Newbie Questions - I want to attend a dance this weekend and don't want to feel awkward doing it. Where should I go?

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I want to attend a dance this weekend and don't want to feel awkward doing it. Where should I go?

Author:: troy

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Answer

The Cleveland area has a plethora of dances at large and small venues each month, in addition to a number of special dances held at regular intervals by local colleges. Check out our Local Events Calendar for details on all of the dances.

While dance attendance does vary from month to month, our most popular/"best bet" dances are:

First Friday Swing Dance in Bainbridge: Usually held on the first Friday of each month at the Kenston Middle School Gym, 17425 Snyder Rd. Chagrin Falls OH. 44023. Lesson 8-9 and dance 9-11:30. Live music. Contact Will Craig at (216)/316-0068 for details
Lakewood Swing Dance: Usually held on the second Friday of each month at the Lakewood Masonic Temple, 15300 Detroit Ave. Lesson 8-9 and dance 9-midnight. Live Music. Contact Get Hep Swing at (216)/374-1927 for details
Viva Dance: Usually held on the third Saturday of each month at Viva Dance Studio, 12381 Pearl Road (Staples Plaza) in Strongsville. Lesson 8:15-9 and dance 9-midnight. DJ event. Contact Viva Dance at (440)/878-3930 for details
Bohemian Swing Dance: Usually held on the last Saturday of each month at the Bohemian National Hall, 4939 Broadway Ave in Cleveland. Lesson 8-9 and dance 9-midnight. Live Music. Contact Get Hep Swing at (216)/374-1927 for details

Note: The weeks/days these dances are held will sometimes vary in accordance with national holidays, scheduling conflicts and other events in the area. Double check with the event's organizer to verify the day/location of the event you would like to attend.

All ages are welcome at all of these dances, and most are smoke/alcohol free. As mentioned above, many feature a preceding lesson and live music. Admission is usually $10 for adults and $7-$8 for students. Free parking is available at or very near the venues.

While dancing is best enjoyed with friends, don't feel like you need to bring a date! Swing is a partnered dance, but these events are not specifically oriented towards couples. Singles are very welcome, and people typically find a new partner at the end of each song (though switching isn't required). Many of the experienced dancers in the area do not have regular partners, but instead dance with whomever shows up that night. You'll have no problems enjoying yourself if you're friendly and ask people to dance.

While you're here, you may want to take a second to read our FAQ entry on dance etiquette. Common courtesy off of the dance floor usually applies to the dance floor, but there are a few details you might want to know about. We also talk about common questions like "What should I wear?"

While you are out at a dance, feel free to introduce yourself to the regular dancers in the area and ask them to dance. They will be the ones who look like they sorta know what they are doing. While it is very scary and intimidating to ask someone with lots of experience to dance with you, rest assured we are all very nice people who still have vivid memories of what is was like to learn. Introduce yourself, and you can expect to meet a number of very patient and very gracious people who will be happy to give 4 minutes of their time to dance with you. An easy way to meet the regulars off of the dance floor is to register on Cleveland Swings and introduce yourself.