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Nightclub Reviews: Wepa Sundays (Ryles)
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Club Reviews for Wepa Sundays (Ryles)
12 Reviews Found
Ratings*: 1 to 5, 5=best (#) = number of responses
Overall Reviewers' Rating: ![](http://salsaboston.com/images/star.gif) ![](http://salsaboston.com/images/star.gif) ![](http://salsaboston.com/images/star.gif) ![](http://salsaboston.com/images/star.gif) 4.8 (12 resp) |
Atmosphere: | 4.8 (12 resp) |
Dancing: | 4.9 (12 resp) |
Dance Floor: | 4.7 (12 resp) |
Noise Level/Volume: | 4.8 (12 resp) |
Music Quality: | 4.9 (12 resp) |
Parking: | 3.8 (12 resp) |
% Salsa: | 91.9 (11 resp) |
% Merengue: | 4.8 (10 resp) |
% House: | 0 (0 resp) |
% Other: | 5.1 (8 resp)
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Published ratings are compiled directly from response received from
the dancing public. SalsaBoston.com in no way endorses ratings as
they appear. |
Reviewed by "Sasha" on 11/11/2004 23:49:44
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You cannot go wrong with WEPA. It is not only the unique cozy
atmosphere of Ryles that makes the party. It is the aura that was created by regular dancers, djs and fun teachers, April and Akhmed over years. The unwritten rule of WEPA: advanced dancers dance with beginners. It was, probably, this that made me progress faster then I could hope when I was starting two years ago. Whether you dance on 1 or 2 you won't resist to dance there all the time! No wonder it shifted from twice a month to every week schedule. The class is also awesome by the way.
Reviewed by "cc" on 2/26/2004 11:12:32
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just when you think it can't get any better, it does! wepa's wonderful new location at ryles, and convenient earlier time slot makes this the perfect sunday night "must attend" for me. this past sunday was the first at ryles, and the place was packed. the atmosphere was friendly and warm, with lots of great dancers. i dance on1 and on2, and there were plenty of both in the house for me to dance with, which is what i like. i was in heaven. i kept walking around saying, "this is the most fun i've had out dancing in a long time." and april was the perfect hostess. the lights came up at the end of the night and no one wanted to leave. now that's a good party! thanks april for renewing my enthusiasm. i'll be back to every chance it get. cc-
Reviewed by "Southern Salsera" on 6/7/2003 11:41:33
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WEPA does it again!!! - which is why this is my most favorite place to go. The new location on South Street is fabulous, and the people are every bit as friendly and loving, and the lessons are just as great. I love this crowd, and love the on2 style. No other venue even compares in my mind. I frequent El Bembe, BCCA and Ryles as well, and although I like them all WEPA is tops in my book. April Genovese de La Rosa has done a fabulous job of creating a warm and friendly atmosphere in which to learn salsa.
Reviewed by "Southern Salsera" on 4/6/2003 23:25:46
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I have to say that WEPA Sundays are a wonderful part of the Boston Social scene. I have been taking lessons with April on 2. It is a friendly crowd, excellent teachers, and a really nice studio space to dance in. It is completely appropriate for a girl to go to this by herself, and if you are serious about learning salsa this is the place to start. Any good thing I can say about this group I will. I love to dance there, and since I started in December, I have seen my skill level jump light years ahead of where it was. I take the Lesson with April on Mondays, come for the lesson before Wepa on Sundays, and stay to practice afterward at the social. Only Ryles can even come close to comparing, and these two are my salsa main stays.
Reviewed by "Dust" on 12/3/2002 0:49:55
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Wepa! The Wepa Salsa Social is excellent for people who want to practice their salsa, especially beginners! The class was very well-taught and involved partnering and footwork on 2. The social right afterwards was even better because the first thing they do is get all the advanced students to grab a beginner and dance with them for a bit. It's good because it makes you feel welcome and you also get to practice your moves and learn new moves. It doesn't matter or not whether you dance on 1 or on 2 because both are represented in the social.
People were extremely friendly and fun. The good dancers were great in that they took turns dancing with people and also danced with beginning students. They were very patient and forgiving if you missed a step or lost your rhythm after a turn!
The refreshments were very reasonably priced--$1.00 for water & drinks and free chips and other munchies.
It's a great atmosphere because it's not competition and it's also not a meat-market. It's just people who have a craving for salsa (no matter or not if you can dance that craving well right now), and who want to get together and practice.
Also, for those of you who are beginners who have a salsa craving but can't convince any of your friends to develop that craving and go out with you to places to dance, Wepa is a nice place that you could go to alone and not feel awkward and also be safe if you're female.
