Salsa Illusions
Overview:
UPDATE: This event is no longer happening.
Salsa dancing every other Friday night at Club Illusions in Palo Alto. Features a Latin music room that plays salsa, bachata, and merrengue, as well as a hip hop room playing the latest top 40s. Beginner salsa lessons at 9pm, followed by dancing for the rest of the evening. Some nights feature live bands.
Details:
| Event: | Salsa Lessons, Dance Party |
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| Date: | 2nd and 4th Friday of the month | |
| Time: | Lessons: 9-10pm, Dancing: 10pm-2am | |
| Cost: | $15 | |
| Instructors: | Varies | |
| Address: | Illusions Super Club 260 S. California Ave Palo Alto, CA 94306 Get Directions via Google Maps  |
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| Contact: | (650) 321-6464 Visit Website |
Important: Event times are subject to change. Always double check with the event organizer before making plans.
Our Review:
The event takes place every other Friday at the Illusions Super Club, and features a beginner salsa lesson, full bar, salsa performances, and dancing until 2 in the morning.
The great thing about Illusions is that theres lots of space to dance-- it's probably one the largest salsa venues in the Bay Area. There's usually always a big crowd too, so there's plenty of people to dance with.
If you're into clubbing, there's also a hip hop room, where they play all the latest hip hop and R&B. The event is also open to anyone who is 18+ before 10pm.
Salsa Illusions is slightly on the pricey side, at $15 bucks, but if you're looking for a cool spot to hit up on a Friday night with salsa and hip hop dancing, Illusions Super Club is the place to be.
The dance floor is always crowded and I'm a huge fan of the separate hip-hop / techno room - it's tons of fun going from chilled out salsa to the crazy club room and back.
At $15 the price is steep but Illusions features live music and the bands are usually well worth it. It's also one of the few real club venues that are available to the 18+ (under 21) crowd. Highly recommended!
User Reviews:
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3 people found this review helpful
Hello Everyone, I must say that I am bias toward Illusions since I’ve been the official DJ since it opened. I am just here to clarify the above review by Dave.
1. Illusions does not bring a big Mexican Crowd. It is very diverse in particular because it attract the students of Stanford University. There is a larger Latino crowd in the hip-hop side which 90% are South American. (Colombia, Peruvian, Bolivian, etc)
Now in regards to the music, I play 85% Salsa/Mambo (Yes, I play Mambo!), with 10% Bachata and the last 5% Merengue. Very seldom I will play Punta or Merengue Electronico or Cumbia. We do not play Banda Music. We strictly play Tropical Caribbean Beatz.
Thanks for your time guys and see you at Illusions!
1 person found this review helpful
Illusions is an okay salsa dance venue. There is a lot of space to dance and move around. The music is great and has a lot of variety. Maybe it was the particular day I went which was my first time but there didn’t seem to be a lot of people who really wanted to dance. A lot of spectators and couples who just wanted to stick to their partner. I feel the price is a bit steep at 15 dollars. Overall, if you’re into the club atmosphere and like killer music than Illusions is the place to check out.
Illusions definitely has a club atmosphere with lots of room to dance, and numerous tables and chairs to relax. Two bars, free parking, and a outdoor lounge area. There is a coat check as well. Overall fun place to dance a variety of salsa, bachata, merrange, and hip hop. The hip-hop room has a clubby and a little bit of a raunchy taste, while the salsa room has more of your regular salsero dancers there for the salsa. After 10pm the front gates close and the back alleyway entrance is used. Good place to go if you are looking for a drinking crowd and some club style dancing.
Illusions night club is a really cool place, one of the nicest salsa venues I’ve seen. Big space and two rooms (1 salsa, 1 hip hop) and the drinks are reasonably priced.
The place draws a large Mexican crowd, and the DJ definitely caters to that– they played a little too much merrengue, banda, and bachata for my taste, but if you are not a hardcore salsero that might be a good thing.
The cool thing about Illusions is that they have a hip hop room, so if you don’t want to dance straight salsa all night or if you’re with friends that aren’t salseros you can get your groove on to some Top 40 picks and reggaeton.
Overall, I would say Illusions is a cool place to go for a drink and dance salsa and hip hop, but if you’re a serious salsa dancer, you’ll probably have a better time at Latin Fever Fridays up in Berkeley (held every 2nd Friday of the month).