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It's been more than a year since the supper club and dance hall Gardel's closed. Located in what was once The Baltimore City Life Museum, Gardel's was a mixture of elegance and excitement. It was a place for romantics, where, in a dimly-lit room, you could sip a cocktail and stare into your lover's eyes while dancing the tango. Even if you weren't with that special someone, it was a place to be seen and meet people. Many a love connection was formed on that dance floor. The phrase "May I have this dance?" united strangers, who would pass the evening pressed tightly together gyrating to a sexy salsa rhythm. As the old saying goes, "Dancing is the vertical expression of a horizontal desire."
Well, get out your dancing shoes, because the place is once again open and is now called The Ark. Run by Grace Badillo and her company Dancing With Grace, The Ark offers Latin music and dancing every Saturday from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Not sure you have what it takes to master the merengue? Arrive early to learn. Beginner and intermediate lessons on salsa and Bachata (a type of Latin dance that originated in the Dominican Republic) were being offered at 8 and 9 p.m. the night we went. Don't worry if you come without a partner. Everyone is paired randomly, and rotated every few minutes. We learned the Bachata with 15 different partners—some good, some excellent and some just plain awful, but all friendly and nice. Ladies, take note: The instructor for the evening, Lee Smith (a.k.a. "El Gringuito"), made sure to give every girl a little personal attention and one-on-one dance time. We got all hot and bothered when he pressed against us and shimmied his hips in motion with ours.
Crowd: It was opening night when we went to The Ark and the club was predictably packed. When the DJ stopped playing around 11:30, The Latin Sound Band took the stage, and there wasn't a spot to be found on the main dance floor. People danced in the aisles, between tables and near the staircase. The Ark attracts an eclectic group. There were 20-something club kids who never left the floor and couples in their 30s and 40s who left at 11 p.m. when the place got crowded.
This was a crowd that liked to dress up. The club has a strict dress code, and asks that its patrons "dress to impress." Some women were definitely dressed to impress in slinky, low-cut dresses and sky-high heels usually reserved for the bedroom. A lot of guys left the jeans and athletic wear at home and looked sharp in tight black trousers and collared shirts. In addition to looking fine, the majority of the crowd seemed to have one thing in common—besides a passion for dancing—they were extremely friendly, and wanted to meet other people. This is not a place for wallflowers. Sometimes you'll dance with someone who's "your type" and sometimes you'll find yourself dancing with someone who reminds you of your aunt or uncle. Sure, you could always say no, but it's just one dance. Besides, you may learn a thing or two. The club's "house rules" clearly state that one should check his ego at the door. So, have a little fun already.
Food: There was a buffet of traditional Latin on opening night, which started at 7:30 p.m., but we were too busy taking lessons to sample anything. It appears that food will only be available on special occasions.
Drinks: You have your choice of drinks at The Ark, as long as you aren't looking for booze. The place does not have a liquor license. Management, however, is working on obtaining a BYOB permit for the club. For now, you'll have to settle for water, juice, energy drinks and sodas, including Mexican sodas. After all, "serious dancers" are not heavy drinkers, Badillo said. This is generally true. You can't get too smashed and expect to do any fancy footwork. We were happy to see that available beverages were fairly cheap (we've visited too many places that overcharge for sodas). A Diet Coke was just $1.
Digs: This has got to be the most opulent place in town to dance the night away. With two floors, it's also one of the largest clubs in Baltimore. We were mesmerized by the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, the soaring ceilings and shimmering chandeliers. Some of The City Life Museum's interiors have been preserved, including wall-sized murals and an entire White Tower restaurant. (Though not open for business, it was fun to sit at the counter to take a break from dancing.) Leather couches and cozy tables surround the dance floor, perfect for watching the action or slipping away to steal a kiss or two.
Bottom line: If you like to dance, then The Ark is the place to be. And while you may enter the club alone, don't be surprised if you find yourself paired up by the end of the evening. Because at The Ark, everyone should be dancing two-by-two.
