Dance Downtown
Dance Downtown Returns for a
Summer of Movin and Groovin
We were just about to categorize the Dance Downtown free dance series at the Music Center as a perfect ‘Date Night’ opportunity for you moms and dads out there, but then we remembered that last year, we took our own L.A. kid to Dance Downtown Disco night and she (along with the other kids in attendance) had a blast dancing at the special past-her-bedtime evening party as well! So consider this an endorsement for the event as both an opportunity for grown ups to get away for some music, dancing and fun, while offering those of us who aren’t so lucky with a babysitter to be able to partake in the festivities.
The Dance Downtown series will continue every other Friday night at the Music Center courtyard in downtown L.A. until September 10, 2010. Each evening starts with dance lessons on the outdoor dance floor, followed by free dancing and music and lessons throughout the night. If you’re more of a spectator, that’s okay too! Bring a picnic and plant yourselves on the abundant seating areas perfect for chilling on a warm summer night. Be warned though, the waters from the fountains are guaranteed to beckon your little ones for an enjoyment all their own.
Friday’s opening night will teach you Line Dancing and Two Step with a special 7:30 p.m. start time (later than the usual 6:30 p.m.). On Friday, July 2, Dance Downtown will be back with Bollywood and Bhangra, the infectious dance style that’ll get you and your entire family off your feet! Check the website regularly for updated information on the Dance Downtown Series throughout the summer.
Dance Downtown Series
Music Center Plaza
135 North Grand Ave., Los Angeles, 90012; (213) 972-3660
Select Friday nights June 18-September 10, 2010
June 18 Line Dancing & Two Step (Special time 7:30pm to 10pm)
July 2 Bollywood/Bhangra
July 16 Argentine Tango
July 30 Zydeco
August 13 Disco Night
August 27 Throwback Night – 60’s Dances
September 10 Samba
6:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. (unless otherwise noted)
Ages: All (Parents must accompany kids)
Cost: FREE
Website
Complimentary beginner dance lessons at 6:30pm and throughout the evening.
If you secretly long for your clubbing days (pre-children), try getting pre-historic with your date night endeavors at the Natural History Museum’s First Fridays series. Dance with the North American Mammals or sip drinks with the main lobby dinosaur skeletons. With a venue like the Natural History Museum, the right combination of live music, dim, mood-lit ambience, drinks, performances and academic discussions makes this the perfect place to revisit your youth while keeping the adults that you’ve become firmly intact.
Few things are more romantic than viewing professionals dance the Tango while dining on a three-course Argentinean meal and wine, then afterwards taking to the dance floor yourselves for the dance of love. This Sunday the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach will set the passionate scene for you and your sweetheart at their Valentine’s Day Dinner and Tango event. The all inclusive three-course meal makes it easy for you to worry about nothing but enjoying good food, great dancing and each other’s company. Hurry and RSVP to ensure your seats.
There’s nothing like a novel Valentine’s Day aphrodisiac than searching for nudes throughout a museum! So book a sitter parents and head to the J. Paul Getty Museum for a date with Watson Adventures the Saturday before Valentine’s Sunday. The Naked at the Getty (For Adults Only) Scavenger Hunt offers a humorous, mind-tingling search for nudity at the amazing Getty Center. You don’t need to know anything about art or the museum—or nudity for that matter—to solve their tricky questions. After the hunt, linger in the mountain-top gardens for a romantic sunset. The bashful need not worry, this hunt is rated a mild PG-13!