Not displaying correctly? View in your browser.

Hi Friends!


Welcome to our July Social Dance Newsletter! It's time for some summer fun with our July lineup of social dances. From salsa to swing, bachata to blues there's a dance style for you at the Park!


New dance class alert! Introduction to Contra Dance with Penelope Weinberger is a Partnership-presented class that gets you up to speed on all things contra! Build confidence in your contra dancing skills, learn basic moves, etiquette, and how to navigate a dance floor with ease. It's said Contra is one of the easiest forms to learn, and while that's true, this class is for folks who would like a little more intro before a foray out into the Friday night dance with 200 plus attendees. So if you don't know an Allemand from a do si do, this class will be perfect for you. Drop-in to any or all of our Wednesday evening classes, or grab the Full Class Series (6 Classes) ticket for a discounted rate!


Monthly Partnership-presented Latin Dances are where the party's at! In July, we're looking forward to a weekend of dance celebration with a Friday evening Back Room Salsa Night followed by a Saturday night Bachata y más. Whether you're a Latin Dance pro or taking your first steps, our vibrant, growing community will welcome you with open arms (and smooth moves).


Of course, our amazing dance presenters are the key to making dance come alive at the Park, so we would be remiss not to mention other fabulous monthly and twice-monthly dances, like Zouk, Balboa, Ballroom, Waltz, and Swing. Plus, the weekly dances that really keep your toes tapping all month long, like Contra, Folk, Blues, and Tango! 


And don't forget, for over a decade, our FREE Thursday concerts have brought Glen Echo Park to life on summer evenings—with live music and plenty of room to dance! 

Read on to see more Social Dances at the Park this month, including swing, blues, waltz, folk, contra, and lots more! Keep an eye on our Social Dances page to stay up to date with future dances! We can't wait to see you at the Park soon, and as always, we appreciate your support.


Keep on Dancin',

Emily Crews

Dance and Events Program Director



Introduction to Contra Dance

Wednesdays at 7pm

July 9 - August 13

Build confidence in your contra dancing skills, learn basic moves, etiquette, and how to navigate a dance floor with ease. Instructor Penelope Weinberger will lead you through the basics and get you ready for the dance floor! No partner needed! Ages 10 and up.

FEATURED DANCES + DANCE PERFORMANCE

Bachata y más (Bachata & more)

July 19 | 7:30pm - midnight | Ballroom Back Room


Come experience the magic of Bachata and discover why it's the dance that's sweeping the world. Bachata, a playful Latin dance originating from the Dominican Republic, is known for its hip movements, footwork, and close partner interaction.


Beer, wine, soft drinks "y más" available onsite at Praline cafe.

Purchase Tickets >>

Back Room Salsa Nights

July 18 | 7:30pm - 11:00pm | Ballroom Back Room


Join us for a sizzling hot night of Salsa in the air-conditioned Ballroom Back Room! We'll start at 7:30pm with a one-hour beginner lesson (free with the price of admission) followed by dancing with a DJ from 8:30-11pm. No need to bring a partner. All levels welcome, ages 18+! Save the date: Back Room Salsa Nights are always on the third Friday of the month!

Purchase Tickets >>

Crossing Boundaries: Dances of Transition with Human Landscape Dance

Performances on July 25 & July 26:

July 25 | 8:00pm | Ballroom Back Room

July 26 | 2:00pm & 7:30pm | Ballroom Back Room


Join Human Landscape Dance for a contemporary dance showcase featuring work by Sylvana Christopher/Sylvidances, Stacey Yvonne Claytor/Clay Co, Kyoko Fujimoto, Keira Hart/Uprooted Dance, and Malcolm Shute/Human Landscape Dance. The dances are united by a theme of transformation.

Purchase Tickets >>

Honky Tonk Dance with Arty Hill and the Long Gone Daddys

August 15 | 7:30pm - 10:30pm | Bumper Car Pavilion


Two-step the night away with Arty Hill & the Long Gone Daddys in our wonderful open-air covered Bumper Car Pavilion! From Baltimore, Md to Central Texas, Arty Hill packs the bars and dance floors with his unique brand of modern Honky Tonk. His songs marry wry storytelling with the soul of classic country. We'll start off the evening with a beginner lesson (free with the price of admission) with Sharon Schiliro and Michael Hart of Dancing by the Bayou, followed by dancing with the band. Plus, we're including a FREE cold treat to beat the heat!

Purchase Tickets >>

Swing Dance with Halley Shoenberg and Her Swingin’ Cats 

August 23 | 8:00pm - 11:30pm | Spanish Balllroom


Join us for a Swing Dance in the Historic Spanish Ballroom! Halley Shoenberg and Her Swingin’ Cats will swing the night away with hits from Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sintatra and more, featuring Christiana Drapkin on vocals. Instrumentalists include Halley Shoenberg (clarinet/saxophone), Doug Elliott (trombone), Harry Appleman (piano), Cyndy Elliott (bass) and Francis Thompson (drums).

