Although the days of disco may be long behind us, dancing is anything but dead here on the South Fork. In fact, it’s a lively scene. Some locales offer energetic, rave-like club scenarios while others entice with laidback, intimate spots to move and groove. Some Hamptons haunts even offer dance classes for adults and kids looking to learn a new step or two. Here’s a snippet of some of our favorite spots to boogie on down to.
For the club scene…
Last year, The Clubhouse (174 Daniels Hole Road, East Hampton, 631-537-2695) gave the Hamptons its own brand-new music hall: The Room. As the name suggests, the venue features a grand space accompanied by a large stage that sees countless DJs and musicians from all genres performing live practically every weekend in the summer. Bumping beach bar and restaurant combo Bounce Beach in Montauk (148 S. Emerson Ave., 631-647-8000) brings both day and nighttime danceability, as does the sun-filled deck at legendary boutique hotel and resto The Surf Lodge (183 Edgemere St., Montauk, 631-483-5045), with the latter continuously featuring both celebrity and local musicians weekly throughout the season. Ultra in Southampton (125 Tuckahoe Lane, 631-682-2294) offers clubgoers high-energy, electronica-style dancing, thanks to its immersive light displays and state-of-the-art sound system, and bottle service is available for both sunset sipping and late-night revelry. For over 30 years, Hampton Bays hotspot Beach Bar (58 Foster Ave., 631-723-3100) has been the open-‘til-4 a.m. club consistently boasting a DJ-fueled dance floor in a multiple-room, indoor/outdoor space overlooking the water.
For the bar scene…
A South Fork staple for over four decades, the Stephen Talkhouse (161 Main St., Amagansett, 631-267-3117), is the Hamptons’ very own rock and roll honkytonk. Both A-list and amateur acts continually grace the Talkhouse’s stage, which is practically eye level with the inhabitants of the usually jam-packed dancefloor. Bringing Mediterranean vibes to diners and dancers, Greek-inspired Water Mill eatery Calissa (1020 Montauk Highway, Water Mill, 631-500-9292) features a live DJ in its lounge on Friday and Saturday evenings, plus bottle service and late-night bites. Beachgoers and music lovers unite at Meschutt Beach (90 Bishop Place, Hampton Bays, 631-333-1538), where Tiki Joe’s has an outdoor outpost through Labor Day. Move and sway with weekly Latin dance music as well as performances from some of Long Island’s most beloved bands playing funk, R&B and classic rock. Owned by renowned restaurateur and hotelier André Balazs, Shelter Island’s Sunset Beach (35 Shore Road, 631-749-2001) is the East End’s own St. Tropez-style haunt, where dining on the deck effortlessly morphs into dancing the night away, thanks to an impeccably chic soundtrack from one of the myriad live DJs playing all summer long.
For the theater scene…
The beloved 299-seat playhouse at Bay Street Theater (1 Long Wharf, Sag Harbor, 631-725-9500) is well-suited for dancing, thanks to its amphitheater-style interior. Bay Street plays host to dozens of live musical performances each season, and dancing is encouraged on the stage level and first couple rows. LTV Studios (75 Industrial Road, Wainscott, 631-537-2777) has become the go-to collaborator for local music and dance performance groups. With its largest studio able to hold 300 people, events range from ‘80s dance parties and Latin-themed dance nights to dancing fundraisers for local organizations and nonprofits.
For the educational scene…
For those looking to learn how to dance, there are oodles of options. Studio 3 (48 Foster Ave., Bridgehampton, 631-537-3008), helmed by founder and artistic director Diane Shumway, offers fundamental classes for ballet, tap, pointe, lyrical, jazz, theater dance and hip hop for adults and children. Affordable drop-in dance lessons led by expert instructors are regularly held each week at Southampton Cultural Center (25 Pond Lane, Southampton, 631-287-4377), where participants develop stamina, coordination and flexibility. For almost two decades, DanceHampton (15 Lumber Lane, East Hampton, 631-617-6254) has been holding recreational dance classes and offering participation in regional competitions for students in kindergarten through high school, with instruction in ballet, jazz, hip hop and tap.
