Although dance has always been a fundamental part of Colombian culture, it is only recently that spaces have emerged for social SBKZ dancing as it is done internationally, where people gather to practice and enjoy dance resulting from classes in a more structured, aesthetic, and artistic manner.
In Medellín, dance as a cultural element was present everywhere—at family parties, neighborhood celebrations, all kinds of festivities, in Fondas and nightclubs—but dance was only an element of these gatherings, not the main purpose. On the other hand, the pure artists who loved dancing only had the dance studio, practice sessions with their dance partners, and the competition groups as their dance space. There were some social parties, but from my perspective, they were limited to certain academies, schools, and specific teachers’ communities so they were not very open.
Everything started to change when the tourism boom hit Medellín. Many curious foreigners, backpackers, and digital nomads arrived in the city around 2010, when few locals spoke English. Therefore, other forms of connection became necessary.
In 2012, DANCEFREE (Instagram) was one of the pioneers in bridging the gap between amateurs and professionals, between locals and foreigners, by offering free dance classes and practice spaces. Almost immediately after, other places like Social Club Academia (Instagram) and Skybar joined, all located in the Poblado, Aguacatala, and Manila sectors. In these spaces, we had the opportunity to connect; all these small subgroups got to know each other, became friends, and saw the real potential of dance as a profession, a lifestyle, and a tool to connect in everyday life.
The spaces grew, expanded, and diversified, and with their ups and downs, this entire environment forged the relationships and foundations of our current strength as a community. However, everything changed when the pandemic hit.
COVID-19 was relentless with the dance community; nothing could have been more damaging since it punished physical contact. The spaces closed, many of them forever. However, artists are resilient, and although we had to stop for a long time, we returned even stronger.
We began to strengthen outdoor dance spaces. Our classic Majao Social (Instagram) started in Estadio, and in parallel, the dance space at the Madera metro station Social Dance Group (Instagram) was strengthened, and from there, we gained momentum as a community.
The pandemic also affected bars and restaurants, so some saw potential in these dance gatherings to explore and grow again. That’s how Barbarán with Majao Social gained a foothold, followed by Barcelona. More and more community leaders and academies joined in, and young people began to dance more socially, thanks also to the lovely community of Talenttus (Instagram) in the northern part of the city.
Many spaces became too small, so naturally, the community expanded, and now we are the only city in Colombia, where you can dance every day of the week. Our favorite socials are Casa Ritmo Latino (Instagram), Majao Social (Instagram), and Zouk at Parques del Río (Instagram).
In the social dance community of Medellín, our favorite social networks are Instagram and WhatsApp. If you want to know more details about these events and many more that are happening constantly, follow the events’ networks and join the WhatsApp groups MEDELLÍN DANCE and Zouk in Medallo to stay updated during your stay.
Medellín, the city of eternal spring and the social dance capital of Colombia awaits you with open arms!
