09/08/2026
There are two of us in this photo, and an entire COMMUNITY to thank.
We’re only now catching our breath after the inaugural Detroit Salsa & Hustle Festival, September 4–7 at Cambria Hotel Detroit Downtown. What stays with us is how many people committed their time, talent, money, and trust to a weekend that had never happened before. We will always be grateful for that.
Seeing Salsa, Hustle, and Bachata share a weekend in Detroit meant so much to us. Each brings its own history, music, and community. We wanted to honor those distinctions, celebrate artistry, and create a place where everyone could feel welcome and people could get to know one another across dance floors.
To everyone who came from Detroit and everyone who traveled to be here: thank you for making room in your lives for this beginning. Every pass purchased, class taken, friend invited, and evening spent with us helped make the festival possible. From the rooftop to Saturday night’s elegance, you gave the weekend its character.
Our artists and instructors brought years of dedication into the rooms they taught and performed in. Our DJs and live musicians gave their attention and artistry to the music we shared. Thank you for how generously you offered what you know and love.
To our competitors and performers, thank you for trusting us with work you had prepared long before arriving. To our judges and Detroit Dance Classic competition team, thank you for the care and concentration your responsibilities required.
Our staff, operations team, and volunteers carried so much that guests might never have seen. We know how much we depended on you. Thank you for your patience, judgment, and effort. To the Cambria team, thank you for helping us welcome people into your hotel for this first year.
Our photographers, videographers, and media team are helping preserve moments we couldn’t always stop to take in ourselves. Our vendors and sponsors committed their businesses and resources to this beginning. And everyone who shared a post, offered encouragement, or told someone to come...helped us reach beyond our sphere of influence.
We learned a great deal this weekend. We’re leaving it with deep appreciation for the responsibility of hosting...and for every person who helped us carry it.
We put so much of ourselves into imagining this festival. You brought your own gifts, friendships, traditions, and care, and made it something we could never have created alone.
Thank you for being part of our first year. When we look at this photograph, that is what we’ll remember.
With love and gratitude, Marc & Rose ❤️
