On a recent Fall evening, a few hundred people gathered at Domino Park in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, for a free event called, “Salsa by the Water”. The event was cosponsored by both the park’s management and Nieves Latin Dance Studio, who taught a forty-five minute salsa class until 6:45pm, when the main dance began, which ran until 9pm.

This location is usually dominated by happy screaming children, who run through a series of colored water fountains, that shoot water up into the air during the day. For this special occasion, the park shut off the water fountains, a DJ booth was set up in their place facing the East River, and the space was converted into a dance floor. 

As people arrived the sun was setting. Before the lesson was over, the sun had set completely, and a reasonably large crowd had formed as people climbed onto a wood platform to listen to the music and watch the people brave enough to enter the dance floor.

Wave Chan, a part time dance instructor from lower Manhattan explained why he loves Latin dancing, “To me, learning to dance is a form of meditation. I’m in-tune with the music. And I’m in-tune with my partner.”

“This experience is different from hiphop or modern dance” said Mr. Chan, “When a person is solo dancing they’re just in-tune with the music, and the expression of their soul.” He went on to say, “When dancing with a partner, you can’t do whatever you want to do. You have to listen to your partner to see what they’re in-tune with. Every person is different.”

As the evening went on, more people entered the dance floor. The crowd also got bigger as people were lured in by the sound of the music and the large group of people. Some of the younger men hung off to the side, and secretly drank, trying to find their courage. More women seemed to watch and be tuned into what was happening on the dance floor. Men would approach women and ask them to dance. Some of these would accept, and others would decline. Not every dance partnership seemed to work as well as others. 

Mr Chan explained, “Everyone has a different vibe, and that’s what keeps things interesting. It’s like sex in a way. You have to see what each person likes. Not every two people fit together. Sometimes when you watch a person dance, you already know if they’re going to fit for you. And when you do dance, it’s like you meld together to become one.”