A flavorful exploration of the Latin scene in Shanghai

In the past few months we've seen a blossoming of Latin-themed parties around Shanghai, from tame salsa lessons to upscale cocktail parties to rowdy all-you-can-drink nights. On an average week there's between 5-10 places in town offering up Latin rhythms and theme parties.

DJ Lin (from Shanghai) is the force that's driving the scene, playing out two or three nights a week and hosting a website www.latingroove.cn and online group latin-groove-shanghai@googlegroups.com. She has an extensive collection of CDs garnered from like-minded friends around the world—since most of this music isn't available in shops here. Check out her nights, Sunday at Zapata's or Thursdays at 1 Club (Chongqing Lu, near Jianguo Zhong Lu).

The recently opened Trader Vic's (Polynesian theme, international chain restaurant) is holding "Havana Groves" ... apparently on Wednesdays and Fridays, and is generating a buzz among samba and salsa fans (and tropical cocktail drinkers). Monsoon, up near Suzhou Creek, has a Pan-Latin mix with four DJs on the first Friday of every month, called "United Salsa," with dance lessons, barbecue, and a jacuzzi for sore muscles.

We've checked out a few of these recently and although we've never taken lessons, we dig the vibes. It's refreshing to see a crowd of mixed ages and ethnicities mingling together through a common interest. We also have to appreciate the more respectful, unpretentious and just plain friendly folks we've encountered here, compared to the usual party scene. And we don't mind the girls in stunning dresses with flowers in their hair.

It's summertime, and we're gearing up for a few months of mojitos, margaritas, and floor-packing Latin rhythms. Make sure to check City Weekend's event listings for more.

If bars aren't your thing, or you want to get some skills before showing your stuff, there are a number of dance schools around Shanghai offering classes in everything from Argentine Tango to Brazilian Samba. For starters, check out Jazz Du Funk, Shanghai's premiere dance studio, offering a variety of classes in a fun-loving environment.