At first I was convinced that Curtis Clark, Salsaweb’s Atlanta World Correspondent, was only showing me the most beautiful parts of Atlanta, Georgia. I had never been there before, and when I travel, I always make sure to keep an open mind to the good parts of cities, as well as the bad. We drove via what I thought was the most pristine highway, with forests of trees lining each side. Then we went on another highway, which was even more beautiful… then another, and another… GEEEZ!!! ALL the highways are beautiful!

We made our way through exquisitely paved neighborhoods in the middle of ever-green forests. Curtis kept laughing at me when I kept saying, "Wow! What….. look at this great forest!" I guess growing up in Colorado, with homes in the mountains, pine trees, etc., we called those "forests", so to me, any large area with trees is a forest! He just called them neighborhoods. Living in LA, and visiting cities like New York, San Francisco, Denver, San Diego, Paris, Hong Kong, and Rome, I guess in the back of my mind, if I was in a city, I was waiting for more dirt, maybe some graffiti, and definitely more concrete. Surprisingly, after about three days of nothing but beautiful forests, green meadow-like parks, clean streets, manicured lawns, dollhouse-like homes, and an almost immaculate downtown metropolitan district, I’m here to tell you that the city of Atlanta, is a very beautiful place to visit! I was quite surprised!

Because Atlanta is relatively flat, this enormous piece of rock, over a mile in circumference, sticks out like the biggest sore thumb I’ve ever seen. You take a tram pulley car to the top of it, and walk around the top area. Its elevation is about 6,600 feet. Since it is so tall, when you get to the top, the view of the entire state of Georgia is spectacular - especially on a clear day! This is a DEFINITE place to go if you’re visiting Atlanta.

Another DEFINITE thing to do in Atlanta is have dinner at a restaurant called the Sun Dial. On Saturday night, we went downtown, valet parked the car, hopped in a glass elevator (after practicing some "cool Salsa dance moves" while waiting in the lobby for about 45 minutes to get a table - make sure you make reservations first… ooops!), and pressed the "58" button. Yes, this building has 58 floors! At the very top floor, is a beautiful restaurant where the floor is on a platform that ever-so-slowly, cycles around 360 degrees over the period of an hour, so the dinner guests can take in pristine views of their beautiful city from 6500 feet! We could have looked face-to-face with Stone Mountain if it was daylight. The most spectacular thing was the city lights at night. That was really quite something. The food was impeccable, and the service excellent. I highly recommend this place for chow time prior to dancing.

The more clubs I visit all over the country, the more I’m beginning to realize how the club’s owners and promoter’s personalities show through in the ambiance of the clubs themselves. When a club promoter is unfriendly, stressed out, or uncaring, it reflects in the atmosphere of the club.

When the promoter is shaking hands, smiling, and greeting guests, it gives the clientele a warm feeling inside. Guests end up "wanting" to stay. They have a few more drinks, and will do everything they can to get their friends to come to this "friendly, easy-going, relaxing, and fun" place next time. To get guests talking positively about your club is 10 times as hard as them not saying anything (notice how I said "guests", not dancers, people, or clients). It’s an uphill battle to get positive "word of mouth" to start happening. But get a single negative comment or rumor started, and it’s over. Negative remarks about nightclubs spread like wildfire faster than you can imagine. The sad part is, people tend to believe negative comments 90% of the time more so than positive comments.

There are certain clubs in LA that I refuse to go back to because the owners are unfriendly, rude, uncaring, apathetic, appear completely stressed out, don’t take the time to shake your hand, or even smile.

When you’re promoting a club, treat your clients as if they were friends or guests in your home. Welcome them, love them - even if your clients are unfriendly back and complete jerks - it’s OK. Remember, your clients have problems of their own, they’re at your club to relieve their tensions of the day. Remember where they’re coming from. You don’t know the whole story - they don’t know yours, but that shouldn’t matter. They’re patronizing your club, and that’s the only thing that matters. The one thing they will remember is how well they were treated by you and your staff. They will remember your warmth, and come back later with a better attitude over time. Give them time. The main thing is that they COME BACK. That’s what’s important. Right?

If you promote a nightclub, believe it or not, its just like "performing on stage". Even if you don’t want to, SMILE damn it. Show your clients you’re happy to see them, APPRECIATE their patronage, shake their hands, nod your head in a "yes" fashion when talking to them, put your hand on their shoulder in a friendly brotherly way, LOVE your clientele, and for crying out loud, be SINCERE about it - remember, people can see right through you - especially dancers. Welcome them back, ask them to come back, make them feel at home. Your door man and ticket-giver’s attitudes and smiles must shine like solid gold. They give the first and lasting impressions.

The reason I’m writing this, is because at the Club Sanctuary in Atlanta, the owner Jorge, is the perfect example of the perfect host. He is warm, kind, gentle, loving, welcoming, smiles a lot, and asks if everything is OK. I noticed him making sure to mingle a bit with the crowd in tiny pockets of time during his busy evening. Curtis and Dan told me he’s this way every week - always has been, and I believe he always will be. Thank you Jorge, for being the most wonderful club host. You remind me a lot of one of the most successful Salsa promoters in LA, the world famous Albert Torres.

The Sanctuary Club’s decor is Miami Style, with plenty of room to dance, a beautiful wood floor, and tables with tablecloths very elegantly candle-lit and warm. The ambiance is very comfortable and relaxing, mixed in with an elegant dining area in perfect view of the dancing. The Sanctuary reminds me a bit of Bentley’s in Boulder Colorado. The bar’s decor looks like giant piano keys, and when I went to the elegantly decorated ladies room, the trim on the beautiful walls was also little raised piano keys! I guess I just notice and appreciate little details like that.

