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Some bar and restaurant owners are occasionally faced with an uncomfortable task: telling people it is illegal to dance in their establishments.
Ana Prince, the owner of Taqueria “El Patron” Mexican Grill, says telling customers they cannot dance is “awkward.” She owns four bars and restaurants in Brooklyn.
But all of that is changing as the New York State Liquor Authority is no longer requiring businesses to answer questions about whether customers will be allowed to dance in their establishments.
“We are a Guatemalan restaurant, and dancing is part of our culture. So people were asking, like, you know, are you guys gonna have any Guatemalan nights with music traditional from Guatemala so we can dance, and we were like, ‘no.’ We’re not allowed to do that. But now we’re happy that we’re going to be allowed to have people dancing in our businesses,” Prince told NY1.
Customers at one of Prince’s bars think dancing would be a blast.
Brenda White, who says she comes to Taqueria “El Patron” Mexican Grill four times a week, said she would love to dance at the bar.
“It’s much more fun to have dancing in a place,” White said.
For those applying for liquor licenses, the question about customers dancing is no longer required. But it’s a bit more complicated for people like Price who already have conditions in place.
“If a business currently does have a stipulation stating no dancing, they need to go to the state liquor authority and file what they call a method of operation change,” Andrew Rigie, the executive director of the New York Hospitality Alliance, said.
He worked to get this rule overturned.
“We’ve been fighting for decades now to get the dance police out of our city’s restaurants, bars and nightclubs,” Rigie said. “It’s a way people express themselves. It’s culturally relevant. It’s economically relevant. So it was a really important win.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul is supportive of the change. In a statement, she wrote: “New York’s hospitality industry is unmatched, and our restaurants, bars and nightlife are a big part of what makes our communities so vibrant. By eliminating this antiquated restriction on dancing, we’re making it easier for businesses to succeed and for New Yorkers and visitors alike to experience the energy and excitement that define our state.”
In Brooklyn, Prince is looking forward to welcoming dancing in her businesses.
“New York City is one of the most vibrant and alive cities in the world. So dancing, you know, is part of our culture and that’s what brings communities together,” Prince said.
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