At this St. John's brewery, they're here to dance, not just drink

The Quidi VidiBrewery is an unlikely place for a dance night.

It's a Wednesday night, andthe beer manufacturer nestled in Quidi Vidi Village in St. John's is playing host to a group of dancers who have cometo get down.

Hip-hop, funk and techno music is blasting. People start gathering around an improvised dance floor the room is usually used for beer sampling with chairs and tables pushed to the sides.

As the dancers begin to stretch, bartenders are working the room, describing their selection of craft beers.

A crowd forms on the floor, and a voice from the back starts counting down."Five, four,three, two, one."

That voice belongs to Justin Power, dancer and organizer of Hot Spot Funk Dances, which he describes as a series of dancesessions aimed to introduce people to different types of hip-hop dance styles in a laid-back environment. It's connected to Hot Spot, the dance collective that Power formed last year.

Power has been organizing these events for almost a yearin rather unconventional settings, such as the Neal Building in downtown St. John's.

"[This is] an opportunity for people to come out and express themselves," Power said.

"Adults can actually engage and have something to do and enjoy, versus just going, sitting down and drinking."

Think of it as a dance class that is not like most dance classes.

The point is fun, not instruction.

'A great opportunity' for expression

Attendees arrive at different timesand simply gather around Power while he demonstrates different moves.

"I decided to organize these sessions because I wanted to introduce different hip-hop dance styles to a wider audience, outside the the dance scene," he said.

"People get really shy when they hear the [words] 'dance class.'"

As the night goes on, people who had originally circledaround the bar move towards the dance floor and find a partner to practise some moves.

"This a great opportunity for people to dance and express themselves," said Jim Russell, in between a couple of songs. "That's why all the young, fun people are doing it."

Power is planning on expanding the sessions including some competitions.

"The coolest thing to see is when somebody comes and they don't really expect to enjoy the dancing so much, and [they're]like, wow, that was a lot of fun."

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