The DJ that night, Mr. Juan Zarate, played some slamming old-school Salsa. He was awesome. Curtis and Dan told me that they specifically requested "more Salsa" that evening. The mixture was great. About 80% Salsa, a splash of Merengue, mixed in with a teeny bit of Cumbia and a Cha Cha or two. A true Salsero’s dream.

Juan Ramirez, one of the DJ's, is from the Dominican Republic. He asked me to dance. What a challenge! I swear, I don’t know what it is, but every time I dance with someone from a different country, I feel like I’m actually IN their country! At first it was hard trying to figure out his lead, but after about the middle of the song, I GOT IT. Whew! I also danced with a gentleman from Cuba, and thank God Eric Freeman, (one of Salsaweb’s Colorado World Correspondents, Dance Historian, and creator of our "Salsa / Mambo Steps" article) taught me a little bit of "Cuban Style" Salsa, which is more of a walk, when you turn, than a spin. Cubans don’t "spin" on the floor, they walk around, to get around. It’s kind of cool and completely different than the hundred mph spins I’m used to. Eric tells me this is probably because there are very few wood floors in the common areas of Cuba, and they all dance in regular street shoes and sneakers. No dance shoes. So "walking" during dancing is not only common but necessary!

There are some great dancers in Atlanta. Mr. Andrew Jerrick, The famous Mambo Legend, from New York, JJ, also from New York, Lorri Gilley and Don Sottile, Amalia, and  Dan and Lory.  Dan and Lory have visited and taken many lessons from instructors like the famous Delille Thomas in New York, and love New York style and the people so much, that they’re now thinking about MOVING there! It’s amazing how much this dance can change people’s lives!

They all danced fabulously. I totally got my fix in Atlanta. When I danced with Dan and AJ, my heart ached for New York. It was amazing how I felt like I was back at the Copa during their "New York Mambo Two" leads. What was great was when I danced with Curtis, I felt like I was back in LA! Coast-to-Coast in the middle of Atlanta! You go Curtis! While in LA, he took a private with Luis Vazquez (my original instructor), of the famous Vazquez Brothers. Since his visit to LA, Curtis has basically MEMORIZED LA styling, practiced with me for a while, and has come an amazingly long way in a very short period of time. He is just at the "cusp" of becoming a Great Salsero. I know the feeling….. teetering on the edge, AAAAALLLLLMMOOOOSSSSSSTTTTT THERE…..

He’s so determined. He reminds me a lot of me. "Do, or Die", with "Die" meaning the suffering, pain, agony, blood, sweat, and tears. I guess that’s a very common trait among Taurians (or "Tori" - plural for Taurus? .J ). You’re almost there my dear friend, hang in there baby! If there is one person in Atlanta that can make a difference in raising the standards of street dancing in the city, it’s Curtis.

I was also shocked to see Ash, my friend from the island of Curacao! He was there with his partner, Aja, who just started this "Salsa Thing" a few months ago, and is catching on very fast! They’ve already done some shows together, and are thinking about competing some time! I had a blast dancing to his "island style". It reminded me so much of dancing at the World Salsa Congress in Puerto Rico last year. Best of luck to the both of you! It was great seeing you again Ash!

I also saw a long time friend, Amalia.  She used to live in LA, and helped Albert Torres promote all sorts of Salsa Events and Shows.  She started Bailes con Los Ninos with Albert, and has always been a true advocate of Salsa.  She also was called to help with the choreography and training of Chayane for the new movie "Dance with Me" starring Vanessa Williams and various LA Salseros. She's now finishing up her degree in Men's Clothing Design, and tells me she's missing LA like crazy!  It was so great seeing her again.  We miss you luv!  LA is anxiously awaiting your return! 

On Saturday night, we went to a club called Kaya. Kaya is located a few blocks away from the Sun Dial Restaurant, in the heart of the downtown district. It is a large place, that looks like a warehouse when you walk in. It was "Latin Night" where they play all kinds of Latin Music.  They don't advertise just "Salsa" anymore.  We got there just in time for some great Salsa music, but they only played about 2-3 songs. We then just sat there, and waited about 30 minutes through very loud Spanish Rock, Reggae, and House Music. It was so loud,  you couldn’t even hold a decent conversation with the people at your table during the wait, about 30 feet from the dance floor. I had to yell in the person's ear that was sitting next to me.   Finally, our hearts jumped at the oh-so-familiar and tingling sounds of the Conga and Clave. All of us immediately jumped up to dance (at least I did), in fear that this may be one of the last Salsa songs of the evening. They played about 3 songs this time, a couple Merengue’s, and the rest of the evening turned out to be more house, rock, reggae, and whatever.

We left.

Nice location, big place, but very little Salsa music.
We went back to the Sanctuary that same night.

Now I know why they call it "The Sanctuary"… Thank you Jorge.

Salsaweb's Atlanta  World Correspondent, Curtis Clark, on his way to The Sanctuary...

"Without the Sanctuary, I don’t think I would have ever ended up wanting to learn Salsa..."
- Curtis Clark, Salsaweb’s Atlanta World Correspondent

For more information on Atlanta Salsa Club in Atlanta, please visit our Atlanta Cityguide at http://www.salsaweb.com/cityguides/atlanta