If you haven't tried your foot at this high-energy sport, now's the time. There are festive outdoor swing dance parties around the city, throughout the summer. And so many more people dance now than when we first started. So, it's blossoming all over the city and it gives a nice atmosphere to New York. It's very friendly, festive, artistic and romantic, and it's a great place to meet people.
Many events are free and most offer a lesson beforehand in the six-count basic steps.
Parties attract all kinds of dancers, and there's no need to bring a partner. If you're lucky, a lovely, experienced stranger will teach you some moves. In its 13th year, this outdoor dance party at Lincoln Center is a summer favorite, and this season, happy hoofers will enjoy a newly refurbished, raised wooden dance floor. Besides swing, the festival covers salsa, country and western, disco, polka and ballroom, among other styles. Among the featured live bands will be Boston's septet Bellevue Cadillac, Nebraska's jump-blues band Prairie Cats, Philadelphia's City Rhythm Orchestra and New York's Nick Palumbo and the Flipped Fedora Orchestra.