Dancing in New Jersey

Contents:

About this page

For additional dance related information, see Aria's Dance Page.

Short List

(in alphabetical order)

Long List

/Ballroom/

American Legion Star Post
#127, Jamesburg, NJ
908-521-0133

Fridays 8:30-11:30 p.m.; couples & singles invited.

/Ballroom/

Arthur Murray Dance Studio
6 S Passaic Avenue, Chatham, NJ 07928
201-635-3400

Studio owned by Roscoe Conklin
See Map

/Ballroom/

Arthur Murray Dance Studio
75 Raritan Ave., Highland Park
908-246-0550

/Ballroom/

Arthur Murray Dance Studio
36-12 Broadway Route 4, FairLawn, NJ
201-794-7940

/Ballroom/

Arthur Murray Dance Studio
33 Broad Street, Red Bank, NJ
732-741-5858

Dance parties every other Friday in two ballrooms. Admission is free for studio students. Call ahead for details.

Directions: Take Garden State Parkway to exit 109, take Route 520 East for 1.5 miles, make a left on Broad Street. Park behind the building. Studio is located on the second floor.

/Ballroom/

Ballroom Dancing With Candace Woodward-Clough
Hightstown area
609-443-8990

Candace teaches a variety of classes in American Style social dancing. For information on field trips, open houses, and private and semi-private lessons, call the number above. She teaches group classes as follows:

• Mondays and Thursdays at Princeton University (609-258-3531)
• Tuesdays at Pennington Dance (609-730-0467)
• Wednesdays at Montgomery Recreation (609-730-0467)
• Fridays at Peddie School, Hightstown (609-443-8990)
• Sundays at Princeton YMCA (609-497-2118)

She also helps organize Dancing by the Peddie Lake. These are ballroom dance lessons held in the Peddie school in Hightstown, culminating in a Ballroom social dance. The classes go in cycles and are repeated several times a year.

/Ballroom/

Ballroom Etc. Dance Studio
Brook Plaza 35. Highway 35, Sea Girt, NJ 08750
732-449-6663

Owned by Tina and Gabriel Simon (ballroometc@monmouth.com), Ballroom Etc. offers dance instruction, including international and American style Ballroom, Argentine Tango, Swing and Hustle. A large staff of teachers provide both private and group instruction. The studio has two dance floors encompassing 900 and 1200 sq. ft. Also on the premises is a dance boutique offering dance shoes and other dance wear.

Social dancing every Friday and Saturday evenings 8pm-midnight, admission charge is $10 per person. Other events such as formal balls and showcases are also scheduled throughout the year.

Directions: From the Garden State Parkway, Exit 98, follow signs to Route 138 East. Bear right at the end of Route 138 and take Sea Girt - Spring Lake exit to Route 35 South. Travel past the fourth traffic light. Brook Plaza 35 is on your left. Ballroom, Etc. Studio is located in the mall, just over Victoria's Secret.
From the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95): Exit 7A Shore Points to I-195 East. I-195 East will become Route 138. (about 30 minutes from the Turnpike) Then see above from Route 138 East

/Ballroom/

Ballroom Magic
990 Rahway Avenue, Union, NJ 07083
908-624-0577

Used to be Fred Astaire of Springfield, and then relocated from Springfield to Union in 1997.

Directions: GSP north to Exit 139B (2nd Chestnut Street Exit) At end of ramp, bear right onto Chestnut Street. Go under bridge and get in left lane (grammar school on right) Turn left at cannon, and bear left around cannon, which puts you on Elmwood Avenue. At the 2nd light, make a left onto Morris Avenue. Go to 1st light, turn left onto Rahway Avenue. Studio is first building on right (behind the Getty gas station)

/Ballroom/

Ballroom Magic
341 Lakeside Ave., Hopatcong, NJ
201-663-4646

Sunday dance seminars on most Sundays (call to confirm), 4:00-5:30pm. Admission is $35 per couple.

Directions: From I-80 W, take Exit 34B (also marked Rt. 15 N). Continue 3.5 miles on Rt. 15 to Exit "Lk. Hopatcong, Mt. Arlington", just before the fourth traffic light. Exit to the right, and cross over Rt. 15 (jug-handle), and into Edison Rd. Continue 1 mile to the stop sign and "T" in the road. Take right, and immediately left onto Brady Rd. Continue 1.5 miles on Brady Rd., and turn left into Northwood Rd (landmark: Wayne's Marine). Continue 1 mile and watch for a blinking yellow light, slow down and look for a contemporary style house (#341) on the right, with a large gravel driveway, across from the sign "Wayne's Marine".

/Ballroom/Latin/

Bamboo Grill Latin Room
52 Portland Avenue, Bergenfield, NJ 07621
201-384-5951

Friday and Saturday evening dances from 8pm to 2am. Admission $20 including buffet and dancing. DJ and DIs (dance instructors).

/Ballroom/

Battista Dance Studio
255 Hudson St, Hackensack, NJ 07601
201-525-0102

See Map

/Ballroom/

Brandis Dance Theatre
(Tue & Wed) Bobby and Mary's, 318 William St., Piscataway, NJ
(Friday) Knights of Columbus, corner of Grove & Madison, Dunellen, NJ
908-388-4605 (info)

Brandis holds dance lessons and social dances in two locations during the week, as follows:

On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, lessons and socials are held at Bobby and Mary's, which is a restaurant and banquet hall with a 1000 sq. ft. dance floor, located in Piscataway, NJ (908-752-4474). Tuesday nights are dedicated to Beginner lessons (starting in September 1997). Intermediate level Ballroom, Latin, and Swing lessons are offered on Wednesday nights according to the following schedule: half hour lessons start at 7:00pm and 8:00pm. These are intermixed with half hour open dances and practices starting at 6:30pm, 7:30pm, and 8:30pm. The cost for these lessons are $7 per person, or $12 per couple.

