New York City · Updated May 2026
Where to Two-Step in NYC
The NYC honky-tonk and country dance scene, written by Austin dancers. The big news of 2025: Lucinda Williams opened Lucinda's Honky Tonk in the East Village with free weekly two-step lessons every Thursday - the first regular drop-in lesson Manhattan has ever had. Plus Honky Tonkin' in Queens at Gottscheer Hall, Burstin' Boots at Jalopy, and the rest of the small live-music venues that actually have a dance floor.
The biggest new addition to the NYC honky-tonk scene is Lucinda's Honky Tonk + Juke Joint in the East Village, owned by Lucinda Williams, which runs free two-step instruction every Thursday 7:30-9pm plus live country Friday nights, weekly bluegrass, and the East Village CXntry queer country party. This is the only regular weekly drop-in two-step lesson in Manhattan.
The rest of the scene is concentrated in Brooklyn and Queens. The best regular weekly spots are Skinny Dennis in Williamsburg (live country bands nightly, no cover), Sunny's Red Hook (weekly Western swing and bluegrass), Roadhouse in Ridgewood, and Jalopy Tavern in Red Hook. The best events are monthly parties: Honky Tonkin' in Queens at Gottscheer Hall (the marquee event, SiriusXM-recorded sets from Charley Crockett, Sunny Sweeney, Emily Nenni, Corb Lund), Alphaville group-show hoedowns in Bushwick, Desert 5 Spot, Stud Country, and Molly and June's. Follow @lucindasnyc, @honkytonkqueens, and the Northeast Country Coalition on Instagram for current calendar.
NYC two-step at a glance
Twelve venues and recurring parties that anchor the NYC country dance calendar. Brooklyn dominates, but the East Village just got Lucinda's.
| Venue / Party | Frequency | Neighborhood | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucinda's Honky Tonk | Thu lesson + nightly | East Village, Manhattan | FREE two-step lessons Thursdays |
| Honky Tonkin' in Queens | Monthly | Ridgewood (Gottscheer Hall) | Marquee touring bands + dancing |
| Burstin' Boots | Recurring | Red Hook (Jalopy) + Brooklyn Grange | Built-in 2-step + line dance lessons |
| Skinny Dennis | Most nights | Williamsburg | Live country, the entry point |
| Sunny's Red Hook | Weekly | Red Hook | Western swing + bluegrass |
| Roadhouse | Regular | Ridgewood | Live country, neighborhood spot |
| Jalopy Tavern | Regular | Red Hook | Folk + Americana with dancers |
| Alphaville | Periodic group shows | Bushwick | Hoedown group shows |
| Desert 5 Spot | Monthly | Williamsburg | LGBT line dance + country swing |
| Stud Country NYC | Monthly | Brooklyn + Manhattan | Pop-up line + two-step |
| Molly and June's | Various | Brooklyn + SOB's | Country + 2-step + line dance class |
| The Little Red Hen + Conor Bryne | Weekly | Brooklyn | Smaller weekly two-stepping |
The weekly spots
If you are in New York for a few days and want to dance any night of the week, these are the regular venues to know. Small rooms, live music, and the dancers who actually live there.
Lucinda's Honky Tonk + Juke Joint
The biggest new thing in NYC honky-tonk. Lucinda Williams opened this East Village bar in July 2025 in the old Brownie's space, with Laura McCarthy (Brownies, Lakeside Lounge) and Kelley Swindall. Live music every night on a real stage. Tin ceilings, vintage country memorabilia on the walls, framed photos by Danny Clinch.
What matters for dancers: FREE two-step instruction every Thursday 7:30 to 9pm, with live music after. This is the only weekly drop-in two-step lesson in Manhattan. Fridays are live country 8:30 to 11:30pm. Saturdays are live-band country karaoke. Tuesdays are weekly bluegrass with Allison Kelly. Wednesdays are Liza Colby Behind The Denim Curtain. Sundays are songwriter open mic. The last Thursday of every month is East Village CXntry, the queer country party. Honky Tonk Dance Hall events run here too.
