Salsa dancing looks simple, but the swaying of the hips and kicking of heels is more complicated than most imagine. Luckily, Sacramento State’s Salsa Loca club is here to help straighten out the kinks and ease those interested into the fast-paced and fun world of Latin dance.

Salsa Loca, led by O’Connor Griffin, sophomore psychology major, allows students to dance the night away with those who share similar interests.

“For me, (the club) is very welcoming,” Griffin said. “It’s all about having fun, learning something new. We’re all friends and it helps out with campus life.”

Salsa Loca meets every Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Redwood Room of the University Union. There are no fees and anyone is welcome to join. A typical club meeting starts at 7 p.m., with a half hour to warm-up and chat. From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., a Salsa lesson is given by either Griffin, another member of the club, or an occasional guest. No previous dancing experience is needed and prospective members do not need to bring a partner. The meetings conclude with dancing from 8:30 to 11:00 p.m. While the club devotes most of its time to Salsa, other Latin dances, such as the Cha Cha, Tango, and Merengue are also taught. Every two weeks, the club focuses on a new dance to supplement Salsa.

The club was born out of the need for somewhere to dance. In 2007, Felix Barba, then a government major who has since graduated, was disappointed that he could find no clubs that featured Latin dance, nor any studios in the surrounding area.

“It was Felix and a couple of friends who all really loved Salsa,” Griffin said. “There wasn’t really a place for people our age to do Salsa, nowhere to take lessons. So, they decided to create the club on March 3, 2007.”

Lina Alfaro, senior child development major and vice president and treasurer of Salsa Loca, said she enjoys learning more about her culture’s dance.

“I feel like I can enhance my culture, and share my culture with others on campus,” Alfaro said. “The club’s a way of expressing diversity through your body and movements and interests. It’s a stress-free environment.”

Cole Mayer can be reached at [email protected]