Dance Party

Let’s merengue! Or maybe the jitterbug is more your style. How about the two-step or salsa?

Don’t worry if you’ve never boogied to country, swing or Cuban tunes. Here’s your chance to learn in a party atmosphere with great music.

Each Friday and Saturday through August, Universal CityWalk will hold free dance lessons and provide live music on the east end adjacent to Hard Rock Cafe. A huge dance area has been set up for the series, which includes a detailed lesson and dancing to recorded tunes Friday, and a brief lesson and live band Saturday. The dance floor is open 7-10 both nights.

Local clubs such as the Crush Bar, Conga Room and Country Star will provide disc jockeys who will play music for the lessons.

There’s a great incentive to pay close attention in class Friday: Each Saturday there will be a dance contest offering a first-place cash prize of $1,000, and $500 for second place. Third place earns a variety of merchandise.

Those who don’t have a competitive edge or the confidence in their two-step to enter, can just dance for fun.

“We created this so the whole family can enjoy it,” said Universal spokeswoman Jenny Liu. “Some people may be more serious about it than others.”

During a recent disco night, a crowd of several hundred people attempted to do the hustle. Many of them giggled as they sang along to famous disco hits by Donna Summer, the Bee Gees and Village People.

An hour earlier, instructor David Sarul, better known as Disco Dave, demonstrated some of his best moves. Dressed in a shiny black pant suit accented by a sparkling gold belt, Disco Dave has toured the country teaching the hustle since 1978, and claims disco is as popular as it was in the ‘70s.

“It’s making a full circle,” Sarul said. “It’s making quite a comeback. People of all ages just love it. Just look at them.”

Disco Dave’s CityWalk students did their best to re-create his steps. Some looked graceful and confident; others looked goofy and lost. The important thing, however, is that everyone appeared to be having a good time.

“This is a blast because I just love disco,” said Dave Carey, who danced the night away with his wife and two young children. “You can’t really bring kids if you go out to a club, so this is great.”

A woman in a colorful polyester mini-dress and tall white platform shoes interacted with the crowd while a man in tight bell-bottom pants danced wildly near her. He wore a shirt with a large spread collar, and the top half was unbuttoned to reveal a hairy chest decorated with a large gold medallion.

Universal organizers hire and outfit these dancers so the disco event appears authentic. There are also areas around the dance floor decorated like disco lounges, with colorful velour couches and tables.

The dance nights will have themes. On Friday, the decor will be from the 1940s and you can learn the jitterbug. Saturday, the Jumpin’ Jimes will play swing tunes.

The latter group has a vintage look typical of the post-World War II era and its musical influences include Louis Prima, Buddy Rich and Count Basie.

Other August dance lessons include country and salsa with the following featured bands: Sons of the Desert, Son Mayor and Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca.

Popular country singer Suzy Bogguss will appear Aug. 8. Winner of an Academy of Country Music Award, Bogguss has recorded three gold albums and her top hits include “Someday Soon,” “Letting Go” and “Hey Cinderella.”

BE THERE

Learn to dance country, salsa, swing and disco through August at Universal CityWalk, Hollywood Freeway at Lankershim Boulevard. Lessons and dancing from 7-10 p.m. Fridays next to the Hard Rock Cafe. Saturdays from 7-10 p.m. a live band plays and there will be a dance contest with cash prizes. Events are free but parking is $7. Information: (818) 622-4455.

* Send Jaunts ideas, allowing at least two weeks’ notice, to staff writer Irene Garcia at The Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth 91311. Or send e-mail to Irene.Garcia@latimes.com.