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Promoting traditional English and American music and dance

Today's Dances & Events

Dare To Be Square West
Friday, November 7 - Sunday, 9 November, 2025: Dare To Be Square West (SQUARE/WEEKEND/SPECIAL)
The BACDS is proud to support DTBSW, November 7-9 in a weekend of square dancing, calling, music making, community building, and more in Berkeley, CA. We’ll be joined by visiting callers Sue Hulsether and Tony Mates and out-of-town bands Stumptown Stringband and Echo Mountain, plus local bands Stone Cold Ramblers (featuring members of the Squirrelly Stringband, Skillet Licorice, and the Town Howlers), Round Top Stringband, Skillet Licorice, and The Baybillies. Tickets are available for the entire weekend, featuring all day workshops and dancing – or individual days – or even just the big evening dances!
Presented by the Dare To Be Square West.
Lise Dyckman
Caroline McCaskey
Craig Johnson
Thomas Dewey
Richard Page
Darcy Noonan
Friday, November 7, 2025: ENGLISH at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Palo Alto. Lise Dyckman with Greenwich Mean Time: Craig Johnson, Richard Page, Caroline McCaskey, Thomas Dewey, Darcy Noonan • 7:30pm–10:00pm
English dancing for all - dance 7:30-10:00 More Info

Upcoming Dances & Events

Hayden Stern
Saturday, November 8, 2025: CONTRA at First United Methodist Church of Palo Alto in Palo Alto. Isaac Banner with Hayden Stern, Patrick Gunning • 7:00pm–10:00pm
Exciting contra dance with great PNW talent! More Info
Craig Johnson
Robin Lockner
Saturday, November 8, 2025: ENGLISH at St. John's Presbyterian Church in San Francisco. Steve White with Michele Winter, Robin Lockner, Craig Johnson • 7:30pm–10:00pm More Info
Alan Winston
Robin Lockner
Sunday, November 9, 2025: ENGLISH at First Unitarian Church of San Jose in San Jose. Alan Winston with Mary Tabor, Robin Lockner, William Allen • 2:30pm–5:00pm More Info
Sue Hulsether
Sunday, November 9, 2025: Family dance at Dare to be Square West (FAMILY/SPECIAL) at Ashkenaz in Berkeley. Sue Hulsether with The Baybillies • 6:00pm–7:00pm
The final event of the Dare to be Square West weekend at Ashkenaz kicks off with a family dance Sunday evening at 6pm, followed by the evening dance at 7pm. kids 12 & under free. More Info
Presented by the Dare To Be Square West.
Jubilee American Dance Theatre Open Call for Male/Lead Dancers
Monday, November 10, 2025: Jubilee American Dance Theatre Open Call for Male/Lead Dancers (SPECIAL) at Ashkenaz in Berkeley. • 7:30pm–9:00pm
Jubilee American Dance Theatre is looking for male/lead dancers (or dancers who are willing to dance the men’s roles) who would like to learn and perform traditional American folk dances – from Appalachian clogging, square dances, Cajun jitterbug, reels, quadrilles and polka, all in authentic period costumes. During this event, we will teach a few of the dances we perform in a low-stress setting. Wear comfortable clothing and dance shoes of any type. Previous dance experience of any kind (contra, ballroom, Zydeco, Swing, clogging, square dancing) is helpful, but not required – you only need a commitment to learning and practice.

You may find out more about Jubilee at https://www.jubileedance.com. If you are interested in attending, or have questions, please contact our director Becky Coulter at thebeckydance@yahoo.com

Audrey Jaber
Charlie Hancock
Hayden Stern
Tuesday, November 11, 2025: Improper English (ENGLISH) Lindsey Dono with Hayden Stern, Audrey Jaber, Charlie Hancock • 7:00pm–9:30pm
Improper English is an English country dance series committed to gender-neutral (positional) calling. Improper English runs every 2nd Tuesday, just down the street from BACDS’ usual Berkeley Hall. Sliding scale admission, $5–$25. Note that masking (KN-95 or better) is required for all dancers. A beginners’ lesson will be held at 6:50, all are welcome. More Info
Presented by the SF Bay Queer Contra Dance.
San Francisco Wednesday Contra
Wednesday, November 12, 2025: CONTRA at The Polish Club in San Francisco. Lindsey Dono with Contranauts: Lee Anne Welch, Del Eckels, Cheryl McKinney • 7:30pm–10:00pm
Contra—beginner lesson at 7:30, dance 8:00–10:00 More Info
David Newitt
Jon Berger
Patti Cobb
Wednesday, November 12, 2025: ENGLISH at Christ Church East Bay in Berkeley. David Newitt with Jon Berger, Tom Lindemuth, Patti Cobb • 7:45pm–10:00pm
English dancing for all - newcomer lesson at 7:25; dance 7:45-10:00 More Info
Bruce Hamilton
Joanna Reiner Wilkinson
Alicia Cover
Audrey Jaber
Jeffrey Spero
Rebecca King
Shira Kammen
Christopher Jacoby
Hayden Stern
Friday, November 14 - Sunday, 16 November, 2025: FALL FROLICK (ENGLISH/WEEKEND/CAMP) at Bishop's Ranch in Healdsburg.
FALL FROLICK - A predominantly English Country Dance Weekend at The Bishop's Ranch, Healdsburg, CA, November 14-16, 2025.

Featuring Fabulous English Country Dance Callers: Joanna Reiner, Bruce Hamilton, and Lindsey Dono.

Stellar Musicians including Shira Kammen, Audrey Jaber, Bill Tomczak, Jeff Spero, Rebecca King, Christopher Jacoby & Hayden Stern, with sound support by Christopher Jacoby and Alicia Cover.

