Not a safe space for young women. An older man followed me around, and would not leave me alone…read more Dance Friday staff were only moderately responsive to my report. My two friends (one male, one female) and were dancing together for most of the night. An older man with white hair started circling the three of us, with his eyes lasering in on me the whole time. My friend finally commented on his weird behavior and we all went to sit down. Later on, I heard one song I really like, and got up to dance. The old guy made a beeline for me as soon as he saw me, and got really close to me. I gestured to him to stop (palm towards him, meaning "stop", with a stern look), and went to the other side of the dance floor. He then FOLLOWED ME across the dance floor and kept it right up, dancing really closely and staring at me. I gestured "stop" again, and moved far away from him, and he followed me AGAIN. This dude just would not quit. Then he started waving his hands towards my body, getting close, almost touching me. I left the floor. At the end of the night, I went and told the facilitators. The younger guy I told just stood there, with an annoyed look on his face that read as "this isn't my problem". The older woman I told said that I should have told her about this at the break (even though my friends and I had showed up AFTER the break). She said something about "filling out an incident report", but she didn't explain the process, meanwhile, people were breaking down the lights and equipment, and it was getting noisy. This woman didn't create a space to deal with the issue, and she made no effort to follow up with me. She offered me free admission next time, and she said that she hoped me coming again would involve "shifting my experience" of what had happened. This pretty well pissed me off, as it's this harassing guy's BEHAVIOR that needs to shift, not my perception of it. Having been blamed for not reporting an incident before it happened, and having gotten nowhere with the staff, I got my stuff, left, and never went back. If you are a young woman, do not go! Creepy old men will descend on you, which apparently is just business-as-usual to these people. I imagine they think of it as "breaking down the boundaries" and "being intergenerational", but it's really just a place with poor security, where men are allowed to get away with predatory behavior. Growing old does not magically make a person good! There are creeps of all ages. One of them has white hair and a propensity for circling young women like a creaky old shark at Dance Friday.

I've been going here for over three decades... Their new location in HARVARD SQUARE at 3 Church…read moreSt. is the most accessible location the dance has ever had - - a beautiful space that's clean, warm, and inviting. Two to three separate DJs per night spin a wide variety of dance music from all genres. Its non-judgmental attitude has been keeping people sane and healthy for decades! The music is hipper, with more variety & consistent quality than the previous locations. Hours are now 8:30 to Midnight except on the 3rd Friday of the month when we start an hour earlier so parents can bring young kids for some adult-and-child-friendly music. Don't worry... no Barney or Disney!! There's even a dance camp run every Summer where the same loose friendly creative juicy atmosphere goes on for about 11 days straight! Be sure to check out the sister dance (and original) Dance Freedom in Harvard Square on Wed. nights, too. If you really love to dance for its own sake as well as for social reasons, if you like to 'sweat your prayers,' if you like shaking off the tensions of the week and enjoy having a body again, you have to give it a try. Pure pleasure. Interesting creative people. Enjoy! Re: "The painful truth" review, there are two sides to everything. I deeply regret the experience this woman had. We have people to help with safety issues and we have had many discussions of behaviors that are not allowed, body language, etc. to prevent such events. We have banned dancers occasionally over the years for behavior like this. We encourage dancers to use their voice (in case for instance the offending person's sight was not good, or gestures were misinterpreted), and there are designated people to get a message across when it is not understood & respected coming from the dancer themselves. Forward people can be found on any dance floor, but Dance Friday IS a SAFE place.

This is a wonderful alternative dance venue where you can be yourself. The staff are wonderful…read more The drinks reasonably priced. The music was right on the mark. Not a bad vibe the entire night.

Went to Manray for their Automatique / New Wave night. I wasn't alive during that movement in music…read morebut I'm almost positive that Fall Out Boy, Nirvana, Dolly Parton, and Gorillaz as well as music from Heated Rivalry were not a part of it. If I wanted the generic playlist for Club Cafe, I would've gone there.

I had a great time here at Havana Club. I usually hang out in Porter Square and had no idea this…read morewas here. If I did I would come by more often. A friend recommended it to me as a fun place to dance salsa and bachata. I didn't know there were places like this in Boston. We went in and paid a cover fee at first. They start off with a class to teach basic techniques. It gave everyone a welcome feel to learn the steps and practice dancing with others. Then they open the floor for everyone to come in and dance. You are more relaxed at that point because you have learned the steps and already danced with most of the people there. It was great to meet several girls that I probably wouldn't have even talked to without the class. I love bachata so it was great to get in the moment again. The price was great for the class and a fun open dance floor afterwards. I enjoyed my time and will definitely be back next week.

