• dancers

    DANCING AT GLEN ECHO PARK


    Celebrating 90 Years of the Historic Spanish Ballroom!

    Dance Into the Future with Us!

    Glen Echo Park has three wonderful dance venues that host our weekly social dances: the Spanish Ballroom, Bumper Car Pavilion, and Ballroom Back Room. The historic Spanish Ballroom proudly celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2023!

    Our fun and affordable social dances are open to the public with no prior experience and no partner required. New dancers are always welcome, and a pre-dance, introductory lesson is included with admission. Most dances feature live music by renowned local and national bands.

    Dances take place year-round and occur regularly on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Frequently, two or three different dances are presented at the same time, one in each dance hall, offering greater variety to the public. (View the Dance Calendar below!)

    Our current dances are in the styles of:

    Blues |  Contra & Square | Swing  |  Folk  |  Waltz  |  Tango & Milonga  |  Ballroom  |  Zouk  |  Barn Dances  |  Balboa  |  Other Latin Dances

     

    View Dance Calendar     2024 New Dance Styles
     


    The Partnership Presents: DanceFit for Body & Mind

    Join us for a brand new dance series designed to keep your body moving and your spirits up! Beginning in April and running through June, join us each Saturday from 11:00am - noon for one of four dynamic dance classes.

    $15/class | Cash, Check, or Credit Card Accepted at the Door | Adults Ages 18+

    First Saturdays: Shake Your Soul with Katy Baytosh
    Experience the JOY of dance through Shake Your Soul! Shake Your Soul is a dynamic movement practice that energizes your body, relaxes your nervous system, and awakens your soul through a dance repertoire set to world music. Fun, freeing, meditative, graceful, and sweaty, the class invites you to dance from within and with others in community. Absolutely no dance experience is needed to experience this body mind connection. This class is appropriate for all levels and welcomes all movers and music lovers.

    April 6th | Hall of Mirrors
    May 4 | Spanish Ballroom
    June 1 | Hall of Mirrors


    Second Saturdays: RetroFit with Emily Crews
    Boogie down and sweat it out to groovy tunes of the 70s and 80s in “RetroFit” class! Emily will lead you through a warm-up, easy aerobic dance phrases, stretching and a cool down, all to the feel-good retro music you love! No experience necessary, all folks welcome.

    April 13 | Hall of Mirrors
    May 11 | Hall of Mirrors
    June 8 | Hall of Mirrors


    Third Saturdays: JourneyDance with Karen Tasto
    Get Out of Your Head & into Your Body!
    JourneyDance™ is a transformational dance form that combines freestyle and structured movement to inspire you to get out of your mind and into your body. It’s not about learning steps but rather moving intuitively to ground, express, release and heal. All bodies welcome!

    April 20 | Ballroom Backroom
    May 18 | Hall of Mirrors
    June 15 | Hall of Mirrors


    Fourth Saturdays: Soul Line Dancing AKA “The Line Dance Addicts” with Paula Allen
    The Line Dance Addicts' Class is an urban group of adults who enjoy learning dance steps and routines choreographed by a myriad of people from all over the United States. The Line Dance Addicts began thirteen years ago at Turkey Thicket Recreation Center in NE, DC by a courageous, determined Paula L. Allen who filled in for an absent Aerobics Instructor. A shared joy for line dancing grew the initially small group into a dedicated 40+ participants, and the program is going strong to this day.

    April 27 | Hall of Mirrors | Special FREE All-Ages Class | 1:30pm - 2:00pm
    May 25 | Ballroom Backroom
    June 22 | Hall of Mirrors


    The Partnership Presents: Bumper Car Squares

    Introducing Bumper Car Squares! The Glen Echo Park Partnership brings you a special series of square dances in the Bumper Car Pavilion.

    Haven’t ever square danced or maybe the last time was in elementary school? YOU can do this! Come at 7:00pm (sharp) for an introductory session and we’ll have you do-si-do-ing and swinging your partner in no time flat.

    NO partner, special attire, or prior experience necessary. The Bumper Car Pavilion has a wonderful wooden floor and overhead radiant heaters will keep you toasty warm throughout the winter months.

    Bumper car mural with text reading "Bumper Car Squares" and "Come dance with us!"

    Admission: $15-adults, $5-teens, 12 and under FREE! Cash, check, or credit card at the door.

    Save these dates for amazing square dancing!
    June 1, 2024
    July 6, 2024
    September 14th, 2024
    November 2, 2024
    December 7, 2024


    While we weren't able to be together in the Park during the height of the pandemic, we enjoyed bringing you some of your favorite dance bands who performed for our Live from the Spanish Ballroom virtual music series. The performances are on Youtube, so have fun watching and dancing along! 

    Learn More & Watch on YouTube


    Watch this short video and learn about the history of the Spanish Ballroom!

     

    To learn more about the Spanish Ballroom and the history of the Park, click here >>