Lovers of rhythm and dance should get their party shoes ready for the Salsa Village of Oberkampf festival on Sunday. From 3 p.m. until 2 a.m., D.J.’s and musicians will be playing Latino-inspired music in a dozen bars in the Oberkampf area, a Parisian district near the Canal Saint-Martin.

Event founder Nazem Ghemraoui explained that the nomadic festival, which took place in the Strasbourg–Saint-Denis area last year, was invented as a way to explore different Parisian districts, all while celebrating the festive nature of salsa. “It’s about discovering the intimate, unusual and unknown,” he said. “Salsa represents a joy and sensuality that envelops the planet.”

The festival is organized by the Caravane de la Salsa collective, which was established last year. It hopes to reunite various salsa communities in Paris. Mr. Ghemraoui said that while salsa enthusiasts mixed together 10 or 15 years ago, the Parisian community has since dispersed into smaller groups according to various styles of the dance. The collective also hopes to  organize outdoor parties in the city’s parks in order to bring the dance back to the streets.

L’Duro, one of the festival D.J.’s, explained that Cuban salsa is a rich, upbeat style incorporating drums, while Puerto Rican salsa tends to be more melodic, using saxophones and piano. Other styles, such as Colombian and Venezuelan, are recognizable by their distinctive rhythms — but he’s a fan of them all. “Salsa is in my veins,” he said. L’Duro will be playing a mix of the various styles, as well as zouk, merengue and reggaeton at Locandiera, a bar in Oberkampf (145, rue Oberkampf; 33-1-56-98-12-18; Metro: Menilmontant).

The venue will also host a Cuban salsa workshop led by Espérance Ntadi, who has been giving salsa classes in Paris bars since 2003. He described his teaching style as participative rather than academic. “I tell participants to dance how they feel,” he said.

 

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