Social Dance Nights at Lincoln Center

Every summer Lincoln Center lays an outdoor dance floor across its campus and invites the city to dance on it. The Social Dance nights of its Summer for the City festival start with a free group lesson from a dance instructor, then hand the floor to a live band or headlining artist from around the world: salsa one night, swing or house or Bollywood another. You do not need a partner or experience, just a willingness to be bad at it for the first twenty minutes.

Admission is free through general admission, first come, first served. For most events Lincoln Center also releases free Fast Track reservations each Monday for that week's events, which give priority entry until shortly before the start. For social dances, the start time is the beginning of the lesson, so that is when to arrive, and the festival suggests coming about an hour early for popular nights. Wear shoes you can turn in, bring water, and check the summer calendar, usually posted in spring, for the style you want to learn.