I enjoy listening to all genres of music. I really enjoy busting out a few moves on the dance floor to Arabic, Pop, Techno and many other kinds of tunes. The music that is guaranteed to get me up and out of the chair is a Latin beat!
I have always loved the sound of Latin music. It makes me come alive and no matter how bad of a day I have had, the music just shines through the black cloud that was hanging over my head, add salsa dancing to that equation and not only do my woes become a distant memory, I have fun and get a great work out.
When I moved to Cairo, I got to know a certain gentleman who was a fabulous dancer and had taken many classes and was competitive material. I longed to be able to dance like him so that we could go out dancing together. He didn’t like the idea of me taking lessons from a male instructor so, I didn’t. When our ‘friendship’ came to a tragic end (a long story that I won’t get in to), I took up salsa classes, (I didn’t have a jealous person to worry about, plus I also had the hope that one day I would bump in to him at one of the salsa nights held in Cairo and blow him away with my steps and Latina moves. It hasn’t happened yet).
If you are a Salsero or a Salsera, then I highly recommend that you join the Salsa Club Egypt group on Facebook. You can find out when and where Salsa nights are held and when the next Salsa Congress will be hosted in Cairo.
Sunday, Monday and Thursday are popular Salsa dancing nights in Cairo.
Sunday, Salsa Club Egypt offers dance classes at Stiletto before the Salsa night begins.
Beginners: 8pm
Absolute beginners: 9pm
Intermediate: 9pm
Rasha, is usually the instructor and she is amazing to watch.
Sunday nights at Stiletto Lounge is 1 El Galaa Sq. Landmark: Inside Sheraton Cairo Hotel, Towers & Casino, Dokki, Giza.
Monday night salsa at Nile Maxim also offers dance lessons before the night starts. (i don’t think that this night is still on)
They offer free classes at 9pm. Nile Maxim is a boat found opposite the Marriot Hotel in Zamalek. Salsa nights are held in Le veranda.
Thursday night you will find some of the best salsa dancers unwinding after a week of working, showing off their signature moves at Café Bian in Mohendiseen.
I have only been there once and I would never have thought that they would have a night of dancing there, but they do. Bian Café is near medan aswan\next to Atlas Hotel and Omda restaurant.
Salsa Club Egypt http://www.salsaclubegypt.com/
If you are interested in taking Salsa classes in your area you may want to look in to these places.
Heliopolis
Samia Allouba (http://www.samiaalloubacenter.com/Default.aspx?UC=./UI/Visitor/Page&PageID=home)
Vogue Dance Studio; 5 Deer El Bahary Street, off of Hegaz. Maryland.
0117295688 is the number to call for more detail, Eman is the person to ask for.
Maadi
Arthur Murray (http://www.yellowpages.com.eg/profile/NjI5ODI=/Arthur-Murray-Dance-Center.html), Samia Allouba
Mohendiseen
Samia Allouba
Alexandria
Tamarin Center (http://www.tamarincenter.com)
The Irish Alexandrian Speaks Up And Out from Egypt 
14 comments
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May 24, 2010 at 19:56
Don_Liston
I grew up in New Mexico and Latin culture was just as strong as “Anglo” culture. I learned to do the basic Mexican folk dances when my teacher in the seventh grade would get her windup “Victrola” and play songs like Varsouviana, (called, “put your little foot” by Anglos.) (. . . and yes, it was a LONG TIME AGO! Even before World War II). We also learned the Mexican Hat Dance but that was hard because my mother had convinced me that I should not step on anyone’s hat if it fell on the floor. I was addicted to music, the food, and adored my beautiful Mexican girl classmates.
Like all other Anglo families, I was instructed to absolutely stay away from ALL Mexicans! Racism was the order of the day and the parents were constantly having to teach their children the proper amount of hatred for other races, especially the Latinos and Negroes. We were taught all of the racial epithets and if you said something that was offensive to a member of another race, that was very laudable in our culture. It was also the same with most of the Latino families, Indian families, Negro families, etc. We were equal opportunity haters, i.e. we hated EVERYONE equally…and didn’t really like each other very much either.
The problem with all of this was that many of our teachers came from other states and had come to New Mexico for the desert beauty, the mountains and, especially the lack of people. They had left behind the sturm and drang of eastern cities and were especially drawn to the idea of riding out on the desert among the cactus, mesquite and yucca. Our setting was like the scenes in the western movies that were becoming popular at that time. The teachers didn’t want to pass on the blind prejudice that permeated the rest of American at that time. . . and for exactly that reason, I was not only allowed to but instructed to dance with the most beautiful girl in the entire school Adelita Calderone. She was not considered beautiful by my Anglo classmates, especially the girls but her long dark hair and flashing brown eyes were already forecasting an incredibly beautiful woman.
