New York? Where Dat?

Cruising in New York by James Wilson

All of the light wood walls are awash in a red glow. The funky house and techno, oftentimes played on vinyl, is orchestrated by Eli Goldstein of Soul Clap, Philipp Jung of M.A.N.D.Y., and Gadi Mizrahi (Wolf & Lamb), who prefer to keep it casual, so you’ll often see multiple friends messing around at once behind the decks. The mostly over-25 and always unstuffy crowd doesn’t give a damn, because they’re there to let loose, not be seen. So who cares, we are all having a ball. OK with you?

"Social dancers believe that a partner dance should be done for fun." Really?

Smaller than Output but more spacious than Black Flamingo, the Good Room brings club life to an area where it was rarely found before: Greenpoint. Designed by nightlife bigwig Steve Lewis, who outfitted the two-room space with stained glass and a chandelier made of ram’s horns, Good Room is best known for its more unknown but cult-favorite DJs — the ones who might get looked over at Output but still find hard-core fans in Brooklyn. That includes Irish electronic musician Shit Robot, Brooklyn-based rapper Mykki Blanco, and dance-music pioneers who might no longer be recognized like Nicky Siano, the former resident DJ of Studio 54.

"Fly Me To The Moon" by Jimmy Borges

For Bushwick’s techno crowd who congregate here, the drink of choice is not a bubbly Prosecco, but the natural energy elixir Club-Mate. After a brief closure in early 2015, the tropical-themed Bossa Nova reopened with a ramp to meet the regulations of the Americans With Disabilities Act, and a totally revamped DJ booth to the delight of the mostly local but well-known DJs. The vibe is like a local bar that just happens to be the best techno club in the city. The best part, though, is that it’s located right beneath the Central Ave. M stop, deep enough into Brooklyn to avoid curious riffraff and cater to the real heads only. Plus, it’s one of the only places to host a Monday night party in the neighborhood, recently throwing a World Star Techno event starting at happy hour.

"Molokai Waltz" by Amy Hanaialii

We’ll admit it: Dancing still happens in Manhattan. The newest and biggest addition to the scene is Chelsea’s 10,000-square-foot Flash Factory, with stained glass and design accents reclaimed from churches, created with the specific goal of making Manhattan dancing relevant again. What that means, basically, is an Output-inspired music-focused vibe, but with VIPseating. It’s built for the festival-lover who wants big-room names and will still shell out for a private, roped-off table. So far, it’s working: Owners Michael Satsky and Brian Gefter, better known for the exclusive Provocateur, are attracting big names to play across the water. Later this summer, they’ll host the funk duo Chromeo and the co-founder of Glasgow’s most tastemaking label, Jackmaster.

"Social dancers believe that at first some dreams seem impossible,

then they become improbable, finally they are inevitable."