L’électron libre

Where to go dance ?

Some addresses for salseros and salseras in Singapore :
I’ll try each one of them and will rate them.

Union Square (recommended, most popular salsa place)
Everyday of the week except Sunday, 9:00 p.m. to 1:30 a.m - Free before 9pm (except Friday)
Cover charge for men on Fridays. Happy hour until 9 p.m. Special drink promotion.
Free drinks for the ladies plus Salsa great deal for the Salseras.
Ladies night on Friday.
Music: Salsa , Merengue & Bachata
Complete review here.
Location : The Amara Hotel, 165, Tanjong Pagar Road, #02-05 (MRT Tanjong Pagar) -(T) (65) 224-6116
Contact:  (Club Mgr.) betty_lim@ntucclub.com.sg

Latin Fiesta @ Jitterbugs Swingapore
Every Friday, 9 to 11 pm - $5 (or free if you take a related class on Friday)
Every Friday, Latin Fiesta is held at Jitterbugs Swingapore. Not only is it the place for our students to practice their moves and grooves, it is also the meeting place of Singapore Salseros to shine with style.
Location : 9 Raffles Boulevard #03-02 Millenia Walk Singapore 039596 T (65) 6887 0383

Cuba Libre
Every Friday and Saturday, 6pm to 2am - Price unknown yet
Location : #01-13, 3B River Valley Road, Clarke Quay, The Foundry Singapore 179019

Brix - Price unknown yet
There are loads of Latin ballroom dancers on Sunday.
Complete review here.
Location : 10 Scotts Road #B1, Hyatt Regency Hotel (T) (65) 730 7108

Xen Bar
Salsa everyday of the week, till late - $5
My rating : 2.5/5 : Nice atmosphere although hard to find, rather little dance floor, nice music. Plus they sell dancing shoes and clothing. Very good level of salseros & salseras. A place for salsa-passioned folks.
The only club that was born only for SALSA! Most Happening Days: Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Every night is Ladies night. On Thursday Free drinks for the ladies plus great Salsa music, Salseras can’t complain much! Sunday open from 1.00 p.m. drink at 1 for 1. Opening hour from 6.00 p.m. till the last costumer walks out of the club, stays open till 6.00 a.m.
Complete review here.
Location : 34A Pagoda Street, China Town MRT Station (T) (65) 6225 2620
Note : The XEN Bar has moved, but the old vertical dark light sign is still there, so walk further in Pagoda street, you will find it.

Hard Rock Cafe

Thursday 9pm till late.
Complete review here.

Club Islander

Wednesday & Thursday 6:15pm till late.
Live band.
Location : Sentosa Island, Palawan Beach, Singapore.

What major events not to miss ?

The Singapore Salsa Festival in June.
http://www.singaporesalsafestival.com/

Where to learn Salsa in Singapore ?

Attitude Dance Studio (recommended) :

Salsa style: Los Angeles Style (lots of turns)

Website : http://www.asiasalsa.com/courses.asp

Average fee/hour : $14 to 18 (if couples or group > 4 )

Recommended instructor  : Güpson Pierre.

My rating: A solid 4.5/5 if you take Güpson.

My opinion on it: I took quite a number of classes there and I confirm what I read on many blogs: Güpson is an excellent instructor! Even the craziest perfectionist will find satisfaction with his mastery of the details that compose every single step or move in Salsa. The counterpart though is that he has a very STRONG personality: he’s tough. I am fine with it, that’s just the way he is an dif you don’t take it personally you live it as a lot of fun, otherwise if you’re too sensitive, you may feel he’s very stressing and expecting too much. Give it it try though, it’s worth it. BUT DO GET SOME PRACTICE in between classes !!! Cause one hour of class with him is very dense (no pun intended). So the only to master the previous steps is to dance dance dance until you get it right…which I should consider doing soon!

JJSalsaRengue : http://www.jjsalsarengue.com/schedule.php
Average fee/hour : $12 to 13

DansFlava Studios : http://www.dansflavastudios.com/sub_classes.html
Average fee/hour : Students/couples $10 - Others $15

Dance en Motion : http://www.dance-en-motion.com/courses.asp
Average fee/hour : $14 to 16 (stops at Intermediate, teachers level ?)

Two Left Feet : http://www.two-leftfeet.com/
Average fee/hour : $12 to 16 (if couples or group > 4 )

Groove (young and hip looking) : http://www.asiasalsa.com/courses.asp
Average fee/hour : $13 to 16

Dance Unlimited : http://www.danceunlimited.sg/salsa_classes/salsa_class_schedule.asp
Average fee/hour : $20 (unlimited dance…unlimited fee ?)

Where to buy Salsa shoes & cloth ?

Shoes : http://www.salsadaily.com/salsa_shoes.htm
Cloth : at the Xenbar, see address above.

Shoes : http://www.danceunlimited.sg/salsa_singapore/dance_wear.asp

Some cool sites

http://www.math.nus.edu.sg/aslaksen/salsa/salsa.html#Classes