Friday night dances used to be held in the Knights of Columbus Hall in Dunellen, but they are now held at Edison VFW Post #3117, 1970 Woodbridge Ave, Edison, NJ (732-985-963). At 8:00pm a dance lesson is offered for advanced students, and there is a general open dance 9:00pm-11:30pm. Admission is $7 for the class, $7 for the dance, or $12 combined. It has been reported that the Friday lessons are on Salsa Casino Rueda, a group form of salsa dancing. Call to enquire.

Directions:

To Bobby and Mary's:
From Route 287 North take the Dunellen exit, and make right into Stelton and go through 3 lights. There is a Fork between a Raceway gas station and Exxon gas Station (from 287 South, you will take a jug handle and turn right. At the 3rd light make left onto Stelton, and you'll immediately be on the fork mentioned above). Keep LEFT on that fork and continue to the end. Turn Left ono New Market. Curve around bend and make 1st Left onto William St. Bobby & Mary's is 1/2 mile on left.

Note: Brandis used to be located at the Ricochet Health Club in South Plainfield, NJ.

/Ballroom/

Brian and Jennie's Ballroom and Latin Dancing
13-23 Legion Place, Whippany, NJ 07981
201-492-9664 or 201-884-5925.

Variety of classes throughout the week, mostly American style. Large parquet floor. Social dance on Sunday afternoons 4:00-7:30pm and Thursday nights 8-11pm. Admission $10 in general; $5 for students. Their former 9pm-12am Friday night dances are discontinued. Light refreshments included (pastries, coffee, etc.). For special occasions/parties (e.g. Valentine's day, Halloween, ...), they have a more extensive snack bar. The music overall is satisfactory, and has been getting better. Brian and Jennie themselves are probably the warmest, friendliest studio owners I've ever met, and it is always a pleasure to go dance in their studio. They emphasize social dancing, and you can frequently see Brian (also sometimes Jennie) dancing with whomever may be standing on the sidelines.

The crowd is mostly in their 40's, but some Rutgers students and Princeton students also attend during the school year. Brian and Jennie are coaches of the Rutgers University Ballroom Club, and they host the Rutgers monthly social dance.

Brian and Jennie have a variety of dance classes and activities through the week. Call to enquire. They also hold a workshop, open to the public, every month before the Rutgers University monthly social (follow the link for times and workshop specifics).

Directions: From Princeton: take 206 North to 287 North, to 10 East. (From N.Y.: Take route 80 to Parsippany, take 287 South to 10 East.) On 10 East go to 2nd traffic light and make right into Pine Plaza. (It looks like you're going into the shopping center but don't worry you're not!) Keep left and exit Parking lot (you'll make two lefts by keeping left). Make a right at the stop sign; then take another right into Legion Place. Once you make it to Legion Place, the studio is unmistakable on your left after going approx. 100 yards.
See Map

/Ballroom/

Broadway Ballroom
4-6 Hulfish St., Princeton, NJ
609-924-9499

American and International Style. Group and private lessons.
Introductory offer of 3 x 30-minute lessons for $20 individually or $40 for a couple.
Owner: Del Camden

/Ballroom/

The Calabash
91 Main Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601

The Cabalash is a dance club, opened in 1997, that offers buffet 7:30-9:30pm. The food is reported to be good. Dancing to a mix of Smooth, Latin, and nightclub music (includes nightclub two-step and salsa, along with the more usual ballroom dances). It is open Friday and Saturday evenings 7:30pm-1:30am. They are no longer open to the public on Sundays. Admission for dancing only is $15 (includes $5 worth of drinks and appetizers), and $23 for buffet and dancing.

This club has an interesting program: They have 12 so-called "ballroom experts" to dance with. Every Friday and Saturday night, they pick one "Cinderella of the night," who is chosen through in a dance-off. Winners compete in a "Cinderella of the month" and eventually "Cinderella of the year" events, to win a trip for two to the Carribean.

You can also contact the club at yankee1977@aol.com.

Casey's
955 Allwood Rd, Clifton
201-773-2110

Note: Casey's has gone out of business.

Central Jersey Dance Society
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton, 50 Cherry Hill Road, Princeton, NJ 08540
609-466-8470

Dances are held twice a month, in the Princeton area with a lesson and open dancing to recorded music. 1st Saturday of each month Salsa, Hustle, Night Club 2 Step, East & West Coast Swing. 2nd Fridays of each month Swing Dance & Lindy-Hop. Lesson 7:30 P.M. - Dancing • 8:30 - 11:00 P.M.

/Ballroom/

Clara Formoso Ballroom Dance Studio
Located at Cygnus Creative Arts Center,
3056 English Creek Road, Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234
609-625-7969

Group classes on Wednesdays on a 2,000 sq. ft. dance floor. 6:30-7:45pm beginner and intermediate ballroom and Latin and 7:45-9:00pm beginner and intermediate international Tango. Open dancing last Wednesday of every month, 7-10pm. Admission $8 for students and $10 for the general public.

Directions: Take Garden State Parkway (GSP) South to Atlantic City Expressway heading West. Exit 9 off the AC Expressway and make left. After approximately one mile, make another left onto English Creek Rd. Go through a traffic light (approx. one mile) and the studio is on the left in a two-story concrete building. Landmark: a large white sign for "Cygnus Creative Arts Center." Tel: (609) 272-1199.

/Ballroom/

Classic Ballroom
Hastings Square Plaza, Rt 24, Hackettstown, NJ 07840
908-852-0090

Private and group dance instruction. Social dancing on Saturdays, 8pm-12am, admission $10. Practice dance sessions on Wednesdays, 8-10pm, and on Fridays 9-11pm, admission $6. Coffee and light snacks provided. For more information, see their web site.

/Swing/

732-727-3000

Swing dancing to live swing bands on Friday and Saturday nights (occationally Thursday nights). Free swing dance lessons before the dance, but at a very basic level. The club is on Routh 35 South in South Amboy. For more information you can browse this web page.

