Hey dance friends, todays post is all about the Orange County event Zoukchata Uprizing!!! Headed by John Manego, Zoukchata is an event with enough flavor to keep even the pickiest dancer happy.
Location: Stationed at East La Palma in Anaheim California, Zoukchata is a bit of an expedition for those outside the OC, being 40 minutes to an hour away from Downtown LA and up to an hour 30 if your even further North—and that’s with standard LA traffic. The venue itself is massive and spacious, with dedicated rooms for Bachata, Salsa, Zouk, Kiz, Karaoke and various games in the lobby between them.
Parking: Zoukchata is located in an industrial area, and as such has the parking to accommodate, and by the time the event starts, let’s just stay you won’t have an issues finding parking, as the surrounding lots are totally free and totally unrestricted.
Pricing: Average entry into Zoukchata around $20 and up, so it’s around the mid to high price point tier, with the special events upping that price substantially.
Demographics: Zoukchata is a once a month event, going from 8pm to 5am usually, and because it’s a rare occasion, it brings people from all over the SoCal scene, and you can expect to see anybody and everybody show up; there’s never been a time where Zoukchata has not been packed. Each room is a different size, with the Zouk and Salsa rooms being the smaller ones between them. In our experience, Bachata room is always at capacity. Downside is, it gets really hot and crowded so beware of your surroundings so you don't get injured.
Things of Note: one of the most popular aspects of Zoukchata is their live performances, Karaoke and game room, and their famous birthday dance segments. For many holidays, they also do themed nights, such as a Halloween and Christmas parties. Musically, John himself often Dj’s, and will occasionally bring in some guest DJs; for John in particular, he keeps the tempo upbeat and the song selections with a wide range of sensual, urban and remixed versions. Definitely not your run of the mil djs.
Overall, if you want to attend a social that feels like an event and want to experience as many dancers and skill levels as you can in one place—you can’t go wrong with Zoukchata. On the other hand if you are looking for a social to really dance and practice some big movements or your a beginner and a little intimidated by big venues with experienced dancers then maybe work your way up to this one.