With all due respect to bobbing your head with your arms folded at an indie rock show...
Sometimes you want to actually dance to the music. After all, sometimes the best way to experience music is to move your body and get involved with it. Because Austin is the kinda town that lives for this kind of thing, there are a ton of places in town that cater to it. On any given night of the week, you can find a place to cut a damn rug. Here are our picks for Where to Go Dancing in Austin.
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photo via instagram
308 E 6th St
When you get to Latchkey on a Friday or Saturday night you can expect to wait in line for a bit, but once you enter, be ready to party. With dancing and music both inside and on the back patio, you can hop in and out of the AC and see which vibe you're more into. Whichever adventure you choose, your night will most likely end with you dancing on top of one of their picnic tables.
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photo via instagram
708 E 6th St
Mala Vida, owned by Gabriela Bucio (owner of Gabriela's), is known as Austin's top Latin club. With plenty of room to dance, DJs, live performances, theme nights, drink specials, and more, this is one of the best spots for a true dance club experience in Austin. Be sure to also go down 6th to their sister club, Mala Fama Rooftop, for some more dancing.
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615 Red River St
Undoubtedly the most consistently bumpin' club on Red River, Barbarella is where folks go when they want to properly dance their asses off. Home to both the famous TuesGayz AND Jimmy Eat Wednesday, Barbarella isn't just a beloved venue; it's a pillar of the dance community. Be sure to also check out Swan Dive nextdoor, and the back patio that connects the two. On most nights, one cover gets you access to all three areas.
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photo via instagram
610 Nueces St
If you get the urge to dance like you're on spring break in Miami, head on over to Cat's Pajamas off of West 6th. This tropical rooftop bar has just about everything you need for a fun night out: swinging bar seats, jet skis for photo ops, frozen drinks, and a DJ playing all your favorite songs.
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Photo via Instagram
310B Colorado St
Whenever you're in the mood to dance and don't know where to go, get an uber right to Coconut Club and you won't be disappointed. They have nightly DJs on their rooftop patio and indoor laser pit, perfect for dancing. True to the best dance clubs around the world, they're open late, have plenty of space to dance, and the drinks are strong enough to keep you groovin'.
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900 Red River St
Cheer Up Charlies is a beloved, everybody-is-welcome space that has been tearing up the dance floor lately, with a host of awesome queer DJs, drag queens, theme nights, and so much more. Make sure you check out what events they have going on so you don't miss out.
1315 S Congress Ave
A list of places to get down in Austin wouldn't feel right unless we included the granddaddy of them all, The Continental Club. You won't hear EDM blasting from this South Congress classic, though. Instead, Continental Club has patrons 2-stepping and groovin' to the sounds of rock, country, blues and more classic genres every week.
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217 W 4th St
You know that one Lorde song where she mentions a light-up dance floor? Well, she might have been talking about RAIN, because they've got one. This legendary gay bar's always hoppin' with pop hits. Visit RAIN and you will dance until you're sweaty - and then keep right on groovin', because it's impossible to stand still on a light-up dance floor.
photo credit: conde nast traveler
3201 S Lamar Blvd
Considered the “Best Honky-Tonk in Texas” and serving what they say is the state’s best chicken fried steak, there’s no better way to learn to 2-step and enjoy traditional country music than by hitting the dance floor at this historic venue. Broken Spoke is the ideal place to indulge your inner-Texan by learning from the best.
500 Comal St
A honky tonk in every sense of the term, The White Horse is another great place (the other being the aforementioned Broken Spoke) to learn you some country dancin'. And yes, they get pretty damn rowdy here. If you think country folk don't like to get down just as much as anyone else, visit The White Horse on a Saturday night. They give any techno club a run for their money.
705 Red River St
A dance club with a distinctly goth bent, Elysium has been a source for alternative dance entertainment since opening its hallowed doors in 2001. You can find all manner of danceable yet dark programming booked here. If the darker side of dancing is what appeals to you, we'd recommend you don your blackest set of clothes and most comfortable shoes because Elysium goes hard.
MORE GREAT PLACES TO DANCE IN AUSTIN:
501 W 6th St
505 E 7th St
318 Colorado St
2115 Allred Dr
8509 Burleson Rd
211 W 4th St
419 E 6th St
5500 S Congress Ave
206 Trinity St
1500 E 6th St
Did you miss your place to dance in Austin?
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