BACDS American Dance and Music Week — June 28–July 3, 2015 BACDS American Dance and Music Week, June 28–July 3, 2015

Events Before & After Camp

Plan to Arrive Early and Stay After!

When making your travel plans for camp, keep in mind the extra goodies we have planned for before camp and after camp. The San Francisco Bay Area is absolutely beautiful in June and July, and BACDS has a very strong Contra and English dance calendar. Plan to come early and stay after to enjoy the special events we have in store.

Camp officially begins with Dinner on Sunday June 28, and check-in begins at 3:00pm (sliding-scale Work-Trade campers: please be at camp no later than 1:00pm Sunday to help with setup). But that doesn't mean you should delay your arrival in the Bay Area until Sunday! If you do that, you'll miss the pre-camp dances in San Francisco on Friday 6/26 and Palo Alto on Saturday 6/27.

Camp officially ends Friday evening 7/3, with dancing and musical fireworks at the post-camp Gala Dance Party at Lucie Stern Center in Palo Alto. The Gala is open to the public (admission to the Gala is included in your camp registration fee as part of camp). But you'll want to plan to stay at least until Sunday, so you can join us at the post-camp Saturday Contra on 7/4 in San Francisco.

The San Francisco Bay area is a great place to visit, and a great place for music and dance! Here's the BACDS schedule for the period surrounding camp; but there are thousands or millions of other reasons to spend a little extra time here before and/or after camp!

  • Wednesday, June 24: English in Berkeley with David Newitt and Ric Goldman with an Open Band led by Michelle Levy, Shira Kammen, Patti Cobb
  • Friday, June 26: Contra in San Francisco with AmWeek staff Linda Leslie and Laura Light, George Paul, Matt & Stuart Kenney
  • Saturday, June 27: Contra in Palo Alto with AmWeek staff Lisa Greenleaf and Clew Bay (Alden Robinson, Peter Siegel, Owen Marshall, Matt & Stuart Kenney)
  • Sunday-Friday: AmWeek!
  • Friday, July 3: Special Camp Closing Contra Gala in Palo Alto with all AmWeek staff (open to the public — wear your AmWeek 2015 camp button to get in free!)
  • Saturday, July 4: Contra in San Francisco with AmWeek staff Linda Leslie and The Syncopaths (Ryan McKasson, Ashley Broder, Jeff Spero, Christa Burch)

Here's a one-page flyer (PDF) for the pre-camp and post-camp Bay Area dances.

The San Francisco dance community has lots of friendly, hospitable folk who understand the "peculiar" proclivities of the Dance Gypsy. Please let us know if you would like help with making plans, such as sightseeing ideas, foodie restaurant suggestions, or whatever!