Absurd government regulations should no longer be surprising, but every now and then an issue arises that leaves even the most jaded government watchdog dumbfounded. Take, for example, New York City’s “no dancing” law, which is set to be reviewed by the city council in coming weeks. The law is a vestige of New York’s Jazz Age; it passed in 1926 and requires a specific Cabaret license for any establishment hosting an event where three or more people are dancing. Yes, three or more people (since clearly that’s the threshold after which dancing becomes lethal to the public). In the 1920s, the city used it to target interracial socializing in many Harlem clubs. As such, the license is unnecessarily difficult to acquire. Of over 12,000 bars and clubs in the city, only 88 have these licenses, and the fines are significant enough to concern smaller establishments. It’s past time for NYC to do away with the law and let the kids dance.

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