Arts & Culture | June 12, 2025

Salsa Squared

Latin dancing fills the streets in Harvard Square

by Nell Porter-Brown

From The July-August 2025 Issue

a crowd of people dancing in a street — **Join the festive Salsa Squared dance event on July 25.** | PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE HARVARD SQUARE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

DJ D. Martinez transforms Harvard Square into a huge nighttime dance party on August 1. The 11th annual Salsa Squared features music, dancing, and lessons in Brattle Square. Organized by the Harvard Square Business Association (HSBA), the event typically draws a few thousand people. Experienced dancers come every year and easily mingle with visitors who happen to be in the square, “and then the next thing they know, they’re swinging their partners and swinging their hips,” says HSBA executive director Denise Jillson. “It’s a very welcoming crowd.” Take public transportation, arrive early for dinner, then join in the festivities. Adult beverages will be available, along with complimentary chips and salsa. Lastly, note that there’s no alternative date—come rain or shine, the dancing must go on.

Published in the July-August 2025 print issue in the Harvard Squared section.

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