many establishments that offer salsa classes teach Cuban-style salsa, and a significant percentage of social dancers who I encountered danced Cuban salsa. To get the most out of salsa dancing in Mexico, it would be helpful to have a basic knowledge of both linear and Cuban-style salsa.
I found that of all of the Latin rhythms danced socially around Mexico, salsa was the most pervasive. Many venues had live salsa bands, and in general the bulk of the music during any given night was salsa. However, many dance spaces also play small amounts of bachata, typically urban bachata. Most bachata dancers who I encountered throughout Mexico dance sensual bachata. In many dance spaces throughout Mexico, there is also a significant amount of cumbia. I also heard small amounts of cha-cha-cha, and very, very rarely merengue.
Most cities that I visited seemed to have some sort of dance community – in general, there are salsa dancers all around the world, and Mexico is no exception. In smaller cities, dance nights tend to be Fridays and Saturdays, though depending on the city there may be social dancing during the week. Larger cities oftentimes have dancing every day, and sometimes multiple options per night. My favorite city for salsa dancing in Mexico was Guadalajara. I was incredibly impressed with the dance venues around Guadalajara. I also found the dance community in Guadalajara to be very welcoming, and the overall level of the dancers to be fairly advanced.
And now, the city-by-city guide. I can only speak about the venues at which I danced, and to the word-of-mouth information that I received from locals in various cities. I hope you find it useful! Happy dancing!
Mexico City
Pata Negra: A classic! Pata Negra has salsa on Wednesdays and Saturdays, although I never made it out to the Saturday social. I did, however, go to the Wednesday social twice and I really enjoyed it. No cover charge and they offer free salsa classes. The classes are two hours long and are divided by level (beginner, intermediate, advanced). After the class there is social dancing, an hour of DJ set and an hour of live salsa. After midnight the DJ comes back on and phases out the salsa music to general dance music, and it becomes more like a club. However, before midnight it’s a great salsa social. Lots of dancers of all levels and a very friendly, welcoming community. The dance floor is wood and it gets very, very full – not the easiest for social dancing, but it’s still worth the visit.
Bachata Mexico: Bachata Mexico is a dance studio with a Thursday night social. They offer Cuban salsa and sensual bachata classes, and on Thursday nights after the workshops there is a (short) social salsa/bachata social. The social ends around midnight, leaving you with about two hours of social dancing, and there is a price per class and a cover charge for the social (not separate from the price of the workshops). This was one of the few venues in which I was able to dance bachata in Mexico City.
Mama Rumba: Mama Rumba is a venue for Cuban salsa. It is open multiple days per week and there is a cover charge to get in. I was at Mama Rumba the night of a special event, so I’m not sure how it is for social dancing on a typical night. Mama Rumba is big but it doesn’t have a real “dance floor” – more so it has wide aisles in which to dance, so the dance space can easily get very crowded. A good spot for listing to live Cuban music, but a challenging dance space.
Nuevo Foro Hilvana: Great venue with a Friday night social. There is a small window during which one can enter for free, but after 8:30 p.m. there is a cover charge. Foro Hilvana offers a salsa class before the social. The social is a really good time, with a live band and a plethora of dancers of all levels. The dance floor is quite large and it’s fairly slick. Recommended!
Fusion Salsa Fest: So, not exactly a social, but rather a congress! My trip to Mexico City (conveniently) coincided with FSF, Mexico City’s salsa congress. I bought a Saturday pass and attended workshops during the day, and then returned for performances and social dancing at night. I enjoyed the workshops, but they were very full (most workshops contained at least 100 students, to give you an idea). The Saturday night party began around 2:00 a.m. after a few hours of performances, and was still in full swing when I left at 5:00 a.m. The Saturday night party featured a live salsa band, and there were two dance rooms: a salsa room and a bachata/kizomba room. Both rooms were quite packed throughout the night. Like any congress, the level of the dancers is very high. I had a lot of fun at FSF; if you happen to be in Mexico City in October it is worth considering attending.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLWwsfQDZyQ/?taken-by=inlocamotion
San Miguel de Allende
Bar La Chula: La Chula was alright! I thought that I would not be able to dance in San Miguel, because it’s a small city and social dancing there is more of a Thursday through Saturday event. However, on Wednesday nights, La Chula has a live salsa band! It’s a small venue with a small dance floor, but it’s definitely worth visiting at least for the music and the view – the bar and the dance floor are located on a covered terrace, and there is a beautiful view of picturesque San Miguel de Allende by night. I managed to get a few dances in, but it was not a salsa social with a multitude of social dancers. Better to go with friends, have a drink, listen to the band, and dance cuando te de la gana.
