Salsa Dancing @ Third Street Promenade

Love! So much fun, out in the open air, drop in, dance, take breaks, eat around lol, go back or not. Its the most fluid set up, perfect for those of us with commitment issues. People are sweet, easy to make friends!

Love dancing outside on the Promenade on Sunday evenings. The location is perfect for a fun night of strolling and dancing. The people enjoy the music and DJ Tito spins some great tunes ! You will always find a friendly face and the tourists love cheering the dancers. I highly recommend this during the summer nights.

This is a must especially if you live here. What a better way to spend a couple of hours on a Sunday evening! Dancing with beautiful people that make you feel comfortable no matter how left your feet are.
There is no shortage of wonderful sexy people to show you some new moves. Romance is in the air while you dance under the stars and its free! I would gladly pay but there’s no need.
Gentlemen if you want to make that show your girl/​guy how much you love her take her/​him by the hand hold her/​him tight and spin the night away to the beautiful Latin beat… need I say more!

Salsa Familia has over 8000 members. Several hundred come out each Sunday evening. We start at 4pm with a beginners FREE salsa, bachata and cha cha cha class. Then, DJs switch off and play until the 9pm hour is reached or later. All levels of dance are welcomed. Many have started their salsa experience with us on the «Prom.» This is the place not only for beginners to practice but many salsa instructors, competitors and performers come out to play. We had past and current world salsa champions dance with us. Regulars from Monsoon, Zanzibar, Warehouse, Hacienda, Stevens and all the other SoCal clubs are out there. This is our 12^th year of dancing under the stars. Every now and then we have various performers take the mic and sing and play instruments. Everyone is welcomed. Come dance with us. Come alone, bring a friend, the family, it’s a great date location.

Not really a good place to learn salsa dance, if you’re like me — past beginner level and looking to learn more intermediate moves, but you just see all these expert dancers. It’s easy to get discouraged.

It’s fun. It’s outdoors. It’s unpretentious. It’s casual dress. It’s an event to meet regulars or become a regular yourself. It’s Salsa On The Promenade.
This is a completely different vibe than any club in greater Los Angeles. Instead of a crowd that’s either «I’m cool and you’re not» or «I’m too sexy for my shirt», these dancers just want to have fun. They appear to be more accepting of beginners than at a place like the Conga Room. The big problem is trying to figure out, of the crowd standing on the sidewalk, who is waiting for a dance and who is watching the show. And like most places, people tend to dance with people that they know *can* dance.
I don’t think this concept will work everywhere; where I live, organizers have a hard time keeping their version going. But it’s been going for a long time in Santa Monica. If you dance salsa, bachata, cumbia, merengue, etc., then stop on by if you’re in the area on a Sunday night.

Stumbled across this group Sunday night while walking back to the car. It looked like fun, so we stopped and danced. OK, I am so not a dancer, but no one cared and I had a great time. We didn’t stay long but are definitely going back. Every experience level from fantastic to barely hanging in there like me.
Found this link about it
Know before you go…
1. north end of 3^rd Street Promenade, between Arizona Ave and Wilshire Blvd,
2. picks up around 6 PM and goes on until about 9 PM, weather permitting
3. Donations are welcomed to keep the dancing going and investment in portable batteries and the equipment that makes it all possible.

I avoid the Third Street Promenade like the plague. I have no reason in life to go to this mall, or any mall. So, I was shocked to find out that I DO have a reason to go to this mall… free salsa dancing! And at an early hour, suitable for this old lady who is normally in bed at 10 PM and NOT at a dance club where things are barely getting started at 10 PM!
I showed up at 6, thinking this was the right time, but it wasn’t even set up yet. I don’t think the music even started until about 6:45. The dancers here were overwhelmingly great! I’m at an intermediate level in salsa, and I would have felt too intimidated to dance with most of these people! My dance partner and I did our best… I don’t think anyone pointed and laughed at us and our inexperience! ;-)
Here is my reason for 4 stars, instead of 5. And maybe I would know the answer to this if I had more experience going out dancing. I knew 2 men there to dance with, so this wasn’t an issue for me, but I wonder… if I were there alone, how on Earth would anyone know that I was there to dance, and not just one of the dozens of people standing around watching? In a salsa club, it’s obvious: you stand near the floor, looking longingly at the dancers, and some guy will take you to the floor within about 15 seconds. This would not happen here! And believe me, I’m still a 90’s-style, riot grrl feminist at heart, but I don’t know if it would be socially acceptable for me to go up and ask a strange man to dance?!? Nor do I think I have the ovaries to actually do that! So, until these questions are answered, I would not come here alone, in fear that I would be staring longingly at the dancers all night, alone and ignored. ;-)

What an amazing free event to let go of the junk we carry around and leave it all on the dance floor– or rather on the streets!
Cuban/​Timba style dancing means most dancers can actually keep a beat! At most dance clubs or events LA-​style dancers can do a bizillion dips and turns but have no frickin’ clue about the music and more often than not– are painfully off beat. Cuban style salsa dancers though, may know less fancy dips, and showy turns– but they have more fun, dance more intuitively and less rehearsed and can improvise more freely because they actually know how to follow the music– this means that you are less likely to get stepped on, crushed or elbowed in the face by an amateur LA-​style dancer.
At salsa on the promenade the Cuban-​style dancers are many so the dancing is a lot more fun than stressful. Because this happens ON third street be prepared to have an audience watching you shake your hips and your skirt flow in the air as you twirl (be sure to wear shorts under it to avoid flashing).
My favorite thing is the diversity in the crowd, the intermingled cultural, racial and socio-​economic groups that come together in their mutual love of Cuban music.
Four stars instead of 5 because the music is not loud enough, and the Dj plays too much bachata when it should be mostly cuban music. Also while the location is rock-​star status, the concrete floor makes it hard to turn, messes up your feet and the slanted street is a pain in the ass when trying to do a triple turn.
The community is strong, the dancers are inviting and there is free 90 minute parking at lots all around. Plus if you need to take a break from dancing there’s plenty of shops to browse and places you can grab something to eat while you wait for the next dance.

