It doesn’t matter if you have no moves or if your hips can’t sway, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes will still get you on the dance floor with its annual Summer of Salsa concert series.
“It’s just a great way to kick off the summer and the beauty of it is we have live music with bands and we have DJs and we’re absolutely free,” said Ximena Martin, director of programs for the downtown Los Angeles venue.
The all-ages series, which includes live bands and DJs, starts May 8 and will be held on select Fridays through Sept. 11 from 6 to 11 p.m.
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes launches its annual Summer of Salsa concert series on May 8. (Photo courtesy LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes)
“It’s about culture, and community and celebration and coming together with salsa,” she said.
Salsa is a style of dance music mainly influenced by Caribbean and African traditions and rhythms coming from countries like Cuba, Puerto Rico and Central and South America.
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes is a community center focused on celebrating Latinx culture with exhibitions, music, dance and food. The dance series has been part of the programming since 2015 and attracts up to 1,000 people per event, which includes food vendors including well-known Los Angeles taco spot Tirzah’s Mexi-Terranean this year.
“It’s a huge party,” Martin said.
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes launches its annual Summer of Salsa concert series on May 8. (Photo courtesy LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes)
The Summer of Salsa features local Los Angeles bands who perform at clubs throughout the area and starts with a performance by Son Mayor, a popular band that plays vintage and contemporary Cuban salsa. That event will be followed by Peruvian singer Roosevelt “El Presidente de la Salsa,” on June 5. Other shows are set for July 10, Aug. 14 and Sept. 11.
“It’s just great to see community come together and dance to live music,” Martin said.
But what if you can’t dance? No worries because each night starts with a free salsa dance class from 6-6:45 p.m.
Summer of Salsa
When: 6-11 p.m. May 8, June 5, July 10, Aug. 14 and Sept. 11
Where: LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, 501 N. Main St., Los Angeles
Cost: Free
Information: lapca.org