Inside: the Sky Club in Royal Oak

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Status: Atop the well-known Sangria restaurant is the Sky Club, an up-scale venue that delivers a hot dance scene.

It started out as  a piano bar, but the owners quickly realized that the space was meant for something more. Re-thinking the venue's atmosphere amd ambience, they decided on a unique dance club with a Latin flair.

Today, the Sky Club is one of metro Detroit’s leading salsa bars. 

“I love this place,” enthuses the 26-year-old Arlica Love, a Sky Club regular. “I come here on Thursdays with my boyfriend to salsa and Saturdays with my girlfriends. I always have a blast.”

The stylish club (directly across from the Royal Oak Music Theatre) celebrates nine years of revelry this year with (hopefully) many more to come.

Gear: Show off your style. Sexy tops and jeans are the popular pick for ladies and men keep it chic with button down shirts and jeans. Just remember, no tennis shoes.

Mood: As you walk up the stairs to the Sky Club, you can feel the bass before you even get in. After handing over your $5 cover, you immediately become part of the crowd. Twenty- to 30-something singles and couples are wall to wall as vintage couches and tables line a brick wall to make a lounge area that’s conveniently located next to the dance floor.

Partygoers steam up the windows moving and grooving to a wide variety of music.

Wednesdays and Thursdays expect to be seduced by Latin moves and music. DJ Cisco spins some of the hottest salsa mixes and Duane Wrenn starts the party with free salsa lessons from 9-10 p.m. before dancers of all levels take to the dance floor.

Friday and Saturday nights keep the momentum but dance to a different beat. Fashionistas shake it to a music mix of '80s hits, top 40 and house.

Sky Club manager Vita Vivano sums up the venue's clientele in three words, “fun, outgoing, and diverse.” 

Though the upstairs dance hall is intimate in size, the energy is anything but small. Laughter and smiles fill the room, and no one seems like a stranger among these flirtatious partiers. The only challenge is weaving your way through the crowds to the bar.

Pick me up:  The bar is stocked with almost any liquor you can imagine, but just as important are the speedy bartenders that can create tasty drinks in a flash. Cocktails average $8.

Entertainment: DJ Cisco is a staple of the Sky Club’s Salsa Nights and spins every Wednesday and Thursday.

Fridays and Saturdays are hosted by a variety of local DJs.

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