Guanajuato
La dama de las camelias: Ahhh, La dama de las camelias… I actually loved dancing here, but this type of venue can be really hit or miss (think bar, with a small dance floor, open multiple days per week, that happens to play Latin music. Can easily be dominated by crowds looking to party, not to social dance.) Regardless, I had a great time dancing at La dama de las camelias because the salsa community in Guanajuato also congregated there, and I found people in the local scene to be very welcoming. La dama is open a few nights per week – Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, for sure. By midnight the floor gets really full and it’s challenging to dance. When I went on a Thursday night it was a bit easier to navigate the crowded dance floor, but on Friday night with the weekend partiers it was more challenging. Small cover charge to enter, and entirely DJ set. The music was almost exclusively salsa, with the occasional small set of bachata and cumbia.
Side note: When I was in Guanajuato, the salseros were all excited about a new venue that was about to open, called El Guaguancó. I didn’t get the chance to dance there before leaving Guanajuato, but I poked my head into the venue and the dance floor looked beautiful. This may be the new spot for the dance scene to congregate. The next time I’m in GTO this is where you’ll find me!
Guadalajara
Chapultepec Salsero: Chapultepec Salsero is really special. It is Guadalajara’s Monday night social, and it’s completely free. This social takes place outside, and actually occurs in the (wide) pedestrian walkway in the median in Avenida Chapultepec. It starts early and ends early, and begins with a free class at 6:30 p.m., followed by open dancing. Very spacious dance floor because the median spans an entire block, and the community of dancers is very welcoming. Chapultepec Salsero occurs rain or shine! Loved this social, I definitely recommend it.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLsTIRzjrvt/?taken-by=inlocamotion
Hotel Riu: Another great Guadalajara social! There is salsa in the lobby of the Hotel Riu every Tuesday and Friday. Free salsa class from 9:00 to 10:00, followed by open dancing. No cover, and there is a live salsa band on both nights. The dance floor is a good size but it definitely fills up. Very recommended, both nights.
Gran Salon Corona: This was one of my favorite socials in Mexico. I loved dancing at Salon Corona – it has a huge, slick dance floor, two live salsa bands, lots of bachata in between salsa sets, and no cover before 11:00 p.m. I went on a Thursday night, though there is also salsa on Fridays. There is a salsa class offered before the social. This was one of the few socials that I attended in Mexico that played extensive amounts of bachata, with bachata sets occurring in between the sets performed by the live bands. I loved dancing here, and definitely recommend it.
Side note: check out the Facebook page Bailamos salsa en GDL for more information about Guadalajara’s socials. The dance scene around GDL is so active and there is a lot going on, especially Fridays and Saturdays. Enjoy!
Morelia
La Porfiriana: La Porfiriana gets kind of a bad rap from the salseros in Morelia, and I’m not really sure why. I went on a Wednesday night and had a nice time. It is located in the historic center of Morelia and is open multiple nights per week. There is a salsa class, followed by open dancing with a live band. I found the class to be really strange – the teacher gave a ballroom salsa class, which I personally did not enjoy. La Porfiriana has a table minimum (80 pesos per person, I believe). The dance floor is slick and fairly spacious, and the band played a mix of salsa and cumbia, interspersed with DJ sets of salsa, cumbia, and a small amount of bachata. I enjoyed myself at La Porfiriana and managed to get some good dances in. I think it’s worth trying out, especially for people staying in the historic center.
Konkolo Snack Bar: Konkolo is a cool venue located a bit outside of the historic center of Morelia. The venue itself is quite large, though the dance floor fills up quickly. If you arrive early enough there is no cover charge. Konkolo is open multiple nights per week and features a live band, interspersed with DJ sets playing mostly salsa and cumbia, with small amounts of bachata. I heard from some salseros in Morelia that Wednesday night is the best night to go; I went on a Thursday and had a good night overall.
Puebla
Mambito’s Salsa Social: Mambito’s was my favorite social out of everywhere that I danced in Mexico! I seriously recommend it. The social takes place every other Sunday night, so plan your trip to Puebla accordingly! There was a small cover, and this social started early and ended early (think 7 p.m. to midnight). No live band, solely DJ. The night that I was there, the music generally followed the format of three to four salsas, followed by one bachata. Lather, rinse, repeat. Spacious, hardwood dance floor (this social was also one of the few in which it didn’t feel like the dance floor was a battleground due to the congestion of dancers). I found the level of the dancers to be very high, and the community to be incredibly welcoming. Loved it, highly recommended.
