Mayo Salsa Club celebrates 25 years of rhythm and community

There’s a whole lot of rhythm in the air this month as the Westport Salsa Club marks its 25th anniversary, celebrating a quarter-century of dance, music, and friendship in the heart of Mayo.

The club’s genesis can be traced back to a swing band at Westport Arts Festival twenty five years ago.

Inspired by the thrill and enjoyment of dancing swing to a live band at the festival, Gearoid O Riain asked the group of friends, would any of them be interested in trying out a new dance craze that had taken off in Dublin, recalls Fr John Kenny.

Jill Corcoran has been there from the very beginning and remembers Gearoid organising for Dr Rumba to travel down from Dublin once a month to give classes.

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She says that back 25 years ago, the salsa dancing club was a revelation as there weren’t many other dancing classes around.

“I absolutely love the music and the structure of the dancing.”

At the time, there was a large Brazilian population who joined for the classes and social events.

Down the years, the Westport Salsa club went on dancing holidays to Spain and Portugal, as well as regularly linking up with other salsa clubs in Galway and Sligo.

“During Covid, a lot of clubs and a lot of groups all closed down. Everything finished up but we kept going. We used to meet up and dance on the beach in Old Head,” Jill Corcoran tells The Mayo News.

Despite this, Covid did see some members drift from the club and so they are encouraging news members to join.

New blood

“We’re trying to get new blood. We were all in our late 30s and early 40s, when we started, and we're still the core group. I would hope that the young blood would find the same joy that we did,” Jill says.

Carol Gallego has been teaching salsa, bachata and merengue at the Westport Salsa club for the last fifteen years.

She says that after a few months of salsa dancing, “most people tell you my life has changed since I started. It's my time of the week. When I'm dancing, I forget about everything. I come out with a lot of energy and with a smile on my face. So that's a big change.”

It’s also a great way to socialise with people of all ages.

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Sue Bennett has been a member for over thirteen years and would encourage anyone interested in salsa dancing to give it a try.

“It's a great way to come and meet people and we just do it for a laugh, we just do it for a bit of fun and a social night out.”

She says that in winter, more people get involved and learn new steps.

“You get a lot of people just come for the six lessons that we do to start off with, but they learn the basic steps then.”

“The basic steps are a great foundation and mean that the next time you go dancing, you can dance with somebody else, like you.”

On Wednesday evenings, the upstairs of the Clock Tavern in Westport is transformed into a salsa dance studio. Beginners have the floor from half seven to half eight, with the more advanced dancers strutting their stuff from half eight to half nine.

The 25th anniversary celebrations will be held in Bar23 on the Castlebar Road from 8.30pm on Saturday, October 11. Tickets are €15.