It’s happening now every Sunday from around 4 pm til 9 pm (check them on
for more info). It’s free, it’s fun, and it’s all age. Tips for their bucket are welcome!!! Parking… find yourself a parking meter, it’s free on Sunday… garage structural parking is quite expensive. Last 9, I drove in one structure that costs «$ 25» self park…, no joke. I’m glad I drove out and walked a few blocks, found a parking meter and it’s free on Sunday. Lucky me!
It’s not an act, it’s for everyone who want to dance salsa… Street salsa is so fun. Wear something comfortable, especially lady… Last 9, I wore my Converse all star with simple black legging, I was able to walk around 3^rd st, checking out shopping stores and dance without hurting my feet. Next time, I’ll wear my TOMS… :) salsa shoes can relax in the trunk for other occasions at other places.
Kids are welcome since it’s an outdoor shopping. As long as you can have someone to keep eyes on them.

This is a fun place to dance in the open outdoors. The organizers work very hard on setting up every Sunday and offering great music and a nice crowd of some of the best Salsa dancers in the LA. If you don’t dance, just come and watch. It is very entertaining.

This is my second time at the 3^rd Street Promenade salsa dancing event. Went last night and had a fantastic night. The dancers are great and it is so nice to dance outside! A nice way to end the weekend.

I’ll bet you didn’t know there was «street salsa dancing» here in the L.A. area? In fact, even if you would have passed by on the Santa Monica Promenade and saw the 30+ people dancing, you may have thought is was one of the acts. (It’s not). For that fact alone, I think this group is really cool. Salsa for the people :-)
Based on my couple of times joining this group, here’s what I think you need to know:
1) They have a meetup group to tell you where on the promenade they are going to be (and the other occasional random update).
2) I wouldn’t call this beginner friendly. That said, if you go to the edge of the group, no one will say anything if you want to practice.
3) I’m not sure about the clique-​ishness of the group. One time, it seemed very clickish, the other time — not so much.
4) Dancing on the street is challenging. Be sure to wear appropriate shoes. If you can do the kinds of turns typical on a wood floor with proper shoes, the more power to you! I’m all the more impressed by the really good dancers, including women in high-​heels, who are able to execute complicated moves on that surface.
5) The meetup says they start at 4:00 PM, but I’m pretty sure they don’t really get going until after 6. I think this was alluded to in another review.
Now, if someone could just do something about the parking situation…

I loved this mall! They have really upgraded since the last time I went there.
The Nike store is so nice! They also have live entertainment and plenty of restaurants.
IT was wonderful.
:)

Everybody comes to dance and be danced with, lots of really skilled dancers who rotate & love to keep the energy high. Remember, its cobblestone, so wear flats, ladies! Volunteers donate nicely loud battery generated music including classic & progressive salsa, merenge, cumbia, bachata & more.

What’s not to love about open air salsa dancing with great dancers? My favorite way to end the weekend.

So you think you’ve seen or heard of everything on the promenade, but chances are this has slipped past you somehow. If you happen to make it to the other end of the promenade on a Sunday afternoon/​evening after you passed all the shops, food vendors, and street performers then you’ll be rewarded with enjoying something truly unique — organized salsa dancing on the promenade.
From 4pm-​8pm every Sunday now (it use to be summer months only but with the increased popularity, it’s year-​round pending the weather) people flock here to get their salsa fix. Shortly before 4pm, there’ll be nothing to indicate what is to come. All of a sudden a DJ comes rolling his equipment in a cart and sets up shop. The first 60 – 90 min, there might only be 2 – 10 people dancing at any given time; it might not seem like much, but give it time.
People like to make an entrance, others don’t like to dance in the hot sun, others just like to dance when there is a crowd. Soon enough there will be upwards of 20 – 40 dancers tearing up the promenade. With the dancing crowds come all the tourists taking photos and recording videos (which will shortly be uploaded onto Youtube).
There are no lessons, just dancing. Given the nature of this event, there aren’t too many beginners out there, but they sure are welcomed. Most people that come here are regulars and are well-​polished dancers that love the audience and limelight. You’ll see women rocking their pumas while others maneuver their way on the cobblestone with 3+ inch heels — it’s a wide variety of people that attend from all different backgrounds, ages, dance styles etc.
This event is free but donations are appreciated to cover expenses i.e. batteries, permits etc.
It can get hot so bring water/​sunscreen/​backpack etc. or you can walk over 50 feet over to the Borders and pick up some water for $ 2 or less.
It’s located in front of Monsoon Café which also has salsa dancing, but there is no affiliation. Also, last time I went, it didn’t get started until 6pm which I hear is unusual. Sign up for the Google Group for the latest info: