By Billy S. Garland

The swift movement of the dancers’ feet emphasized each beat within the salsa rhythm, and seemed to echo the passion in the singer’s voice. The sour-sweet smell of whisky and vodka hung heavily in the air, as the dancers exhaled with each series of steps. Outside the new Old Louisville bar, Rincon Latino, the night was full of the sounds of salsa.
Located at the corner of Brook Street and Burnett Avenue, the Latin-themed venue is defining  itself as a merger between the local and the exotic.
“You know this place used to be a gay bar,” said Jose Cordoba, a founding manager. “It’s been hard to let people know that it’s not anymore. Now it is a Latin spot, but it is also a neighborhood bar.”
To further solidify this cultural hybrid, Rincon is offering Latin dance lessons on Friday nights, starting at 9 p.m. Adding to the atmosphere is the live performance of Cuban singer Abel Delgado.
“Abel was the first singer for Pedro Camacho en Clan, a famous band in Cuba,” said Delgado’s manager, Dalida Soteriou. “Singing here is a great opportunity. When Abel came to this country he had to start over. He is really grateful to have this place to sing.”
Both of the bar’s founding managers are first-generation immigrants from Cuba. They said they came to the United States in search of a better life. In the end, fate, or perhaps luck, led them to Louisville and to the opening of Rincon Latino in late December.
“I had a rough life in Cuba,” said Ulises Jarbeo, the other founding manager. “Honestly, I have had a rough time here too. So, when I have time, I want to make my free time as good as possible; I want it to be a special moment. And that’s what we want people to feel too, when they come here.”
Many University of Louisville students, like junior French major Victoria Wright, enjoy the experience of this special moment at Rincon Latino.
“I just like the interaction with the people,” said Wright. “All my friends come here, and it is so close to my apartment and to U of L. It’s really convenient, and, oh my God, the dancing! Even after one lesson I feel like I know it all.”
This is what salsa instructor Roberto Garcia is counting on. As he counts, he dances. While he leads, he shows how to follow. The line between instructor and dancer seems less substantial as he guides students through the rhythm of the dance.
“It doesn’t matter if you can or can’t dance,” said Garcia. “I don’t care if you think you have rhythm or you don’t. It’s about coming out to learn. And I can promise you that you will learn.”
Garcia, who has been passionate about dance for the last decade, is on active duty, serving as a medic for the military. In addition to his military service and dance instruction on the weekends, he teaches a cardio dance class in Fort Knox. The class consists of four Latin dances, all of which will be taught on Friday nights at Rincon.
“We will be teaching the dances here,” said Garcia. “One week we will do salsa, the next meringue, bachata or the cha-cha. This will give a different feel for the dances, and not the same repetitive thing.”
According to Janel Colepaugh, a Spanish major at U of L and a bartender at Rincon Latino, this focus on keeping the atmosphere fluid and fresh is a major part of the draw of Rincon—that and the interaction with the people.
“I love getting to meet new people and make new friends,” said Colepaugh. “That’s my favorite part. This place is my Facebook”
Even as the lessons came to an end, the feet of the dancers on the hardwood dance floor did not stop moving. Garcia continued to move with his partner, as one student near the edge of the dance floor quickly moved his lips, mouthing, “1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8.”