STEP OUT
Waltz This Way BY LESLIE FORSBERG
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t could be the playful breezes off Puget Sound or everyone’s collective caffeine kick, but either way, Seattle is a city that loves to dance. The thriving social-dance scene means hundreds of dancers could be Lindy Hopping and two-stepping on any given night of the week. Better still, beginners and singles are always welcome—most venues feature lessons and friendly atmospheres for anyone looking to get footloose. Century Ballroom
Treat yourself to slinky Latin moves with salsa, tango, bachata, and more at the city’s most resplendent dance palace, Century Ballroom on Capitol Hill. In a 1908 Odd Fellows temple, the ballroom has two sprung-wood dance floors and elegant period details. House specialty: LGBTQ dance events. 915 E Pine St; centuryballroom.com Little Red Hen
Scoot your boots at the Little Red Hen in Greenlake, where country music and line dancing are the stars at this cozy rodeo. Live bands Thursday through Saturday attract country dancers from age 21 to 91; those in need of practice can also enjoy free dance lessons every Sunday through Tuesday, or just hop on the dance floor to live tunes from 40
Visit Seattle summer/fall 2014
bands like Tequila Rose and the Buckaroosters. House specialty: free country dance lessons. 7115 Woodlawn Ave NE; littleredhen.com Dance Underground
The dances might be sensuous at Capitol Hill’s Dance Underground, known for slow and sultry blues and intertwining Argentine tango, but the vibe is always warm and friendly. House specialty: the Saturdaynight Tango Social. 340 15th Ave E; dance-underground.com Northwest Dance Network (NDN)
Jump and jive to some of the Northwest’s best swing bands and more at a Northwest Dance Network event, held twice monthly, typically at the Swedish Cultural Center on Queen Anne Hill. The city’s oldest dance organization, NDN features classes for both regulars and newcomers almost every night of the week. House specialty: an inclusive dance calendar, featuring a variety of styles, from swing to waltz. nwdance.net Dance for Joy
While this dance group offers regular lessons and drop-in sessions for everything from foxtrot and swing to waltz and blues, it’s best known for inviting dancers to boogie outside
The thriving social-dance scene means hundreds of dancers could be Lindy Hopping and two-stepping on any given night of the week. beneath the stars. During one of its summer Dancing til Dusk events, July through August, breathe in the night air as you shake your tail feather in a downtown park. House specialty: dreamy-themed dances, such as the Ball Rouge, with crimson-clad dancers. danceforjoy.biz
COURTESY CENTURY BALLROOM, SHUTTERSTOCK
Century Ballroom