Despite growing up in Cambridge, I went to the Havana Club for the first time last weekend. I…read morearrived a bit late for the lesson, but was able to slip in and unfortunately ended up at the intermediate lesson when I should have been at advanced beginner or something less complicated. There are dancers of all ages, which is very cool, and the leaders who were forced to dance with me seemed to be understanding, even though I am an awful dancer. I guess everyone is a beginner at some point! I hope to go back and improve my skills!

I'm only leaving a review because it's disheartening to read all the glowing reviews from 10+ years…read moreago and realize this venue no longer seems to live up to them. I've been part of the goth community for over a decade, and one thing I've always believed is that appearance alone shouldn't determine whether someone is "alternative enough." The whole point is to exist outside of rigid social norms, not create new ones. My group arrived fully aware of the dress code: all black or clearly on theme. I was dressed head-to-toe as a man-eating spider clown, and my friend who is a baby bat wore black cargo pants, a black lace top, and some of the best black-and-white clown makeup I've ever done. Yet we were turned away because they were wearing brown Converse. We accepted the decision without argument, but were met with a snarky attitude that made us feel as though we were stupid and should have known better. Maybe it simply wasn't the bouncer's best night, but decency and respect should be at the forefront of the job, especially when interacting with people who are already complying and leaving without issue. What made the experience so disappointing is that spaces like this are supposed to be for the outcasts, the weirdos, and the people who don't fit neatly into a box. Instead, we were made to feel unwelcome and not good enough. That's the exact opposite of what a community like this should stand for.

Love and miss Manray but Xmortis @ T.T.'s has done very well in keeping the spirit of Manray dark…read moreand deadly. The music is always a pleaser and you can hear everything from old school Cure to VNV Nation and everything in between. You must love the color black though because its the minimum (I LOVE black so I am not very objective) you can get in with (though I have seen some exceptions lately) but really just go buy something black (you will feel better about it in the morning)!! Terri is the best bartender and will fix you up with just about anything you can ask for (my fav is her homemade Smirnoff Vampire, yum yum!) -just remember to bring cash because for some goofy reason after being at T.T.'s for almost two years they haven't given her a working credit card machine!? In any case you can dance your ass off, get a nice buzz going, and have a great time listening to great music!! The only con I have is I wish it was a weekly event!!!

Post-pandemics update:…read more This is a weekly (Fridays) swing dance venue on the industrial outskirts of Cambridge, MA. A beginner lesson starts at 8PM, the dance goes on from 9PM to midnight (finding a dance partner after 11:30PM is not easy). Masks are required, so is the proof of vaccination (with a booster!). The latter is better send via email in advance. The venue: the dance goes on inside the Q ballroom (formerly Extreme Dance Studio). The dance floor is pretty large, almost square in shape and of high quality. The only obstacle is a large red support pole in the center that is easy to avoid (or play around it). I had visited in late November, and the temperature control was adequate. The logistics: parking is free and easy. At 8PM, many parking spots are available in the parking lot of the ballroom itself. At this time, feel free to disregard the "restricted" signs and use the parking spots of other businesses nearby. However, per the Central's own web site, avoid the spots assigned to Evolve Fitness (I did not find any). There are coat hangers for the winter clothing in the lobby, cubes for the rest of your possessions at the far wall of the ballroom. Admission is $10 on DJ nights, apparently $15 on the band nights. Water is provided in the corner of the dance floor. Seating is very limited, experienced crowd tends to congregate in and around the front row of the seats closer to the entrance. The music: I have danced to the DJ music. As I understand, the live music is more typical, except during the holiday season. The music selection was excellent for lindy with many familiar mid-tempo pieces and practically no slow blues tunes. The lesson: starts at 8PM and is geared towards beginners, although covers a lot of ground at a pretty fast pace, so it is unlikely that a single lesson will be of much help to an absolute beginner. The crowd: about 50 dancers for the lesson, about 80 for the party. The dancers are mostly on the young side, their skills vary very significantly. There is a significant percentage of true beginners, to the point that leading them is very challenging, very few excellent dancers (on the night I have visited, there was a swing camp in the city, on my previous visit few years ago the number of advanced dancers was way higher), and many intermediate ones. There were more follows than leads during the party, but not disastrously so. The lesson was perfectly balanced. Overall: a must-go-to event in the Boston area. True beginner's mileage might vary. A minor advice for the beginner follows: if you want to dance, do not stand at the counter next to the entrance behind the row of seats: many people use this place to chill out, so a lead like me would rarely venture there - disregarding all the dancers in the front row! - to invite you to dance; sides of the floor will work much better.

