Photo by Bernd Schönberger
Stepping into Ballhaus on Auguststrasse 24 (Mitte) is like stepping into another era. You will see a restaurant, a beer bar and candlelit tables along the walls – but first and foremost a compelling dance floor.
In between the worn-down wooden floor and the big disco ball hanging from the ceiling, there is some serious dancing going on. Some of the dancers are brilliant, while others are carefully taking their first feeble steps.
The walls are gleaming with tin foil, the air is hot and thick and people of all ages are getting up and going to the dance floor with little ladies with neat hair-dos and young students dressed in black from top to toe. The music varies at Ballhaus. According to the day of the week, cha-cha, swing, tango or dj-music is on the program. The place is enchanting and rumor has it that Tom Cruise, who just shot a movie in Berlin, has picked the dance restaurant as a location for one of his next films.
If you stay in Berlin for a while, you have the possibility of joining a dance class.