/Ballroom/

The Clinton Manor
2735 Rte. 22 West, Union
908-687-8600

Harris Davis used to hold dances in Clinton Manor, but these dances were discontinued sometime in 1996.

/Ballroom/

The College of New Jersey Ballroom Dance Club
Ewing, NJ
.

The College of New Jersey Ballroom Dance Club holds classes and dance events that are open to the students of the college as well as outsiders. The club can be contacted at tcnjbdc@tcnj.edu.

/Country/

Colorado Cafe Dance Hall
154 Bonnie Burn Road, Watchung, NJ 07060-5007
908-322-7200

Country & Western Bar and dance hall, with a 3000 sq. ft. dance floor. Dance parties on Friday and Saturday evenings; various dance activities on other days of the week (closed on Mondays). Call for more information, or send e-mail to John Giambrone. You can also get more information on their web page.

Directions: From Garden State Parkway, take the exit for Route 78 West. In Route 78, take exit 41. At the stop sign, make right. At the second stop sign make another right. Colorado Cafe is approximately 1.5 miles up the road on the left hand side.

/??/

Continental Dance Club
330 Glenwood Ave, Bloomfield, NJ 07003
973-743-5124

/Ballroom/

Continental Dance Studio
39 Harding Avenue, Clifton, NJ 07011
201-779-4466

Open dance parties on alternate Sunday evenings. Owned by Fernando Andrade.

/Country/

Country Dance Barn
Independence Mall, 2465 S. Broad Street (Rt 206), Hamilton, NJ 08610
609-888-2698

Various country dancing activities, classes and open dances, on most days of the week. Call for more details.

Note: Country Dance Barn was torn down in early 1997 to make way for a strip mall. What a shame!

/Country/

Country Palace
Route 54, Buena, NJ 08310
609-697-1475

Note: This entry has not been verified. Call before you go.
Directions: Country Palace is located at the cross section of Hwy 54 (Blue Anchor Rd.) and Pancoast Mill Rd.
See Map

/Swing/Ballroom/

Crystal Ballroom

Rutherford, NJ

The Alan Quinn Orchestra plays swing & ballroom every Wed. at the Crystal Palace in Rutherford NJ. Nice sized dance floor. Dancing starts at 7:30pm. No cover charge or minimum drink, a buffet for $11. Alan Quinn Orchestra used to play at Casey's before they closed.

/Ballroom/

Crystal Dance Club
1851 Old Cuthbert Road, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
856-428-5366.

Used to be a Fred Astaire franchise.

Fridays: 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. $10.

/Ballroom/Latin/

Dance Bergen
154 Columbus Way (Bridle Way), Paramus, NJ 07652-1208
201-845-9674 201-871-1959

Latin & Ballroom Socials, Presented by DJ Plus Entertainment, 8:00 PM to 1:00 AM, Fridays and Saturdays, 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM, Sundays, Hot dinner buffet, Dance Hosts to dance with. Admission includes buffet and dancing - $20 Friday and Saturday and $12 Sunday.

/Ballroom/

Dance Club
2100 State Highway 35, Old Mill Plaza, Sea Girt, NJ 08750
908-449-1992

Latin and Ballroom instruction in American and International styles. Friday night dances 8-11pm, following a workshop 7-8pm. Admission for the dance is $10. The dance floor is approximately 2000 sq. ft. of hardwood. Recorded music. Studio is directed by Derek and Nola Jones.

Note: I've been told that this studio has gone out of business.

Directions: From Garden State Parkway, Exit 98, follow directions to Route 138 East. Bear right at the end of Route 138 & take Sea Girt-Springlake Exit to Route 35 South. Turn left at 4th traffic light (Ocean Road). The Club is in the Old Mill Plaza mall, lower level.
From the NJ turnpike (I-95): Exit 7A Shore Points to I-195 East. I-195 East will become Route 138 (about 30 miles from NJ Turnpike). Then see above from Route 138 East.

/Ballroom/

Dance'N Style
100 Hibernia Ave., Rockaway NJ 07866
908-548-4021

Formerly known as Moore dancin' and "Let's Dance Again."

Social Dances every Thursday 7-11pm (ballroom and Latin), admission $10. Swing dance instruction and open dancing on Sundays 4-10pm; advanced lesson 4-5pm, admission $15 to closing Beginner lesson 5-6pm, admission $10 to closing. Also swing classes and socials Mondays 7-10pm, admission $10. Features different professional instructor on Sundays. Fifth Sundays of the month (whenever applicable) are off days.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturdays are Country & Western nights. Dancing to DJ music, admission around $6, usually 7-11pm.

Roberto Pagan of the Pioneer Club used to teach group classes at Moore Dancin' on the first and third Sundays of the month, starting at 4:00pm and 5:00pm respectively. I do not know the current status of those classes. The classes were geared towards Latin and Rhythm technique.

Directions: From Route 80 take the Hibernia/Rockaway exit (exit 37 on Route 80 West). At the traffic light at the end of the exit ramp, make a right. Go through one traffic light, under Route 80, and down a hill. As the road levels out, there is a gas station on your right. At that point, make a left onto Union. Make the first left onto Stickel, then the second left onto Oak. Moore Dancin' will be on your right.

See Map

/Ballroom/

Dancecraft Inc.
75 Main Street, Manasquan NJ
732-292-0144

Ballroom dance studio down at the shore. Dance parties every Friday night. Instructors Skip Ascari and Carol Thornley. 8:00 pm group class, 9-11 party. Open to all dancers. Food and refreshments, cost $10. Singles and couples welcome. Call for directions.

/Ballroom/

Dance Haddonfield
Grace Church, Kings Highway, Haddonfield, NJ
856 429-5355

Dancing Every Sunday Evening! Instruction from 7:00pm to 8:00pm - It's a different class every week. Open Dancing from 8:00pm to 10:30pm. Couples and Singles welcome.

