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BACDS March 2012 Electronic Mailing
BACDS sponsors English and American traditional dances in the San Francisco Bay Area. This is fun, relatively easy, community-oriented dancing with live music. All dances are taught, no partner is necessary, and first-timers are welcome unless otherwise noted.
- Find out more about BACDS at the BACDS website
- Can't find an old flyer? Don't forget to check out our archive of past mailings
BACDS Quarterly Calendar
See all the dances and special events for April-June of 2012.
Bay Area Country Dancer, #89 - March 2012
The BACDS newsletter. Catch up on all the local dance news. In this issue:
- Balance the Bay 2012: A Contra Dance Experience You Don't Want to Miss (by Julie Thomas)
- American Week - It's Not Just for Dancing Anymore (by Jim Oakden)
- Musicians' Course at Hey Days English Dance and Music Week (by Brooke Friendly)
- Family Week: bring a child to dance camp, even if it's your inner one (by Randall Cayford)
- Say "Oui!" to French Dancing, March 10 (by Gary Breitbard)
- The Walnut Creek Contra returns, March 11
- Gender-Free Dance with Chris Riccioti and Perpetual E-Motion, Monday, April 2
- ContraFusion in Palo Alto, April 14
- Google Dancing
- The President's Corner (by Jens Dill)
- Volunteer Thanks
- Upcoming Events
Palo Alto Community Band at the Woodshed Dance
Tuesday, March 13, 2012, Atherton
The newest Peninsula grass roots music team will be showcased at this month's Woodshed Dance. We'll be joined by the Palo Alto Community Band to add to our normal lineup of talent. Remember, dancers and musicians (it's an open band night) get in free. This time the callers pay for the privelidge of showing you stuff. How great is that? The Woodshed occurs on 2nd Tuesdays - y'all come, now!
There's still room at Spring Fever Weekend at Monte Toyon
Friday-Sunday, March 16-18, 2012, Aptos
YES! You can still get into Spring Fever. Camp is not full, and we'd especially appreciate having more men come
to camp.
We've got exciting callers Erik Weberg and David Newitt. We've hand-picked musicians from some of
the best bands
across the country: Dave Langford and Bill Tomczak from Latter Day Lizards, Ann
Percival from Wild Asparagus, Anita Anderson from KGB, Jim Oakden from Roguery,
Michelle Levy from StringFire. And we're not done yet! Join us for a high-energy weekend of
music and dance that puts the awesome in Hot Contra dancing and Exuberant English dancing. Thrill to workshops
that challenge newcomer and experienced dancers alike. Besides, Saturday is St. Paddy's Day, so expect some surprises!
- Spring Fever Weekend registration PDF flyer (reg form on page 2)
- Spring Fever Weekend web page
- Find us on Facebook
Special Dances Coming to the Palo Alto Contra (added 3/17/12)
April 2 and 14, 2012, Palo Alto
Experience Gender-Free Contra Dancing with Chris Ricciotti and Perpetual E-Motion (John Coté and Ed Howe) at a special Palo Alto Contra Dance on April 2, 2012 (starts at 7:30 pm). Gender-free dancing is a new paradigm that takes the old gender-stereotypes out of the dance and puts new energy in. Dancers are free to choose "leading" or "following" roles as they prefer, and to swap if they dare. Calling is as free from gender-laden terminology as we can manage, and the experience lifts Contra to a new level. Not comfortable stepping out of your familiar role? Fine. Stay with it, and dance with who comes at you. Special Prices ($10 members, $12 non-members, $6 Students).
What is ContraFusion? Perhaps you've heard of Techno Contra? No? Black lights? Disco balls? Non-traditional music spun up by a DJ? Scratch that last; we've got a live band. ContraFusion is a fusion of traditional and Techno Contra, brought to you by the Whoots (Michelle Levy, Ben Schrieber, Noel Cragg, Jim Oakden) and called by Spider Vetter. Coming to your regular Palo Alto Contra Dance on Saturday, April 14.
May Day Morris celebrations
May 1, 2012, throughout the Bay Area
Every year, BACDS teams and others join in a world-wide celebration to dance the Sun up and celebrate the 1st of May.
In the Bay Area you'll find us that Tuesday morn in Sebastopol, San Francisco, Berkeley, Palo Alto, and Santa Cruz, with lots
of dancing the whole weekend long. It's an age-old tradition! We've been doing it for decades, and the Sun keeps
coming up, so we must be doing something right. Come out and join us!
Out of the area? No worries - just check the North America May Day Morris page.
San Francisco Free Folk Festival
June 9-10, 2012, San Francisco
The San Francisco Free Folk Festival is a 2-day weekend event that offers music and dance workshops, performers on three stages, jams, and a family program. It is open to all at no charge (though donations will be gratefully accepted).
Thinking about summer camps?
You should. We're already planning for lots of fun at our week-long summer camps:
- American Week, July 1-6, 2012 (check out our PDF brochure and 1-page PDF flyer)
- Family Week, July 1-7, 2012 (check out our PDF brochure)
- HeyDays (English Week), August 19-26, 2012 (check out our PDF brochure)
Balance the Bay
Friday-Sunday, August 10-12, 2012, San Francisco
Join us for San Francisco's own Contra Dance weekend at the Janet Pomeroy Center on Skyline Drive, between the SF Zoo and Lake Merced, just a short walk from the ocean. Experience the cool of summer in San Francisco! Enjoy music by The Great Bear Trio (Andrew VanNorstrand, Noah VanNorstrand, and Kim Yerton) and Joyride (George Penk, Erik Weberg, Sue Songer,and Jeff Kerssen-Griep), calling by George Marshall and Bev Bernbaum, waltzing, couple dances, advanced contra medley and Saturday dinner on-site with all your new & old friends. Registration is open! Sign up now!
- Balance the Bay PDF Flyer
- Balance the Bay - Registration Form
- Balance the Bay web page
- Find us on Facebook
Playford-to-the-Present Ball - Save the Date
Saturday, October 6, 2012, Pasadena
Head south for the 12th annual Southern California Playford-to-the-Present English Country Dance Ball at the lovely Pasadena Scottish Rite Temple, with Dance Master Ric Goldman and music by The Syncopaths (Ryan McKasson, Ashley Broder, Jeffrey Spero, Christa Burch). The event is sponsored by the California Dance Cooperative and the Culver City English Country Dance.
Looking for more places to dance?
We've compiled a regional list of Contra and English country dance venues so you always know when and where to get your dance fix. Check out our easy-to-use summary with an at-a-glance look at the dancing month (and let us know if we missed any)!
- Contra Dance Directory PDF flyer
- Bay Area Contra quick-reference half-page PDF flyer
- Northern California English Dance Directory PDF flyer
- Southern California List of English Country Dance PDF flyer
Are you a BACDS member?
Our "rolling" memberships are now good for 12 months from the date you join so you can start enjoying the benefits today. Be the envy of all your friends, and help support the dance community!