I’m Iris Carrero and I am a New York City passionate salsa dancer for over twelve years.

Here in La Marqueta, there’s always a good time.

I was born and raised in the Bronx. So, as a little girl, my mom, who’s Puerta Rican, would put on salsa music on Saturdays to clean the house. Typical right? So I was exposed to salsa music at a very young age. 

What You Need To Know

  • Irena Carrero created six different Facebook pages in order to help New Yorkers post or learn about salsa dancing events happening in all five boroughs

  • Carrero was first introduced to Salsa music by her Puerto Rican mother. From then on she was hooked and started attending salsa concerts and dance classes to learn new moves

  • Carrero loves how dancing makes you forget all your problems and everything in the world that separates us
  • Out on the dance floor it doesn't matter your age, race, ethnicity, or economic background. Everyone is just having a good time

One evening, I met a lady who told me about a studio in the Bronx that had salsa classes. So, that started my journey in salsa dancing.

After that, I continued social dancing throughout New York City and I just can’t stop.

Most of us hardcore, dedicated salsa dancers in New York City, we would go salsa dancing anywhere from three to five times a week.

You don’t have to be Puerto Rican or from any type of Hispanic background to dance salsa. You have people from all backgrounds: white, Black, Chinese, Jewish. It doesn’t matter your background, it doesn’t matter your skill level. You just have to be brave enough to try it.

I have about six different salsa facebook groups. I try to share information with other salsa dancers. And other people also post in these groups, so they share events and that’s how we get the word out.

At Central Park you just get people from all walks of life, all ages, all ethnicities.

They hear the music and they’re like, “Wait a minute, what’s going on?” And I fill them in. And then you see them again in a few weeks and they’re salsa dancing and they’re joining in.

It’s very important to bring people together through salsa dancing because it’s such an exciting type of dance.

I’m so eager to get out there on the concrete dance floor today.

We have this passion and this drive to really celebrate our culture, but also to celebrate dancing and to celebrate life as well, because that’s what happens in salsa dancing.