Oaxaca
La Tentación: I went to La Tentacion on a Wednesday night, and it was empty. Sure, they were playing Latin music – DJ set with salsa, bachata, and cumbia – but La Tentación may be a venue in which you need to bring a partner to be able to dance. I didn’t go back so I’m not sure if this changes on, say, a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night, but I didn’t have much luck when I was there. La Tentación has a very small dance floor, and when I went there was no cover. It’s not a bad venue in which to have a drink and listen to Latin music, but for social dancing I don’t recommend it.
Restaurante Candela: I was really disappointed with Candela, which is unfortunate because it’s supposed to be “the” salsa venue in Oaxaca. Candela is open multiple nights per week and there is a small cover charge. I went on a Thursday night and found that, in spite of there being many people there, it was very difficult to social dance. The DJ played small amounts of salsa and bachata, interspersed with large sets of cumbia and reggaetón. While there were high-level salsa dancers there, I did not find the local community to be particularly welcoming. As a whole, I was not impressed with the salsa scene in Oaxaca.
Side note: Oaxaca has a salsa congress! It seems like this is one of the larger congresses throughout Mexico, so perhaps if you’re in Oaxaca at the right time, this would be a better way to get your social dancing fix.
Puerto Escondido
Playa Kabbalah: Kabbalah is Puerto Escondido’s Saturday night salsa venue. No cover and a live band playing salsa, cumbia, and even a little bit of bachata. I got to Kabbalah a little past 11:00 p.m. The place was full… but there were very few social dancers, more so people there to party. I was not really able to salsa dance there, which was a bit disappointing. However, Kabbalah is a really cool venue because it is right on Zicatela Beach – meaning that if there’s no one to dance with you can just relax on the beach and watch the waves break over the shore. Once the band ends the DJ takes over and plays reggaetón and other dance music, and it essentially becomes a club.
Cumbia break! Live salsa and cumbia at the Puerto Escondido Salsa Fest
Congo Bar: Congo is the dance spot for Wednesdays and Fridays in Puerto Escondido. I went on a Wednesday night, and there was no cover and a live band. I went to Congo on the night of a special event, so the band played outside and the dancing occurred in the street. On a regular night I’m not sure how it is, but the night that I was there was a good time, and I got in some good dances with some of Puerto Escondido’s salsa community. The band and the DJ played a mix of salsa and cumbia, and after about two hours the dance floor was pretty full of partiers. For salsa dancing, I believe it’s better to arrive earlier rather than later.
Puerto Escondido Salsa Fest: Puerto Escondido has a small salsa festival, the Puerto Escondido Salsa Fest, which is like a very small salsa congress. The festival takes place during Friday and Saturday. Friday is solely a night party, with shows and social dancing. Saturday consists of three workshops during the day (salsa, bachata, and quebradita), and a party at night with more shows and social dancing. The Friday night party featured a live band as well as DJ sets, and Saturday was entirely DJ. The music was mostly salsa, with some cumbia, bachata, and small amounts of quebradita. I personally found it slightly difficult to social dance at this festival, and felt like some of the dancers there were a little bit cliquey. However, I did meet many welcoming social dancers there as well. Additionally, I believe that the festival organizer is making a strong effort to build the dance community in Puerto Escondido, and as such I felt that attending this event was worthwhile.
Playa del Carmen
La Salsanera: La Salsanera was the only spot that I found around Playa del Carmen to salsa dance. It’s quite nice, and is open multiple days per week. There are free salsa classes offered. If you arrive early enough, there is no cover (I believe the cover charge starts after 10:30 p.m.). La Salsanera has a nice wood floor, and tends to feature live salsa bands.
Mérida
Mambo Cafe: Thumbs down. I was not a fan of Mambo Cafe, and would not recommend it for social dancing. It is a club, with reggaetón, strobe lights, y todo. Great if you are looking to perrear, but very disappointing if that’s not what you’re looking for. I tried Mambo Cafe because its Facebook page advertised a bachata night… after two hours, I did not hear a single bachata. Perks of Mambo Cafe, if you’re looking to party, are the (sometimes) free entrance for women and the open bar. Plus, they do have live music – think salsa/cumbia/reggaetón fusion.
