Weekend and Week-long Dance and Music Camps

BACDS operates a number of weekend and week-long dance and music camps catering to the needs of our community. Our camps cover a wide range of family friendliness and coverage of dance and musical traditions. Many are fragrance-free events.

Weekend Camps

Contra College

Contra College is an intimate group retreat focused on teaching Contra dance to new and intermediate dancers in a gorgeous location. Experienced dancers can improve their skills, help newer dancers, or practice the other gender role. Organizers are encouraged to come and discuss issues related to attracting and retaining new dancers.

This year's Contra College will be held at the Sequoia Retreat Center (near Ben Lomond) on the weekend of November 12-14, 2010.

Spring Weekend

BACDS Spring Weekend ("Spring Fling") is a family-friendly multi-tradition dance and music weekend at the Monte Toyon camp near Aptos. Its program features an eclectic mix of dance, music, and singing workshops with a slight emphasis on American traditions. In 2010 the camp will be held March 19-21. For more information about this camp's program and schedule, please visit the camp website.

Balance the Bay!

Balance the Bay is an urban Contra dance weekend held in San Francisco just a quarter mile from Ocean Beach. The weekend features high energy contra dancing, plus workshops in couple dancing, music, and calling. In 2010, Balance the Bay returns to the Janet Pomeroy Center overlooking Lake Merced, August 13-15, 2010, and features calling by Lisa Greenleaf and Susan Petrick, with music by The Latter Day Lizards and The OpporTunists. Come experience the cool of summer in San Francisco! For more information, please visit the website

Fall Weekend/Fall Frolick

Keep The Date for 2010: October 15-17 (Ordinarily the camp is on the weekend containing the third Sunday in October.)

Through 2007, BACDS Fall Weekend was a family-friendly multi-tradition camp at the Monte Toyon camp near Aptos. Since 2008, Fall Frolick has been a primarily English country and display (morris/sword, etc) dance weekend, with a strong music and singing track.

Week-Long Camps

English Week

With our new location at the beautiful Bishop's Ranch in the Wine Country of Northern California, BACDS English Dance and Music Week will continue the tradition of offering a fabulous array of workshops and music presented by the finest regional, national and international musicians and leaders of English country dance, display dance, song, and more. In 2011, the camp will be held August 21-28. For more information about the camp's program and schedule, please visit the camp website.

Family Week

Looking for a fun-filled week of dance, song, crafts, and activities for families of all sizes and ages? BACDS Family Week is the camp for you. Its program includes both age-specific and age-neutral activites, and is the ideal activity for families of all sizes (including families of one). For more information about the most recent camp's program and schedule, please visit the camp website.

BACDS Family Week enjoys its fourth year at Foothill Horizons camp in Sonora in 2010, July 4-10.

American Week

In 2004, BACDS American Week made its return to the Mendocino Woodlands. In 2011, it moves to a new home on the San Francisco Peninsula at Jones Gulch Camp in La Honda, and will be held July 3-8. For more information about the 2011 camp's program and schedule, please visit the camp website.