Racist era zoning laws currently prohibit dancing in over 80% of New York City. Though the City Council repealed the Cabaret Law that has banned dance for 91 years, a prohibition on dancing still exists in most bars, restaurants and even well established clubs in almost all neighborhoods of New York City.

In 1926, while liquor was bootlegged and jazz was shaking things up in Harlem, New York City instituted the Cabaret Law that required establishments serving food or drink to obtain a separate license before permitting any dancing or live music on their premises. This law sought to police and restrict the interracial mixing happening in dance clubs uptown. Almost 100 years later, though times and racial attitudes have changed, the City’s zoning laws enacted years ago to conform with the then draconian Cabaret Law, generally restricts dancing to high density commercial and industrial areas of the city. For venues with a capacity of less than 200 patrons, dancing is outright forbidden.

Our city thrives when all cultures can express their traditions, including Black, Asian, Arab, Caribbean, LatinX, and LGBTQ+ communities. From Soca and Caribbean in Flatbush to Polka in Greenpoint, salsa, merengue, and bachata in Queens, and hip hop in the Bronx—each should be protected as a 1st amendment activity. Additionally, the expressive forms of Swing, Voguing, House and Waacking in Manhattan contribute to this rich mosaic citywide. Zoning restrictions that curtail these diverse expressions not only limit artistic and cultural freedom but also erode the essence of who we are as proud New Yorkers.

New York’s restrictive dancing regulations affect not only individual dancers and communities, but businesses too, who suffer under the weight of intransigent bureaucracy, legal costs, inconsistent and unfair enforcement with disproportionate fines and penalties.

We are grateful for former Council Member Rafael Espinal, Chair of the Consumer Affairs Committee for holding hearings, creating the Office of Nightlife and getting rid of the Cabaret Law's administrative code licensing requirements but there is still work to do to fully repeal this archaic law and its unconstitutional requirements.

We call upon Mayor Adams to uphold his campaign pledge to allow dancing in New York City. If a tapas restaurant wants to clear away tables to present a flamenco show, the restaurant should be permitted to do so.

We call upon the New York City Council to fix zoning by removing the word "dancing" from the Zoning Code text altogether so that dancers will be able to enjoy their 1st amendment rights. 

It is inconsistent to have current zoning laws permit live music in every bar and restaurant citywide but not have dancing permitted in 80% of the city. Mayor Adams' City of Yes Land-Use Reform current proposals will rightly categorize dancing as "scheduled entertainment" and allow dancing similar to the way live music is zoned. There is substantial resistance to these reforms from residents who may not understand that various laws are already in place to regulate dancing by capacity rather than by zoning. The City of Yes reforms will have no effect on the applicability or enforcement of any of the numerous noise, fire, safety, alcohol and drug ordinances that keep patrons and venues safe and our neighborhoods livable.

Social dancing should be freely available to anyone and everyone in any venue in the City of New York where it is safe to do so. No neighborhood should force bars and restaurants to post "No Dancing Allowed" signs. Local communities and small businesses should be allowed to dance and flourish. 

We will present this petition to the City Council Land-Use hearing. Help us to finally end the prohibition on dancing by signing this petition and voting for candidates who support and advocate for it! 

To learn more or join the advocacy program, go to www.legalizedance.org