Otherwise, I went to a really fabulous salsa/bachata social in Mérida, which I recently found out is no longer on… However, the dance school that organized the social, called Astro Salsa, is still very much active in Mérida with socials and classes. Definitely check out Astro Salsa’s Facebook page for their upcoming socials – when I attended I found a very welcoming community of dancers and a high level of dancing. Very much recommended.
There you have it! Hopefully this guide with be the first of many, and hopefully in future trips to Mexico I will be able to expand it to reflect more cities and venues that I visit. Have you gotten to salsa dance in Mexico? Any recommendations for me? How about in other cities and countries around the world – any favorite spots for dancing? Let me know in the comments below!
28 comments
You really got around! Thanks for all the tips!
I know!!! Loved it! Thanks for reading and commenting, Lydia 🙂
Holy moly salsa dancing in Mexico looks amazing! I’ve never been to any of these places, but omg they look incredible dude, I’m super jelly you’ve been able to experience these. Definitely an experience I have to add to my list c:
Amy;
Little Moon Elephant
Hi Amy! Yes, I definitely recommend salsa dancing in Mexico – it was one of the (many!) highlights of my trip there. If you ever make it over there and decide to dance, I would love to hear about your experience! Thanks for reading and commenting 🙂
Thanks for the tips, I am going to Guanajuato next month and I now have two places to try my luck at Salsa dancing 🙂
You’re so welcome!! I loved Guanajuato – such a beautiful city! Have an amazing time, and feel free to report back 🙂 Thanks for reading and commenting, Tobin!
Yo, there’s more than that in Playa! La Salsanera is just an offshoot of a big Cuban-oriented emporium (Salon Raices) further inland (btwn 60th & 70th Aves), with salsa by great cuban bands pretty much every night. Club Zenzi on the beach has lessons, a great live salsa band, and a really great scene Monday, Thursday, and Saturday. And there is also a Son band every night (and a little tiny space for dancing) at Bodeguita del Medio (but it’s my least favorite of these places). Plus, if you wander around, you never know what one-off performances you’ll come across.
Thanks so much for these recommendations, Jo!! It’s good to know that there are lots of options for dancing in Playa – I’ll keep these in mind for the next time I’m there 🙂 My list is definitely not comprehensive and reflects the places that I managed to visit while traveling in Mexico, but there’s always more to visit. Happy dancing! Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
Thanks for your tips! I am now in Mexico city and will go to Guanajuato on Thursday. I tried to find some useful information by Google to dance here. Your recommendation is very helpful. Just like you, I like to dance salsa in every cities I visit. If someday you travel to China and want to find some nice parties, I can help.
Thanks for the kind words, Tom! I hope you enjoy dancing in Guanajuato. And thanks for the offer to recommend me places in China – if I ever make it over there I will be in touch 😀
So happy to have found this blog, and thankful that you’ve shared your experiences in some detail, as it can hard to find recent and accurate info on salsa options when traveling. Based on what you’ve written, I’ve decided to take a short trip to Guadalajara at the end of the month! Unless you have reason to believe the nights have changed there (I’ll try to reach out to the venues to confirm), I’ll likely do a Tue-Sat trip.
Thank you so much for your positive feedback! I definitely understand the struggle of searching for places to dance. I was last in Guadalajara in fall of 2016, and I loved dancing there… I know that there are still socials happening at Chapultepec Salsero and Salon Corona (which is great because Salon Corona was my favorite!). Seems like the Hotel Riu is still on but it’s a little harder to find info online. Either way, there are soooo many socials in GDL that you’ll have a great time – the community is really active and high level. I would recommend checking out the Facebook page “Bailamos Salsa en GDL” as well because it’s pretty active and there is a bunch of information about upcoming socials: https://www.facebook.com/BAILAMOS.SALSA.EN.GDL/
Happy dancing! And please report back and let me know how it went for you in Guadalajara!!
Fantastic! Thanks much for the FB link; I’ll definitely use it. I’ve always said that any city that has a social on a Monday is going to have a strong dance scene, so this bodes well :-). I’ll post again after my trip…
That’s so true! Looking forward to hearing how it goes 🙂
Hey Alissa – One more question, if you don’t mind… Do you have a good resource for info on socials in Mexico City? I’m going to take advantage of a flight option to overnight there on a Saturday on my return from Guadalajara, and plan A is to check out Pata Negra per your recommendation, but it would be good to know what else might be happening… I’ve actually tried dancing in the city previously, but had an unsatisfying few nights, mainly because I’d gotten some misleading info on socials and venues.
