Ahhhhhh Amsterdam and its canals, Amsterdam and its bicycles, Amsterdam and its scents and especially Amsterdam and its salsa. I have just returned from a weekend getaway from the "Dam of Amstel". It is a city so unclassifiable, that in two days I feel like I have traveled to the other side of the world. I come out with an impression of having recharged the batteries, having too much energy as if I had fallen there in a barrel of redbull.
Its architecture is atypical, its laws are different, its inhabitants are other and its bikes are invasive.
But let's focus on the main subject of this post, salsa in Amsterdam.
The world of salsa is very lively in Amsterdam. You will find regular evenings on weekdays. At the weekend, you will definitely have the choice between several evenings.
The site we used is http://www.salsa-amsterdam.nl/. This is the first non-sponsorised link you'll find by googling "salsa Amsterdam"
With my traveling colleague, we had two Cuban evenings. I can not tell you if they know the portoricain style in the Netherlands, but throughout the weekend there was only one girl dancing portoricain. Only my colleague had the opportunity to dance with her and if you wish he can tell you more.
The Cuban salsa is exactly the same as the one we know in France, with one exception, do not try vasilala, it is an unknown move for the Vikings.
The bachata is the bachata old school and not the one of these new trends that are the Brazilian zouk, the baixata, the sensual etc...
The kiz is becoming rarer, it has not yet pierced in the north as is the case in France.
For the first evening we went to the "Mirror center" which is a not-for-profit association center. Well the main reason was that after 4 hours of driving my back was not going to refuse a party at 6 minutes walk from the foot of my bed. It was one of those collective dance school parties where there is not a crowd, where everyone knows each other, where everyone dances in the same way and where one feels inefficient if one does not know. In the end I do not know if it was me who was tired or if it was them but you will have understood, it was not the evening of the year. I did not have "my" dance, you know the one you remember, the one after which you can say to yourself: it's good I made my evening, I can go home with the sense of duty accomplished.
The Saturday night was held at the "Salsa Club Mystique" which is a salsa bar. On Facebook they announced 88 attendies but we were much more. It was full, with maybe even too many people on the dance floor from 1am. That evening, I got my dance with the beautiful Mariëlle ... Beautiful evening, unforgettable atmosphere, beautiful parquet floor, nice dancer, in summary, a place I particularly recommend to live fully his passion in this exciting city.
Salsament