Baby Loves Disco Does La Pena

Baby Loves Disco, a portable dance party for parents and kids 6 months to 7 years old, hits town this afternoon in a benefit for La Pena Cultural Center. 

The mirror ball starts turning at 3 p.m. and admission is a family-friendly $10.

Dancer Heather Murphy Monteith started the organization in Philly with her partner Andy Hurwitz, she says in response to the overscheduled lives kids lead today. Now, BLD moves from city to city, taking over nightspots during the daytime when regular patrons are at work or in school and letting the whole family bust a move.

Families arrive to find more than just non-stop danceable music, which includes ‘80s and ‘90s hits as well as disco (ABBA is a perennial favorite). Puppets, snacks and kid-friendly activities abound.

"It would be like if you went to a club out dancing with your kids," Hurtwitz says on the website. "We try to create an activity that's fun for the whole family."

La Peña, at 3105 Shattuck Ave., is a community cultural center that promotes peace and social justice through the arts, education and social action. It hosts some 200 events a year, including art exhibits, classes, and performances, and houses Cafe Valparaiso a Latin American café which complements the organization's mission.