/Ballroom/

Dancemakers
67 Union Place, Summit, NJ 07901
908-277-8585

Dancemakers used to be an independent studio, but is no longer open to public as of December 15, 1998. It will continue as a private club. It seems that the former operations of this club have moved to Touch Dancing.

/Ballroom/

Dance Spectrums
51 Everette Dr., W. Windsor Township
609-799-9165 Practice parties Friday and socials Saturday.

/Ballroom/

Dance World Inc.
6 Edgeboro Rd, East Brunswick, NJ 08816
732-238-0550

/Swing/

Dayton Sports Pub
2316 Route 130, Dayton, NJ 08810
908-329-4068

Friday night dining and dancing with DJ music. Top 40 dance music, drink specials. 25'x25' dance floor. Note that this is not exactly a hotbed of dancing, so make sure to go with a partner. Not all music is necessarily danceable throughout the night, but it could be a refreshing change from the studios for a Friday night outing.

/Swing/

DKN Dance
2316 Route 130, Dayton, NJ 08810
908-329-4068

Monthly Social Mixers For information about any monthly socials, please call or e-mail Diane at (201) 666-6224 or diane@dkndance.com.

/Ballroom/

Fortuna's Universal Dance Studio
41 S. Crescent Blvd, Collingswood, NJ 08108.
(609)869-0010

Sandra (Sandy) Fortuna's studio has a variety of activities. The price of admission to general dances depends largely on whether there are performances planned for that night by competitive professionals, but it is in the vicinity of $10-$20, with generous discounts to students (Last time I was there I paid $5, but the price varies according to whether there are exhibitions planned for the night).

On average, people coming to Sandy's are in their 30's-40's. There are some students from UPenn that attend the studio parties, and a few from Princeton University too. The average level of skill in the studio seems to be higher than other places I've been to in NJ and Philly. Nice well-kept mid-sized parquet floor. Reasonably good music and well-balanced representation of dances, although they have a tendency to play the same tape over again. Light snacks and soft drinks provided.

Directions: (From Princeton): Take Route 1 South to Route 295 South. From 295 South, take 70 West, which joins 38 West. On 38 W, take 130 South for about a mile. Universal Dance Studio is on the Right. Note that the studio is a little hard to see because it is right after a cluster of trees. It is a yellow building.
On the way back, you cannot go on 130 N immediately because of the highway divider. Follow 130 S for about half a mile to a circle, all around the circle to 130 N, to 38 E, to 70 E, to 295 N, to Route 1.
See Map

/Ballroom/

Fred Astaire Dance Studio, Red Bank
12 Broad St., Red Bank, NJ 07701
732-741-4188

Dance socials are scheduled one Saturday each month, varying according to seasonal or holiday themes. Socials are held 8:00-11:30 pm; admission is $10 per person. The studio was recently renovated (this being written in Feb. 1996) with a 2500 sq. ft. floor. Call for dates and themes. Studio directors: Andre' Gosselin and Patricia Marino.

Directions: Take Garden State Parkway to Exit 109. Take Route 520 East for 1.5 miles, to make a left on Broad Street (Landmark: Dunkin Donut at the corner). Park on Broad St. at #12 or behind building, and take stairs or elevator to third floor.
See Map

/Ballroom/

Fred Astaire Dance Studio,
Ridgewood
17 Chestnut St., Ridgewood, NJ 07450
201-445-2700

Studio owned by Jean Penatello.

/Country/

Friendly's Tavern
State Hwy 40 and Course's Landing, Carney's Point, NJ
609-229-1222

Country music. DJ. Tile floor. Adjacent to restaurant.

Note: This entry has not been verified. Call before you go.

/Ballroom/

Grand Ballroom Dance Studio
Midland Park, NJ
201-445-2515

The studio is located at Midland Park Shopping Center, Goffle Rd & Godwin Avenue, Midland Park, NJ. For more information, contact David Porro.

/Ballroom/

The Hilton at Short Hills
41 JFK Parkway, Short Hills, NJ 07078
201-379-0100

Disco Dancing on Fridays and Saturdays, 9pm-1am. General dancing in the Retreat Lounge 8:30pm to 12:30am on Saturdays.
See Map

/Swing/

Hyatt Regency Hotel
102 Carnegie Ctr, Princeton, NJ 08540
609-430-0211

Tuesdays, Swing Dancing in the "Catch a Rising Star" Room at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Princeton, NJ, Dancing 8 to 11, pre-dance lesson at 7, Admission $8.

Note: This event series may have ended. Please call before you go.

/Ballroom/Country/

Hightstown Ballroom

609-448-8450

3200 sq. ft. hardwood dance floor. Country and Western dancing every Wednesday and Saturday night. Doors open at 7pm, free dance lesson 7:30-8:30pm. Admission $7. Snack bar serves non-alcoholic drinks. Line and couples dances. Age groups are mixed.

Directions: Ballroom is located at Exit 8 off NJ Turnpike. Just off Route 33 across from the Ramada Inn and behind Mom's Peppermill restaurant.

/Ballroom/

Imperial Ballroom (Valdi's)
304-306 New York Ave., Union City, NJ 07087
201-867-7878

Patricia Blaine (DancingPat@aol.com) writes: "Wednesday and Saturday evening dances begin at 8:30pm and are preceded by one hour of dance lessons. People in their 50s and 60s will be comfortable here; but Imperial Ballroom also attracts many younger dancers from New York City, since it is near the Lincoln Tunnel. Sometimes there are performances and showcases by students. Coffee and cake is always provided, but on Saturdays there are cold cuts, and for special parties (end of the month), hot food is served".

Wednesday: 8:30-12:30, last hour strictly Latin music. $6
Saturday: 8:30-1:00, prices vary depending on food and performances, usually around $8-$10. Special parties might be $15. 7:30 - 8:30 is a dance lesson.

