Club 27, the new home for Little Rock’s salsa community in the former location of Juanita’s at 614 President Clinton Avenue, held its grand opening Friday night, filling the remodeled space with what co-owner Sarah-Catherine Gutierrez estimates was “a little short of 300 people.”
The weekly salsa evenings begin with an introductory lesson at 9 p.m. from Gutierrez and her husband, Jorge Gutierrez, the mastermind behind the ballroom’s ambitious redesign. After dancers — most of whom, Gutierrez notes, arrive without a dance partner — learn basic salsa and merengue steps, “embraces” and hand-holds, the floor opens up at 10 p.m. for open dancing.
The space has a full bar, and admission is $5 before 10 p.m. (lesson included), $8 afterward.