No problem! Try this Facebook group for salsa and more in Mexico City: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1855884414655798/
Just so you know, the easiest way to contact me with these types of questions is through my blog contact page, for future reference! 🙂 https://www.inlocamotion.com/contact/
Thanks so much for your post! I am planning to take personalized salsa lessons in Merida and I am looking forward to practicing my moves throughout Mexico! Gracias!
That sounds so great!! I hope you have a wonderful time and enjoy dancing in Merida and beyond! It’s a beautiful city and there’s so much to do, between dancing and everything else. Thanks for reading and commenting!
Awesome summary of salsa dance in Mexico… I am going to Guanajuato and Oaxaca next December and will take this information with me..See you on the dance floor!
I’m so glad that you’ve found it helpful! Enjoy dancing in Oaxaca and Guanajuato!! 🙂
I will be in Guanajuato and Oaxaca too in December 🙂 Are you traveling solo?
Hey Alissa, I’m so happy to find your blog. I was on the hunt for dancing in Oaxaca/Puerto Escondido for a future trip, and I’m pleased at the treasure trove of other dancing articles you have here. I don’t usually see that. It also seems that we’ve overlapped some dancing places (Medellin, SF blues fusion, etc). I have a question for you. If you were to recommend a few international cities that have solid dance scenes (salsa, swing, etc.), what would they be? (Maybe another article idea for you, but I honestly really want to know your feedback, as I have been moving internationally the past three years and I’m pondering my next destination. Unfortunately the internet doesn’t have a Top 10 Cities for Salsa / Swing dancing. 🙂 Thanks!
Hi Jackie! Thanks so much for your supportive comment! I definitely understand the struggle to dance in a new city, and I hope that you encounter good social dancing while traveling in Mexico. It’s been a few years since I’ve been to Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido, but I know for sure that Academia de Baile Los Bravos in Puerto Escondido is still really active with dance classes and socials, so hopefully you enjoy the scene there.
As for your question… the bulk of my dancing has taken place in the US, so I can mostly speak to that (also, I’ve danced very little swing, Latin is my forte). Otherwise, I’ve danced sporadically throughout the world, mostly in the Americas, a bit in Spain and Canada, etc. I’m biased but for salsa, I have to recommend New York City. The scene in NYC is kind of highbrow and show-offy, but in spite of that there’s really great salsa here, every day. I also have to recommend Baltimore, where I learned how to dance. It’s a smaller, family scene but it has a lot to offer. There’s also a beautiful venue for swing in Baltimore called Mobtown Ballroom, definitely recommended. Internationally, I really enjoyed dancing in Guadalajara and Guanajuato, in Mexico. Medellin was good as well. I didn’t love the Latin scene in Spain, in general, and would have liked to dance more in Quebec City and Tel Aviv. I heard there’s a salsa scene in Beirut and am definitely hoping to check it out!
Anyway, I hope this helps, and feel free to keep in touch – I would love to hear more about your dance adventures! Happy traveling and dancing 🙂
I’m traveling to Guanajuato the first week of Nov 2019 and I too love to dance when I travel! We went to Pata Negra in Mexico City a few years ago and it was great. Last year we tried to dance in GDL and had so much wrong information we never got to dance. Hoping for better luck this time. If anyone has up to date information on dancing in Guanajuato, let me know!
Hi Katy! I haven’t been to Guanajuato in a few years (trying to change that, though!) but to my knowledge, El Guaguanco is where to social dance in GTO. Let me know how it is! Thanks for reading and commenting, and happy dancing 🙂
Sounds like fun. Do you ever go in groups? Would love to follow, I mean for the trip and travel; I’m a lead.
Hi Steve! Thanks for your question. I don’t generally travel in groups – sometimes with a few friends if I’m going to a congress, but the bulk of my traveling is solo. Maybe in the future, though!
Thank you for your awesome blog post! It inspired me to bring my family to learn Salsa in Mexico! We want to go for 2 weeks and learn it intensively with private salsa instructors. Do you have any resources for forums on private salsa lessons in Mexico? We plan to go Puerto Vallarta but also open to other big cities with good infrastructure. My son is 10 and daughter is 12 so I need a big city with lots to offer to keep them interested! Any suggestions will be super helpful!