Pat Brown
Contributing Writer
Once upon a time, in a different location, Sycamore Deli was a typically quiet delicatessen, but these days the menu takes a back seat to nightlife.
A prime example is the deli’s festive atmosphere on Wednesday evenings when Salsa Night fills the sound waves and the dance floor.
Pairing a deli with a distinctly American bent with dance styles from Latino countries started year ago, then participation lagged, said general manager Michelle Berry, a 2014 Tech graduate whose job it is to keep the deli humming during the day and hopping after 5 p.m.
So she talked to members of Salsa Tech, a dance troupe looking for a space to meet up for public dance nights.
“We told them Salsa Night would have to be promoted better,” Berry said.
From the looks of things on a recent Wednesday night, the Salsa group did their homework. The dance floor filled up, and dancers spilled onto the stage and the pool table area. All this took place in a basement venue on Draper Street.
Salsa Tech provides teachers each Wednesday evening beginning about 9 p.m. Serena Emanuel, a senior, was the female teacher on the last Wednesday in March. She’s a biological systems engineer, who happily admits, “I just love dancing.”
Her male counterpart that night was Edward Tyles, a freshman in computer science. He said his dance experience was in Urban dance before he learned Salsa in Blacksburg.
“It’s like walking into another country,” said Emanuel, describing arrival at Sycamore Deli on a Wednesday night when the dance lessons have finished and the music is pumping out Latino tunes.
Brendan Lorn said partner Ciara Summersgill dragged him to the dance night last Wednesday. “He’s actually better than me,” said Summersgill. Both are freshmen at Tech and both are from Northern Virginia.
Cydney Douglas came from San Diego, CA, to study architecture at Tech. On Wednesday she shared the dance floor with Ethan Harrell of Star, N.C. “I am actually learning something,” he said about the dance lessons the two were enjoying.
Speaking through a big smile, Carrie Edwards of Christiansburg, a Tech biology major, wound up with a partner who was at home with Salsa rhythms. Nicolas Schumer is from Brazil, but he said his experience with Latin dance was not extensive. He is studying computer science at Tec.
“Why not?” Jason Czak asked when asked why he came to the dance night. Certainly the evening was a break for the physics doctoral candidate.
As the night began, teacher Serena Emanuel gave instructions.
“Out together, out together,” she called out from the stage.
She told the group how to swing their hips, Latin style.
Tyles advised the girls to put their hands over the cupped palms of their partners as he got instructions started for another Latino style.
They taught the growing crowd to hold hands high in the air and twirl in place.
Manager Berry said Sycamore Deli stages other special nights, though none are consistent or themed. She mentioned DJs with electronic rock collections and the occasional Bluegrass band. Two rock bands recently brought in 250-300 customers over the course of the night.
“Should we try that to music?” Emanuel asked.
The Latino music started up, the couples swayed, twirled, stepped, and the Sycamore Deli transformed into an exotic Latin club.
