Cielo
18 Little W. 12th St., 212-645-5700
Highline Ballroom
431 W. 16th St., 212-414-5994
People come to Cielo to dance. The club's DJs play house music in a square room with a sunken floor, beneath disco balls in various sizes. Tables and banquettes line the square (for when you need a break) and brown cushions line the walls (if you twirl too fast). A tight door policy helps with crowd control. While DJs spin just about every night of the week, Deep Space on Mondays, spearheaded by the legendary François K, has earned raves for its attention to dub, and Dance.Here.Now. anchors the club's Thursday evenings. Highline Ballroom offers a very different (still musical) experience—though it does have the odd club night. At this intimate venue, you can stand or sit (with a minimum purchase), eat or drink, and bob your head or clap your hands to live music. Performers range from hip-hop, pop rock and powerhouse soul to ska, emo, alt-rock and much more.