It's also good for those of you who are under 21 or 18 to practice since there aren't many places for you guys.
The music was fun. I honestly don't remember what he was playing because I was so busy dancing! But whatever it was, it was good!
Reviewed by "DeCue" on 11/19/2002 15:30:19
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I normally attend Wepa Salsa Sundays most Sundays in the month. It has taken me a little while to post a review but, hey better late than never.
In general, I really enjoy Wepa because it stays true to dancing, allowing you to be as casual and sober as you like. Afterall it is Sunday! There is a huge wooden dance floor and a large mirror that spans the width of the room. You can also snack on free chips while sipping on juice, soda, or water for only $1.00. It's a good thing too, because you will need as much water as you can get to cool off! Fred Astaire's is nice, but very, very hot during peak times.
Wepa can be a little intimidating, if your not familiar with this scene, but its only because people there really like to impress each other with their dancing. Everything else there is secondary.
Wepa is also one of the few places in which most couples dance New York Style salsa otherwise knonw as dancing "On2". For those that don't know, all this means is that this dancing emphasizes more of the percussion as opposed to the melody. But that does not mean that you can't dance other styles or that others will not dance with you. Don't worry, if you are new, because most of the people there are friendly and humble. If they don't appear to be its most likely due to being exhausted from previous dance classes, or they are simply distracted by some entertaining couple on the dance floor. Most men will ask you to dance, and most women will accept a dance. In fact, Wepa has started a friendly policy in which the first few songs immediately following the dance classes are for beginner and advanced dancers to dance with each other. This is done at later times in the night as well. Now, whether you get a second dance, that is totally up to you!!! But don't worry...a few dance classes with April of www.aprilon2.com will fix all of that! :)
With all of this said, what really prompted me to post this review was because of last Sunday...morning...5am in the morning to be exact. Anthony, April, and Ahmed were very kind to host an "unofficial after-party" at Freddy's Place (aka the Fred Astaire Studios) after the Congress. Thank god because many of the dancers there, myself included, really needed to relax and dance off some stress after having to perform earlier that night. Wepa was an absolute blast with DJ Hernan dropping all kinds of great salsa hits until 5am! People were there to dance and have a good time. There wasn't any alcohol, dress codes, or attitudes, but there was lots of sweat!!! On1, On2, On3, it didn't make a difference. That night really reminded me why I got hooked on salsa. It was the first night in a long time in which there were so many great dancers from various disciplines and backgrounds dancing next to and with each other truly enjoying themselves.
I only hope that last Sunday was just the beginning of many more hot Salsa nights to come in Boston. I encourage everyone to check out Wepa Salsa Sundays regardless of your affiliations or support for AprilOn2, Freemotion, Hacha Y Machete, Hips On Fire, Jamnastics, Salsa Y Control, or any of the other New England Salsa groups. Find out for yourself if the good or not so good things that you may have heard are still true!!!
Reviewed by "analinda" on 10/10/2002 1:8:18
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WEPA has a history of being a serious dance nite and this WEPA location is the best by far! Early on in WEPA's history dancers of all backgrounds and styles have mingled and all should turn out to check out the fantastic attitude here. Like the old Hong Kong days we should all come for a social/club and mix it up. On 1 dancers should feel welcome. Most on-2 dancers dance on-1 as well and will be happy to mingle. On 2 dancers from the region come which is very interesting but WEPA and the Boston Salsa schene needs more on-1 dancers to give this a try..
The physical space is chic (great windows!)but not cold, plenty of styling going on but no body crushing. Floor is superb. Liting nice. Parking no problema.
A serious dance social is a nice vibe. No cruising or smoke.. Just chat and watch the dancing and try new things. The dance classes accommodated all levels and are a great deal w the social.. to have a NY professional teacher and a social for $10??!!??
I am happy with it for sure.
Reviewed by "Michelle" on 10/9/2002 14:52:41
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I am a regular WEPA-goer. It is the best place to really dance. Everyone is there to dance and have a nice time. The floor is the best around for spinning. I have not had a problem finding on-street parking nearby.
