I went to Cali for 10 days, I stayed 20 finally. I found in love with the city, not for the beauty, but for the spirit. In Cali, dancing salsa is part of the culture. Moreover, people are really friendly and the city didn’t make you feel like in a big one. In only 20 days, I learned how to dance Salsa Caleña, the salsa from the city.
Salsa
Cali is called the salsa capital of Colombia. Not only everybody is dancing salsa, but there is a specific one called Salsa Caleña. Contrary to the other one, this salsa is usually faster. Moreover, the style seems a lot Cuban however with a lot of more footsteps.
Lessons
I took lessons during the 20 days. I started with group classes but I ended quickly taking private. Although more expensive, you learn faster and the teachers give you great advice to improve your style. It was my first private classes and for sure I will take some again in the future.
The school I recommend:
- Salsa Pura
- Manicero
- Bembelequa (My favorite)
I went also to Arrebato Caleño Salsa y Cultura school, however, although the level is good, the teachers were less welcoming.
Salsa practices
The places I went:
- La Topa
- Tintindeo
- Mazao (More for gringos with not only salsa but also bachata and salsa choke)
Side activities
Trekking & Camping
I went camping with some friends I met while dancing. We hiked by night for reaching the place called Amor y Paz. After a short night, we enjoyed the relaxing nature.
Finally, we ended swimming in a cold river.
Horse riding
Another friend I met in salsa class took Guillaume and me to do horse riding. We went to the border to the city and did a tour until we reached sugar cane fields. The horses were well dressed and it was a fantastic experience. Far better than the one I did in Brazil 2 years ago.
Petronio Festival
During 5 days, the Petroneo festival was going on. It is a festival of the Pacific music from the Pacific coast. One thing that surprised me was that the Colombian didn’t enjoy it as in Europe. They drank less and danced a lot more. Everybody around us was dancing, an incredible feeling when you love dancing.