Skinny Dennis
The most famous country bar in Brooklyn and the easiest entry point. Live country bands most nights of the week - Western swing, classic country, honky-tonk, plus some of the Brooklyn-folk-adjacent stuff. The crowd skews young and Brooklyn but takes country music seriously, and the regulars include real dancers.
The honest part: the floor is small, and weekends it gets packed wall to wall in a way that makes actual two-stepping difficult. Weeknights are when you can dance. No cover. The Low Roller residency is one to plan around.
Sunny's Red Hook
A real Brooklyn institution. Sunny's has been Red Hook's bar for decades and the weekly bluegrass and Western swing nights have built one of the most loyal dancer crowds in the city. The room is small and weathered in the best way, and the resident bands play retro country and Western swing with the kind of authority that draws actual dancers off the L train and across two bus transfers.
Red Hook is a trek - that is part of why Sunny's stays special. Plan the night around it.
Roadhouse
The Ridgewood neighborhood spot. Smaller and divier than the Williamsburg country bars, with a regular rotation of live country and Americana acts and just enough floor space for actual two-stepping when the right band is on. Pairs naturally with a Honky Tonkin' in Queens night at Gottscheer Hall, which is in the same neighborhood. Check current calendar before going.
Jalopy Tavern
Attached to Jalopy Theatre, the legendary Red Hook folk and roots venue. The tavern hosts live Americana, bluegrass, country, and old-time music in a small intimate room, often with dancers in attendance for the right band. Lower-key than Sunny's a few blocks away, and a natural pairing if you are doing a Red Hook night.
The Little Red Hen
Lower-key than the Williamsburg spots, with a weekly two-step night that has built its own regulars. The floor is small but the dancing is real, and the community is welcoming to traveling dancers who introduce themselves. Check Instagram for current night and time before going.
Conor Bryne
Another weekly Brooklyn two-step night. Smaller floor, regulars-heavy. Pairs naturally with The Little Red Hen on a weekly rotation. Check current schedule before going.
The monthly parties (worth flying in for)
The best NYC country dance experiences happen at the monthly recurring parties, not the weekly venues. These are bigger, more dance-focused, and built by people who actually run dance scenes for a living.
Burstin' Boots Dance Party (Jalopy Theatre + Brooklyn Grange)
The Burstin' Boots series is a recurring sold-out dance party run by Jalopy Theatre - the legendary Red Hook folk venue - with built-in two-step and line dance lessons by Sargent Seedoo and live music from house band The Slide Stops. The format is exactly what you want: 7:30-8pm beginner two-step and line dance lessons, then the band plays, then a slightly tougher round of lessons, then more dancing, with the night ending at Jalopy Tavern next door at 317 Columbia Street with whatever band is on there. Tickets run about $20 advance, $25 at the door.
The series also runs summer rooftop editions at Brooklyn Grange farm, which is one of the more memorable country dance experiences in NYC. Check @jalopytheatre or the Jalopy website for upcoming Burstin' Boots dates.
Honky Tonkin' in Queens
The marquee NYC country dance event. Honky Tonkin' in Queens is the monthly hoedown that DJ Moonshine (Charles Watlington) and DJ Prison Rodeo (Jonny Nichols) have built at Gottscheer Hall - a German-American social club in Ridgewood that has become the unlikely epicenter of the NYC country scene since they started the residency in February 2023. Touring acts they have brought through include Charley Crockett (recorded for SiriusXM), Sunny Sweeney, Emily Nenni, Corb Lund, Jaime Wyatt, Dylan Earl, Kathryn Legendre, Summer Dean, and Hannah Juanita.
The format: doors at 7:30pm, show at 8pm, live country bands you would otherwise have to drive to Nashville or Austin to see, with a real dance floor and a crowd that is there to two-step. Sets get recorded for SiriusXM Outlaw Country. Tickets sell fast - book ahead.
Alphaville
The Bushwick rock venue that has reinvented itself as a periodic country group-show host. Local NYC country bands - Low Roller, Victory Seeds, and the rotating Northeast Country Coalition acts - pack the lineup for hoedowns where the floor opens for actual dancing. Different energy from Skinny Dennis or Gottscheer Hall - this is the Bushwick DIY scene cross-pollinating with country. Check the calendar for the next country night.
