Get to know Greater Miami & Miami Beach’s Latin American culture through an immersive experience — a night of salsa dancing. This traditionally Afro-Cuban dance is a mix of cha-cha, mambo, rumba and other popular traditional Latin dances and musical styles. It’s fast, fiery and often done in pairs, but it can also be danced alone.

You don’t need to be an expert (or even know anything at all) before joining in on the dance floor at one of Miami’s salsa dancing hot spots. Options for watching salsa dancing and listening to the music abound, or you can jump right into the action. Whether you prefer lessons, seeing a performance or giving the dance floor a try, Miami is the American salsa hot spot.

Ball & Chain

The historic Ball & Chain bar and music venue was revived in 2014 after sitting dormant for decades. The original spot opened in 1935 and was famous for performances by Count Basie, Billie Holiday and Chet Baker in the 1950s.

Reviving the nightlife scene on Calle Ocho in Little Havana, the venue is designed in a sexy, wood-paneled setting with green, leather banquettes and palm fronds reminiscent of its heyday. Live music is once again the focal point. Acts have included the legendary Tito Puente Jr. along with Latin house party DJ sets and live music from local bands, like PALO! If you’re new to salsa, Ball & Chain offers free lessons every Thursday night at 9 p.m., though you can head out back to the pineapple bandshell and dance almost any night of the week. Ball & Chain also serves a tempting tapas menu and delicious craft cocktails.

Cafe La Trova

Cafe La Trova is probably best known for its impressive array of cocktails from award-winning mixologist Julio Cabrera. But stop in later at night and you’ll find the place morphing from bar to full-on salsa club. A live band plays most of the night, transporting guests to the Havana of yesteryear, right here in Little Havana. As the night carries on, patrons start gravitating to the dance floor, and by midnight, dancing has taken over most of the restaurant.

Calle Dragones

Calle Dragones in Little Havana is a throwback to a 1950s Havana supper club. Guests enjoy a fusion of Cuban and Asian food in an opulent setting while a live band and nightclub singer provide the ambience. Guests get in on the action, too, as the space in front of the band transforms into a dance floor that stays alive well into the night. Each evening brings a different theme, whether it’s Cuban Classic Wednesdays, Spanish Fiesta Thursdays or Latin Salsa Fridays and Saturdays.

Cubaocho Museum & Performing Arts Center

Part research center and art gallery, part rum bar with live music, Cubaocho Museum & Performing Arts Center is a true Little Havana treasure. During the day, explore the collection of antique artwork and furniture from 1800-1958. Ask the owner to show you pieces formerly owned by Frank Sinatra, then kick back with a cigar in the outdoor courtyard.

Head over to the bar and sip from a huge selection of rum (one of the most extensive collections in the area) while listening to a wide array of music from live Latin bands and performers. Weekend evenings come alive with live music ranging from jazz to salsa and everything in between. Tear it up on the dance floor or just sit back and watch the locals play in this intimate setting.

Havana 1957

While Havana 1957 has four locations in South Beach, only the Ocean Drive location inside the Hotel Breakwater provides the opportunity to get on your feet with a salsa dancing class Friday and Saturday nights. Book a table for dinner and a show starting at 9 p.m. and be transported to the classic clubs of 1950s Havana inside the lobby of this historic Art Deco gem. There are live musicians, dancers and singers costumed in feather headdresses and glittering gowns, and the audience gets in on the action in this interactive extravaganza.

Mango’s Tropical Cafe and Salsa Mia

A night at Mango’s Tropical Cafe is an iconic Miami experience, a dinner-and-a-show-style venue you’re unlikely to forget. The dancers are well-versed in Brazilian samba, conga, flamenco, ’80s and ’90s hits and, of course, salsa. If you want to learn the moves before your big night out, try the Sip, Savor & Salsa experience with Salsa Mia. You’ll get a table for your group from 7:30-10 p.m., during which you’ll get beginner lessons in salsa and bachata, a mojito, a three-appetizer tasting, and, afterward, free entrance to Mango’s for everyone over 21.

TuCandela

In Brickell’s Mary Brickell Village, TuCandela is a local club and lounge with great Latin music ranging from salsa to reggaeton, hip-hop and Top 40 hits. TuCandela’s DJs will play anything to get the crowd dancing, but there's a definitive slant toward Latin music. It’s a great place to dance to current Spanish-language hits. Order an aguardiente, a popular Colombian liquor known for getting the party started.

InterContinental Miami

Though the grand ballroom at Downtown Miami’s iconic InterContinental Miami might not seem like an obvious spot for salsa, show up on the first Friday of the month and you’ll find one of the biggest Latin dance parties in town. The monthly Salsa Night is run in conjunction with Salsa Lovers and lasts from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. with a live band and full bar. Make it a full date night and get in the spirit with dinner beforehand at Toro Toro, which hosts Fiesta Fridays with live dance performances every 30 minutes.

Mojitos Calle Ocho

This Cuban restaurant in Westchester has been a Miami suburban staple for over 20 years. While the food is fantastic, the real draw is the live dance music that gets diners out of their chairs and twirling on the dance floor Thursday through Sunday nights. Mojitos Calle Ocho is a bit of a drive if you’re staying in South Beach, but you can consider it worth the trip for an entirely local salsa dancing experience. There’s also a nightly Cuban cabaret show starting at 10 p.m. if you want some inspiration for new dance moves.

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