New York has effectively told its bars and restaurants they can let patrons dance without asking permission first, and Kevin Bacon celebrated the move Footloose-style alongside Governor Kathy Hochul.
The ‘dancing police’ rule is gone
The New York State Liquor Authority will no longer require license applicants to disclose whether they will permit patron dancing, nor consider the answer when reviewing on-premises applications. For nearly a century, since the repeal of Prohibition, operators had to get special permission to let customers dance to the jukebox, or risk getting shut down.
The policy change means applicants can simply leave the question blank. It applies to all new applications, including ones already under review.
Kevin Bacon brings the ‘Footloose’ moment
The Footloose star joined Hochul in a Twitter video reprising his famous dance moves after the governor declared, “Dancing? Banned? In New York?! Not anymore.” In the 41-second clip, Bacon plays straight man: he offers salsa, gets a “nada,” offers macarena, gets a “maca-no no.”
What changed for bars and restaurants
- The SLA will no longer consider patron-dancing responses in license reviews
- No more disclosure required on applications or municipal notice forms
- Existing licensees with dancing restrictions may apply to modify their method of operation
More celebrity and movie news
Kevin Bacon’s nostalgia trip lands as Hollywood keeps revisiting its 80s hits. Tim Curry, the Rocky Horror icon, died this week, and Aaron Paul had to debunk a death hoax on his 47th birthday.