Desert 5 Spot
Long-running LGBT Western and line dance party held in a dance studio with smooth floors - the best dance surface in the NYC country scene. The party attracts serious dancers across line dance, country swing, lindy hop, and two-step, including a competitive contingent who travel between cities for these events. No live bands; DJ-led. The vibe is celebratory, queer-led, and welcoming.
Monthly recurrence. Williamsburg location. Tickets sell out - buy ahead.
Stud Country
Stud Country started as an LA party and has expanded with NYC pop-ups - mostly line dance focused but with two-step focused events at the Freehand Hotel in Gramercy. The Manhattan footprint is rare for NYC country dance; most events are Brooklyn. Watch the Instagram for venue and date.
Molly and June's Honky Tonk
Molly and June's runs recurring country and honky-tonk nights with beginner-friendly two-step and line dance classes built in, often at S.O.B.'s in Manhattan. Lessons start at 7pm, followed by live music or DJ sets - sometimes Shotgun Shack Band, sometimes Vaden Landers' all-vinyl Western swing DJ sets. Doors at 6pm, free with RSVP from 6-6:30pm, priority tickets available for guaranteed entry. One of the few NYC events that bakes the lesson into every show, making this a strong choice for newer dancers.
Festivals near NYC worth knowing
Country and Americana festivals within drivable or trainable distance of New York City where dancing happens. Most NYC dancers travel to these.
Barefoot Country Music Fest
One of the Northeast's largest outdoor country music festivals, held oceanfront on the Wildwood beaches. 40+ artists across multiple stages with major headliners. A NYC-to-Jersey-Shore weekend trip for country fans.
Merlefest
The premier Americana and bluegrass festival on the East Coast. 2026 lineup includes Alison Krauss and Union Station, Old Crow Medicine Show, Charles Wesley Godwin, and Molly Tuttle. Camping available. Dancing happens at multiple stages throughout.
Biscuits and Banjos Festival
Rhiannon Giddens' festival celebrating Black string-band music. 2026 lineup includes Mavis Staples, Blind Boys of Alabama, Rissi Palmer. Small but culturally significant - worth the trip for the music history and dancing alike.
The Burren Backroom Series (Boston)
Not technically a festival but the closest weekly Northeast equivalent - Honky Tonk Tuesdays with The Talking Hearts and fifth Sundays with The Beantown Buckaroos. NYC dancers regularly bus up.
NYC two-step questions
Where can I two-step in New York City?
The best places to two-step in New York City are Lucinda's Honky Tonk + Juke Joint in the East Village (free two-step instruction every Thursday 7:30-9pm, owned by Lucinda Williams), Honky Tonkin' in Queens at Gottscheer Hall in Ridgewood (the monthly marquee event), Burstin' Boots at Jalopy Theatre in Red Hook (recurring sold-out dance series with built-in lessons), Skinny Dennis in Williamsburg, Sunny's Red Hook, and Roadhouse in Ridgewood. The biggest recent addition is Lucinda's, which opened July 2025.
Is there a country dance scene in New York City?
Yes - and it just got bigger. The biggest 2025 addition is Lucinda's Honky Tonk + Juke Joint in the East Village. The scene spans the East Village (Lucinda's), Williamsburg (Skinny Dennis, Desert 5 Spot), Ridgewood Queens (Gottscheer Hall's Honky Tonkin' in Queens, Roadhouse), Red Hook (Sunny's, Jalopy Theatre's Burstin' Boots series, Jalopy Tavern), Bushwick (Alphaville's country group shows), and beyond. Manhattan and the outer boroughs both have scenes now, where it used to be almost entirely Brooklyn.
Where is the best country bar in Brooklyn?
Skinny Dennis at 152 Berry Street in Williamsburg is the most famous country bar in Brooklyn and the easiest entry point - live country bands most nights and no cover. Sunny's Red Hook is the most authentic weekly country dance room in NYC. Jalopy Tavern and Jalopy Theatre in Red Hook host the Burstin' Boots dance series. Alphaville in Bushwick hosts periodic country group shows that are worth tracking.
