The Ten Best Dance Parties in Denver — 2016 Edition

As the air turns crisp and rollerblades are tucked in the closet, many of us are turning our attention to indoor activities that can still get the blood pumping. Spin class works the legs, bouldering works the arms, but dance — dance works the soul, baby. Whether you’re into flailing, krumping, or some good old Memphis jookin’, one of these ten dance parties should suit you just fine.

1. 2-4-1 Thursdays at Charlie’s
900 East Colfax Avenue, 303-839-8890
Thursdays from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Nestled between the Fillmore Auditorium and the Ogden Theatre, Charlie’s is the no-brainer dance destination for your post-concert waywardness, and 2-4-1 Thursdays deliver two dance floors for the price of one. Clearly drawing inspiration from the classic '80s rom-com Rhinestone, this dance party pairs country-Western jams with Top 40 hits for a wild night of musical whiplash and competing dance styles.

2. Live Salsa Night Saturdays at La Rumba
99 West 9th Avenue, 303-572-8006
Saturdays from 9 p.m to 2 a.m.

There’s a life-affirming potency to salsa that just isn’t found in many other dance forms, and La Rumba’s Live Salsa Nights honor the style by inviting salsa bands to play live for party-goers. There are a few guidelines: No sandals. No baseball caps. No bandannas. But if you can abide by the house rules, La Rumba will have you stepping and shimmying until the wee hours.

3. Circuit Saturday at Tracks 
Exdo Event Center, 3500 Walnut Street, 303-863-7326
First Saturdays from 9 p.m to 2 a.m.

Stationed across the street from a section of the Union Pacific Railroad, the aptly named Tracks has been a staple of Denver’s LGBT nightclub scene since the early '90s. Their Circuit Saturday dance marathon pumps even more energy into the longstanding party spot by drawing top-level talent, such as DJ Dan De Leon, Morabito and DJ Dani Toro, from the local, national and international DJ circuit. Unlike most of the parties listed here, this one is only held on the first Saturday of the month, so mark your calendars.

4. Future Thursdays at Beta Nightclub
1909 Blake Street, 303-383-1909
Thursdays from 9 p.m to 2 a.m.

Lauded for its phenomenal sound system and impressive DJ lineup, Beta Nightclub is Denver’s go-to venue for EDM and tribal house. And while the club is open Thursday through Sunday, Future Thursdays come out on top in terms of sheer dance-floor intensity. Past artists have included Deadmau5, Afrojack and Skrillex, who may have disrupted nearby seismographs with their pounding frequencies.

5. Underground Thursdays at Milk
1037 North Broadway, 303-832-8628
Thursdays from 9 p.m to 2 a.m.

Any club that can only be accessed via alleyway is a club worth checking out. Once inside Milk, you’ll have your pick of two dance rooms: Drum & Bass, Jungle and Breaks, and pure Techno. The setup is exclusive to Underground Thursdays, and the dual dance floors keep everyone moving. If you’re more of the stand-in-the-back-and-watch type of club-goer, you might want to head somewhere else. Like Lipgloss.

Read on for five more of Denver's best dance nights.
6. Lipgloss at Bar Standard and Pearl's
Bar Standard, 1037 Broadway, 720-416-6209
Pearl's, 608 E 13th Ave, 303-860-4516
9 p.m. to 2 a.m. every 1st Friday at Bar Standard and every 3rd Friday at Pearl's 

If Milk ain’t your scene, boogie on over to Lipgloss, which describes itself as “a dance party for people who usually don’t like clubs.” Taking place every 1st Friday at South Broadway’s EDM-focused Bar Standard, and every 3rd Friday at relative newcomer Pearl's, Lipgloss reserves its two nights of the month to play indie, rock and soul, and has hosted such artists as the Faint, Le Tigre and Daniel Ash. The atmosphere is still jumpin’, but all energy levels are welcome.

7. Sin Sundays at The Church
1160 Lincoln Street, 303-832-3528
Sundays from 9 p.m to 2 a.m.

Touted as “Denver’s longest-running goth night,” Sin Sundays at the Church are less mass and more Massive Attack. Less 10 Commandments and more 10,000 Maniacs. Less Jesus and Mary and more…you get it. The place has the body of a church and the mind of a cybergoth raver, okay? So if you’re keen to dance on hallowed ground, pop on down to the Church and let the holy spirit take over. 

8. Fiesta Fridays at Club Vinyl
1082 Broadway, 303 506-8078
Fridays from 9 p.m to 2 a.m.

Perfectly positioned between Milk Bar to the west and the Church to the east, Club Vinyl is the epicenter of Capitol Hill’s dance community, and on Fiesta Fridays, all four of the club’s dance floors open up, including the rooftop, to maximize head count and ratchet up the energy. Enjoy everything from Top 40 and techno to bachata and salsa while navigating multiple floors of utter insanity.

9. The Solution at the Meadowlark
2701 Larimer Street, 303-293-0251
Fridays from 9 p.m to 2 a.m.

What problem is the Solution trying to solve? Perhaps Denver’s deficit of quality hip-hop nights, or its shortage of vaguely ominous dance-party names. Still, the Solution, which is led by some of Denver’s best hip-hop DJs, raises the Meadowlark’s temperature and doesn’t let up. Taking place every Friday, the weekly hip-hop party is a nice counterpoint to Meadowlark’s standard fare of open mics and movie nights.

10. Motown Thursdays at Pearl’s
608 East 13th Avenue, 303-860-4516
Thursdays from 9 p.m. to 1:45 a.m.

Motown Thursdays used to be a Beauty Bar staple, but since the bar’s closure, Pearl’s has taken up the mantle. Conducted by resident DJs Maladjusted and Caramello, the newly renovated dance hall spins Motown, soul and funk all night. And if you’re lucky, the 13th Avenue bar might offer up free chicken and waffles with any purchase of a drink. It’s happened before, so bring a wet wipe.

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