Weeknight social dances at The Brink Lounge!
Madison West Coast Swing Club hosts social dances most Wednesday evenings. Dance admission includes a 45-minute drop-in lesson prior to the dance, open to anyone with at least some basic West Coast Swing experience. Following the lesson is a 2-hour social dance.
Event Location, Dates, & Schedule
Location:
The Brink Lounge
701 E Washington Ave, Madison, WI 53703 (map)
The Brink Lounge is an atmospheric bar and event venue that hosts dance groups several nights of the week. Drinks, and sometimes food, are available for purchase.
There are two dance floors at The Brink Lounge — the MWCSC event will either be in the “front” room, right next to the bar, or in the “back” room, which is past the bar and through the glass doors. Look for signs or ask someone if you are not sure where to go.
- Dates: See the registration section below or our calendar for scheduled dates. There will regularly be a dance on 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Wednesdays of the month. We skip 2nd Wednesdays, and weeks with major holidays will likely be skipped.
- 6:15 PM – 7:00 PM — Drop-in lesson with club instructors – if you’ve learned at least a few of the basics, join us for a short class to learn something new and improve your dance skills.
- 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM — Social dancing!
Make sure you are checked in to dance by 7:45 PM, as check-in will close at that time.
Registration & Pricing
You can register & pay at the bottom of this page using a credit card, or pay with cash/check upon arrival. Pre-registration is recommended for faster check-in.
- Members and sister-club members: $5 plus applicable fees.
- Non-Members: $7 plus applicable fees. Membership is open to anyone, so sign up for a membership to get instant access to member pricing!
- Promotion until June 30, 2023: any non-member signing up for a new membership upon arrival will gain free entry to that night’s dance! (excludes prior members whose memberships have lapsed in 2022 or 2023. Promo only valid at weeknight dances.)
All registrants must agree to our COVID-19 waiver and policy when purchasing a ticket.
Building & Parking Information
- The street entrance to The Brink Lounge is on S. Blount Street, in the back parking lot. Go inside and down the stairs.
- Limited free parking is available in the lot directly next to the building, as well as in the lot across Blount St.
- On-street parking is free.
Face Mask & COVID-19 Vaccination (Including Booster) Requirements
You must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination (plus a booster) to attend. At the door, you will be required to show:
- A COVID-19 vaccination card with your final initial series dose two weeks prior to the date of the dance or earlier. Additionally, you must have received a booster dose if eligible. A legible picture of your vaccination card is acceptable.
- A photo ID to match identity with the vaccination record card.
If you cannot produce these, you will not be allowed into the dance. Members who have attended a 2022-2023 dance have their records on file.
Masks may be required at dances, depending on local risk level and public health guidelines. Please check the individual event’s information below for up-to-date requirements for that event. Dane County sometimes bounces back and forth between CDC risk levels as the factors vary each week, so it can be difficult to predict far ahead of time what the requirements will be. MWCSC intends to always give at least 24 hours of time between when the CDC updates the risk level (Thursday evenings) and our events — for weeknight dances, this means that the risk level in effect 6-7 days prior to the dance will be the official policy for the event.
Please see MWCSC’s COVID-19 policy for full details on these policies, including when MWCSC will and will not require face masks at events.
Feeling ill?
If you are not feeling well or have a suspected COVID-19 exposure the day of the event, please stay home and come to dance another day. Should this happen to you, contact info@mwcsc.org for a refund. MWCSC will not admit anyone to a dance who appears to be ill.
Etiquette
As we return to social dancing, please be aware that COVID-19 is still a risk, and some in our community are taking extra precautions to take part in social dancing. Please keep the following considerations in mind:
- Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer regularly.
- Please be respectful of others and do not harass or question anyone for their mask choices.
- Please consider wearing a mask if your partner is wearing one.
- Dancers may refuse dances for any reason, including if their partner is not wearing a mask.
- Dancers may elect to only dance with a certain partner or a small “bubble” group.
- Be kind to your dance family. This is a time of transition and everyone is in a different place.
If you are uncomfortable, please find and inform a board member.
Volunteering
Volunteering to help check in dancers or to help with clean up at the end of the event is always appreciated! Contact info@mwcsc.org for more information or to volunteer! Volunteers receive Swing Bucks to use as discounts at future dances.