Anthony Tineo, owner of Kumo Dance, teaches Susana Arce some salsa moves during a class in Naples. -ANDREA STETSON / COURTESY PHOTO

Alexandra Welsch moved to Cape Coral from Germany last year. Tiffany Thompson is Jamaican. Deverick Martin is retired while Kensie Robinson is barely out of her teens.  Iqra Radecki covers her head and neck with a colorful scarf, while Devi Rosado’s blond hair hangs down her back. Erick Trippett’s skin is dark. Anthony Larkin’s is pale. They come from different cultures, religions and customs, but they all get together to salsa dance.

People might think of salsa dancing as something for Latinos. But all around Southwest Florida and across the state in West Palm Beach County, those on the dance floor are proving that isn’t true.

People came from all over Southwest Florida to enjoy a salsa social in Bonita Springs. There is one a month in Bonita and one a month in Cape Coral. -ANDREA STETSON / COURTESY PHOTO

“This is the greatest part of it,” said Agnely Rivero of Lake Worth in West Palm Beach County. “It brings such a community together from different cultures. “We have people from Croatia, Russia, Spain, Haiti. We have people from all different cultures that you never thought would get into it. This is what I love the most. Everybody wants to learn from different countries, different backgrounds, different religions. You have Jewish people, Muslim people. It doesn’t matter what your religion is or background. It fills my heart to see all these people together.”

They enjoy it in studios where they take lessons. Then they enjoy the salsa socials that run late into the night.

“You are creating a safe space for people to go and just dance,” said Tiffany Thompson, of West Palm Beach County. “It is so different from a club where people are just trying to pick you up and it might not be safe.”

The participants have a long list of reasons why they love putting on their dance shoes and moving to the fast beat of salsa music.

“It is very trendy,” said Susana Arce of Collier County. “It is getting out of the usual routine. It’s creative.”

“I like the music a lot,” added her husband Camilo Valles.

Anthony Tineo, owner of Kumo Dance, teaches salsa in Naples, Bonita Springs, Cape Coral and Fort Myers. He holds monthly salsa socials in Bonita Springs and Cape Coral.

Once a month Anthony Tineo, owner of Kumo Dance, holds a salsa social in Bonita Springs and once a month he has one in Cape Coral. During a recent social Larry Leggett danced with Lucero Carvajal. -ANDREA STETSON / COURTESY PHOTO

“We just get together as a community,” said Tineo. “I began creating it back in 2012 as an environment that is safer than clubs. In clubs, people are typically going to drink and hook up. This is more of an environment where people want to dance, and it is not clicky. It is ok to come on your own without a partner. It is a great place to meet people.”

The monthly socials are held at Dancelife in Bonita Springs and Rhythm in Motion in Cape Coral. Next month, the salsa socials will be Nov 1 in Cape Coral and Nov 8 in Bonita Springs. There will also be a special salsa social fundraiser for the Gulf Coast Humane Society on Nov 14 in Cape Coral.

Salsa is a melting pot of dances. It takes moves from dances in the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, Asia and South America.

“Salsa is a fusion dance,” Tineo said. “The music spoke to me. The music has a lot of culture and a lot of substance to it.”

It’s not an easy type of dance to learn. Tineo said some of the steps are complicated, but with practice his clients are quickly learning. He also teaches merengue which is similar to salsa, but a bit easier. Tineo said there are two types of salsa dancers: those that take lessons and want to learn new techniques and improve and those that just go to the socials to have fun. He said both are accepted in the salsa culture.

At a recent salsa social in Bonita Springs dancers moved about the floor constantly switching partners as they swept their feet in intricate steps while doing moves such as inside and outside turns, spins, arm spirals, cross body leads and more.

Deverick Martin started salsa dancing in 2017 when he moved to Southwest Florida.

Deverick Martin dances with Alexandra Welsch at a salsa social in Bonita Springs. -ANDREA STETSON / COURTESY PHOTO

“I had the energy and flexibility, but I didn’t know much about music,” Martin began. “When you do exercise programs it is like ‘monkey see monkey do’ and you don’t think as much; it is very predictable This is a whole different world. You have to really pay attention to the music. You have to adjust to the skill level of your partner. I like to dance with everybody. My personal goal is to make sure the lady has a good time.”

Martin said he likes the music and the culture.

“Salsa so popular around the world,” he said. “It has music from Africa and Latin America and Europe and Asia, and it is all mixed together and so there is something for everybody.”

Devi Rosado has an entirely different reason for salsa dancing. She began seven years ago.

“It makes us feel sexy,” she said as she headed to the dance floor in Bonita Springs. “It makes us feel good. It makes us shine.”