Where can I learn to two-step in NYC?
Lucinda's Honky Tonk + Juke Joint in the East Village runs FREE two-step instruction every Thursday from 7:30 to 9pm - this is the only weekly drop-in two-step lesson in Manhattan. Burstin' Boots at Jalopy Theatre in Red Hook also builds two-step and line dance lessons into every dance party, taught by Sargent Seedoo with The Slide Stops as house band. Molly and June's events at S.O.B.'s include built-in beginner-friendly classes. For year-round video instruction in Austin-style honky-tonk two-step that translates to NYC's floors, Honky-Tonk Dance School offers on-demand online courses.
What is Lucinda's Honky Tonk in NYC?
Lucinda's Honky Tonk + Juke Joint is a country bar and live music venue at 169 Avenue A in the East Village of Manhattan, opened July 2025 by Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams with co-founders Laura McCarthy (Brownies, Lakeside Lounge) and Kelley Swindall. The bar is in the former Brownie's space, designed as a Nashville-style honky-tonk transplanted to NYC - tin ceilings, vintage country memorabilia, Danny Clinch photography, and a stage built for nightly live music. Free two-step instruction every Thursday 7:30-9pm, live country Fridays 8:30-11:30pm, live-band karaoke Saturdays, weekly bluegrass with Allison Kelly on Tuesdays, songwriter open mic Sundays, and East Village CXntry queer country party on the last Thursday of each month.
What is Honky Tonkin' in Queens?
Honky Tonkin' in Queens is a monthly country dance party held at Gottscheer Hall in Ridgewood, Queens. The event was started in February 2023 by DJ Moonshine (Charles Watlington) and DJ Prison Rodeo (Jonny Nichols) and has become the marquee NYC country dance event. Touring artists who have played the residency include Charley Crockett, Sunny Sweeney, Emily Nenni, Corb Lund, Jaime Wyatt, Dylan Earl, Kathryn Legendre, Summer Dean, and Hannah Juanita. Sets are recorded for SiriusXM Outlaw Country. The party puts roughly 400 tickets on sale per month and regularly sells out.
Do I need a partner to two-step in NYC?
No - the NYC country dance scene is famously welcoming to solo dancers. Lucinda's Thursday lessons, Burstin' Boots at Jalopy, Honky Tonkin' in Queens, Skinny Dennis, Sunny's Red Hook, and Desert 5 Spot all run with a culture of rotating partners and welcoming visitors. The community is progressive and queer-friendly, and solo dancers are the norm at most events.
What is the difference between progressive two-step and Austin honky-tonk two-step?
Progressive two-step uses a quick-quick-slow-slow rhythm with traveling movement around the floor in a counter-clockwise line of dance - this is the dominant style at most NYC venues and at larger country dance halls nationally. Austin honky-tonk two-step uses slow-slow-quick-quick with a closer frame and compact in-place turns, suited to small bars like Sagebrush. NYC dancers generally know both and adapt to whichever style the lead uses. Learn more about Austin honky-tonk two-step →
What Instagram accounts should I follow for the NYC country dance scene?
The essential follows for the NYC country dance scene are @lucindasnyc (East Village honky-tonk, free Thursday lessons), @honkytonkqueens (the monthly Gottscheer Hall residency), @jalopytheatre (Red Hook folk venue with Burstin' Boots dance series), @northeastcountrycoalition (regional event aggregator), @studcountry (line dance and pop-up parties), @desert5spot (Brooklyn venue), and @skinnydennisbar (Williamsburg). These accounts post weekly events and most NYC two-steppers follow them.
Going to Austin next?
Austin has live two-step dancing every single night of the week. We run free and low-cost group lessons several nights a week at Sagebrush and Donn's Depot - no partner needed, no experience required.
Learn before your NYC trip
Show up to Lucinda's Thursday lesson, Burstin' Boots at Jalopy, or Honky Tonkin' in Queens with the basics already in your body. Honky-Tonk Dance School offers on-demand video courses in Austin honky-tonk two-step that translate to any country dance floor in America.