Frequently Asked Questions
What is blues dance?
Blues dance is a catch-all term used to describe dancing to blues music with certain aesthetic principles. Blues dance as a family of dances draws on the wide variety throughout blues music for its expressiveness and connection; It is improvisational in nature and can be danced solo and in partnership.
What should I bring?
Do I need to bring a partner?
You should bring comfortable shoes to dance in (we recommend shoes with smooth soles that can slide), a water bottle, and to beat the heat a change of clothes and/or a towel if you are prone to getting sweaty. We recommend wearing clothes you are comfortable moving in, casual attire is perfectly acceptable.
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No experience or partner is required! During the lesson you will rotate through partners and during the dance you ask people to dance!
How does this all work?
We dance weekly every Monday Upstairs at The Philadelphia Ethical Society! It is pay want you wish $10-$15 for DJ nights.
From 7:30pm to 8:30pm our instructors teach an all levels lesson. Lessons are held each week before our social dance. Whether you are new to blues dancing or have some experience, we have one lesson that is tailor to all levels present. Every month has an overall theme for our lessons, but every lesson covers plenty to get you dancing blues. There is no need to sign-up ahead of time, and the lesson is included in the cost of the dance. Please arrive on time to join the lesson.​ From 8:30pm to 10:30pm, after the lesson is our social dance where we dance to DJed music.
For more weekly event details including instructors, lessons topics, and DJs check out our Facebook page.
Where are you located?
What is parking like?
We dance Upstairs at The Philadelphia Ethical Society, 1906 Rittenhouse Square, which is in Center City area of Philadelphia.
Parking in the neighborhood of Rittenhouse Square can be difficult to find and both street parking & parking lots are paid. We highly suggest you take public transit or ride shares to the dance.
Someone is making me feel uncomfortable,
what should I do?
If someone is making you uncomfortable please speak to an organizer right away. Powerhouse Blues strives to be a fully inclusive space, and our Safer Spaces Policy includes a anti-harassment policy. We have dedicated Safer Spaces coordinators who are available to help whenever needed. Refer to our Safer Spaces page for a look at our Safer Spaces Policy and for ways to get in touch with our Safe Spaces Coordinators.
If you would like to report a concern to our safer spaces team, you are welcome to submit a report, anonymous or not, via our online form.