A warning to patrons of the Edge Dance Club in Provo: You must have fun or you will be escorted off the premises.
The area's newest dance club, and one of only a handful of non-alcoholic clubs, brings in about 1,500 patrons on its busiest evenings, usually Wednesdays and weekends. Those patrons are subject to some of the tightest restrictions in the state - prohibitions on gang clothing and loitering in the parking lot and the mandate to enjoy yourself."There's no reason you can't have fun here, but here you can do it in an atmosphere without drugs and alcohol, or without violence and bad language," said general manager John Armstrong.
"Excitement and energy are involved in dancing, but we're trying to make sure that energy is used as it was meant to be used," Armstrong said. "We want this to be a cool experience for our patrons, but not carry with it all the negative and destructive tendencies."
The Edge has 25,000 square feet on three dance levels, including a large main floor devoted to dance and top-40 music; a smaller floor on the main level featuring R&B, hip-hop and rap music; and the downstairs floor with modern-rock and disco. The first has hardwood floors and state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems, the second is decorated with a graffiti-style mural, and the third is painted in stark black and white with neon lighting.
"Everything has kind of taken on a life of its own," Armstrong said. "All the floors are distinctive. A lot of people just go up and down the stairs to see what's going on."
The club is also open to aerobics classes and some country-western dance instruction. Edge managers plan to host concerts by national touring and local groups - and packed in more than 1,000 for a show featuring the Village People on Valentine's Day.
"We're trying to bring some positive entertainment here," he said. "We think we can handle entertainment in a way that it uplifts rather than influences people to act in negative ways."
Also, Armstrong said he and other club investors are trying to be good neighbors for other local businesses. For example, when the club closes nightly, patrons are ushered out of the building and the parking lot within 30 minutes. Security crews then scour the area for litter.
"We're definitely filling a need," Armstrong said. "Young people need a place to socialize, and they can interact with other people their age, outside of school and outside of church, yet it's still a good experience."
The Edge, 143 W. Center, is open from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday. On most evenings, the Edge is open to patrons 18 years and older. For more information on the club and its activities, call 375-0011.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Nightly schedule
Club nights at the Edge, 143 W. Center, Provo:
- Mondays: Singles 25 and older or married couples only.
- Tuesdays: Country night.
- Wednesday: Ladies night; admission for women is $2 before 9 p.m. $3 after 9 p.m.
- Thursdays: X-96 night.
- Fridays and Saturdays: regular dance nights.