Salsa dance party comes to Risibisi

Risibisi restaurant on Petaluma Boulevard and Petaluma dance instructor Helen Andrade have teamed up to offer locals a place to cut a rug at a salsa dance party to be held every other Saturday at Risibisi.

The dance party debuted earlier this month and the next will be held from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 27.

?The first dance party was very successful,? said Andrade, owner of Steppin? Out Dance Studio in Petaluma. ?We had more than 25 people in that little restaurant. We had people that came for salsa because they were already customers at the restaurant, and people walking by who saw all the people inside dancing came in to check things out. We just had all these people pouring in.?

Marco Palmieri, owner of Risibisi, came up with the idea for a salsa dance party after hearing about Andrade through mutual friends.

?Marco called me and said he was interested in doing a salsa party every other Saturday night at the restaurant,? said Andrade. ?Of course, I said yes. They provide the venue and music while I do the lessons.?

Andrade has been teaching dance for the past 30 years, with Latin dance being her main love. She grew up in Santa Rosa, but spent 25 years away before coming to Petaluma in 1999 and opening her dance studio.

?I originally launched Steppin? Out in 1977 in Mill Valley,? she said. ?I took a long hiatus and went into media sales. Now I teach ballroom part-time in Petaluma.?

Steppin? Out Dance Studios specializes in all types of partner dances from foxtrot to tango to salsa. ?I teach group classes, private sessions, workshops for weddings and I do private parties,? she said. ?The age range is 15 to 75. I have more and more teens coming in every day as a result of ?Dancing With The Stars,? ?Mad Hot Ballroom? and ?Take the Lead.?

The salsa dance at Risibisi begins with Andrade teaching salsa to those new to it, or those that need to brush up on their dance skills.

?The dance lessons were a blast,? said Andrade of opening night for the salsa dance. ?People hung out and I helped them for two hours. I didn?t think the people coming would have that kind of focus or attention, but they did. I taught a lesson for an hour and then spent time with some of them individually. They got a private lesson for free. The dance party is a great opportunity for non-salsa dancers to learn something new.?

Feedback for the event has also been positive and Andrade said she and Palmieri are looking forward to continuing it through the new year.

?The other thing Marco is doing to attract attention to the dance is playing music outside the restaurant so everyone can hear it,? said Andrade. ?People walking up and down the sidewalk will be able to hear the salsa music playing.?

Admission to the dance party is $6 and includes a free dance lesson with Andrade beginning at 10 p.m.

For more information, call 789-9120.

(Contact Yovanna Bieberich at yovanna.bieberich@arguscourier.com)

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