Latin Mondays at Taj, hosted by Talia Castro-Pozo, has been one of NYC’s most popular salsa dance parties for over 15 years. It’s on Mondays from 7pm to 1am (5pm doors). From $15.a
At Latin Mondays at Taj, you can dance salsa, son, timba, bachata, merengue, cumbia, champeta, cha-cha-cha and more to New York’s best live bands and Latin DJs. Start your evening with dinner and a dance lesson. It makes a great date.
The crowd is completely mixed like New York, and with all ages. There are Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Europeans, Africans, and Asians. There are some Cuban old-timers who can dance you so sweetly. Everybody goes to Latin Mondays. The dance level is very high, but beginners go too.
One of the things we noticed is that everybody dances with everybody. That means you’ll always have a good time – even if you go alone. And if you are learning to dance, you learn quickly because you get to dance with good dancers. Not all dance parties are like that. The credit goes to the host Talia Castro-Pozo.
We’d much rather dance in a restaurant or bar than in a dance studio. This is where New York salseros go on Monday nights. Dancers have to dance.
Latin Mondays at Taj
Among NYC dance communities, Monday nights draw people who really love to dance.
- Doors open right after work at 5pm.
- You can make dinner reservations by calling (212) 620-3033 or texting (917) 620-3109. There are tables for party groups. The food is pretty good and there are tapas style plates for sharing with friends.
- The party starts with a free salsa dance lesson at 7pm.
- There are two sets of live music and salsa DJs keep the floor moving until 1am.
The party celebrates its quinceanera (15th birthday) in November, 2022. Since this is a Latin party, we are celebrating all year long.
Talia Castro-Pozo
Talia Castro-Pozo is a dance producer, actress, and classical ballerina originally from Peru. She is a very good dance teacher too, who can dance just about anything. You may notice her wonderful smile on television and in advertising campaigns. She curates several salsa parties, including some for New York City itself. Talia is La Reina de la Salsa Baile de Nueva York (The Queen of New York Salsa Dancing).
Most people think of Peru as the heartland of the Inca, the great empire of South America. It is that, but Peru also has a festejo dance tradition that is similar to the Cuban rumba, Haitian méringue, Dominican merengue, Puerto Rican bomba, Colombian cumbia and other Latin traditions that blended into salsa in New York City. Talia Castro-Pozo has salsa in her blood.
The Bands
Every Latin dance band in New York wants to play Latin Mondays at Taj. It really is THE Latin dance party in New York City.
- Jimmy Bosch, “El Trombon Criollo,” New York Puerto Rican salsa. @jimmyboschforever 🇵🇷
- Santiago y la Orquesta, Colombian salsa. @santiagoylaorq 🇨🇴