The 5 most lively places to dance in Los Angeles

During the summer months, local radio station KCRW hosts outdoor events in cultural centers across the city that feature the stations top DJs spinning tunes for the public – for free! Held in Chinatown or on the Santa Monica Pier, these democratic dance parties get folks of all ages on the dance floor.

This 1926 theater building is a historic landmark that once hosted The Beatles’ first West Coast performance and throughout the 1960s was the site of television’s ‘The Hollywood Palace Variety Show’. Today it’s a bumping place for electronic music, with all the DJ superstars stopping in for sets.

Once a historic Mexican American dance hall, there’s still lots of good dancing to be had at this hacienda-style building. The clientele – as diverse as the city itself – packs the festive dance floor for alternative Latin, as well as rockabilly, punk, and hip- hop music from live bands and or DJs.

One of the coolest small venues for live music in LA, this is where in 2013 the Rolling Stones performed a secret show for fans. It’s a great, no-pretense place to see some of the best emerging bands and has regular dance nights including Dub Club, on Wednesdays, a highly regarded reggae night.

The name comes from the fact that the location of this club was formerly an office for the Department of Corrections; today it’s downtown’s biggest gay club. There’s a fantastic semi-enclosed patio that stretches around the place and dance nights, drag nights, and just good fun nights.