Directions: Take Routes 1and 9 or N.J. Turnpike to Lincoln Tunnel (495 east) . Before you get to tunnel, get off at the Kennedy Boulevard exit. Go up hill towards Kennedy Blvd.( Toys R Us sign). Make right onto Kennedy Blvd. Proceed 1 mile and make left at 12th St. (Sunoco station). Go to second light (Amoco station) and turn right onto Bergenline Ave. Go all the way to the end of Bergenline (stop sign) and turn left. At the next corner (traffic light), turn left onto New York Ave. Proceed 1 block to Imperial (on the right).
See Map

/Country/

J&C Dance

J&C Dance is a group of Country Dance Instructors and DJ's that run Country Dances in the Central NJ area, currently 7 instructors and 2 DJ's.

They run the country dances at McAteers as a contractor, and also teach at various fund raisers and parties. J&C runs the country dances at McAteers as a contractor. Additionally, they teach at various fund raisers and parties. J&C runs dance lessons three times a year at Ricochet Health Club in South Plainfield. You cant contact J&C at jncdance@jncdance.com.

/Ballroom/

Central Jersey Ballroom Dancers
South Brunswick Upper Elementary School, South brunswick NJ
732-937-5723

Central Jersey (formerly known as Jersey Skylands) is a chapter of the United States Amateur ballroom Dancers Association (USABDA). Membership fees are $15. They are a non-profit organization, supporting their dances by the $8 (per person) admission fees charged at the dances. The dances start at 7:30pm with a half-hour complimentary lesson, and then continues with three hours of DJ music. Light refreshments are available. The dances are open to the public, regardless of membership status. Dances are on the 3rd Saturday of the month, starting 7:30 p.m.

/Ballroom/

John and Ginny's
235 Rochelle Ave, Rochelle Park, NJ 07662
201-473-7229

A social dance hall with a 50x50 sq. ft dance floor. Open social dances on Wednesdays, 7:30-11:00pm, including a dance lesson, admission $6. Saturday Evening dances 8:00-11:30pm, admission $6.50, and Sunday dances 5:30-9:30pm, including a lesson in international style, admission $6.50. Both American and International style of dancing is represented in this studio, although American Style is more prevalent. According to James Harrington, Ginny bakes and brings delicious deserts to the studio dances.

Directions:
From Route 80E: Exit at 62B, through the stop sign for one block to the traffic light (Rochelle Ave.). Make left, and go three blocks to see Knights of Columbus Hall on your left.
From GSP: Exit 159 to 80E and follow directions above.
See Map

/Ballroom/

John and Valerie's
at "Moore Dancin'" , 100 Hibernia Ave., Rockaway NJ 07866
908-548-4021

See the entry for "Moore Dancin'", below.

/Swing/

KatManDu in Trenton
Rte. 29 50 Riverview Executive Park, Mercer County Waterfront Park, Trenton, NJ 08611
609/393-7300

Dancing Thursday, Friday and Saturday

/Swing/

Little Lost Arts
varying locations
973-875-5111

8-week courses in swing, lindy hop, and nightclub two-step. Varying locations in Sussex county. Call for more information

/Country/

McAteers Restaurant
1714 Easton Ave, Somerset, NJ 08873
732-469-2522

Tuesday and Thursday nights 7:30-11:00pm on a 40x40 sq. ft. floor. Dance lessons starting 8:00pm. Admission $5. Music and dance instruction provided by J&C Dance.

Directions: From Route 287 take Easton Ave. (Rt. 527) Exit heading East Toward New Brunswick. Thru 2nd trafffic light McAteers is on Right.

/Country/

Music Box
2080 Route 35, South Amboy, NJ 08879
732-727-1505

Country Line Dancing; open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sat urday. Doors open at 7:30pm, free dance lessons at 8:00pm (most nights). DJ Travis Vincent. Admission varies, $5 on Tuesday thru Friday and $7 on Saturdays. You can email them at musicboxcountrynightclub@yahoo.com

Directions: Take NJ turnpike (I-95) to exit 10. Take 440/287 (towards Staten Island) to exit for Route 9 south. Take route 9 South to route 35 South (9 turns into 35 if you stay in left lane) Once on 35, club is about 1/4 mile down the road on the left

/Swing/

New Jersey Swing
American Legion Dance Hall, 13-23 Legion Place, Whippany, NJ
973-822-SWING

/Ballroom/

The New Jersey Tango Co-op
Paramus Fire Co. # 4, 54 South Farview Avenue, Paramus, NJ
201-825-1570

Argentine Tango classes and social every Thursday night.
Lesson 8pm - $10; Milonga 9pm - $10; Both - $15

/Swing/

The New Palace
12 Maiden Ln, Bound Brook, NJ
732-560-7450

Swing Thursdays 7-11pm, with free dance lessons 8-9pm. $5 cover regular nights, with a live band $8 in advance and $10 at the door. They also have Saturday afternoon Swing dances planned, but it has not been confirmed. For more information contact Crummm2@aol.com.

/Swing/

Next Step Productions
(Correspondence) 64 Princeton Hightstown Road, Suite 225, Princeton NJ 08550, (609) 448-6665
(Classes at) Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, NJ

East and West Coast Swing, up to intermediate level only. Taught by Geralyn Berkery.

/Ballroom/

Nottingham Ballroom
Hamilton Township, NJ
(609) 938-0978 or (609) 890-9834

Latin dance lessons: 6:30-7:30p.m.,
Line dance lessons: 7:30-8:30 p.m.,
Big band dancing: 8:00-11:00 p.m.

/Ballroom/

Old Mill Inn
Old Mill Road, Spring lake Hights
908-449-1800

Dining and dancing to live music, mostly on Saturdays but sometimes also midweeks. Costs in the vicinity of $35-$50 per person. Call for specifics and reservations.

/Country/

Oakley's
4355 U.S. Highway 1, Princeton, NJ
609-452-2044

Country music club. Small dance floor. DJ. Free dance lessons. Open Mon. through Sat.