Needless to say, other kids told my mother about the whole lunchtime dancing classes and she went to the school to complain. I followed her to the principal’s office and stood outside the door to eavesdrop. The conversation, as best I can remember went something like this:
My Mother: “I am told by my neighbor kids that you are allowing boys and girls to dance in the halls during lunch hour, is that true?”
Principal: “Yes, Mrs. Liston, it is a part of our cultural development program here at the school.”
My Mother: “Well, I also was told that my son danced with a Mexican girl and actually touched her while they were dancing, is THAT true?”
Principal: “Yes, that is a part of ballroom dancing, Mrs. Liston.”
My Mother: “Does the school board know all about this?”
Principal: “Yes, the school board agreed on the program at the beginning of the year. They want more socialization among the students.
My Mother: “More socialization? Well! WE all know what that will lead to, don’t we?”
Principal: “Yes, indeed Mrs. Liston we know exactly what it will lead to. The students will get acquainted outside of their own small circle of friends and learn that all of the other students, like them feel insecure in social situations. We hope that will lead to more friendships and learning about others reducing tensions between cultural groups.”
My Mother: “Well, I think it is a bad idea and I do NOT want my son to be a part of that.”
Principal: “You are asking me to not allow him to participate in this activity?”
My Mother: “Yes, I don’t send him to school to learn to dance especially with Mexicans!”
The principal refused to restrict me from any school sponsored social activity, but to keep peace in my family I sat out the rest of the dances as a male wallflower watching my classmates spin around the floor that year.
At the end of the year, my favorite dance partner, Adelita came over to ask me to dance with her for the last dance of the year, “La Paloma,” or The Dove.” As I moved over the magic floor for those moments of ecstasy and delight and felt Adelita moving in perfect unison with me, I MAY have thought about the time I had wasted sitting and watching someone else dance with her. I MAY have thought of how wonderful she was and how excited I felt when she looked into my eyes. What I DID NOT think about was that she was a Mexican, nor did I ever see my Mexican friends in the same light again.
From that time forward I decided, each year, that I would only be thirteen, fourteen, etc. ONCE and I didn’t want to miss a minute of it.
May 25, 2010 at 04:40
irishalexandrian3109
Don,
I always enjoy reading your comments and stories of past experience.
August 25, 2010 at 00:06
Trevor Mitchell
Some very interesting facts on this site. Well done.
Trevor Mitchell
http://www.irishshopper.com
For all things Irish
February 4, 2011 at 13:47
John
many many thanks. I relocated from the UK a year ago and I love salsa dancing. I was always wondering where I can find that… and you helped me… glad to hear this… many many thanks… muwahhhh
February 4, 2011 at 17:34
irishalexandrian3109
I am glad the info was useful to you. However, during the current crisis Egypt is in, there aren’t salsa nights. Maybe in the weeks to come.
August 1, 2011 at 23:24
proactol buy
48 great posts, very informative. I wonder why the other specialists of this sector don’t notice this. You must continue your writing. I am confident, you’ve a huge readers’ base already!
August 11, 2011 at 03:54
Lelah Harnly
May you have a few more consistent improvements, but i’m confident you have a lot more or greater goods to do , ; ). Please carry on with the good work on the blog. I kinda like it! Could use even more recurrent revisions, however i’m rather positive you still have other activities things to attend to just like we all do.
August 11, 2011 at 23:52
irishalexandrian3109
Thank you Lelah. You are right there are improvements and up dates that can be made. The trick is to keep up with the changes. I will try to do that in the near future. Thank you for dropping by!
August 18, 2011 at 21:20
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December 8, 2011 at 21:59
Lucy
Hi there, great blog post! For anyone seeking a little more information, as most of these nights have now changed, there is a page on Facebook that seeks to bring the whole Latin community together, with information about the nights that is constantly updated. Visit this page if you’re interested: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Federation-of-Egyptian-LatinosLatinas-FoELL-/178272105561925
Hope that is helpful and I like the blog very much 🙂
December 9, 2011 at 13:01
irishalexandrian3109
Thank you Lucy for adding the link with the updates of salsa nights in Egypt. I appreciate it and others will too.
I am very glad that you like the blog too.
February 12, 2012 at 15:34
medhat
nice i want to learn salsa wher i can find the place ?
March 4, 2012 at 17:24
Lucy
Hi ya Medhat, if you are on Facebook I would recommend checking out this page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Federation-of-Egyptian-LatinosLatinas-FoELL-/178272105561925
and this group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/Egyptsalsadancers/
If you ask your question there you will get all the answers you need!
March 7, 2012 at 13:05
irishalexandrian3109
Thank you Lucy!