Teen dreams of dancing

Congratulations to the Seattle City Council for finally passing all-ages dance legislation. Shame on the council for not taking it further.

The new legislation, which Mayor Greg Nickels promised to sign, has no age limits, no outrageous insurance minimums and no requirement to have off-duty police officers at the clubs like the previous Teen Dance Ordinance. All are giant steps for the under-21 music and dance scene in Seattle, but the law does not go far enough.

The All-Ages Dance Ordinance will require club owners to obtain a license. To obtain the license, the applicant will go through a background check, and the city will be able to revoke the license if the licensee commits certain felony crimes.

The catch is that the law would also apply to nonprofit organizations. School dances and concerts are exempt, but what about church dances or community hoedowns? Surely there is some way to exempt these functions as well.

I am sure the city council has the ability to make sure this law applies only to the clubs and events for which it was aimed.

It's absurd that it is not easier to have under-21 dances, considering Seattle's history as a hub for new music. Without the sale of alcohol, clubs like The Showbox have strayed from having all-ages dances. Shouldn't the Seattle City Council be promoting these events?

Some city council members expressed concerns that these dances would attract sex offenders and others that mean to exploit the teens -- legitimate concerns -- but since when did the council become the mothers and fathers of all Seattle teens?

If these kids don't have parents to tell them to be home by midnight and avoid strangers, they're probably endangering themselves more than they would be in a controlled club environment.

Let these stray teens find a source of entertainment and community in the dance clubs, and encourage them to go there. The council should look into ways to help fund these clubs and maybe even erect a city-run club.

The All-Ages Dance Ordinance should be the first footstep toward better and more teen events, but the pace threatens to fail. The Seattle City Council needs to do more to promote our music scene, and most importantly, all-age events.