NOTE: Unfortunately, Oakley's closed on 7/5/97, to reopen later as a plain old restaurant, with no dancing.

/Ballroom/

Paragon Ballroom
291 West Clay Ave., Roselle Park, NJ 07204
Tel: (908) 241-8797

International and American style instruction. The studio is owned by Angelo and Judy Calia, and holds two socials per week: Fridays 8:00pm-12:00am (admission $10)and Sundays 7:00-11:00pm (admission $8). Coffee and light snacks provided.
The people coming to the studio dances are on average in their 40's. The quality of dancing on average is good. The other nice thing about dancing there is that, unlike most other places, patrons seem to like and do American and International style both. The floor is somewhat small. There are a few couples that could really move on Foxtrots and Quicksteps, and that means one may have to sit down some of the dances, unless you have very good floorcraft. Good music. Overall, I really liked this studio, its friendly atmosphere and the quality of dancing, and recommend it highly.

Directions: From New Jersey Turnpike North (95N): Take exit 11 onto Garden State Parkway (GSP), Exit GSP at exit 137. At the traffic light make a left. Two traffic lights later (landmark: Pizza Hut on your left) make another left , then make an immediate right into West Clay Ave. The studio is on the left after about two blocks. The studio doesn't have a parking lot, but I've been told that you can use the Church parking lot about 30 yards away from the studio (but not the adjoining parking lot, belonging to a Deli store).

/Ballroom/

Pennington Dance
13 S. Main, Pennington, NJ 08534
609-737-7596

See Map

/Ballroom/

The Pioneer Club (Roberto's Ballroom)
209 Jefferson Ave, Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604
201-288-8606 or 516-424-5252

Note: Roberto and Loriann, who formerly operated the Pioneer Club, have moved to the Progressive dance studio in Nutley (see below). The former Pioneer Club at Hasbrouck Hights was a 2nd story dance floor (located above a bowling alley) that was rented to Roberto and Loriann. After they moved out in Spring 1997, there has been no organized dance activity at this location (so Pioneer for all practical purposes doesn't exist any more).

Directions: On Route 80, take exit for Route 17 South. Make a right into Franklin Ave. Make another right at the next traffic light into Terrace Ave. Take first left into Jefferson. Pioneer club is a few blocks ahead on the right.
See Map

/Ballroom/

Princeton University Ballroom Club
Princeton University Campus

Student dance club of Princeton University. Active only during the academic year. This is a growing Ballroom club, traditionally devoted to International style dancing, although individual members do have other dance interests. For more information on times and dates, consult club information pages.

The main social activities of the club are the two annual dances: the Fall Ball and the Clover Ball. The latter is held in the Spring semester, and is named in honor of Niel Clover, founding coach and mentor of PBDC, who succumbed to cancer in 1994. These balls are semi-formal events taking place on the very large floor of Dillon Gym on Princeton campus. Everyone is welcome to attend.

/Ballroom/

Progressive Dance Studio
10 Grand Avenue, Englewood, NJ 07631
201-894-1333

Offers classes in Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop, Modern, Theatre Dance, Salsa and Creative Movement from age 4 through teen/adult. Our advanced students perform in our Dance Company and perform in various venues during the year.

/Ballroom/

Ramada Inn
195 Route 18, East Brunswick, NJ 08816
908-828-6900.

Dancing to (mostly) Latin DJ music on Friday and Saturday nights, starting at 10pm. There is a $5 door charge, which will not apply if you go before 9pm. This is a club atmosphere, with a bar and table seating.

/Country/

Rambl'n Country
Deptford Skating Center, Deptford, NJ
609-939-0498
609-845-7353

Country and Western dancing. Wednesdays 7:15-10:30pm, with a dance lesson 7:30-8:00pm, and open dancing afterwards, admission $7. Saturdays 7:15pm-12:30am, with dance lesson 8:00-8:30pm, and open dancing afterwards, admission $10. The dances taught include West Coast Swing, Country Waltz and 2-step, and a variety of other C/W couples and line dances.

Directions: From the South: Take 295 North to Exit 22, Red Bank Avenue. Follow Red Bank Avenue to intersections of Cedar and Deptford Roads.
From the North: Take 295 South to Exit 25A, Delsea Drive. Exit onto Delsea Drive and go to Cedar Avenue (Heritage Dairy Store). Turn right onto Cedar and follow to the intersections of Cedar and Deptford Roads.

/Swing/

Rock'n Chair
Avalon, NJ
609-967-3200

Swing on Sundays. Lesson 8:30-9:30, various bands play 9:30pm-1:30am. No cover charge. Organized by Greg Avakian.

Basic Directions to The Rock n' Chair: Cross the Walt Whitman bridge and follow signs to Rte.42/ the Atlantic City Expressway. Go all the way to the Garden State Parkway and get on it heading south. Take the Garden State Parkway to exit #13. At the end of the ramp, turn left. Go less than 4 miles to Avalon and at the 2nd light in town turn left on to Dune Drive. Go to 24th Street and the Rock N' Chair is there on the right. The trip takes 1.5 Hours from West Philly.

/Ballroom/

Rogers Dancesport Center
604 Valley Rd, Montclair, NJ 07043
973-783-5525
216 Passaic Ave, Fairfield, NJ 07004
973-276-1170

The center in Montclair is the home studio of Gary and Dianna McDonald. Their instructors specialize in international style modern and latin. Most instruction is through private lessons.

The studio in Fairfield is owned and jointly operated by the McDonalds and Fran and Avi Kafri. It has a 8,000 sq. ft. dance floor, and social dancing is offered every Friday and Saturday.

/Ballroom/

Royal Ballroom Dance Studios
6 Edgeboro Plaza, E. Brunswick, NJ 08816, Tel: 908-238-1130
56 Main Ave., Millburn, NJ07078, Tel: 973-467-4770

Formerly was Fred Astaire of East Brunswick. Studios owned by Alex and Tonya Koulik. Lessons in American and International style. Studio parties, with discounts for students.

