WEST JORDAN, Utah — West Jordan residents are now allowed to dance The Charleston, The Hustle or the Funky Chicken to their heart's content after the city abolished an archaic dancing ban that seemed ripped from the "Footloose" script.
Somewhere, Ren McCormack is shouting, "Let's dance!"
During a city council meeting last month, West Jordan leaders struck down Code: Title 4, Chapter 2, Article K, which prohibited various forms of dancing in public, including:
- Dancing must stop before 2:00 a.m. and not start again before 8:00 a.m.
- Adults must be present for anyone under 16 to dance
- Lighting at least 5 feet above floor level throughout the building was mandated, and all seating areas had to be open in full view of the main dance floor
- No leaving a dance area without paying full price to get back in
The vote to strike down the ban was unanimous, with most city leaders having no idea how it came to be in the first place.
“Nobody at the city remembers this ever having been applied for or granted,” Senior Assistant City Attorney Patrick Boice told the City Council.
“It’s something from a bygone era, much like the farms and dances that used to occur from people moving into our city, from New York and L.A. and other spots, bringing their spontaneous dance moves in freewheeling spirit.”
Following the vote, one councilmember referenced the closing scenes of the 1984 classic "Footloose," which was filmed in Utah.
"We can now go to the Lehi Roller Mills," said Council Chair Bob Bedore.
