Chennai’s night life brims with salsa, bachata and African dance nights at pubs and clubs

Chennai's pubs host Latin & Afro dance nights, drawing in a diverse crowd of dancers, instructors & spectators. From CEOs to students, these nights provide a safe, social & fun space to learn, make friends & find inspiration.

A flurry of dancers in bright dresses, pointed shoes and a plumage of confidence, effortlessly glide across a crowded yet synchronised dance floor at Watsons, a pub in T Nagar.

It is 9 pm on a rainy Monday night in Chennai. Most participants are here after a long work day. As I enter, there are at least 20 other people, who are standing toe-to-toe, learning basic moves that comprise the dance form Bachata from the Dominican Republic.

“Step, slide, tuck your hand over the elbow, and step again,” says Arun Pauer, founder, Salsa Madras, in quick succession, as he takes a half-hour training workshop before their weekly Latin Dance Night commences.

I, a reluctant dancer, move carefully, hoping not to step on my partner’s toes. But I do so, many times. Before my string of apologies, I am reassured. “Don’t worry, just hold my hand and sway with me,” he says.

In minutes, I am stepping, sliding and tucking away alongside gentlemen who move with panache while I hope not to look like a flailing duck. We give each other a high-10 and switch to others who ask, “May I have this dance?”.

Five fast-paced songs and several cups of water later, I sit down to speak to Sneha Vakkal, who is among the organisers of this salsa night that takes place every Monday. “Isn’t salsa the perfect end to the everyday? It almost feels like a treat for having worked — something to look forward to,” she says.

Sneha informs me that the crowd is thin, despite it being sizeable, because of the rains. It is usually packed with students from dance schools across the city and instructors, out to test out their most recent moves.