We somehow missed this year’s inaugural Tango at Twilight on May 15, but that doesn’t mean we missed all the fun. There are still plenty more evening dancing dates in Centennial Park to sate our desire for a good sweaty outdoor dancing romp with strangers! 

Tango at Twilight works like this: From 8-8:30pm, there’s a short tango lesson to learn the basics of the Argentinean tango. Then, take your newfound tango skillz to the big time, because from 8:30-10pm is the actual Dance Social. It’s free, all ages and skill levels are welcome, and it’s really just a big party in the park on Tango at Twilight nights. 

The second Tango at Twilight is tomorrow night at the Centennial Park event shelter, with dates every other Friday from there (5/29, 6/12, 6/26, 7/10, 7/24, 8/14, 8/28).

The summer’s other outdoor dance events are Big Band Dances, and they work pretty much the same way as Tango at Twilight. Short dance lessons are from 7:30-8pm and from 8:30-8:50pm on Big Band Dance nights, with open dancing from 7:30-10pm. They’re held every Saturday beginning June 6 in the Centennial Park event shelter, and have become a great community event every year. Big Band Dances cover a broad variety of dance styles, are also free, and families are welcomed. This year’s schedule is:

June 6:  The Moonlighters Big Band (Rumba)
June 13:  Bill Sleeter Band  (Rumba)
June 20: Radio Daze Big Band (Swing)
June 27: Music City Swing (Swing)
July 11: Stardust (ChaCha)
July 18: The Moonlighters Big Band (ChaCha)
July 25: Merchants of Cool (Foxtrot)
August 1: The Usual Suspects (Foxtrot)
August 8: Radio Daze Big Band (Tango)
August 15: Debbie Bailes Band (Tango)
August 22: Music City Swing (Waltz)
August 29: The Moonlighters Big Band (Waltz)

Photo by Jon Erickson.