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STUDIO 2403: DANCE UNDER THE STARS IN SAMMONS PARK
Dancing and Free Lessons at the AT&T Performing Arts Center
Studio 2403, the AT&T Performing Arts Center’s new public dance program, will take the floor Friday, April 19 with “Swing at the Center.” Professional swing instructors will provide free dance lessons from 6:30-8:00 p.m. in Elaine D. and Charles A. Sammons Park. That night, the classes will be followed by a Big Bad Voodoo Daddy concert in Annette Strauss Square, the Center’s outdoor concert venue. Studio 2403 is free. Tickets for Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, a world- famous swing band, can be purchased online or at the door.
While Studio 2403 is leading off with Swing, the styles will change. The next Studio 2403, on Tuesday, April 30 from 6:30-8:00 p.m., will be “Salsa at the Center,” and future months could include two-step, ballroom and more. Couples and singles are all welcome. Registration online is appreciated, but not mandatory.
“The idea is to get everyone downtown to the Center, dancing with the stars and skyline around them and having fun,” said Doug Curtis, president and acting CEO of the Center. “By offering a wide range of dance styles over the year, we hope to appeal to people from every corner of North Texas.”
Studio 2403 will be held just outside the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, which is located at 2403 Flora Street in the Dallas Arts District.
Studio 2403: Swing at the Center (April 19) will be taught by popular duo Jerry and Kathy, who have been teaching swing for more than a decade. Their weekly lessons at the Sons of Hermann Hall in Deep Ellum draw hundreds of participants.
Studio 2403: Salsa at the Center (April 30) will be taught by professional Salsa instructors. This program will precede the Gipsy Kings concert that night, also in Strauss Square. The free lessons will continue until the concert begins. Tickets for Gipsy Kings can be purchased online or at the door.
While the first two programs coincide with concerts in Strauss Square, most Studio 2403 evenings will be strictly lessons and dancing. Free dance programs have proven extremely popular at performing arts centers in New York City, Los Angeles and Austin. Studio 2403 adds to the already diverse array of free events at the Center, which include the popular Patio Sessions concerts and Local Motion fitness programs. Like these, Studio 2403 will also be held during the spring and fall in Sammons Park and attract a diverse crowd of people.
All ages are welcome, as are all levels of dance experience (including none).