My lifelong passion for dancing started early.

There were the short performances I’d put on for my family when I was a child. In late elementary school, I joined poms, a dance team that uses pom-poms and often got confused for cheerleading, and I experimented with swing dancing in college. I’ve two-stepped in Texas and have probably looked a little zany at Zumba class.

Along the way, I fell into step with new communities, and further in love with a sport, art form and lifestyle that’s meant to be shared with others.

In the Baltimore area, I have found plenty of opportunities to do just that. Here are some places where you can bring a friend (or head there solo — it’s OK, I promise), and learn some new moves.

Cancun Cantina

7501 Old Telegraph Road, Hanover

Welcomed by its vibrant fluorescent sign, I made my way inside Cancun Cantina on a Sunday evening and paid a $10 cover — it’s cash only, and they have an ATM — ahead of a 7:30 p.m. salsa lesson.

Once the beginner lesson was underway, it didn’t disappoint: It was a great introduction to salsa basics. We learned timing, some footwork, a crossbody turn and more. I went alone and didn’t feel out of place — we rotated partners throughout, so I danced with a variety of people anyway — and the class was split at different times to specifically teach the leaders and followers their parts.

After the beginner lesson, there was an intermediate lesson, and then open dancing. I stuck around for a little bit of the open dancing part — it was nice to practice, and one of my partners even taught me some bachata, another Latin American dance style.

You can find more information about their upcoming lessons here.

Mobtown Ballroom & Café

30 W. North Ave., Baltimore

I’d heard about Mobtown Ballroom in college but hadn’t been before — and once I heard it also had a spiffy new venue, there seemed like no better time to go.

The swing dancing lesson was already underway by the time my roommate — East Baltimore reporter Clara Longo de Freitas — and I got inside, so we quickly split up to find partners and get rolling with our rock steps and spins.

The instructors were in the center for this lesson, and all the pairs were kind of circled around them. I was on the outskirts of the circle for most of it, so it was a little hard to see and follow what was happening. I would recommend trying to stay closer to the instructors, especially if you’re just starting out and trying to get a feel for things. And if you’re looking for a different vibe, you can sit and order a drink.

It was a lovely atmosphere overall — I had a good time socializing and dancing with different partners, and Clara and I also enjoyed some quality french fries.

We each paid a $10 cover. You can read more about what they offer here.

The Promenade Dance Studio

2605 Lord Baltimore Drive, Windsor Mill

I was one of the first people to arrive at a Sunday American cha-cha lesson at the Promenade Dance Studio, and a couple of kind folks welcomed me. One of them quickly taught me some cha-cha basics before the lesson even started.

In the lesson itself, the instructor expanded beyond those steps, reinforced the importance of maintaining your frame (the positioning of your upper body), and taught us some of the differences between American cha-cha and international cha-cha.

Afterward, there was open dancing on the main dance floor outside the studio. It wasn’t just American cha-cha music playing — there were opportunities for people to dance everything from Viennese waltz to the foxtrot — so I got to explore some other styles while I waited to try out my newfound cha-cha chops.

Admission for the lesson I attended and the dancing that followed would normally be $20, but I only paid $10 because I gave them my email. The price also included light refreshments, such as veggies, cheese, guacamole and crackers. For more information about their upcoming events and lessons, you can check out their website here.

La Par’de Fitness

5847 York Road, Baltimore

It was a great time at La Par’de Fitness’ hoedown line dance event. With a western vibes theme, Clara, our friend, Anne Arundel County reporter Royale Bonds and I tried our best to dress for the occasion.

We took advantage of a cool photo area with black balloons on a bright pink wall and then moseyed on over to learn. There were a few different line dances taught, but the one I enjoyed the most was the dance to Beyoncé's “Texas Hold ‘Em” — it was straightforward, had a little lasso move in it, and was fun to do over and over.

It was $20 for the class. You can check out the fitness studio’s upcoming events here.

Baltimore Honky Tonk at Waverly Brewing Co.

1625 Union Ave., Suite C, Baltimore

The two-step is a simple dance, which can be made more complicated for those who’d like it to be. And it shines in its simplicity — it’s easier to ease into your movements and into the moment when you’re sure where your feet will be in a second.

At Baltimore Honky Tonk at Waverly Brewing Co. one March evening, I learned a version of the dance called the Cajun two-step, and after a lesson, the room transitioned into open dancing. I sat with Clara for a bit while she ate, but it wasn’t long before we were bopping along to the live music stylings of Dede & The Do-Rights in a room lined with glowing strings of lights.

In between doing the actual steps, Clara and I busted out completely unrelated moves (if you’ve never tried doing the Macarena to two-stepping music, I’d recommend it), which I think speaks to how comfortable we were there. It was low-pressure and light.

Entry ranged from $10 to $25 — you picked, which was unique and makes it affordable for many people. Honky Tonk takes place monthly, and you can find more information about it here.

Other tips

If you decide to venture out to try social dancing, here are some things to keep in mind.

• Wear what you feel comfortable in. At most of these places, what people wore ran the gamut — from more dressed-up looks, to jeans and sneakers. If the venue specifies a certain dress code, great. That takes some of the guesswork out. Just keep in mind, you’ll probably be on your feet for a while and want to feel your pinky toes at the end of the night.
• You’ll have to touch other people. It comes with the territory, but in a world that’s been grappling with a pandemic over the past few years, just wanted to give a direct PSA about that.
• In partnered dances, there’s a leader and a follower. You can act as either, but have an idea which you’d like to be. The leader has to direct where the dance is going, and have a clear connection to the follower so they know what’s coming next. I’m usually a follower, and thankfully I’ve had some great partners that make me look better than I am.