Where to Dance Bachata and Salsa in Madrid

Always wanted to learn how to dance bachata but didn’t want to pay high costs for private lessons? Well, look no further!

It is muy de moda, or very popular to dance bachata right now in Spain. Each year there seems to be more meet-up groups and more bars offering noches de bachata or noches latinas. Located right by Templo de Debod, The Host offers three bachata classes followed by social dancing every Wednesday night.

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For 8 euros you’ll have entrance to the bar, access to three classes over the course of two hours and a drink (alcoholic or not) of your choice. You can choose to take all three classes or just one. If you’re more of a “people watcher” there are plenty of seats at the bar and around the perimeter of the dance floor. Don’t show up too early though because the first class starts when the bar opens at 9PM.

For new dancers, the first question often asked is “Do I need to bring a partner?” You do not need to bring a partner but you can if you’d like! The classes tend to begin with the basics, which everyone dances individually. Then, when you do partner up, the pairs rotate so often that by the end of the class you’ll have danced with nearly everyone, you might even remember a few names or have made a new friend by the end of the lesson. On this particular Wednesday, the classes were: modern bachata, Dominican bachata and lastly, sensual bachata.

After the classes end and the students watch or record as the dance instructors model all the steps learned, the social dancing starts! You get the chance to practice what you learned with friends from the class or meet others who are just arriving for the social dancing. The fun doesn’t end until 3AM! If you’re more interested in salsa, you should join The Host on Thursdays for class (see below). You’ll also hear a little bit of salsa and kizomba throughout the night but Wednesdays are specifically for bachata at The Host!

Where to dance bachata in Madrid

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Address: Calle Ferraz 38
Metro: Argüelles / Ventura Rodriguez / Plaza España
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Other classes at The Host:

Tuesday: Kizomba (classes 21:00-23:00 and social dancing until 3)

Wednesday: Bachata (classes 21:00- 23:00 and social dancing until 3)

Thursday: Salsa (classes 21:00-23:00 and social dancing until 3)

Friday: Bachata (classes 22:00-@24:00 and social dancing until 5:30)

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Facebook pages and groups on Madrid’s salsa and bachata scene:

Salsa Madrid (page)
Salsa Madrid (group)

Here are some more salsa places to check out:

Azucar:

For 8 euro you can enjoy classes and a drink at Azucar near Metro Atocha. It is a smaller nightclub but brings in dancers of many levels.

Tropical House:

Near Metro Plaza de España is the best place to start dancing salsa or bachata as a beginner. Tropical also offers kizomba lessons on Fridays and Saturdays.

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Cats:

On Sundays at Cats (now called Sala Mitty) you can dance salsa and bachata. The crowd is great and there’s plenty of room to dance as it doesn’t get completely packed.

El Son:

A close walk from Puerta del Sol, El Son offers classes from Monday through Thursday at 6 euro a class.

La Negra Tomasa:

In Sol but doesn’t feel like it. Live Cuban music every night and although there isn’t a lot of space to dance, if you love salsa music, La Negra Tomasa is a must.

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Forasteros, a Madrid-based swing, gypsy-jazz and folk band

As a hub for artists and creative are types from all over the world, Madrid’s local live-music scene is energetic and diverse. As always, your friends at Naked Madrid are here to provide you with the best options as how to maximize the potential of your nights out. The first local musicians to be featured in this series are the swing, gypsy-jazz, folk group Forasteros.

They have an interesting backstory because their members had all met by chance. The band was formed when its founder, lyricist and guitarist, Tom Buzz Cox from London, crossed paths with Tara during a Vaughan System teacher training course. Swing instructor Julia Hampson, also from London, was brought onboard as the violinist after an encounter busking the streets in Lavapies.

Tom recruited Hinata Myojin, a bassist from Japan, through another band in the community. Clarinettist Ricardo Vasquez from Texas/Mexico was discovered upon his response to an advertisement. They are unclear on how drummer Fernando Iglesias from Madrid entered the fold, strongly implying that he materialized out of thin air.

They write in Spanish, English, French and even Japanese. Ricardo and Julia have a classical background and are well-versed in swing and Jazz. Overall the group combines aspects of gypsy-jazz, folk and swing while also being open to anything that takes their fancy: twisted Latin rhythms, funk, DnB hints.

Their ambition is to make people laugh, dance and feel while also “talking about difficult shit.” says Tara Lowe, their singer and lyricist, who I have known for the greater part of the year as two of my close friends were her flatmates. Lowe, a long-term expat from Cardiff enjoys writing songs about everyday life that are “cheeky, honest and indulgent.”

Forasteros’ songs have addressed some of the more relatable aspects of living in Madrid with their songs “Landlord from Hell, title self-explanatory, as well as “Banks of June” which focuses on lust and broken hearts. Their track “Springtime Shuffle” centers on opportune new beginnings while “Cuando” is just about dancing.

Forasteros performs a lot in Lavapies in the venues of Gato Verde, Taberna Alabanda, La Tortuga, La Tabacalera and Centro de Creacion y Investigation. Their First EP, “Hello you!” was recorded at The Treehouse Madrid Studios on the label of Vestizo Azul Records. It is available free on Bandcamp. Check out their video of “Devil in the Trees” from their new EP.

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Follow them on Facebook & their Bandcamp page and be sure to see them perform live! Their EP Hello You launches on the 12th November at Intruso Bar – with supporting artist Taiacore. Tickets can be purchased at Giglon. The first 50 people to arrive will get a free EP and poster.