El Valenciano

Quickly overtook GlasKat as the #1 on2 social in the Bay. This is as close to NY as it gets although people from NY will know that the dancing is not anywhere near NY’s. Still a lot of fun especially later in the night when the beginning dancers leave and you don’t have to worry about people bumping into you. Once a very tight dance floor, the floor was recently expanded and renovated. The only complaint is that there is a noticeable gap between what used to be the new floor and what is now the expanded floor and you cannot dance on it without it causing some kind of disturbance to your dancing. Otherwise, it’s a fun place, with overall good quality dancers, although some I think may be better than they think they are and so some people complain that the crowd is somewhat clique-y and dancers from one dance group won”t dance with dancers from another dance group. I kind of see that but I have fun anyway. Also, sometimes way too much jazzy salsa is played and not enough gritty NY stuff. Followers have noted that the lighting may be a little too on the dark side so sometimes it’s hard to see the lead, especially with fast more advanced dancers and when it’s crowded. Still, best social nowadays.

Love love LOVE El V on Wednesdays! :-) The dancing is so good that I find myself preferring to sit and watch other people dance! The level of dancing is THAT good! But don’t be intimidated by the high level of dancing, Gabriel and Victoria teach a very basic class that will get you dancing in no time. It’s actually my favorite class… and experienced dancers enjoy taking the class as well. If you feel it is too clique then just break the ice and ask someone to dance! You’d be surprised how kind everyone is there and encouraging they are to beginner dancers. This truly is the best social with the best music and best dancing in SF! :-D Oh and they fixed the floor so disregard the above posts. :-)

Snobby, unfriendly dancers. Avoid going here at all costs.

Premiere on2 social in the bay right now.

Majority of dancers are experienced on2 dancers.
Cosy space – not too empty or too crowded. Just right.
Dancer-friendly music – great tunes, short songs. There’s a rotation of DJ’s including DJ Hong, DJ 360 and others, so the music is always fresh.
Friendly, laid-back atmosphere.

First and foremost, El Valenciano is home to the very best dancers in the city. Being an advanced dancer’s paradise, they come here to show off their skills, regardless of On1 or On2 dance style. It is the “advanced level” of dancing that intimidates newcomers, not the On2 style. The dance class is well done, as the instructors make a good effort to teach the basics and some technique. However, once the regular dancing begins, a newcomer will feel like he’s taken a leap from pre-Algebra to Calculus. On2 is preferred by most advanced dancers because of its ease of movement and El Valenciano is 90% On2 dancing. If you happen to be in the learning stages you will find “El V” intimidating and difficult to stomach. This place is fantastic for followers who want to step up their game “quickly”. However, it’s not kind to Leaders that can’t provide “a good game”. The music is great and the dance floor is spacious, but bring a partner if you’re not the Advanced Type … otherwise you’ll be sitting all night.

Mambo Romero Social, AKA El V. Is the best weekly salsa social to go dance with San Francisco Bay Area’s on 2 best dancers. Also, is the only place in SF Bay Area where real spinning (Salsa on Vinyls) takes place by Dj-360. I highly recommend it. 5 Starts!

This event has slowly become the “go to” event for on2/mambo dancers. A great mix of advanced and intermediate dancers and a very low-key atmosphere. DJ Hong is one of my fave Bay-Area DJ these days and he’s a fixture there.

El V is the closest thing to a NY salsa spot. I always have fun when I go and in comparison to all other SF on2 salsa places, it is the only place in SF that you can go without having to cross your fingers. While other places are usually overpriced for what they offer(Hit or miss parties) With El V you always know you will have a good time.

I do agree with those who say that the DJ plays more Latin Jazz than Mambo, I wish that wasn’t the case, because more mambo would definitely take the party to another level. I understand that the DJ wants to experiment with new tracks that no one has heard before, but is hard to grasp how can one leave a real mambo party without hearing Lavoe, Canales, Ismael Rivera, Willie Rosario, Lebron Brothers, etc not being played even once.

I also agree that many dancers are snob and only like dancing with people from their own school, or people that they know. If you are new to the place you will most likely get rejected left and right, but you can’t get discouraged by this, keep asking until you find people who truly enjoy dancing with you, after that happens you don’t have to worry about the ‘stars’.

Even though the party has some little bad things, in comparison to all other SF salsa places, this is by far the best in the bay area, once you overcome the strangeness of being new in El Valenciano, you will truly appreciate how enjoyable the place is, it is just a matter of giving it a chance and going multiple times to form your judgement.

The best weekly socials and place to dance on2! Wish I could go every Wednesday!! <3

This place is extremely on1 and non-local unfriendly.
(And yes, I can tell, since I’ve been dancing in a lot places, including NYC. Also in various other cities in the US, Puerto Rico, China, Thailand, Germany, Austria, UK, France, Spain, and Switzerland.)

That being said, the music is excellent and the floor ok, as long as you bring some powder. So, if you’re an above-average on2 dancer and willing to put up with some rather large egos, you’ll be having a good time.