Erick Trippett started salsa dancing a year and a half ago right after he retired.

“I figured I had to do something,” he explained. “A lot of people when they retire, don’t know what to do with themselves. This gives me structure.”

Anthony Larkin went to his first salsa event last week.

“It’s my mom’s hobby so I came with her,” he said. “I will probably come back and take some classes.”

Iqra Radecki (right) practices some new spin moves during a salsa social in Bonita Springs. -ANDREA STETSON / COURTESY PHOTO

Iqra Radecki has only been learning salsa for two months, but is quickly improving with lessons and her nights at the socials.

“It is part of my culture,” she said. “It is connecting with my family.”

When Alexandra Welsch moved to Cape Coral from Germany last year, she was looking for a fun way to meet people.

“I found friends here,” she said. “It’s fun meeting all these people.”

Salsa dancing is also becoming more popular in Charlotte County. Becky Magnuson teaches classes at the Cypress Lodge in Babcock through Parks and Recreation. More than 20 people are currently taking her classes.

“We are seeing now that more men are attending the class,” Magnuson said. “They have more support now. I want to get rid of the social anxiety. We are there to have fun. You do not need to bring a partner to the classes because we rotate every minute or two, so everyone dances with everyone.”

Magnuson plans to organize some group trips to clubs for salsa dancing. She enjoys the salsa nights on the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center rooftop in downtown Fort Myers.

“It is an experience to go to that,” Magnuson said. “I like to go and dance with different people.”

Magnuson enjoys seeing the variety of people there.

During a salsa social in Bonita Springs, dancers of all ages enjoyed the music, the companionship and the dancing. -ANDREA STETSON / COURTESY PHOTO

“People dance for different reasons,” she began. “Some to get a mate, some to get away from their partner. Dancing is such an outlet. You don’t think about stress. You don’t think about how you have to weed the garden. You don’t think about money problems. Plus, you get exercise. Plus, you get to get dressed up. It is for all ages. I have people that are 19 years old. I have a student who is a retired doctor, and he is close to 90.”

Laura Sobotka enjoys taking salsa lessons as part of a variety of dances taught at the Visual Arts Center in Charlotte County.

“I just love it,” she exclaimed. “It is so natural and happy. It is a great dance. There is no judgement. It is for everybody.”

Tasha Rodriguez, owner of Rhythms Dance Studio in West Palm, not only teaches salsa to adults, she teaches children too. Her students are as young as six years old.

“It is part of all of our cultures, and this keeps that culture alive,” Rodriguez said. “I love when I see a person that is not of Latin ethnic. It is like they have embraced something about us that they don’t have to. I love seeing other cultures doing the dance.”

Rodriguez not only teaches salsa, she runs socials and leads workshops.

“People just like to get dressed up and dance. It is really nice,” she said.

Her students love this.

Agnely Rivero, who has been salsa dancing for seven years, says there are about 200 people at the salsa socials that she attends.

“It brings so many people together,” she said. “It doesn’t matter where you are from. You just do it together.”

“What I love about salsa dancing is I find myself in a perfect community,” added Jose Pena who stared salsa dancing in May. “I find myself doing a hobby that I want to improve on. I find myself doing something I look forward to. I definitely found happiness. I don’t think I have met a better community than the salsa community.”

Anthony Tineo, owner of Kumo Dance, (in the pink shirt) teaches salsa lessons in Naples, Bonita Springs, Cape Coral and Fort Myers. -ANDREA STETSON / COURTESY PHOTO

Pena also commented on how he loves the variety of people salsa dancing.

“I see a lot of diversity,” Pena described. “There is so much to learn about different cultures and different perspectives.”

Tiffany Thompson has been doing salsa for nine years.

“Salsa is very fast paced and very energetic,” she began. “It is great exercise, a great workout. The thing I love about it the most is the community.”

Thompson said salsa is great for networking.

“I travel in the states and abroad and I have made so many friends,” she described. “I met so many people that I would never know if I didn’t dance. It opens up a lot of doors for you from a professional standpoint. You meet a lot of doctors, engineers; I have made so many different connections. You name it, the dance community has it.”

Not only do these dancers see people from different cultures in their hometowns, they get to explore the cultures when traveling. Tineo recently returned from Japan where he got to salsa dance in several locations there. Thompson has also seen the benefits.

“I have been to Spain, Mexico, Portugal. I don’t speak the language, but because we all speak dance, I am able to create bonds with those people,” she explained. “I think it is just an avenue to expand your horizons and learn something new. I love it, and I make it part of my life now. It has definitely changed my life. There is so much going on now. There is so much division in the world. Here, we respect each other’s point of view, and we all get along, and we are united in music.”