When you gotta go to the BIG dance

July 30, 2007 11:11 AM

Where is the biggest surviving dancehall in the united states?

I'm looking to find places like NY's legendary Savoy ballroom that have a history as a master dance palace but is still standing today. It can be something else today (and I'm sure it is given the lack of enthusiasm for gigantic legendary dancehalls) but it needs to still be up and open to the public in some way today (basically not condemned is what I'm looking for here).

And I'm looking for places - plural - because I may need more than one. It's for a something that may involve multiple giant dance pieces in it and it's all got to be authentic.

Any thoughts?

posted by rileyray3000 to travel & transportation (9 comments total)

According to Wikipedia, the dance hall at the Avalon Casino on Catalina Island is the largest circular ballroom. It was built in the 1920s. Here's an interior picture. And the exterior.
posted by The World Famous at 11:22 AM on July 30, 2007

Not the largest, but the Eagles Ballroom in Milwaukee, Wisc., is part of a concert complex now known as The Rave. It originally opened in 1926 as the Eagles Club.
posted by limeswirltart at 11:42 AM on July 30, 2007

Gruene Hall in New Braunfels bills itself as "Texas' Oldest Dance Hall." It was built in 1878, and is used as a concert venue today.
posted by pfafflin at 11:54 AM on July 30, 2007

... and then there's The Great Saltair, on the shore of The Great Salt Lake, which once had the world's largest dancefloor.
posted by pfafflin at 12:02 PM on July 30, 2007

Gruene Hall isn't that big.
posted by birdherder at 12:09 PM on July 30, 2007

I guess you're right -- but it's old and authentic.

It has a capacity of 500, fwiw -- I guess it depends on how big you're looking for ...
posted by pfafflin at 12:46 PM on July 30, 2007

The Aragon Ballroom in Chicago was built in 1926, holds 3000 people and is still used for dances today (and concerts too.)
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 1:10 PM on July 30, 2007

The Crystal Ballroom in Portland, Oregon.
posted by kbuxton at 1:37 PM on July 30, 2007

It's not a ballroom any more, but it's not demolished either. The Wavehouse at Belmont Park in San Diego used to be a ballroom back in the 20s. I wish I could find information about it online, but you might be able to find some at the San Diego Historical Society.
posted by billtron at 6:40 AM on July 31, 2007