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

Spring Weekend

BACDS Spring Weekend 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 2009 the camp will be held March 13-15. 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. This year, we will be serving a sit-down Saturday Supper to give you even more time to mingle with friends (both old and new). In 2009, Balance the Bay will be at a new location, the Janet Pomeroy Center overlooking Lake Merced. We're also moving to a new date: August 14-16, 2009. Come experience the cool of summer in San Francisco! For more information, please visit the website

Fall Weekend/Fall Frolick

Through 2007, BACDS Fall Weekend was a family-friendly multi-tradition camp at the Monte Toyon camp near Aptos. In 2008, Fall Weekend will relaunch as Fall Frolick, primarily English country and display (morris/sword, etc) dance weekend, still supporting music and singing. There may be some contra dancing, but English will be the primary emphasis. In 2008, the dates will be October 17-19. (Ordinarily the camp is on the weekend containing the third Sunday in October.)

Week-Long Camps

English Week

Continuing a tradition that dates back to the earliest English-American camps in the Mendocino Woodlands back in 1980, BACDS English Week remains the place to enjoy the finest regional, national and international English country dance and morris leaders and musicians. In 2009, the camp will be held July 11-18. 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 second year at Foothill Horizons camp in Sonora in 2008, July 5-12!

American Week

In 2004, BACDS American Week made its return to the Mendocino Woodlands. In 2009, it will be held July 4-11. For more information about the 2009 camp's program and schedule, please visit the camp website.