EveryBody Dances with Alisa K. Bowens-Mercado

EveryBody Dances @ Yale Schwarzman Center brings local and visiting dance artists to our Dance Studio to teach masterclasses in jazz, hip hop, salsa, modern, contemporary, precision dance and more! All community members are welcome. This week's class will be taught by Alisa K. Bowens-Mercado. 

Alisa K. Bowens-Mercado: Artistic Director, Choreographer, Performer, and Instructor

Starting her dancing journey at age 3, this year (2025) Bowens-Mercado is celebrating 25 years of dance. Bowens-Mercado is a classically trained ballet, tap, and jazz dancer. Bowens-Mercado holds a Dance Masters of America (DMA) Professional Teaching Certificate. 

At Northeastern University Bowens-Mercado majored in Criminal Justice but loved the dance class that she attended every Tuesday and Thursday. After college, she ran the family business—a general contracting firm—but needed an outlet, a stress-reliever, and some unwind-time so in 1998 she decided to take a Latin “Salsa” dance class. Instantly, Bowens-Mercado was addicted to the music, the movements, and the life and spirit of Salsa dancing. After many classes, endless practices, and a scuffed-up kitchen floor, Bowens-Mercado and her dance partner started performing at local parties, corporate events, dance benefits, senior homes, and more. Bowens-Mercado’s passion for Salsa was noticed by everyone in the community and she was given the nickname of “La Morena Que Baile Salsa”—The Woman That Dances Salsa. Bowens-Mercado started promoting Latin Nights at various nightclubs and restaurants. In September of 2000, Bowens-Mercado opened Alisa’s House of Salsa I, Studio of Latin Dance, in New Haven, Connecticut. Her grand opening was a huge success, and her studio location is now known as the “Moving Billboard Downtown” because of the entertainment provided to passersby who glimpse people dancing in front of the large glass windows. In the winter of 2003 Alisa’s House of Salsa II opened in Waterbury, Connecticut, and in the summer of 2004, Alisa’s House of Salsa III opened in Hartford, Connecticut. Since Alisa's House of Salsa opened, more than 1000 pairs of feet have walked through the doors.

Bowens-Mercado opened for Grammy-Award Winner Rueben Blades and was the lead back-up dancer for M & M recording artist Hector-Bonet who hails from the Bronx, NYC. Currently Bowens-Mercado is a choreographer, dancer, and performer with the concert tour of Morning, Noon, and Night, featuring A.W. Nardi (West Palm Beach, FLA). Bowens-Mercado opened for Jose Alberto “El Canario” and has been on the show bill with Huey Dun-bar, Brenda K. Starr, Tito Nieves, Tiempo Libre, Eddie Palmieri, India during the Salsa Palooza Tour, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, and Dee Dee Bridgewater during the Summer Concert Series. Bowens-Mercado danced for Mi Cata an Afro-Latin Salsa band, and Marion Meadows a jazz saxophone player. Alisa’s House of Salsa Professional Dance Company, the Latin Heat Dance Team, has been entertaining the community for years. 

Television and radio highlights include: Future host of La Mega’s Latino Caliente Latin Dance TV show. Spotlight with News Channel 8 (ABC), Cinco De Mayo, Good Morning CT w/ Matt Scott. Spotlight with News Channel 8 (ABC), Arts & Ideas 10th Anniversary, It’s Your Weekend with Gill Simmons. Media Package with Power 104.1 FM Radio, Puerto Rican Day Parade. Live broadcast Interviews with 96.0 FM Radio, 1060 AM Radio. PBS Special Making it In New England and Live TV interview with songwriter, cast and backup dancers.

Theatre and concert highlights include: Shubert Theatre (New Haven, CT), opening act for the Caliente Concert Series with Tiempo Libre (Cuban/Salsa Band, Miami Based IMG Artist) Palace Theatre (Waterbury, CT), Latin Festival pre-show, Salsa Palooza Concert Series with Eddie Palmeri and La India (IMG Artist).

Nightlife and promoter highlighs include: Host of Latin Night at Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino Ultra 88 nightclub/lounge, Indigo Lounge, NEAT Lounge, Club Oracle, Cafe Bottega, Lush Nightclub, The Blues Cafe, Sonomas Bar & Grille, Congas Latin Lounge, Miyas Sushi Bar, Burns Cafe, and many more.

Classes at art and wellness centers include: Teaching artist at the Green Street Art Center (Middletown, CT), The Children’s Museum (New Ha-ven, CT), main stage dancer for the Arts & Ideas 10th Anniversary Festival. Performance team for the Middletown Dances Project (Wesleyan Universities Creative Art Department). Latin dance teacher at RISE Wellness Center (Meriden, CT). LA Fitness (Orange, CT Location), ESPN (Bristol, CT), and the JCC (Jewish Community Center) Manhattan Fitness Latin Aerobics Instructor. 

Classes at universities and colleges include: Yale University, Quinnipiac University, Central Connecticut State University, Southern Connecticut State University and Wesleyan University, “Latin Dance Team” Instructor.

Educational programs include: New Haven Board of Education, Waterbury Youth Services, and Casa Otonal “Creating Diversity Through The Language Of Latin Dance” Program Director. (Alisa has introduced this program to over 100 Schools in the State of Connecticut).

National acknowledgments: Guinness Book of World Records dance instructor for “The World’s Largest Salsa Lesson”. Taught on Saturday June 25th, 2005 with over 2,800 participants. History was made on this day as part of the Arts & Ideas Festival, 10th Anniversary Celebration.

Dance teams: Alisa's House of Salsa's performance team - Latin Heat Dance Company. Salsa Elite Dance Company. Salsa Elite Jr. Dance Company.

Read "Why Don't We Dance More," in The New York Times.

Read "'You Think, So You Can Dance?' Science Is on It.," in The New York Times.