Join us for a full Weekend of English dancing, singing, music-making, frolicking and workshops aplenty, from 4 pm Friday - including dinner - until 4 pm Sunday.

Alan Winston
Friday, November 14, 2025: REGENCY/ENGLISH at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Palo Alto. Alan Winston with Divertimento • 7:45pm–9:45pm More Info
Presented by the BACDS and the Bay Area English Regency Society.
Lise Dyckman
Anne Goess
Bill Jensen
Renata Bratt
Tuesday, November 18, 2025: ENGLISH at All Saints Episcopal Church in Palo Alto. Lise Dyckman with Anne Goess, Renata Bratt, Bill Jensen • 7:30pm–9:30pm More Info
The New Vintage Revelers
Paul Kotapish
Wednesday, November 19, 2025: CONTRA at Christ Church East Bay in Berkeley. Music by The New Vintage Revelers: Paul Kotapish, Dan Warrick, Harry Liedstrand • 8:00pm–10:30pm More Info
Nina Berry
Karen Celia Heil
Friday, November 21, 2025: SQUARE at Hillside Club in Berkeley. Nina Berry with KC and the Moonshine Band: Karen Celia Heil, Leslie Keir, Jordan Ruyle, Katy Harris • 8:00pm–10:00pm
Doors open at 7:45. We accept cash and venmo. Paying with cash is quicker! BYOB: You may bring beer and wine--no hard alcohol allowed. More Info
Kelsey Hartman
Daniel Steinberg
Rodney Miller
Saturday, November 22, 2025: CONTRA at First United Methodist Church of Palo Alto in Palo Alto. Kelsey Hartman with Rodney Miller, Daniel Steinberg, Ezra Warren Steinberg • 7:00pm–10:00pm More Info
Charlie Hancock
Valerie Rose
Saturday, November 22, 2025: ENGLISH/EXPERIENCED at Christ Church East Bay in Berkeley. Gary Thomas with Charlie Hancock, Valerie Rose, Jason Pollack • 7:30pm–10:00pm
Berkeley Experienced English More Info
South Bay Woodshed
Tuesday, November 25, 2025: WOODSHED at Sunnyvale Community Center Dance Studio in Sunnyvale. Maybe you? • 7:30pm–9:30pm
Now on fourth Tuesdays in the Dance Studio at Sunnyvale Community Center
7:30-9:30pm

Help us improve our dances!
Experiment with new and new-to-us material to improve choreography, music, and calling.
Note: Sunnyvale prohibits street shoes and absolutely no food is allowed in the hall. More Info

Special Events

Dare To Be Square West
Friday, November 7 - Sunday, 9 November, 2025: Dare To Be Square West (SQUARE/WEEKEND/SPECIAL)
The BACDS is proud to support DTBSW, November 7-9 in a weekend of square dancing, calling, music making, community building, and more in Berkeley, CA. We’ll be joined by visiting callers Sue Hulsether and Tony Mates and out-of-town bands Stumptown Stringband and Echo Mountain, plus local bands Stone Cold Ramblers (featuring members of the Squirrelly Stringband, Skillet Licorice, and the Town Howlers), Round Top Stringband, Skillet Licorice, and The Baybillies. Tickets are available for the entire weekend, featuring all day workshops and dancing – or individual days – or even just the big evening dances!
Presented by the Dare To Be Square West.
Sue Hulsether
Sunday, November 9, 2025: Family dance at Dare to be Square West (FAMILY/SPECIAL) at Ashkenaz in Berkeley. Sue Hulsether with The Baybillies • 6:00pm–7:00pm
The final event of the Dare to be Square West weekend at Ashkenaz kicks off with a family dance Sunday evening at 6pm, followed by the evening dance at 7pm. kids 12 & under free. More Info
Presented by the Dare To Be Square West.
Jubilee American Dance Theatre Open Call for Male/Lead Dancers
Monday, November 10, 2025: Jubilee American Dance Theatre Open Call for Male/Lead Dancers (SPECIAL) at Ashkenaz in Berkeley. • 7:30pm–9:00pm
Jubilee American Dance Theatre is looking for male/lead dancers (or dancers who are willing to dance the men’s roles) who would like to learn and perform traditional American folk dances – from Appalachian clogging, square dances, Cajun jitterbug, reels, quadrilles and polka, all in authentic period costumes. During this event, we will teach a few of the dances we perform in a low-stress setting. Wear comfortable clothing and dance shoes of any type. Previous dance experience of any kind (contra, ballroom, Zydeco, Swing, clogging, square dancing) is helpful, but not required – you only need a commitment to learning and practice.

You may find out more about Jubilee at https://www.jubileedance.com. If you are interested in attending, or have questions, please contact our director Becky Coulter at thebeckydance@yahoo.com

Bruce Hamilton
Joanna Reiner Wilkinson
Alicia Cover
Audrey Jaber
Jeffrey Spero
Rebecca King
Shira Kammen
Christopher Jacoby
Hayden Stern
Friday, November 14 - Sunday, 16 November, 2025: FALL FROLICK (ENGLISH/WEEKEND/CAMP) at Bishop's Ranch in Healdsburg.
FALL FROLICK - A predominantly English Country Dance Weekend at The Bishop's Ranch, Healdsburg, CA, November 14-16, 2025.

Featuring Fabulous English Country Dance Callers: Joanna Reiner, Bruce Hamilton, and Lindsey Dono.

Stellar Musicians including Shira Kammen, Audrey Jaber, Bill Tomczak, Jeff Spero, Rebecca King, Christopher Jacoby & Hayden Stern, with sound support by Christopher Jacoby and Alicia Cover.

Join us for a full Weekend of English dancing, singing, music-making, frolicking and workshops aplenty, from 4 pm Friday - including dinner - until 4 pm Sunday.

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