For National Geographic Step inside one of the last of Mexico City’s iconic dance halls by Marian Carrasquero

Inside the pink halls and neon lights of Salon Los Angeles, the pace of modern life melts away for the rhythms of danzón and salsa.

The sounds of maracas, guitar, and trumpets soar above the buzz of the crowd as dozens of men in zoot suits spin with women in flowing, sparkling dresses. It’s another night on the dance floor at Mexico City’s Salon Los Angeles, and if it weren’t for the face masks the patrons are wearing, the scene could’ve taken place in almost any decade since the spot opened in 1937.