Regularly-Scheduled English Dance Series

BACDS operates five regularly-scheduled English country dance series on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. If you live in the greater San Francisco bay area, one of our regular English dances is close to you.

Palo Alto / Berkeley Wednesday / Berkeley Wednesday Workshops / San Francisco / Berkeley Experienced / Peninsula (Palo Alto/San Jose/Mountain View)

The first regular English country dance series in the San Francisco area probably started on October 18, 1970, when Chuck Ward arranged for the use of a dance studio in exchange for providing music at Scottish country dance lessons. Attendees during that first night found Chuck playing and calling, and were greeted by dance manager Norah Hughes. Little did they know that that evening would be the beginning of over thirty years of local tradition.

Palo Alto English Dance

Started in 1982 by two women whose names have been lost, this dance was originally a monthly event with no primary leader. After a year or so, Bob Fraley was asked to be the regular programmer; not long after that, the dance became a semi-monthly event, featuring many well-known musicians including local favorites Stan and Susan Kramer. This dance has been located at the Palo Alto Masonic Temple for many years.

The Masonic Temple is being remodeled in June-September of 2008, so the dances will be held at St. Bede's Episcopal Church, 2650 Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park (near Highway 280).

Today, Jody Distler-Dill handles the programming responsibilities for this dance. Bob Fraley continues as the house caller and the Nonesuch Country Dance Band (founded by Stan & Susan Kramer in 1985) as the house band. Bob runs a very novice-friendly dance, and aims towards an evening with a high ratio of dancing to teaching.

Berkeley Wednesday English Dance

One of the oldest dances in the BACDS roster, this dance started at St. Clement's Church in Berkeley in 1974. During the years, this dance had made its home at Berkeley's John Muir School, Oakland's Glenview School, and Berkeley's St. Joseph's School before relocating to its current home at Berkeley's Grace North Church in 1995.

Beginners that arrive early can get a quick lesson, usually from longtime dance manager Mary Luckhardt; even without a lesson, everyone is encouraged to take a partner and join in. Unlike the Mountain View and Palo Alto English dances, this dance doesn't feature a house caller or band. Instead, dance programmer Debra Tayleur(whose predecessors include Alisa Dodson, David Newitt, and Charlie Hancock) draws from a number of local and regional dance leaders, with folks like Alan Winston, Bruce Hamilton, Sharon Green, David Newitt, Mary Luckhardt and North Bay favorite Kalia Kliban making regular appearances. The fine bands that Debra selects regularly feature such local notables as Shira Kammen, Danny Carnahan, Jon Berger, Charlie Hancock, Noel Cragg, Craig Johnson, and Judy Linsenberg. On occasion, Debra has been known to take a seat behind the piano. This dance is also the only local English dance to feature a regular Open Band evening.

Berkeley Wednesday English Workshops

This workshop is for English country dancers at all levels. Some topics (waltz workshops, for example) are merely of interest; most will focus on specific English dance topics - figures, styling - and help dancers to gain comfort and improve their dancing, with more individual attention than is possible in the evening dance.

This hour-long workshop precedes the regular English dance - going from 6:30- 7:30 pm on second and fourth Wednesdays of the month.

San Francisco English Dance

This dance, which made its first home at the Children's Day School across from Mission Dolores, was founded by Alisa Dodson, Anise Feldman, and Craig Johnson in 1993. From 1996 to mid-2008, it called Bethany United Methodist Church in San Francisco home, with Craig continuing as programmer. From July of 2008 forward, the dance is held at Danceground Keriak (1805 Divisadero at Post), still under Craig's stewardship.

Like the Berkeley English series, the San Francisco English dance draws from the exceptional pool of talented callers and musicians that the bay area is blessed with.

Starting in July 2008, the series will take place on second Saturday evenings from 7:00-10:00 pm

Berkeley Experienced English Dance

Bruce Hamilton started this dance in 1988 as a regular English dance based at Oakland's Glenview School, with Jenny Beer joining as co-teacher in early 1989. David Newitt became the dance's programmer in late 1989, succeeded by Alisa Jensen (now Dodson) who held the post until 1998. Mary Luckhardt became programmer and was followd by Lise Dyckman. Current programmer Sharon Green programs this series with an emphasis on extraordinary music. This dance has made its home at Berkeley's Grace North Church since the mid 1990s.

Unlike the other regular English dances that BACDS operates, this dance assumes that dancers are already familiar with the basic vocabulary of English country dance figure. This implies that dancers will have a more enjoyable time at this dance if they have attended a couple of regular English country dances beforehand. (However, the "holiday" dances - November and December - are typically open to all.)

Peninsula (Palo Alto, Mountain View, San Jose)

Pianist Kay Thorne and callers Bruce Hamilton and Bob Fraley started this dance series in the late 1970s. During the early years, Bob and Bruce were the programmers and primary teachers. Musicians included Kay, Liz Dreisbach, Greg & Jere Canote, Gary Breitbard, Stan and Susan Kramer, and Vaughan Wolff. Bob writes "In the early years we did a mix of English Playford, English Community Dance Manuals dances, Southern Squares and Big Set, and an occasional contra. As the Playford Balls got more people interested in that dance form, and as the Old Timey musicians headed north, we settled in on just the English dance."

Jody McGeen, whose background in Baroque dance and music inform her lively instruction style, became programmer not long after her arrival in California in 1985. This dance became a BACDS dance in September 1992.

After many years at San Jose's First Christian Church, some time happening informally at Joyce and Dave Uggla's house, and five years or so at Flex-It Aerobics Studio in Mountain View, the dance moved in September 2010 to All Saints Episcopal in Palo Alto (as Flex-It was to be demolished). This desirable hall was unavailable Wednesday nights, and as Tuesday was no longer the global display-dance practice night, a change was deemed acceptable.

Jody continued to program the dances, with Alan Winston, Lise Dyckman, and Sharon Green calling frequently and occasional guest callers like Mary Luckhardt, David Newitt, and Bruce Hamilton, until fall 2007 when she left the area. Alan Winston filled in as interim programmer until mid-2008, when Bruce Hamilton became available; he was appointed programmer in May 2008. Stan Kramer and Bill Jensen, with a different guest each time, are the regular musicians.

Special thanks to Bruce Hamilton, Bob Fraley, Alan Winston, and Nick Cuccia for providing the historical information above, and to Vanessa Schnatmeier for collecting the information.