A beginner lesson (free with the price of admission) will be taught by Ellen Engle & Marc Shepanek of Flying Feet Enterprises. Plus, we're including a FREE cold treat to beat the heat!

Purchase Tickets >>

Summer Concerts

June 12 – August 21, 2025

Thursdays at 7:30pm



A FREE Summer Concert Series presenting local musicians who represent a diverse range of styles, influences, and cultures.

ALL CONCERTS ARE FREE

DANCERS ARE WELCOME

RAIN OR SHINE

Social Dance Classes


Have you ever wanted to attend one of our social dances but don’t feel comfortable enough with the style? Or are you looking to hone your skills and show off to the crowd? While our dances are beginner-friendly, we are proud to offer dance classes in a variety of styles at various levels.

JULY DANCES AT-A-GLANCE

Wednesday

July 2

Thursday

July 3

Friday

July 4

Saturday

July 5

Sunday

July 6

International Folk Dance*

with

Dancing Planet

Blues Dance*

with

Capital Blues

NO DANCE

Independence Day

NO DANCE

Tango/

Milonga

Dance*

with

Tango Brillante

Wednesday

July 9

Thursday

July 10

Friday

July 11

Saturday

July 12

Sunday

July 13

Introduction to Contra Dance with Penelope Weinberger

-------------

International Folk Dance*

with

Dancing Planet

Blues Dance*

with

Capital Blues

Contra Dance and Occasional Squares*

with

Friday Night Dancers

-------------

Balboa DJ Dance*

with

Gottaswing

Zouk Dance* and Workship

with

District Zouk

-------------

Swing Dance*

with

Gottaswing

Second Sunday Barn Dance*

with

Folklore Society of Greater Washington

-------------

Ballroom Dance*

with

Ballroom Time

-------------

Tango/

Milonga

Dance*

with

Tango Brillante

Wednesday

July 16

Thursday

July 17

Friday

July 18

Saturday

July 19

Sunday

July 20

Introduction to Contra Dance with Penelope Weinberger

-------------

International Folk Dance*

with

Dancing Planet

Blues Dance*

with

Capital Blues

Back Room Salsa Night Dance*

-------------

Contra Dance and Occasional Squares*

with

Friday Night Dancers

Bachata y más (Bachata & more) Dance*

-------------

Swing Dance*

with

Craig Gildner & Friends

Waltz Dance*

with

Waltz Time

-------------

Tango/Milonga

Dance*

with

Tango Brillante

Wednesday

July 23

Thursday

July 24

Friday

July 25

Saturday

July 26

Sunday

July 27

Introduction to Contra Dance with Penelope Weinberger

------------

International Folk Dance*

with

Dancing Planet

Blues Dance*

with

Capital Blues

Contra Dance and Occasional Squares*

with

Friday Night Dancers

------------

Crossing Boundaries: Dances of Transition

with

Human Landscape Dance

Swing Dance*

with

Gottaswing

------------

Crossing Boundaries: Dances of Transition

with

Human Landscape Dance

Contra Dance*

with

Dancing Planet

-------------

Ballroom Dance*

with

Ballroom Time

-------------

Tango/Milonga

Dance*

with

Tango Brillante

Wednesday

July 30

Thursday

July 31

Friday

August 1

Saturday

August 2

Sunday

August 3

Introduction to Contra Dance with Penelope Weinberger

-------------International Folk Dance*

with

Dancing Planet

Blues Dance*

with

Capital Blues

Contra Dance and Occasional Squares*

with

Friday Night Dancers


ABCS's of Ballroom Dancing Workshop

with

Ballroom Time

-------------

Swing Dance*

with

Gottaswing

Tango/Milonga

Dance*

with

Tango Brillante

*Includes beginner lesson & social dance

Partnership-presented social dance or class

Dance class (no social dance)

FREE for kids

Dance Performance

VOLUNTEER FOR PARTNERSHIP DANCES


We need volunteers at many of our dances! Volunteer for one hour, to either help set up or break down for a dance or event, and gain free admission to the dance or event! 


Upcoming dances in need of volunteers:

Back Room Salsa Nights

July 18 | August 15 | September 19 | October 17 | November 21 | December 19

Bachata y más

July 19 | Aug 23 | Sept 20 | Oct 18 | Nov 22 | Dec 20

Honky Tonk Dance with Arty Hill & the Long Gone Daddys | August 15

Swing Dance with Halley Shoenberg and Her Swingin’ Cats | August 23

Bumper Car Squares

September 4 | October 9 November 6 | December 4


To volunteer, please send an email to volunteer@glenechopark.org.

glenechopark.org | 301.634.2222

LinkedIn Share This Email
Facebook  Instagram  LinkedIn  YouTube

The Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council (msac.org) and also by funding from the Montgomery County government and the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County (creativemoco.com). All programs are produced in cooperation with the National Park Service and Montgomery County, Maryland.