More Places Are Opening Their Doors to Dance-Happy Families : Skating Plus in Ventura not only has a 14,000-square-foot wooden dance floor, but is also smoke- and alcohol-free.

Families are always asking me where they can go to dance with their kids. And the under-21 crowd is starving for places to Boot Scoot. The trick to bringing minors where alcohol is served is going to a place that also serves food. On Sundays, families turn out at 6:30 p.m. for lessons and dancing at the Crazy Bull in Camarillo and Oxnard’s Wagon Wheel Restaurant.

Recently, the Borderline in Thousand Oaks reinstated its Sunday family dance lessons from 2 to 5 p.m. And there are monthly dances held at recreation centers around the county.

But you’ll find the best deal is the new Country Music Dance Night on Wednesdays at Skating Plus in Ventura.

I checked it out last week. Imagine a smoke- and alcohol-free place open to people of all ages. And the 14,000-square-foot wooden dance floor is larger than a basketball court. Some two-stepping couples didn’t even make it around the track once during an entire song.

For the next few weeks at least, you’ll find K-HAY radio’s Patty Willis hosting the event. When I visited last week, Willis and fellow K-HAY deejay Jeremy Landau were among more than 80 people learning the Three Amigos Shuffle with David Graves, who also plays dance music for the evening. He does a great job, but a microphone would help.

You can bet 10-year-old Jimmi King and her mom, Denise, of Oxnard were there. They began line dancing about two years ago and are a familiar sight at outdoor and family events. But King said it’s very difficult to find places that admit children.

Josh Kelly, 17, agreed. The entire family--Gladys, Gary and little sister Courtney--came from Simi Valley for the dance night and had a ball.

About a year ago, the Kellys took a family line dance class taught by Sandi Patterson through the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District. Now they hope that the community center will offer a monthly dance.

Josh encouraged the family to learn with him after learning to line dance during a ranch vacation. Now they travel far and wide for opportunities to dance together.

“This dance night really fills a need,” Gladys Kelly said. “Sometimes parents complain there is nothing to do with young people. But this is great. And it’s out there if you make the effort.”

On a recent Tuesday night at the Crazy Bull, K-HAY deejay Charlye Parker unveiled her line dance--or rather--circle dance--a fun variation of the hokeypokey called the “Charlye Parker.” Kids will enjoy doing it at the station’s outdoor Country Celebrations.

Later that night, the Rhythm Rangers delighted dancers with some original tunes from their CD, due out next month. Both “Aces and Eights,” an infectious shuffle, and “Confidante,” a harmonized swing, met with good response.

And dancers all agreed that they prefer the dance floor with the new stage installed for the Bryan Austin concert because it eliminates the table-and-chair bottleneck. So management has promised to keep it.

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When I dropped by the City Line in Santa Barbara to check out the Twangin’ Iguanas, their lead vocalist and front man, Doug Miller, told me that he’s headed for Nashville next month. But the band will carry on with a new face.

Also Nashville-bound is the popular local band Platte River Crossing. So catch their farewell appearance Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at the Crazy Bull.

Details

* WHAT: Country Dance Night.

* WHEN: 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. Wednesdays, dance lessons 8:30 to 9:15 p.m. with David Graves.

* WHERE: Skating Plus, 1720 Mesa Verde Ave., Ventura.

* COST: $5 per person; open to all ages.

* FYI: 656-2120.