How to go
What: Big band dancing
Where: The Mandalay, 2700 E. River Road, Moraine
When: 8 to 11 p.m. second Friday of each month. The next one is Sept. 11.
Cost: $20 each/$35 couple
More info: 937-294-6600 or www.banquethallmoraineoh.com
Does watching “Dancing With the Stars” make you want to learn some moves yourself? Now on the second Friday of each month, you can practice the dance steps to the samba, tango, cha-cha, the rumba and others at The Mandalay in Moraine.
Their monthly dancing events began on July 10. The ballroom is long and wide, with two sparkling chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling.
“The lights show beautifully for the dancing,” said Mandalay President Cay Phillips. “We started in July, as it is typically a slow month, and about 85 people showed up. We currently have a 17-piece orchestra with two singers, and they are really fabulous.”
Phillips indicated that with loud rock music, you can’t talk to the person beside you. Generations Big Band is currently playing on second Fridays. It has been around the Dayton area for some time. The band’s variety of music styes include 1940s music to ’70s tunes.
“With l’Auberge (restaurant in Kettering) and some of the other clubs closing, we needed something new in Dayton. We’ve put $15,000 into our new dance floor,” said Phillips. “People need a place to go and have fun at a reasonable price. We’ve lowered our drink prices by $1 for the dances.”
In addition to the live music and dancing, the event includes complimentary deluxe
hors d’oeuvres. Individual companies, families, or friends can purchase an entire table for the evening. U.S. Bank bought a table for the first dance event. If you’re reluctant to attend because you usually sway against the beat, that can be remedied.
The Dayton Ballroom Dance Club teaches close to 100 people every Monday night at Arbor Hall behind the Carillon Bells. Beginning dance lessons from 7:30 to 9 p.m. cost $8.
“The club itself is 53 years old, and we like to keep the lessons affordable. The beauty of a dance club is that you don’t need a partner,” said DBDC President Mary DiNofa, whose club checked out the new dancing event in July. “We really enjoyed it; the hors d’oeuvres were delicious. It’s a new dance floor, and the music was wonderful.”
The Mandalay has been a dining/entertainment venue in the Miami Valley for the past 31 years.
“We may have a breakfast in the morning and a wedding that night, so sometimes we transform this room twice a day,” said Phillips. “Our ultimate goal is to have two dances a month, with the second Friday providing a different sound.”
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