Thats right, you need a permit to dance in this fine city. My girlfriend discovered this Friday night at The Griffin in Los Feliz. She started the night off with a Long Island Iced Tea and after a tequila shot and some persuasion from a not so innocent friend ended up innocently dancing on top of one of the one-foot high ledges next to a glass enclosed fireplace. After a couple minutes a bouncer approached the dancing fools and set them straight. They weren’t causing any trouble and as bad as it sounds dancing next to a fireplace, it didn’t seem all that unsafe. He said The Griffin wasn’t allowed to have dancing, fireplace or not, since they didn’t have the proper permits, we thought he was making things up, but it turns out he was right (he also bought the previously mentioned dancing fools drinks, he was a really nice guy from what I could tell).
The exciting law-speak of dancing in Los Angeles (from LAMC 103.106 here):
No permit shall be issued or be valid for any dance hall, dancing club or public dance for dancing to be held at any premises, or location which is a part thereof, that does not have designated and set aside for dancing purposes at each location identified therefor on the permit application for the premises, at least two hundred (200) square feet of dancing area, exclusive of hallway space. Nor shall a permit be issued unless the Board determines that the surface set aside and reserved for dancing at each specified location is sufficiently flat, level, hard and rigid to be suitable for dancing.
The application for permit shall specify each location on the premises, the dimensions and the nature of the surface designated for dancing. A surface area designated for dancing shall not be located in a manner which blocks or obstructs ingress or egress of patrons at the dance. All of each of the specified dancing areas set aside shall be reserved exclusively for dancing during the time any dance or dancing is taking place, or is scheduled to take place, at the location.
The LAPD also has a nice breakdown of LAMC 103.106
The bouncer at The Griffin was spot on. You can’t just get wasted at any old bar and expect to be able to dance unless that bar has a designated dancing area. This is all surprising to me, but I guess it makes sense for the city to be in control of this kind of thing. I now feel more comfortable that I don’t have to worry about a random dance breaking out as long as I choose my bars wisely.
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