Dancing in the square
* This article was published 10 years ago
Southbank locals and visitors have now got the chance to get their groove on every Friday night after the City of Melbourne introduced First Friday Dance Club.
The first Friday in May saw dancers Marybeth and Chris from Swing Patrol conduct a swing-dancing class for the gathered dancers of all abilities. The upcoming months will see a diverse range of classes including Bollywood, ballroom, disco and Ukrainian folk dancing already booked in. The classes run for an hour, but the fun doesn’t stop there, because at the conclusion of the class, dancers are invited to have a free dance, ensuring the party continues long into the evening. Lord Mayor Robert Doyle encouraged everyone to come down for a boogie, saying the idea was born out of Chinese cities and towns, which have similar public dances. “This is a fun and creative way to activate the city and encourage a sense of community. The classes are for everyone. You don’t need to have any dance experience and they are free,” Cr Doyle said. •