Mastering the art of salsa is worth the sacrificial pain of a $15 upfront fee in exchange for access into the world of social, casual dancing. My intention for a night out is always to dance with friends, make new ones, and have fun. I can assure you that salsa dancing at Tango Del Rey is the best place to achieve this goal. Unlike the frat houses, clubs, or the Pacific Beach nightlife, you will leave the night with an infectious smile and a free-spirited glow.
The entire night is an approachable and moldable experience, catering to whatever your heart desires from a night out — whether it be bonding with friends, harvesting a great storytime, people-watching, getting your body moving, acquiring a new skill, or perhaps even meeting somebody.
Last Friday night, I simply paid, walked in, and at precisely 8:30 p.m., the crowd parted down the middle to begin the dance lesson. The men and women were separated, the two sides facing each other to size up potential partners. Then, the instructors moved to the middle — a teaching formation reminiscent of line dancing lessons — and they taught us the basic steps of salsa. After we mastered these basic steps, the instructors herded everyone into a large circle formation alongside the edge of the dance floor. We were paired randomly with a partner, usually just the person closest to us; every minute or so, the men would rotate one partner to the right, so we had the opportunity to dance with everyone.
Getting the opportunity to dance with everyone is a major plus — especially if you’re shy — because it makes the idea of dancing with a stranger so much more approachable. For example, if you’re paired with the occasional weirdo, you only have to dance with them for one minute. Otherwise, you get to dance with hotties to whom you can send nonverbal romantic signals, like batting your eyelashes and giving a slight smirk, to ask them to ask you to dance later.
After the lesson, the floor opens up for a social hour, meaning you have the luxury to choose who you dance with and for how long. That said, if you aren’t interested in meeting new people or if you have a partner already, don’t fret. You can join the dance floor on the upstairs balcony where you aren’t expected to switch partners. In case you are wondering, I was not up there.
On the open floor, when choosing a partner during social hour, my advice is to be open-minded. When I first entered the establishment, I assumed that everyone would be my age due to a classic case of the false consensus effect — a cognitive bias where you assume people will be like you. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see people from all generations. After rotating through a few partners, I found that my favorite age group to dance with was the elderly men. These 70-year-olds have been frequenting this dance spot for years and mastered the art of salsa long before I arrived. Not only are they amazing dancers, but they’re also forgiving of newbie mistakes. I apologized to one of them for my novice skills, and he wisely assured me that it did not matter what my skill level was — all that mattered was my mindset, positive energy, and willingness to try something new.
To prove my hypothesis of just how easy it is to find a stranger to dance with, I tested a variety of situations to isolate the variables. First, I stood idly on the edge of the floor — within 10 seconds, I was courted.
For the next round, I tested the waters by standing in an off-putting, is-something-wrong-with-her, Sims position to see if someone would still come up to ask me to dance. For reference, a Sims position — from the iconic video game — is when you produce and freeze a particular facial expression on your face, like a deadpan smile or a purposeful tucking of the chin to generate a double chin. You are forbidden from exchanging eye contact with anyone and must repeat the same movement over and over again, such as a sway from side to side or my favorite, a juke-out robotic wave to an empty wall. Then, I closed my eyes to test just how unapproachable I could be. I guess just because you can’t see others doesn’t mean they don’t see you, because I was still asked to dance.
For the grand finale, I grabbed a drink, a jacket, and my bag, alluding to the idea that I was leaving; then, I exponentially increased the stakes by standing near the exit. To my surprise, men were still asking for my hand with a “just one more!” I had never felt more wanted — more loved — in my life. If I was still asked to dance in all of these situations, you will be too, so do not allow your fear of rejection to prevent you from having a fun night!
To assuage any remaining anxiety you may have before hitting the dance floor, I would like to remind you of a few truths. One: everyone is learning alongside you, so don’t be afraid to make mistakes! Two: if you get overwhelmed, remember that no one will judge you for taking breaks, wandering around, or people watching for as long as you need. Dancing is something you can put a pin in and come back to, or not. This can help ground you if you get overwhelmed or if you get tired and need a break.
One final tip: if you’re like me — a little dramatic and sensitive to bad smells and weird sensations — I would recommend keeping tabs on who has sweaty palms and bad breath. Trust me, those two factors will exponentially worsen as the night ages. Try migrating at least 6 feet away to avoid any inevitable lingering.
Tango Del Rey is the perfect place to spend your Friday night. Not only is it stimulating and fun, it also gets your body moving, gives you the opportunity to meet new people, and encourages you to develop a new skill. After all, you never know when you might need to whip out your impressive salsa dancing prowess. The night’s fate is in your hands, and I guarantee it will be an amazing way to end your week.
