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Wanna dance with somebody?

The New York State Liquor Authority is finally letting bars and restaurants allow their customers to dance without risking their liquor licenses, nearly a decade after New York City eliminated strict cabaret and zoning laws, The Post has learned.

While the cabaret laws are gone, the State Liquor Authority required license applicants to disclose whether they would allow dancing, effectively preventing many establishments from letting customers bust a move.

SLA board members ended that practice in a Thursday vote.


  While the cabaret laws are gone, the State Liquor Authority required license applicants to disclose whether they would allow dancing. Jacob Lund – stock.adobe.com While the cabaret laws are gone, the State Liquor Authority required license applicants to disclose whether they would allow dancing. Jacob Lund – stock.adobe.com

“The dance police is over,” liquor license attorney Max Bookman observed to The Post on Wednesday.

The SLA “will no longer require license applicants to respond to questions in the license application concerning patron dancing,” according to an advisory posted on the agency’s website. 

Applicants can skip or leave those questions blank without impacting their approval, according to the document.

The board typically approves advisories once they are put up for a vote, said Bookman, who is also counsel to the New York City Hospitality Alliance, which supports the proposal.

The agency’s change of heart, according to the advisory, is “consistent with Gov. Kathy Hochul’s support of live performances and patron dancing as well as the repeal of New York City’s Cabaret Law.”


  Under the old status quo, making establishments disclose their dancing rules served as a deterrent. wavebreak3 – stock.adobe.com Under the old status quo, making establishments disclose their dancing rules served as a deterrent. wavebreak3 – stock.adobe.com

“New York’s hospitality industry is unmatched, and our restaurants, bars and nightlife are a big part of what makes our communities so vibrant,” Gov. Hochul said in a statement. “By eliminating this outdated and unnecessary restriction on dancing, we’re making it easier for businesses to succeed and for New Yorkers and visitors alike to experience the energy and excitement that define our state.”

Under the status quo, making establishments disclose their dancing rules serves as a deterrent — many community boards oppose liquor license applications for establishments that allow dancing, experts told The Post.

Some community boards were expected to push back on the SLA’s decision. 

The measure will have no impact on strip clubs that feature pole dancing and lap dancing. Exotic dancing venues will still need to disclose their practices to the SLA, according to the advisory.


  The State Liquor Authority says the proposed policy change is “consistent with Gov. Kathy Hochul’s support of live performances and patron dancing as well as the repeal of New York City’s Cabaret Law.” Matthew McDermott for NY Post The State Liquor Authority says the proposed policy change is “consistent with Gov. Kathy Hochul’s support of live performances and patron dancing as well as the repeal of New York City’s Cabaret Law.” Matthew McDermott for NY Post

Cabaret dancing in the city was banned during Prohibition in the 1920s. 

The ban came back with Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s quality-of-life crackdowns including nightclub raids in the 1990s.

The city formally overturned the dancing ban in 2017, under then-Mayor Bill de Blasio.

The SLA did not immediately respond to a Post request for comment.

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