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Dances by Day, and Suggested Special Events This Week  **Asterisks indicate "Lois' Best Bets"

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_____Date edited: June 15, 2007

You can go dancing every night of the week in the Twin Cities. Plan your Dance Week here. These are places where dancers will be, no partner needed.

Schedules change.  Always call to verify. Find the phone numbers & addresses, etc on the Venue Info page. Know something that I don't? Tell me!!

Dancers arrange outings to music venues all the time. Want to get in on the info? Get emails regularly or share information with other local dancers? Sign up! Visit donnay.net/mailman/listinfo/dancers_donnay.net  You will get about 3 emails a week, unless there are lots of special events. This is a dancer's listserv that allows you to subscribe and unsubscribe by yourself, as well as post your own messages.  


 
EXTRA DANCES BY DAY AND DATE **Asterisks indicate "Lois' Best Bets
 
There is no doubt that taking dance lessons is the only true way to learn hip-hop dancing.  Hip-hop dancing is a bit different, but no matter what your learning to dance, there are dance classes for it.  Find your style and get lessons in dancing so you can have the edge.
 
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REGULARLY SCHEDULED DANCE NIGHTS 

MONDAYS:

Salsa at El Nuevo Rodeo, 27thAve. and E. Lake Street, Mpls $10 LIVE with Sensation Latina Band. Valet Parking

Lee's, 11th and Glenwood, Mpls, has  BECKY THOMPSON & OLD SCHOOL Music is a little country, but very danceable. WC, EC, Lindy Swing, some Latin, 2 step, waltz  Every Monday but the first Monday of the month. Variety of dancers

BABALU  Every Monday Night Salsa Caliente brought to you by ECR Entertainment  DJ playing  Salsa and Latin Music Doors open at 9:00 - Plenty of room to dance. $3

TUESDAYS

*Latin music at Famous Dave's, Calhoun Square.  $3 cover, live music 9:00.  Crowded. Free intro to salsa dance lesson about 10:30 (very basic!)

Tango dancing at Lois Donnay's studio, 3142 1st Ave S,  starting about 9:30

Country music at Eagles, 25th and 25th Ave S, Mpls, 9-1  very danceable. No cover, variety of dancers

WEDNESDAYS

Ballroom night at the Medina Ballroom, various bands, Dance lesson at 7, dance at 8PM. . Couples sit on the north, singles on the south. $ 8:00

Rush  DJ'd country, variety and swing music. Dance lessons‚  $4 cover  Cottage Grove, MN

Eagles on 25th and 25th Ave S in Mpls has the Butanes, no cover, free parking. Lots of ECS, WCS tango and Blues dancers 7 to 10:30PM. The building is boxy and nondescript, and the sign is small.

Salsa at Liola, Lyndale and Lake $5 cover, live music.

Times bar in Mpls has Lindy  swing with the Wolverines. Lindy dancers mostly. No cover

Lee's usually has Lazy Ike & the Daredevils or Alphalfa Males. Swing dancers attend. Free swing lesson. No cover usually.

THURSDAYS

Swing Night (swing to various bands) at Wabasha Street Caves, 7-10, $7 (free lesson at 6:15)
 
Tango at Babalu's, 800 Washington Ave on the first Thursday 

Late Night Swing Dance w/DJ Terry Gardner at Tapestry, 10pm-2am, $6/$4members

Salsa at the Times Bar & Grill. Free.  Karaoke downstairs at Jitters. Good crowd, small dancefloor!.

Salsa at the Fine Line, DJ music. Tile floor.    Mpls  $3 cover, cheap drinks, big floor, young crowd

Swing and variety at the Minnesota Music Cafe, St. Paul, where the Tony Sims band plays. No cover. Great sized dancefloor!

Salsa at Conga Latin Bistro, 501 E Hennepin Ave. in Minneapolis.  Upscale restaurant/bar with a nice dance floor.  DJ'd or live Salsa music. Cover is $5.

FRIDAYS

*MN West Coast Swing Dance, every 2nd and 4th Friday at the B-Dale Club (or sometimes other locations) 2100 N Dale Street, Roseville. $5 members, $6 nonmembers.  Lesson at 7:30, dance at 8:30. There's a potluck buffet also!