This is the best weekly swing dance in Boston. They have a live band almost every week, including…read morelocal greats Beantown Swing Orchestra and the Fried Bananas. They also pull in great imports such as Solomon Douglas and Gordon Webster. The dance crowd is mostly Lindy Hop with some blues and East Coast (the step you learn in the free lesson before the dance). A lot of the dance instructors and advanced dancers frequent this dance. When you aren't dancing it is fun to sit back and watch and listen. You don't need to bring a partner. Most folks will dance with you if you ask them. Several people sport an "angel" bandana meaning they are experienced dancers looking to dance with people new to the dance. The drink of choice in this crowd is water so they are sharp and well balanced on the dance floor. There are jugs of water in the back left corner as well as light snacks. Check out the videos on the Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cambridge-MA/Boston-Swing-Central/15316440838, and the events for upcoming bands. The pictures give an idea of what the crowd wears. You can wear jeans, however you won't be out of place if you dress up, though tuxes or sequins is probably over doing it. Swing Central has quite the following. Recently they reached capacity when a very popular band played and there was a wait to get in. If you get there before 9:30 or after 10:30 you should be able to get in with no problem. If you are new to dancing by all means attend the 8:00 lesson a few times. The instructors rotate so it isn't the same lesson every week. The dance has moved from St. Mary's Church in Central Square to a dedicated dance space, Crosby's Whistle stop at 24 Roland Street in Charleston (how appropriate). It is in an industrial building, but don't let that put you off. The brick walls and wooden floor are a nice step up from the church basement.

Incredibly rude bouncer on 1/3. Making some patrons take tickets to go upstairs but letting others…read morewho is friends with go up. Will seek legal action

A little hard to find but worth it (look for the number 14). The vibe is very open and welcoming…read more Very chill. Lots of TV screens. Comfortable space and good variety of beers. Not clubby and not divey. I did not try the food. The true highlight is Ivan the bartender. Wow. He is so friendly and fun and has good dance moves. His energy is joyfully infectious. Ivan you are amazing!

fun enough night. i haven't been to a straight dancing establishment for quite a while. the crowd…read moreat bootie boston is pretty friendly, tame, and non-jersey-shore, which i appreciate. the music is what you would expect. but my guy told me that they reused the remixed stuff that he already got from the internet. so it's not all live remix, but i couldn't care less. this version of bootie is much smaller and less crazy than bootie sf from what i heard. but again it didn't matter. i had a good time.

It's nice to have an event at the Goodlife I can get into. The Bootie night features music that is…read moreall mashups and all danceable. They play a diverse mix of styles, so you wont get stuck with only EDM, top 40 pop, or hip-hop. The crowd seemed very friendly and I wasnt intimidated to be myself on the dance floor. It's a bit different from other nights at the goodlife which you can read about elsewhere. Fun time for me and my friends

Hmm.. Hot Mess is rite. The past two Sundays I went here, I didn't make it to work on Monday…read more This is particularly embarrassing as I work a nite job... Oops. This nite was moved from Estate Sundays, and its home at Underbar seems much more comfortable. The decor is a tad cheesey, what with all the sea shells, blue paint, and driftwood style furniture, BUT this makes for some killer "Part of Your World" recreations that I swear will never get old ! YES! The drink prices aren't bad for a Theater District club. I think my drinks were $8, but .. after the 5th one I think I was just throwing all money at the bartender and asking if I gave enough. What seals the deal here is the MUSIC. They alternate DJs, but they play amazingly danceable remixes of random songs from the 80s and 90s. There is furniture all over the place that you can dance on, too. Dance boxes.. tables.. chairs.. couches.. nothing is safe. I think I saw someone put a cup on the ground just stand on that and dance. The swirling lights, loud music, fun crowd, (and yes.. maybe the drinks), all made for a rockin' good time. Unfortunately, I am running out of excuses as to why I am so "sick" on Mondays.. hrmm..

Horrified straight girl: OMG some girl is up on stage spilling her drink everywhere and throwing up…read moreon herself. I think she needs help! Bartender: Oh thank you! I'll let security know... *30 seconds pass, bartender returns* Bartender to me: Oh that was just Fena! Fena Barbitall is one of Boston's best drag queen performers. Hot Mess Sunday @ Underbar is by far my favorite and most tragic night in Boston. The kids who work the weekends or the ones who don't want it to ever stop extend their time off into the early hours of Monday morning boozing, cruising, and dancing to a crazy mash up of music. Every table, chair, box, face, etc is in danger of being danced on. PROCEED WITH CAUTION. I suggest you wear something that you're okay with being covered in alcohol because there is a 99 percent chance that someone including yourself is going to spill on you. There's hardly any cell service in this underground space so it's best to plan strategically with your friends at brunch earlier in the day what the game plan is. That's also a great opportunity to throw out any ideas for excuses why you need to call in sick to work the next morning.