Starting 2/23/96, this studio will have Friday night practices, 8-10:30pm, for $5, where Alex and Tonya will be there to help participants and answer questions.

Directions: From Route 1: In New Brunswick, take the exit to Route 18 South. Stay in the right lane in Route 18 and follow the sign to Edgeboro Rd. Follow the jug handle the sign leads to, and straight across Route 18 into Edgeboro Rd. The studio is on the left side in Edgeboro Plaza.

See Map

/Ballroom/

Rutgers University Ballroom Club
Rutgers University Campus

Student Dance Club of Rutgers University. Mostly American style, some International. General dance on second Saturday of each month in the College Avenue Gymnasium, open to the public. Cover charge of $5 for students; $10 for others.

Rutgers dances are well-attended. Nice, very large floor. Mostly Standard (smooth) and Latin (Rhythm) ballroom dances. Aside from that, there are a few Merengues and Hustles, also one mixer and two line dances. Young, friendly crowd. Refreshments are provided.

Directions : (From Princeton): Take Route 1 North to Route 18 N. On 18 N, take the *SECOND* George St. exit (the exit after Route 27). At the end of the ramp, make a left at the light onto George St. Go one block and make a right into Seminary place. Go to the end of Seminary Place and make a right onto College Avenue. The Gym is four blocks ahead on the left. Go past the Gym and make the first left into Senior St., then another left onto Sicard St., and turn left again into Lot #30. The entrance to the Gym is off lot #30.

On the way back, once you are on College, make a left at the traffic light (first road after seminary place), and follow signs for NJ Turnpike. It will take you to 18 S, and then to 1 S.

/Ballroom/

Shall We Dance
501 Boulevard, Kenilworth NJ 07033
908-272-4545

Social dancing on Fridays 9pm-12am and Saturdays, 8pm-12am, on a 1700 sq. ft. oak floor. Admission is $10 both nights, refreshments provided. The Friday dance is meant for the American Style social dancer, and the Saturday night dance is geared towards the advanced social dancer and the competitive dancers.

The owner of the studio is Diana Toni. This studio also offers a variety of private and group lessons. Individual lessons are available Monday through Friday 1pm to 10pm. A half-hour complimentary lesson is offered to newcomers. More information about this studio and its dance schedules can be found at their web site.

Directions: Take exit 138 (Kenilworth) from the Garden State Parkway. From GSP North, turn left at light (Boulevard) and go through three traffic lights. From GSP South, turn left at light (Boulevard) and go through four traffic lights. The studio is on the left side over Filippones pharmacy.
See Map

/Ballroom/

Silhouette Dance Club
Freehold, NJ
908-542-5393

Ballroom dance social every Wednesday, 8-11pm, in the Knights of Columbus Hall.

/Country/Swing/

Silver Rose Saloon
1102 Route 130, Deptford, NJ
609-845-1010

Silver Rose is currently closed, but it is rumored that it is to open again.

/Ballroom/

Single Feet II
V.F.W. of Bricktown (Veterans of Foreign War Post)
373 Adamston Road, Bricktown, NJ
(908) 928-2995

Starting Feb. 15, 1996, Social dancing every Thursday night, 7:30-11:30pm. Live music by "The Donny Pesce Orchestra". Admission $6, hot and cold snacks provided. Available parking, door prizes. Owner: Donny Pesce.

Directions: From Garden State Parkway: on GSP S, take exit 91 and follow signs to Bricktown (right fork at exit). Take Route 549 to 528 East, 2-3 miles to Adamston Road. Make a sharp right into Adamston Rd. (roadmark: Al's Auto Care on the right corner). After about two blocks on Adamston, V.F.W. is a big gold building on the right.
If you are coming North on GSP, there is no Exit 91. Take Exit 88 to Route 70 East. Two or three stop lights into Rt. 70, make a right into Route 528 East; 2-3 miles to make a right on Adamston Rd., two blocks on the right is V.F.W. building.

/Ballroom/

Skate Arena
State Hwy No. 70, Lakewood, NJ
908-363-5583

Ballroom dancing every Sunday night, 7-10:30pm. Large dance floor. Admission is $5 and includes a lesson and refreshments.

/Swing?/

Somerset Singles Dance
1251 US Hwy 202/206, Bridgewater, NJ 08807
908-658-3000

``Dancing, music, door prizes, and lots of eligible singles.'' Somerset Singles organizes dances at Bridgewater Manor every Wednesday night, from 8:30pm to midnight. Admission is $7 before 9pm and $10 afterwards.

Note: This is not a serious dancing event and you are not likely to find good dancers there. The music is pop/rock to which one may be able to do swing or Latin. But definitely GO WITH A PARTNER. If you feel adventurous and go there, drop me a line with your impressions at aria@ee.princeton.edu.

Directions: On Route 202 from the South: take Exit 22-A, Bridgewater Manor is one mile on the right. From Route 202 North: take Exit 22 (Bedminster). Make right turn at stop sign and immediate U-turn at jug-handle onto 202/206 South. Bridgewater Manor is 1.5 miles ahead on the right.

See Map

/Ballroom/

South Brunswick Community Ballroom
At S. Brunswick Upper Elementary School (formerly Crossroads School)
625 Georges Rd., Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852
908-297-3510

Open dances on the first and third Saturday of the month. (except for July-September, when the school is closed) Free dance lesson at 8:30pm, open dance 9:00pm-12:00am. Dancing to a large selection of recorded, strict tempo ballroom music. Large hardwood floor (about twice the size of a basketball court). Admission: $6 per person. Refreshments included.

The Community Ballroom is sponsored by the South Brunswick Community School, South Brunswick Board of Education. The Director of the Community Ballroom is Don Wolff.

