Salsa dancing in/around Albuquerque, NM?

[HothouseSalsero]

(Trying again.)

Anybody know if it's possible to regularly go salsa dancing in or near Albuquerque, New Mexico? Not necessarily three or four different Latin nights a week, but something once a week (preferably on weekends) and maybe a monthly party or occasional special performance?

I am seeing mixed accounts of the situation there, but there seems to be some activity.

I've already checked the Salsa Power page, so no need to link to that. I'm really looking for comments from people familiar with the area, or people who know someone who lives out there, etc.

[lixmedina]

Both Albuquerque and Santa Fe have thriving salsa communities. At the Cooperage restaurant on Fri. and Sat. nights you can find live salsa bands doing their thing with a group Son Como Son being the hottest thing in town and this has all been going on for about thirteen years. The breaks are handled by DJ Louis whos great. He also hosts a salsa show on 89.9 KUNM Fridays 7-10 pm.

[Roo]

Sorry I didn't see this earlier. Yep, Lix has got it right- Cooperage is the best place in town and every Fri & Sat they've got something going. Live bands every weekend.

Tuesday: Martini Grille - Great dancers come out for this.

Wednesday: Sauce -- this is more of a "latin night". More salsa earlier in the evening.

Monday: Ned's. Every other week. I hear this is good & haven't made it there yet, but the dancers that I know of who go are quite good.

I think those are all the regular ones in Abq. There was another latin night on Thursdays, but it wasn't doing so well last I went & I haven't heard of it in a while.

Santa Fe

Wednesdays: Savor plays at El Farol

Thursday: Savor at the El Dorado Hotel earlier, Nosotros at WilLee's later.

Fridays & Saturdays: Salsas y Son is starting up (restaurant/bar/floor) and they've got bands sometimes, djs other times. Seems to be getting a good start, I haven't gone there yet.

Fridays & Saturdays: occasionally Salsa Suave puts on a mambo room w/an On2 lesson before hand. (NM is largely On1)

Also, Southside Cafe is a latino place where mostly immigrants go on the weekend: one night is reggaeton, the other salsa. I never remember which is which.

Check out Mimambo.com. It's a calendar for the area -- is more regularly updated for Abq than SFe.

Unless otherwise stated, it's a DJ. Good luck, maybe I'll see you on the floor!?

[mreventos]

Also in the summer the Albuquerque Museum hosts a weekly outdoor salsa concert.

http://www.nmjazz.org/page1/page12/page12.html

JUNE
• Friday, June 1
Charanga del Valle

• Friday, June 8
Calle 66

• Friday, June 15
Cafe' Mocha

• Friday, June 22
Son Como Son

JULY
• Friday, July 6
Cafe' Mocha

• Friday, July 13
Charanga del Valle

• Friday, July 20
Son Como Son **

AUGUST
• Friday, August 3
Charanga del Valle

• Friday, August 10
Special Guest Salsa Band: Grupo La Guira
($15 adults; $13 seniors (60+) & students with ID; $12 New Mexico Jazz Workshop and Albuquerque Museum members. Families are welcome and children under 12 are free.)

• Friday, August 17
Cafe' Mocha

• Friday, August 24
Son Como Son

[mreventos]

Be sure to check out the Albuquerque Hilton as well... Live music on the outdoor patio during happy hour and it's FREE. Great warmup before going to the Cooperage.


SALSA SUMMER HAPPY HOUR STARTS APRIL 13
AT THE HILTON IN ALBUQUERQUE

WITH IVON ULIBARRI & CAFE MOCHA.

NO COVER FAJITA BAR 6PM-9PM

UPCOMING DATES FOR CAFE MOCHA @ THE HILTON:
APRIL 20, MAY 4 & MAY 18.

ALSO
MAKE YOUR PLANS FOR CINCO DE MAYO @ ST. CLAIRE'S ON RIO GRANDE & I-40.
6PM-10PM

[HothouseSalsero]

I haven't been checking this thread, so belated thanks for the responses.

I'm planning on visiting Albuquerque in the middle on next month, so some of the date-specifc information here may prove useful.

[HothouseSalsero]

(NM is largely On1)

Thank goodness. Well, that's what I'm used too, and it would be a real inconvenience to have to switch up styles at this point, though I'd like to eventually give on 2 a real try. But the other thing is that the attitude of a lot of the On 2 crowd is a turnoff. I think there is too much dogmatism about salsa having an on 2 feel. I'm still not convinced, salsamerlizer notwithstanding. There's so much more to express in the music than the particular emphasis on one count or another.

[quixotedlm]

Curious if anyone can recommend a Sat night vanue. Thanks!

[HothouseSalsero]

The Cooperage generally has a salsa band (with a DJ between sets) on Saturday nights, and it's one of the more established venues, so it generally attracts a decent crowd.

Some impressions on Albuquerque's salsa scene from the perspective of a lindy-hop dancer:

http://rhythmicrambling.wordpress.com/2011/10/10/i-went-salsa-dancing/