I’ve not been in many major U.S. cities. Most of my life was spent in the Metro-Detroit area, save for a few trips over to Canada, and a couple of highway-bound routes through Ohio. And yet, while I’ve increased my exposure to a couple of more capitals over the past several years, I’d define my exposure to the U.S. in general as inadvertently bland. Hopefully, that will change sooner rather than later.

Even so, I’d be willing to wager that a large portion of relationships in Detroit are created, cultivated and fulfilled through music and dance, more so than a majority of cities across the U.S.

My first authentically Detroit experience with this occurred at a local coffee shop, which is really the last place I’d expect to be hosting great tunes. I visited often, at first for the food trucks parked on the corner, but soon enough for some spectacular record spinning and even b-boy break dancing. I found that it was not uncommon for me to swing by a pub, bar, bookstore, or even a museum and find anything from disco to Detroit house music greeting me at each venue. Making new friends in Detroit is as simple as picking your favorite genre of music, and venturing downtown.

And if there isn’t a dance floor, we’ll make one.

You see, Detroit even has its own Dancing Man.