Directions: From Route 1 North (North of Princeton): make a right to Major Road, go past highschool on left to stop sign, make left on Georges Rd. The Crossroads School is about a quarter of a mile ahead on the left.
From Route 130 North (coming from Jamesburg, Hightstown), on Rt. 130 N, go to the Deans/Dayton left turn sign, make left onto Georges Rd. School is about 2 miles ahead on the left.
See Map

/Ballroom/

Stardust Ballroom
Route 73 & Haddonfield Rd., Pennsauken.
609-667-0497.

/Ballroom/

Stardust Dance Studio
41 Bergenline Ave, Westwood, NJ 07675
201-664-1001

/Ballroom/

Starlight Dance Center
7 E High St., Nutley, NJ 07110
973-235-9835

Formerly the location of Progressive dance studio. Large dance floor. Socials:

Sunday Tea Dance: A fun afternoon of social dancing including Ballroom, Latin, Swing, Hustla, Line Dancing and a free class. These afternoons are hosted by Susan Lee with D.J. Lucas and Jamie and Jenny Peng with D.J. Peter Kok alternating. Refreshments. 1:30-5:30pm
Sunday Social Dancing 50+: An evening of Mixed Ballroom music. Your hosts Winnie and John are teaching a free lesson and serving a snack. 6-10pm
Thursday Singles and Couples 35+: A stimulating blend of Social Ballroom, Latin, Swing, Big Band and Disco music. This is a great night for Singles. Couples of course are welcome! Your Hosts Ann and Mike will make sure you will have a great time. Refreshments. 8-11:30pm
Tuesday Social Dancing for Seniors: A classic combination of all the Ballroom dances. Your host Cathy Niccolini will be serving lunch. 11am-3pm
Friday Dance Party Mix: An exciting, upbeat mix of Swing, Salsa, Tango, Ballroom and Latin music. A great evening for all our new students and "old" ones to practice their moves. Refreshments. 8-12pm
Saturday (some) International Dancesport Night: A well balanced combination of International Style Latin and Standart music. The night is perfect for the serious International Style dancers. Come and practice all your routines. 8-11:30pm

Directions: Take Garden State Parkway North to Exit 150 (right after toll booth). Turn right at light onto Hoover Ave.; follow Hoover to end (1/4 mile, stop sign and blinking light). Turn left onto Bloomfield Ave. Proceed to the 4th light and turn right onto High St. Right before the next light on the right is the studio.
On GSP South take Exit 151 and make a left turn on Watchung Ave. Go to second light and make a left onto Passaic Ave. Make second right onto Coeyman Ave. Take Coeyman to Bloomfiled, make a left on Bloomfield. The first light is High St., make right turn and continue for 1/2 mile. Progressive will be on your right.
See Map

/Ballroom/

Step By Step Dancesport
24 New Bridge Road, Bergenfield NJ 07621-4304
201-384-6400

Dance instructions in classic and popular dance styles including American and Latin. Ballroom socials Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

/Ballroom/

Studio West Dance Club
27 Sunset Strip, Succasunna, NJ 07876
973-927-3588

Group and private lessons on a 72x39 sq. ft. dance floor. Studio owned by Richard Sorger.

/Ballroom/

Touch Dancing Studio
559 Speedwell Ave, Morris Plains, NJ 07950
973-894-2358

This studio opened in November of 1998.

/Swing/

Winners Circle
39 Post Ave., Westbury
516-997-4050

/Ballroom/

Winnie and John's (Italian American Co-op)
Clifton, NJ

Patricia Blaine (DancingPat@aol.com) writes: "Socials every Friday and Sunday evening. The Sunday dance (6:30-11pm) is much better attended than Friday (8-11?). I think they need more women on Fridays. Snacks provided. On Sundays - hot food (hot dogs alternating with cold cuts). A dance lesson is given on Sunday".

/Swing/

Whiskey Bar
125 Washington St, Hoboken, NJ
201-963-3400

Swing dancing on Wednesday nights. Lessons start at 8pm, the band starts around 9:30pm.

/Country/

The Yellow Rose
729-731 South Main Street, Manville, NJ 08835
908-526-4310

Went out of business in 1998.

/Ballroom/

Young Chambers Dance Studio
499 Batchelor Street, Toms River, NJ 08753
908-473-0864

See Map

Other Local Information

• Ballroom Dancers Places to Dance

• Dancing USA - Where to Dance - Where to Learn

• New Jersey Dance Links, New Jersey Dancing & New Jersey Dance Websites

• New Jersey Place to Dance

• New Jersey Studio List

• New York City Dance Connection

• Richard Lipkin's Non-partisan GUIDE TO ARGENTINE TANGO IN NEW YORK CITY

• Tango Central's "Complete" Event Calendar for New York City

How to find the information you need?

If you need more extensive information, then the long list will probably serve you better. This section contains comprehensive information on the times, locations, and prices of dance events. In many cases, directions and maps are also provided.

To facilitate the finding of specific dance venues, dance types are grouped into the following classes:

• /Ballroom/ American & International style Smooth and Latin, Argentine Tango
• /Country/ Country & Western
• /Latin/ Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia
• /Swing/ East and West Coast Swing, Lindy, Jitterbug, Hustle

If you feel that the information you need is not represented here, please read the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) before contacting me.

About this page:

Thanks are due to Patricia Blaine, Catherine Peters, Jay Lefever, Kishor Ganguly, Donald Chappa, Tom Lozic, Nick Flagello, James Harrington, Paul Ciolek, Jishnu Mukerji, Dianne and Michael Gonzalez, Don Wolff, Eileen Sisk, Paul O'Donnell, Joann Markwardt, Jennifer Wertalik, Rick Schelberg, Phil Buonomo, Warren Ulaner, Jennifer Kirkwood, Gina Magnotti, Eric Angel, Pamela Licht, Maria Kolatis, Patricia Paulman, Joan Lazar for contributing information on places to dance in New Jersey.

The material in this page constitutes no express or implied endorsements.

Back to Aria's Dance Page

These pages have been accessed times since 2/1/96

Copyright (c) Aria Nosratinia 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999