Please note that in France, it will be rather
difficult to find any salsa club or Latin club
open during late July or August--almost the whole
country is 'en vacances' (or 'on vacation) at that
time. Me and my girlfriend, Michele, on July 2000,
was about to enter the Le Cuba Cafe (just 1 block
away from the famous Moulin Rouge), but the sign
on the front door said it was closed until
September. But don't despair....

A few Parisian salsa clubs do open during vacation. One of them is La Coupole, at 201 Montparnasse (just about 3 1/2 blocks away from the Port Royale
station and the very famous La Closerie des Lilas
cafe). The dress code there is no jeans or gym
shoes, coats are required to be checked, and there
is about a 60FF(about $12) cover charge, and be
prepared to pay up 75FF (about $15) for drinks.
In return, the charge pays for a live band and
free salsa instruction by Susan Sparks. But please
be advised that the euro will replace the FF next
year.

Another note: You better love paso doble. Paso
doble is still here to stay in France (there may
be some classes and some social dancing involving
the paso) because it is a given in ballroom history
that the French took the paso doble from Spain and
brought it to the French clubs, and made some
figures in French for it like the deplacement,
coup de pique, la passe, and huit.

Charles Smith
'The Little Lily Of Ballroom Dancing"
(cjsmith2@uiuc.edu)