Reviewed by "hernan" on 10/3/2002 18:56:56
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Reviewed by "hboc" on 10/3/2002 18:4:41
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Great floor, Awesome music, Many of Boston's best are here regularly. The room has a really nice feel-you can choose the more visible, up-front areas to show off your best moves or pick a secluded corner to have a more private dance. There's an entire mirrored wall which adds to the open feel of the room and gives you a chance to check yourself out if you're so inclined. There's even a second room with a good floor and mirrors if you feel like working on a pattern or a step away from the main floor. All levels and styles are welcome and encouraged to attend. This is a social dance, not a night club which means that there's no alcohol, no pick-up scene, and everyone is there to dance with lots of different people. It's a great place for beginers and advanced beginner dancers to dance not only with each other, but also with some of the more advanced dancers. This is one of the benefits of a social dance instead of a club. Ratio is fairly even, though maybe weighted a little more heavily to the ladies. Guys, these ladies are here to dance- don't miss out! The dancers are respectful of one another's space and I've never been stepped on here. You can get cheap water ($1)and other sodas and juices and there's usually some complimentary munchies. This is a fairly informal affair- no club dress code, though you'll see people dressing up however much they feel and everyone fits in. As an added bonus, there are often some great professional dancers from New York who attend and they frequently teach guest lessons as well as dance with the Boston salseros. This area of Boston has a reputation for being tough to park in, but I've always found a space within one or two blocks with no problem. I think Sundays nights are better for parking than any other time in this area. Price is reasonable and includes a free lesson at beginner or advanced level. As an added bonus, check out the killer salsa section at Virgin Records across the street or grab a bite at the good restaurants on Newbery St.
It's a great place to close out the weekend with some good music and dancing!
Reviewed by "chica de la clave" on 8/19/2002 12:56:36
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I've been going to Wepa's salsa nights for a long time for the music, the dancing, and the people. But now, finally, praise be, WEPA HAS A FANTASTIC DANCE FLOOR!! The new location has it all: plenty of dancing space, air conditioning, a few tables on the side, great view, central location in a safe area, and a beautiful wood dance floor with the perfect finish--not too slippery but plenty smooth for fast spins. Parking was not bad at all, which makes sense as that area is not busy on Sunday night. (AND, before dancing you can visit the Virgin Mega store across the street which has a huge salsa section!) The night I went the crowd was a nice mix ranging from beginners to some of the best dancers in Boston (mostly "on 2" dancers, but plenty of "on 1" dancers and everyone was mixing it up). No one was on the sidelines for long and there was lots of great dancing to watch. I love the dance social atmosphere where everyone is there to dance so people feel comfortable asking, both men and women. I've always found the crowd at Wepa events to be very friendly, even when I was a beginner. Booze-free beverages are available, and if you want a drink after dancing there are plenty of nice places to go nearby. The DJ they have is my favorite. DJ Nik always plays a totally danceable mix of old and new salsa. And he varies the pace so you don't get bored or maxed out on the fast stuff. What else can I say!? I was having a hard time getting out on Sunday nights, but now I'm going to do my best to get to Wepa's Salsa Sundays on the 2nd and 4th Sundays. I really hope this venue grows because it's just a totally fun dance experience and fun is why I love salsa!
Reviewed by "mambera" on 8/13/2002 13:18:2
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The new location of April's bi-monthly social is so great! It makes much more sence to have a social dance in a dance studio than a Veteran's post. And the turnout for the first night in Fred Astaire's has given me a glimmer of hope that Socials in Boston might become like the ones in New York-- fun and full of dancers.
Above I put 100% salsa which is what I heard on Sunday night, but I think that Nick might have played some other types of music when I stepped out for a few minutes... that is is usual format, and of course he takes requests. I think this is important to remember with all D.J.s-- if there's something you want to here, tell them. Nick has an extensive collection and always welcomes positive and negative feedback, so tell him what you want to hear if you aren't hearing it already.
I was concerned that parking might be a problem around Newbury st. but I got a spot about a block away, and most people said that they were surprised that they DIDN'T have a problem parking. The floors are great there and even though there was a good crowd on Sunday, there was still plenty of room to dance.
Don't feel intimidated if you don't dance on 2(yet). There are now and always have been on 1 dancers at these socials, and most people are there to dance and won't mind switching for a new partner. The most important thing is to enjoy yourself... and everyone did on Sunday.
The man to woman ratio seemed about right. I would say there was also a good on 1/on 2 ratio and a good old school/new school wepa ratio. Good beginner to intermediate to advanced ratio. The dancing was definately HOT, and will only be hotter next time when April is there. The Atmosphere was friendly and fun.
I came away from the event with such a good feeling. I think we can look forward to this night growing. The mirrors make the drop in classes betterthan before since we could all see what we were doing. They can also make it easier to see the instructors. The classes are inluded in the price of entrance, and there will ocasionally be guests instructors for NY. It's 10 bucks for the whole night and right now there is a special going-- if you are new or bring a new person it only costs 5. This is the best deal in town and since it's is a dance studio there is no bar, so no pressure to spend the extra money and also no smoke... this is the whole point of having a social..... it's all about the dancing.
The first night surpassed all of my expectaions, so lets keep this tradition going strong!!!! WEPA!!!!!!!!
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