When you’re in the mood for dance—moving your own feet, not watching someone else’s—St. Louis offers a plethora of options, whether you’re into jumpstyle or the Lindy Hop
By Rob Levy
Photograph by Jennifer Hengst
This month, you can catch The Nutcracker in seven or eight incarnations if you try hard enough. But if you’re seeking to experience “dance” as a verb, rather than a noun, there’s a lot out there, including proper dance halls, modern clubs that are more like temples of lights, blips, beeps and dry ice, and spiffy lounges with full amenities. From dark caverns of bass and boogie, dance halls steeped in tradition and nostalgia to chic lounges that offer amps, adrenaline and appetizers, here are some of the venues in the city and its environs for those looking to work their fancy footwork.
Casa Loma Ballroom
3354 Iowa, 314-664-8000
It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing. That’s how it’s been for 80 years at the city’s longest-running night of live big band and swing music. Bob Seger would opine for the live old-time rock ’n’ roll offered on most Saturday evenings. The Casa Loma also books special Mexican dances and Latin bands on select Saturdays.
Club Viva
408 N. Euclid, 314-361-0322
If you prefer salsa, mambo or merengue to the slide, hustle or bump, then this is the place for you. (You can take dance lessons here, too.) St. Louis’ first Latin club caters to a more cosmopolitan crowd than regular clubs, with musical styles ranging from reggae on Wednesdays to Latin music on Thursdays and Saturdays. International Fridays feature Arabic, Indian, Caribbean, African and other global styles, plus special events. Club Viva’s sister club, La Onda (4920 Northrup, 314-772-0877), features Mexican bands during the week and DJs on the weekends.
The Complex
3515 Chouteau, 314-772-2645
Despite being St. Louis’ premier gay nightclub, The Complex has a groove for everyone looking to shake it to the newest in contemporary dance music from Tuesday through Sunday. Drag nights are on Tuesdays and Sundays.
Dante’s Nightclub
3221 Olive, 314-652-2369
Housed near the booming Grand Center, Dante’s has built a legion of devotees by featuring up-and-coming local DJs alongside international DJs like Josh Wink and Blank & Jones, amplifying them all through a terrific sound system. It features an inferno of impressive, cutting-edge house and techno on the weekends and sprinkles in some salsa on Fridays.
KYO
1405 Washington, 314-621-9946
The beat goes on for Washington Avenue’s loft district thanks to KYO, a posh lounge with swanky furniture offset by minimal blue lighting. Don’t let the prettiness lull you into a false sense of serenity; this is a loud joint with plenty of hard house and wickedly hot, sweaty beats.
Oz Nightclub
300 Monsanto, Sauget, Ill., 618-274-1464
The Oz boasts the most comfortable dance floor around, stunning light shows and a dizzying array of club music, house, techno and hip-hop. Navigating around the throngs of rumpshakers can be challenging on the weekends, but those looking for a break can check out the beer garden or chill in the posh Emerald City VIP Room.
Upstairs Lounge
3131 S. Grand, 314-773-3388
So you want to go clubbing but don’t want to deal with hipsters, guest lists, expensive drinks and huge cover charges? Come here. Boasting an unflinching seven-night arsenal of themed nights that live up to the club’s boast of being “above the scene,” the Upstairs Lounge is a sophisticated sonic smorgasbord with plenty of indie attitude. Each night local DJs serve up themed music nights, including soul, Goth, Brit-pop, hip-hop, house and techno.
XES
612 N. Second, 314-588-1010
Located beneath the Drunken Fish on the Landing, this exclusive ultra lounge personifies excess and splendor in a classy environment. DJs pump out Latin salsa on Thursdays and house, hip-hop and contemporary jams on the weekends. Amidst the dimly lit orangish interior lie a killer sound system and a dance floor consistently full of frenzied booty shakers.
