Photos by COURTNEY STEWART Greg White
(right) twirls his partner among other learners during a dance
lesson last month at West Los Angeles’ The Conga Room.
By Sophia Whang
Daily Bruin Contributor
People are spicing up their lives with a kind of salsa
that’s good enough to eat.
Adding flavor to Thursday nights, dance instructor, Alex Da
Silva, is sharing his salsa dancing moves with the crowds that
flock to The Conga Room every week from 8 to 9 p.m.
Charging $10 for the hour, he teaches the basic dance steps in
addition to a few partner patterns, pairing couples in a circular
formation so that the women can rotate, since most people come
without partners.
“I’ve always wanted to learn a Latin dance, but
never had the opportunity to before,” said Cynthia Lopell, a
first-time student of Da Silva’s, at The Conga Room. “I
like the way salsa makes you move the body. It’s very
sensual, very expressive, and there’s a lot of creativity in
it.”
Salsa dancing began in New York, when the Puerto Rican and Cuban
immigrants brought it over in the 1930s. It has evolved musically
since then, taking influences from different Latin music and
African jazz styles.
Salsa music is what is primarily played in The Conga Room, a
nightclub that has housed well-known artists such as Celia Cruz,
Tito Nieves, and Chucho Valdés. It also plays merengue,
cha-cha and even a little hip-hop music, as well as some Irish
keltic rock.
“There’s an eclectic, fun atmosphere here at The
Conga Room,” said Brendan Edwards, one of the managers of the
nightclub who also oversees the contingent restaurant, La Boca.
“People here range from ages 21 to 101. There is very
energetic dancing, and 10 to 12-member big, brassy, salsa
bands.”
 Movement is key at The Conga Room, where attendees can
take an hour-long salsa lesson for only $10. “We chose Alex
because he’s one of the top dancers in L.A. right now,”
Edwards added. “He has great rapport with all of his students
and it’s a great, interactive class.”
Da Silva has been dancing and teaching for 13 years doing salsa,
hip-hop, Argentine tango, swing and ballroom dancing. Though he
teaches all these types of dance, he only has group lessons for
salsa. “I started dancing and 3 months later, someone offered
me a job to teach salsa for $15 an hour,” Da Silva said.
“I never thought I was going to be a dance instructor, but
that’s how it all started, and I got hooked.”
Other salsa dancers at The Conga Room share similar stories of
becoming hooked on the dance.
Davor Pacemski, a student of Da Silva, has been dancing salsa
for about two and a half years.
“I take salsa at studios; I take it everywhere,”
Pacemski said in the grand ballroom of The Conga Room. “I
started here one Thursday night and then the next day, the movie
“Dance With Me” came out, and I said to myself,
“˜This is so beautiful, I have to learn it.’ Ever since
then I’ve been taking classes, sometimes five times a
week.”
Five is a small number to eager salsa dancers who crave the
taste of salsa’s sweet beats.
“There’s more excitement in the dance than in the
best action movie,” Da Silva said. “It’s also a
very good way to pick up girls and guys because it’s a
touching dance, and salsa dancers don’t care who they dance
with. They just come to dance.”
Along with the exciting music and passionate movements of salsa,
the diverse groups of people that salsa attracts help make the
thrilling atmosphere of The Conga Room. The crowds gather to share
their common love for the dance.
Da Silva said that even if someone has no rhythm whatsoever, all
hope is not lost.
“This is what I recommend for people who have no rhythm,
because rhythm is the hardest thing to teach someone ““ if you
listen to the music, it makes you want to move, and pretty soon it
gets into your body, making it easier for you to learn,” Da
Silva said. “People say Puerto Ricans are born with rhythm,
but anybody can do it. As long as you love the music, the dance
will come easy.”
Salsa is about the music, passion, and, of course, the
occasional date you can pick-up at the clubs. But there is one
disadvantage.
“Once you get addicted, it’s hard to get out,”
Pacemski said.
So beware before going salsa dancing. It is habit-forming and
there is no warning label.
DANCE: Salsa lessons are offered every Thursday night at The
Conga Room from 8 to 9 p.m. for $10 per class, or free with the
purchase of admission to the club that night (for local acts only).
The Conga Room is located at 5364 Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles.
Valet parking $5, street parking is limited. For more information
visit www.Congaroom.com or
call (323) 938-1696.