April 23, 2010 11:00AM EDT

Drive-In Report: The Spirit of Salsa

Last night the clouds and rain cleared away just in time for some spicy music and dancing at the Tribeca Drive-In screening of The Spirit of Salsa, at the World Financial Center Plaza. Crowds enjoyed free popcorn and refreshments while live salsa music played until the sun set. At first, couples only popped up here and there to dance a little bit and practice their moves, but as the night progressed, people were dancing all over the place. On the upper plaza, a dance floor was set up, where all the pros were taking a spin. The best thing was that these pros were pulling in bystanders and giving free lessons. A diverse crowd of young and old mixed on the packed dance floor, dancing to the beat while the sun went down.

As the seats filled, a handful of the bravest couples went on stage for a pre-show salsa competition. Each had their moments to turn and twirl, and the audience voted for its favorite. Once the seats were filled, The Spirit of Salsa, by Francisco Bello and Tim Sternberg began.

The NYC documentary is the story of a motley crew of New Yorkers, all meeting with the same mission: to learn salsa at the Santo Rico Dance School. Among the group are a caterer, a Manhattan cop, a stay-at-home mom, an ER doctor, a man suffering chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and a bodega owner. When asked why they decided to take up salsa, the answers range from “You mean besides the fact that I love Latin men?” to “To mend my broken heart.” The group meets once a week to dance the night away with an instructor whose wisdom goes beyond salsa. Instructor Tomas Guerrero challenges his students to a public performance in six weeks, and the fun begins. The group goes through high and lows and eventually pulls together a stunning performance.

The Spirit of Salsa is the type of film that makes you want to get up and dance. As we see the group of New Yorkers come together for one mission, it’s clear that salsa is more than just dancing. It’s a way of life for these people and they love it.

---

Big on Friday, April 23
The Birth of Big Air on Saturday, April 24
World Financial Center Plaza

Tribeca Drive-In opens at 6:00 pm.
Activities and programming begin at 6:30 pm.
Film screenings start at dusk (approx. 8:15 pm).

Co-sponsored by Caesars Atlantic City.
Hosted by Brookfield, owner of the World Financial Center.