There’s just something about summer that makes you want to go out and dance. Never mind the soaring temperatures — if there’s a good beat and chill people, you’re ready to sweat.
“People come out to parties to have a great time and dance, and we’re just so grateful to them,” said Nutritious, a DJ who hosts the weekly Wednesday night Brooklyn Shakedown at Bembe in Williamsburg. “They bring a lot of great energy and excitement.”
With that spirit in mind, we present some of the best dance parties in Brooklyn — from outdoor, canal-side grooves to rooftop, firework-lit jams to your go-to Saturday night staple. The only thing missing is your dancing shoes.
Great outdoors
Who would have thought a dance party along the toxic Gowanus Canal could be fun? The DJs behind Mister Saturday Night make it so, as DJs Eamon Harkin and Justin Carter present an outdoor version, Mister Sunday, to a yard on Carroll Street — formerly known as Bklyn Yard. This laid-back afternoon party has some hula hoops to help get your hips shaking, a sparkling disco ball and house tunes. Babies are welcome, as well as dogs, as long as they’re leashed. When you need a break, take a seat and enjoy food from Country Boys and Mile End. There’s also beer and sangria if you’re thirsty, which you surely will be.
Gowanus Grove (400 Carroll St. between Bond and Nevins streets in Gowanus, no phone), Sundays from 3 to 8 pm. $10 before 5 pm with RSVP to mister@mistersaturdaynight.com, $12 otherwise. For info, visit mistersaturdaynight.com.
Daytime dance party
In the spirit of the daytime dance party comes Body and Soul. Founded at Vinyl in Tribeca in 1996 and now found at Webster Hall, the party comes to Brooklyn for the first time on July 17 at Industry City in Sunset Park, celebrating 15 years of unpretentious good times, thanks to its DJs, Danny Krivit, Francois-K and Joaquin “Joe” Claussell.
“We wanted to do something a little different than the normal, big club in Manhattan kind of thing,” said party founder John Davis. “So I decided to do something in a Brooklyn warehouse.”
Indeed, Davis will take over Industry City with lights, decorations and its trademark mix of music, which usually hits on techno, soul, house, disco, and tribal.
“The party is all about dance,” said Davis. “It’s just a hardcore dance crowd.”
Body and Soul at Industry City [220 36th St. near Second Avenue in Sunset Park, (855) 273-2837], July 17 from 4 pm to late. Tickets $30 $20 in advance. For info, visit www.bodyandsoul-nyc.com.
Party with a view
Cha Cha’s, Coney Island’s home of “wild women and wise guys,” takes advantage of its outdoor space this summer with its Friday night rooftop parties. Once the sun goes down, you can dance above the Boardwalk thanks to the club’s resident DJ, and get a sweet view of the Wonder Wheel’s weekly Friday night fireworks.
“We got the bird’s eye view,” said owner John “Cha Cha” Ciarcia, who can be found up on the roof singing and dancing each Friday. “It’s a great place, with great people for a great time.”
Rooftop dance party at Cha Cha’s [1229 Riegelmann Boardwalk near Stillwell Avenue in Coney Island, (718) 946-1305], Fridays from 8 pm to midnight now until Labor Day weekend. $15. For info, visit www.chachasofconeyisland.com.
Brooklyn institution
The Bunker isn’t the most regular event – after eight years of floating from dance floor to dance floor in the city, you can find it on select Fridays at Public Assembly in Williamsburg. And when it does go down, this techno party for people who love to dance is not to be missed. So mark your calendars: it’s next up on July 22.
The Bunker at Public Assembly [70 N. Sixth St. between Wythe and Kent avenues in Williamsburg, (718) 384-4586], July 22 at 10 pm. Tickets $30 in advance only. For info, visit beyondbooking.com/thebunker.
Saturday night staple
For a regular party you can count on, these venues and parties get down on Saturday nights:
Franklin Park [618 St. Johns Pl. near Franklin Avenue in Crown Heights, (718) 975-0196)], Saturdays at 10 pm, free. For info, visit www.franklinparkbrooklyn.com.
First Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum [200 Eastern Pkwy. at Washington Avenue in Prospect Heights, (718) 638-5000], first Saturday of the month, next up on Aug. 6 at 5 pm. Free. For info, visit www.brooklynmuseum.org.
Mister Saturday Night at 12-turn-13 [172 Classon Ave. between Park and Myrtle avenues in Clinton Hill], July 23. Time and cost TBA. For info, visit mistersaturdaynight.com.
The Rub at Southpaw [125 Fifth Ave. at Sterling Place in Park Slope, (718) 230-0236], first Saturday of the month, next up on Aug. 6. Time and cost TBA. For info, visit www.itstherub.com.
Weekday party
Every Wednesday, you can shake it at the Brooklyn Shakedown, a house party at Williamsburg’s Bembe that goes into the wee hours of the morning. Hostess Zoe Wilder and DJ Nutritious started the party in February as a place for a sexy, funky, down-to-earth time.
“The crowd is always amazing,” said Nutritious. “People come to have a good time, dance and enjoy Bembe’s really awesome drinks. Wednesday night is a good night for a house party.”
Even if it’s a school night.
Brooklyn Shakedown at Bembe [81 S. Sixth Street at Berry Street in Williamsburg, (718) 387-5389], Wednesdays at 10 pm. Free. For info, visit www.bembe.us.
Sheer spectacle
Sometimes you just want to do it up big, and you can always count on party people Gemini and Scorpio to go all out for you.
Case in point: At the promoter’s next shindig, on July 16, it turns Fort Greene’s Irondale Arts Center into its own “Lost Circus,” where circus meets dark cabaret, with its trademark steampunk twist.
When you’re not dancing, take in aerialists, circus sideshow, and shadow puppets, and play the Anywhere Organ, a mobile, midi-controlled pipe organ. And you better come looking your best: there’ll be on-the-spot ink portraits by Barnaby Ruhe, body art by Painteresse Elysabeth, a vintage portrait studio by Steve Rosen, photo-op custom art installation with work by Molly Crabapple.
Gemini and Scorpio’s “The Lost Circus” at Irondale Performing Arts Center [85 S. Oxford St. at Lafayette Avenue in Fort Greene. (718) 488-9233], July 16 at 7 pm. Tickets $40 to $200, $20 after 9:30 pm, $10 after 2 am. For info, visit www.geminiandscorpio.com.
