Maybe you've always wanted to learn the cha cha but haven't room in your budget to accommodate those desires. Perhaps you just want to meet like-minded line-dancing fans. Either way, Parc Jean-Drapeau's free outdoor ballroom dancing lessons may be a step in the right direction. Samba, rumba, merengue, fox trot, cha cha ... a variety of styles are covered in an evening. Basically, a teacher positioned on a platform performs the steps and the crowd mimics in turn. For more details, read a review of the experience.
When Are the Lessons?
Free outdoor ballroom dancing lessons are held every summer at Parc Jean-Drapeau about three times a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. Consult this year's schedule for exact dates and times.
Where Are the Lessons?
At Parc Jean-Drapeau. You can reach the park by car, but it's a longer walk to get there from the paid parking lots (costs $13 to park for the day). It's less of a pain to take public transportation. Just get off at Jean-Drapeau Metro. Upon exiting the subway station, walk a diagonal line to the left. The dancing square is about twenty paces from the subway station door, near the park's bathrooms.
Anything Else I Should Know?
You don't need dancing shoes (you'd probably wreck your suede soles on the concrete anyways), you don't need a partner, you don't need to know what you're doing at all and you don't need to fit a certain age group, though participants roughly vary from early forties to seniors. One exception is Sunday sessions. Piknic Electronik, an outdoor dance rave that attracts a younger crowd on the same day ends anywhere from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., and some stragglers join in the line dance on the way to Jean-Drapeau Metro. I happen to be one of those and for the most part, we have trouble keeping up with the group!