Tapestry Folkdance Center Swing Dance night  DJ Swing Dance on the third Friday of each month. 8:30 pm-12:30 am.  Swing dance lesson at 8:30, DJ at 9Admission: $10 general admission; $8 Tapestry members and students please note that an ID is required for the discount.612-722-2914 - http://www.tapestryfolkdance.org/

*Trailer Trash at Lees' Liquor Lounge every 1st Friday of the month, every Sat in December. 9:00 The cover is $6. This is very popular! www.trailertrashmusic.com

Dancer's Studio on Snelling in St. Paul has a social dance every Friday. $15

Cafe Bailar variety dance every 2nd Friday and 4th Saturday, Check location, but usually St. Louis Park      www.cafebailar.com  Lesson at 7:30, dance at 8:30 $10, $8 members

Often (but not always) there's Tango at Four Seasons Dance Studio, Mpls. Michael Cordner, Dave Rost, Steve Lee are the organizers. $7 cover charge

There is usually a country dance at Shakopee Ballroom every first and third Friday hosted by Elaine Parker and Bob Wood

SATURDAYS

Salsa at Babalu's, 500 Washington Ave N. Wood floor, Live music

Salsa at the Loring Pasta Bar, Dinkytown. DJ'd

Salsa at the Cinema Ballroom, St Clair Ave, St. Paul

Alphalfa Males at the Minneapolis Eagles, 25th and 25th Ave S. No cover. Mostly country and swing 9:00 pm

*USA DANCE monthly dance, third Saturday of the month. Location varies. $7 members

**Tango Society of MN monthly milonga, 2nd Saturday of the month.‚  Elegant and refined.  The big tango dance of the month! Hopkins DanceSport, 811 Main Street Free lesson at 8, dance until 1. $7/$10 Sometimes they lock the back door - come in the front. www.mntango.org

Milonga at the Black Dog Cafe,  308 Prince Street, Lowertown St. Paul every third Saturday. $4 cover (on the honor system!). Lesson 7:30, dance 8:00 to 12‚ Hosted by Lois Donnay.  lois@mndance.com
 
Tango outing organized by Lois Donnay after the Fourth Saturday Seminar Different location evey month. Fourth Saturday of the month  www.mndance.com

First Saturday Swing Dance on the 1st Sat of the month at Tapestry.  www.tcswing.com Live music $7, $8

Variety Dance on the first Saturday of the month sponsored by Metro Dancers at the Retro Ballroom (2 blocks West of Highwy 100 on 36th St. W., in St. Louis Park).  metrodancers@yahoo.com

Cafe Bailar variety dance every 2nd Friday and 4th Saturday, Hopkins Dancesport.  Lesson at 7:30, dance at 8:30 $10, $8 members

SUNDAYS

Foster DanceSport studio will be open on Sunday for  Salsa Dance Fiesta at 5:p.m.  8. $5 Chanhassen

Swing Brunch featuring the Wolverines at the Times Bar and Grill, N Mpls. No cover

Eagles on 25th and 25th, Mpls, has country music staring at 2:00 PM

*Rebel's West Coast Swing Dance, every other Sunday (usually 1st and 3rd), Rebels WCS dances cost $6 and $10 Location Eagles, 25th and 25th Minneapolis, 6:30 lesson, 7:00PM 952-941-0906

*Live tango with Mandragora at Loring Pasta Bar Dinkytown from 6PM to 9. No cover, beautifu space, great food.. Waitstaff is a little leery about the manners of dancers. Be courteous, help them get past the dancers, and tip. Usually parking in the lot a block away.  Parking www.dinkytownusa.com/Parking_Guide.htm

*Half Time Rec on Front Street east of Lexington in St. Paul has Cajun/Zydeco/swing.  $5, Good, fun crowd.
 
Salsa on the 2nd and 4th Sunday at Varsity, Dinkytown (down the street from the Loring Pasta Bar.) 

  Keep a lid on your dance expenses! Find cheap gas!

You can't dance by the numbers.

You can't dance when you are checking to see if you are dancing.

You can't dance when you're comparing your movement to your ideal.

In order to dance, you have to dance.

Please feel free to send me updates, new information, reviews or corrections! donnay@donnay.net

Remember, this website is a labor of love - love of partner dancing. My reward is seeing you out dancing!