Bachata, tango, and salsa the summer away with outdoor dance nights

A long-running series of outdoor dance events is returning this summer to help Vancouverites move their feet during the warm nights.

Dance in Transit is a series of free and paid dance events happening in open-air locations around the city in July and August.

Dancers of all skill levels are invited to salsa, bachata, tango and merengue to live DJs and take part in the interactive classes.

According to founder Patricia Hardin, Dance In Transit can help make Vancouver a kinder, friendlier place.

“Our dance nights can expand networks and build interpersonal connections,” said Hardin in an interview with Daily Hive. “Dance In Transit can also promote healthy, safe activities. If people just want to watch and listen to music at first, that’s okay. We encourage participation, but we don’t insist on it.

“Dancing is for everyone. It doesn’t matter about your age or ability, gender or orientation. Moving to music is a joyful experience that can change lives.”

Dance In Transit is hosting free classes and open dances at šxʷƛ̓exən Xwtl’a7shn (formerly known as the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza) from 6:30 to 9:30 pm on select Friday nights in July and August.

Outdoor dance events will also be held at Robson Square from 8 to 11 pm on select Saturday nights in July and August, and at Ocean Arts on Granville Island from 9 pm to 1 am on Friday evenings.

Participation in the Robson Square and Ocean Arts events will be $10, which will go towards venue costs, equipment rental, and DJ and teacher fees.

All events will be held rain or shine and will begin with a class showcasing a different dance for the attendees to learn.

“Once you start dancing, you want to get good at it and that requires effort. So this is only the beginning,” explained Hardin. “I want to take away the hesitancy we naturally have about trying new things and fear about looking incompetent.

“People at Dance In Transit can see that nobody else is interested in them. They’re busy trying to control their own bodies. So they can relax and smile and laugh knowing that they don’t have to become an instant expert.”

Dance in Transit