Orquesta Afinke does its thing. Jarelis Calderon Photos.
With the deep pulse of bass drums, boom of the trumpet, and interweaving melodies of the piano, Orquesta Afinke transformed a West Haven ballroom, pulling guests and dancers alike off their feet and onto the dance floor. In a matter of seconds, the band energized the crowd with their performance. Laughter spilled over the music and the rhythm of salsa carried the crowd late into the early morning.
Last Saturday, 250 salsa aficionados from New York, Connecticut, and as far as Puerto Rico celebrated Alisa’s House of Salsa’s 25th anniversary, fêting a studio that has been bringing dance to New Haven for a quarter of a decade. The event, held at Cielo Catering & Events in West Haven, included performances by Spirits N Motion, Latin Rhythm Dance Studios, Antonio Doza, Acacia Latin Dance Company, and Marina Gopko.
"I watch people, no matter what age they are, grow and build lives out of salsa,” said Alisa Bowens-Mercado, owner of Alisa’s House of Salsa. “That one experience if you could just come in here and have one experience at the house of salsa it can be absolutely life altering.”
Bowens-Mercado, the visionary and salsera behind the magic. In the top photo, she is teaching a salsa class for Hispanic Heritage Month in 2023. The bottom photo is from Saturday night.
Twenty-five years in, she is still full of gratitude. When she opened in 2000, Bowens-Mercado had a single yellow wall and a few mirrors in a studio at 817 Chapel St., a building that has also been home to Kwadwo Adae’s fine art school and a community yoga studio in the last decade. In 2015, she made the move to Westville, settling in at 912 Whalley Ave in 2015.
She remained there until last year, when she moved to 506 Blake St. (as she cooks up moves, her old studio is now a bakery). Her dream has been realized into a thriving studio where countless salseras have been born and something like a dozen marriages have taken root.
“I am beyond overjoyed, my heart is filled with so much happiness, reflections and blessings of what 25 years has meant to me,” she said. “And it’s almost surreal because it doesn’t feel like 25 years because I love this just as much as I did 25 years ago.”
Bowens-Mercado added that going through old photos, reconnecting with old students and friends, and watching the community come together has been a joyful reminder of just how far the studio has come for her. The milestone doubled as a reunion, with invitations extended to dancers who had been part of the journey since the very beginning.
Bowens-Mercado teaches salsa beneath the stars earlier this year. Jarelis Calderon File Photo.
Reflecting on the journey, she acknowledged the little challenges—from juggling packed class schedules to also finding balance in her life, which has included a spirited community radio show, brewing company, and marriage to her husband, John Mercado. But through it all, her motivation never wavered.
“Salsa has brought me so much love, joy, and energy over these 25 years and I just hope others can experience that same magic and continue their salsa journeys as well,” she said.
At a table, Bowens-Mercado’s aunt, Barbara Robinson, beamed with pride as she watched the celebration unfold. Robinson has known Bowens-Mercado since she was a baby, and Saturday said she was thrilled to see the room filled with family and friends all gathered around to celebrate.
A devoted fan of salsa, Robinson delights not just in dancing, but in seeing others move to the music.
“I’m just so proud of my beautiful niece and all of her beautiful accomplishments,” she said.
Top: Barbara Robinson. Bottom: Millicent Bowens.
Bowens-Mercado’s mother, Millicent Bowens, expressed how incredible she was feeling, but also how overwhelmed at how quickly 25 years have flown by. Even as a little girl, Bowens-Mercado was determined to accomplish whatever she set her mind to.
Bowens reflected on her daughter’s journey, from working in the family contracting business every summer to pursuing her true passion and teaching salsa not just in her studio, but in the streets and in the schools as a form of cross-cultural exchange.
“One day, she came home and said ‘I don’t wanna do this anymore, it's not fun.’And well, I said, ‘Then what do you wanna do.’ And she said, ‘I want to open up my own salsa studio and teach dance,’ and that was the beginning 25 years ago.”
Bowens also noted that the salsa community is always full of energy and happiness. To this day, it fills her with joy to see people coming out to support her daughter.
“To Alisa, I’d like to say, 'Keep on dancing, keep on shining and bringing joy to other people,'” she said.
Vazquez.
Xiomara Vazquez’s connection with Bowens-Mercado goes back years, starting in high school when Bowens-Mercado used to offer free classes at Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School. Though she’s attended lessons on and off since then, salsa has, and always will, be a big part of her life.
“Dancing salsa just gives me pure joy and freedom, it’s like nothing else matters,” she said.
Saturday, she was especially thrilled to be part of the celebration, taking in the energy of the event and the accomplishments of her longtime friend. She expressed how special it is to watch Bowens-Mercado’s journey and growth as a teacher and a leader in the salsa community.
“I’m just so proud of her, it’s amazing to see everything she’s accomplished and I'm grateful to have been a part of her journey from the very beginning,” she said.
Jazmin Calcano is a student at the studio, and recently started taking central bachata. While she has previously taken salsa and traditional bachata, she was immediately drawn to try central bachata when it was introduced—and quickly fell in love with it.
Calcano explained that with central bachata, a dancer can connect with the music on a deeper level, either by moving to the beat or interpreting the lyrics.
“You can have two left feet and before you know it, you’ll be dancing, turning and doing all the good stuff. It doesn’t take long,” she said.
Calcano also noted the class’ growth since she’s started. What began with eight women has now doubled to about 15 students, with more men now. She shared that she is beyond excited for Bowens-Mercado, adding that watching her journey has been remarkable, and expressing how proud she feels seeing all of Bowens-Mercado's hard work pay off.
A highlight from the night came from father-son duo Samuel Diaz Jr. and Samual Diaz III, who are both in the band Orquesta Afinke. A musician with around 40 years of experience, Diaz Jr. has worked alongside Bowens-Mercado for years, and performed with different salsa bands in Bridgeport, New York and beyond. Eventually he encouraged his son to join him.
Diaz III, who grew up surrounded by salsa rhythms, spoke about how much he values not just the music but also the opportunity to perform and play with his father.
“It’s been a blessing through music and martial arts, I’ve been able to build a bond with my father that most people can’t experience and he’s truly like my best friend and I'm really happy to be able to have that time with him,” he said.
Reflecting on the meaning of their band's name, Diaz Jr. explained that Orquesta Afinke represents unity, harmony and the act of playing together in sync. For the past 16 years, he and his son have embodied that spirit side by side.
“Its been great to see the work she’s done in the community and celebrating 25 years, you know she’s built a legacy that’s she’s gonna continue building on and she’s impacted so many lives, children all the way through adults all through dance, and music and the love of salsa which is great.” Samuel Diaz the third said.
Bowens-Mercado shows no signs of slowing down. On Saturday, she said that she is currently working toward opening a studio in San Juan, Puerto Rico, fulfilling a lifelong dream that first took root 30 years ago when she visited the city for the first time. At the time, she promised herself she would return once she learned to dance salsa. For the past 25 years, she has traveled there frequently, and now she’s turning that dream into reality.
“25 years ago I followed my dream of becoming a professional salsa dancer because I love the music, I love the history of salsa, I love the way it makes me feel, and I love the joy that it brought to my heart,” she said. “I still feel that 'til this day and always will."
A junior at Wilbur Cross High School, Jarelis Calderon is an alumna of the 2025 summer cohort of the Youth Arts Journalism Initiative (YAJI). YAJI is a program in which New Haven, Hamden and West Haven Public Schools high school students pitch, write, edit and publish articles through the Arts Paper. This year, YAJI advisors include Arts Paper Editor Lucy Gellman and reporter and YAJI alum Abiba Biao.