MIAMI NIGHTS: Dante’s courts salsa set on Fridays

Approaching Dante’s “Miami Night” on July 4th, I heard mutterings of “caballero” by the fedora-clad patrons lounging by the entrance. I knew I was in the right place.

The transformation from the street scene to the atmosphere inside is not entirely abrupt. Dante’s maintains the shrouded feel that the 3000 block of Olive always seems to have, despite, or maybe because of, the occasional neon sign. Dante’s takes it to the next level, though. I, for one, felt as though I had just entered a medieval dungeon/torture chamber, which I guess is kind of cool. Gargoyles peer at you as you make your way to the dance floor and wrought iron candle chandeliers – punctuated by disco balls – light your way. All of this seems a bit discordant with the bright blue bulls illuminating the bar – but I guess that could be a tip of the cap to the salsa vibe Dante’s cultivates every Friday night.

Ladies get in free before 10 pm, but after that, everyone pays $8. The drinks are decently priced, with everything falling in the $6-$10 range. I waited at the bar for a bit before getting up the courage to test my memory of salsa-dancing, and I found that the bartenders are not at all what I would expect to find at a place as intense as Dante’s lets on to be. In other words, they were nice and patient and poured strong. Quite a pleasant surprise.

As the space heated up, my in-the-know friend commented on the varying levels of salsa and meringue represented on the dance floor. Beginners to experts and everything in between had shown up for “Miami Night,” but it seemed that everyone knew at least the basic step of salsa. Ladies, if you’re interested in learning more, just linger for a moment by the railing encircling the dance floor and you’ll find that one of the previously mentioned caballeros is eager to take your hand and show you a few steps. If you’re a guy, well, good luck. The men are expected to lead the women in salsa, but if you’re lucky, you might be able to convince one of the women to help you out. I found the crowd to be friendly and welcoming (someone even invited me to their cousin’s quinceañera); it certainly didn’t hurt, though, that my Spanish-language skills have not completely deteriorated, since the vast majority of the dancers seemed to be rather recent immigrants from Mexico. Bolivians and some non-Hispanic blacks and whites made a fair showing, as well.

Until sometime around midnight, a pretty traditional vibe was maintained, with a smattering of bachata and rumba added to the mix to keep you guessing. And then someone called for reggaeton. In case you are not familiar with reggaeton (i.e., you were in hiding during Daddy Yankee’s hostile takeover of the radio airwaves with “Gasolina” in 2004), this is the moment at which all tradition is thrown out the window. I have nothing against reggaeton, in fact it brought back some vivid memories of partying in Santiago and Madrid (okay, so maybe not so much “vivid” as “hazy”), but don’t expect the courteous distance between man and woman that is somewhat maintained in salsa to have any say in reggaeton. Basically, perreo (that translates as “dancing doggy style,” in case you were wondering) breaks out all over the dance floor.

In sum, good times were had by all, and St. Louisans wishing to break out of the usual mold would do well to visit “Miami Nights” each Friday at Dante’s.

You can e-mail Tiffany at tiffany.m.frye@gmail.com.