Dancing in the dark

Two left feet? These dance companies offer help

Kimberly Maul, Special to Metromix

July 27, 2007

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The crowd follows the sounds of sharp percussion beats and a horn blasting out a salsa tune down the pier. An older couple twirls their way past an attractive young couple trying to impress each other. It's a combination of an outdoor concert, a romantic sunset and sexy salsa: the Hudson River Moondance. Throughout the summer, several dance companies offer free outdoor dance lessons where you don't need any dance experience, or even a partner (Editor’s note: sounds like my love life. Zing!)

Hudson River Moondance
Sundays, through Aug. 12, 6:30 p.m.
Having the Hudson River as a backdrop and live music as the soundtrack should be enough, but the Moondance truly wins us over by offering up a new style every single week. We’re gonna be experts! And it’s quick: The lessons, overseen by some very nice instructors from Dance Manhattan, start at 6:30, and you’ll be swinging away a mere half-hour later. July 29: Tango Night with Eternal Tango Aug. 5: Salsa Night with Los Hermanos Colon Aug. 12: Swing Night with David Berger and the Sultans of Swing (Hudson River Park's Pier 54 -- enter at West 14th St., 212-627-2020, more info here)

Dancing on the Plaza
Thursdays in August, 6-8:30 p.m.
Swing? Disco? Salsa? Dancing on the Plaza, located at the top of Central Par and featuring the Harlem Meer as the backdrop, features a new style every Thursday evening. The lessons are free, and both live music and DJs serve pushing you to the dance floor. Aug. 2: Swing Night with Sam Ulano's Swing 8; Aug. 9: Merengue Night with Los Clarinetes Magicos; Aug. 16: Salsa Night with Chino Nunez & Friends Orchestra; Salute to Hector Lavoe; Aug. 23: R&B Night with Soul Express; Aug. 30: Disco Night with DJ Bobby Morales (The Charles A. Dana Discover Center by the Harlem Meer, 110th Street and Lenox Ave. in the Park, 212-860-1370, more info here)

Central Park Tango
Saturdays from June through September, 6-9 p.m.
It takes two to tango, so grab a partner (especially one that likes tango clichés) and head out to this milonga (a.k.a. tango party). The lessons are free, and the instructors and DJs change on a weekly basis. (Shakespeare Statue at the Literary Mall East Side of the Park near 66th St, 212-726-1111, more info here)

Tango Porteño
Sundays from May through October, 7 p.m.-12 a.m.
The same people behind Central Park Tango also host Tango Porteño at the South Street Seaport on Sunday evenings. The event goes from May until October, so bad weather is a factor, but it moves into Pier 17 if there is rain. The music starts at 7 p.m., but the lessons begin much later, at 8:30. (South Street Seaport Pier 16 between the Peking ship and Skippers cafe , 212-726-1111, more info here)

West African Dance and Percussion
Sun., Aug. 5, 1-2 p.m.
Jazz Dancing
Sun, Sept. 23, 2-3 p.m.
If your tastes in dance are a little more eclectic, or you'd rather learn more about an individual style, Central Park offers one-time workshops in Jazz and West African Dance and Percussion . Both events give dancers a chance to learn the history of the dance, as well as experiment with the moves.(West African: Great Hill – 103rd to 106th Streets off of Central Park West, more info here; Jazz: The Charles A. Dana Discover Center , 110th Street and Lenox Avenue, inside the Park, more info here)