Gothamist: Some Clubs Cannot Allow Dancing Shoes...

rikomatic

Wed, 05 Apr 2006 13:24:35 -0500

This angers me to no end. For God's sake, we can't have people conducting UNAUTHORIZED DANCING. I'd rather we had licenses for Karaoke to limit its effects on my eardrums.

CZ

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 14:19:03 -0500

Swing 46 actually lost their license for a while as well. Eventually they got it back. The original law also prevented bands of a certain size from performing but has since been repealed on account the music is an art form/personal expression. (And the original law even prevented people like Billie Holiday from performing in the city.) The dancers who brought the suite were mostly partner dancers (salsa, swing, etc). The people who who go out regularly for that are pretty respectful of noise, they don't tend to drink a lot, and most dances are scheduled during the week on light crowd nights to not interfere with the nights were bars make most of their income. The excuses for not getting rid of the law are of the straw man variety.

Scott

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 11:17:51 -0500

This law reared its ugly head back in 2002 or so and clubs like Swing 46 barely slipped through a ban on dancing. (What's a swing dancing club without the swing dancing?) It seems redundant especially with all the Fire Codes and permits already required of bar and restaurant owners.

Adam

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 11:13:07 -0500

I think this law is not only arcane, but it also stinks. I know a lot of people who don't like to go to the big dance clubs but can't find a nice bar in which to dance. It's ridiculous. Let's start a letter and e-mail writing campaign to Mayor Bloomberg and the City Counsel to end the cabaret law.

Dina

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 10:22:21 -0500

it's actually a law from the 1920's that was instituted mainly to prevent large groups of black people from dancing in harlem jazz clubs. that's why it was instituted. so, not only is it unfair and irrelevant today, but it also has a completely racist foundation. that cabaret law has got to go

Doug

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 09:55:34 -0500

New York needs a young, Kevin Bacon type of character to change this law.

no drink for you

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 09:46:59 -0500

It's from the Prohibition Era.

MT

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 09:31:31 -0500

Does anyone know the origins of that law? I'm curious to know if it actually has some logical basis.

lame

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 09:25:49 -0500

total poop.

iceberg

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 09:06:55 -0500

Where else but a "free" country from which one must acquire permission to dance? If this is what democracy is, please count me out.