KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — A business in the Old City is opening its doors for the Latino community by embracing their culture through dance and creating a no-judgment zone.
"When we think about finishing a hard week, we want to find a place where there's a community where we can relax, enjoy dancing," dance instructor, Warwick Cruz, said.
Spanish Version: Double S Wine Bar celebra la comunidad Latina al ritmo de la música
The Double S Wine Bar is opening the door for Latinos and Latinas to embrace themselves unapologetically.
The owner, Steven Sansone, says it's crucial to have environments where all can thrive.
"Here at Double S, we are trying to play our part to embrace all communities and to have a safe place for them to come...It's important to have inclusive environments for diverse groups of people," Sansone said.
For Cruz, having the opportunity to form this connection is vital especially in a place where embracing themselves is hard to come by.
'It's good to have a place where we can gather because there's not that many places that say 'Hey, we'll play your music! You can come dance and have a good time,'" Cruz said.
Sansone says embracing such a great community comes easy because diversity makes us better.
"Latin dancing...very beautiful, great energy and a great community of people. I wanted to have a space available for that," Sansone said.
And if you're thinking about going, you better be ready to do everything.
"A lot of the dancers we get are new dancers, so I try to show them a way to dance the different styles like Salsa and Bachata and even the different nuances," Cruz said.
Latin nights start at 7 on Wednesday nights at the Double S Wine Bar in the Old City. It's free to attend.