People of all ages and skill levels attend salsa dancing socials.

By JULIE BLOOM

In a crowded, dimly lighted fifthfloor studio in the Chelsea section of Manhattan, bodies twisted and turned as a pulsing bongo beat blared in the background. The room shook with couples moving across the floor on a Sunday evening in late summer.
Salsa dancing in New York has evolved since its heyday in the late ‘60s and ‘70s, when clubs were packed with Dominicans, Puerto Ricans and other Latinos moving to the voice of Hector Lavoe and the beats of Willie Colon and other salsa music all-stars. Now all types of people are learning the basic steps of a partner dance that is all about great rhythm and individual flair. With almost 200 clubs devoted to Latin music across the city, it’s possible to take a turn on the dance floor every night of the week.
At the Chelsea studio, where about 70 people had gathered for “La Vieja Guardia,” a night of dancing, Daniel Antonio Esquivel, known as DJ Tono, spun a Charanga track from his collection of more than 6,000 recordings of Latin music, much of it on vinyl.
The evening is what is known as a social. Socials are open to the public , with amateur and more experienced dancers invited for a small fee, usually $7 to $15, to dance with a variety of ready and willing partners.
“Everyone I’ve danced with has been patient, said Nicolette Barber, 25, from San Diego. “There are a ton of men. It is quite encouraging.
Part of the fun of socials is watching the dancers . Most of the socials include a performance by professional dancers. One of the most famous socials in the city, Jimmy Anton on West 19th Street, has been taking place every other Sunday for the past 14 years and draws upward of 300 people.
There are many other dance floors in the city . And there are classes.
In northern Manhattan, at J’s Big Gym , Ralph Rodriguez, known as Ralphie La Rumba, led a class of mostly men on a recent Tuesday night. Dressed in a newsboy cap, jeans and a black V-neck,Mr. Rodriquez, 31, who has taught salsa for seven years and also works in construction, counted out the basic steps in a mix of Spanish and English. The students faced the mirror, mouthing the counts. The steps felt pretty straightforward until the music began and a pivot turn was added, and then the work started.
Mr. Rodriguez said timing was the hardest thing to teach. “It is hard for them to find the beat and the music, he said.
On Sundays, Club Iguana serves as an official after-party for all the socials in the city. By 11 p.m. the two dance floors are packed . “The cool thing about salsa is, if I go to an American club, I’ll feel like an old fuddy-dud, said Manny Siverio, 49, “like the guy with the three hairs on his head. In the Latin club scene it’s cool. It’s about dancing. We’re out there just to have a good time.