Salsa Z is teaching young Miamians how to salsa

Axios

7 hours ago

Standing on a stage in front of about 270 people — each looking to her for guidance — Elisa Baena demonstrated the basic step pattern of a salsa dance.
"1, 2, 3 — relax your shoulders — 5, 6, 7 — smile on your faces," she said, with her back to the audience so they could mirror her feet. "I want your hips fluid. … Just watch me."
Why it matters: Each month, Baena leads a similar class, part of Salsa Z —the club and community she started at the year's onset.
The name riffs on the Gen Z generation, because the group aims to teach young Miamians — specifically Gen Zers — how to learn salsa in a welcoming, fun and "non-viejuco" or "old" environment.
It's for the "kids who grew up with salsa in our living rooms but were never taught," she wrote on social media.
Between the lines: While the group targets young folks, everyone is welcome — from people who've never before stepped to a beat of salsa, to experienced dancers looking to make friends and enjoy a night out.
Each culture has its own way to dance salsa. Salsa Z, though, is Cuban.
State of salsa: Baena, a Miami native with Cuban roots, grew up a dancer, studying at the Miami City Ballet School and later dancing at the University of Miami while in college.
But it was during the pandemic that she decided to formally learn salsa dance as a way to get out of the house and meet people.
There was just one issue: All of her classmates were old — "like old, old," she told Axios.
"The only way to get better was to go to salsa socials and clubs, but it was the same scene. It was all viejos [older people]," she said. "It wasn't the vibe, and it wasn't the way I wanted to spend a Friday or Saturday night."
Yes, but: Bad Bunny released an album, " Debí Tirar Más Fotos," on Jan. 5 featuring two salsa songs. "This is my time," she said she thought.
She hosted the first Salsa Z event in February at ZeyZey. To her surprise, about 120 people showed up.
How it works: The monthly ticketed event has changed — and grown — since launching. Ahead of last week's event, Baena announced a new structure:
The first block is now the beginners and basics class for first-timers, those who've never taken a salsa class or for those wanting to review the basics.
The second block is for the club's regulars, where new moves are introduced.
On Saturday, after the session, attendees were encouraged to move inside to the disco to keep dancing to a live percussionist and vinyl set playing salsa music.
The bottom line: Baena didn't expect the club to grow this much, or this quickly; it simply started as a fun idea.