The Bay Area Country Dance Society Website

BACDS Fall Ball
"Impropriety"

November 15, 2008

Brooke Friendly is known for her warm yet commanding personality, her ability to convey directions concisely and clearly, her creativity and her sense of humor and whimsy. She has a strong sense of what makes for a good community and she makes the learning experience fun and relaxing. Brooke leads a weekly English and Scottish Country Dance in Ashland, Oregon and calls at dances around the US. She was on staff at the BACDS English Dance and Music Week at Mendocino in 2003 and the BACDS Fall Dance Weekend in 2006. She was program director for Mendocino English week in 2007 and 2008. She will be on staff for the Iowa Dance Weekend, September 12-14, 2008. An internationally recognized dance choreographer, she recently published Impropriety II, a second book of dances written in collaboration with her husband, Chris Sackett.  Brooke recently finished her second term on the board of directors of the Country Dance and Song Society.

Charlie Hancock plays piano and accordion for contra, English, Scottish, swing, and couple dancing. He has played for BACDS dances, camps, and balls for 15 years, with occasional gigs further afield, including Pinewoods, Juneau, and the Portland (OR) English ball. He is also a member of Bay Area folk ensemble Euphonia, and has recorded with Sylvia Herold, Holly Tannen, Shira Kammen, Cathie Whitesides, and Ray Bierl.

Shira Kammen has delighted in playing for English Dance events for many years, including at least 5 BACDS English Weeks, English/American dance camps at Buffalo Gap and Pinewoods, several fall dance weekends at Monte Toyon, as well as a plethora of Playford and Fall Balls. She's been a mainstay of many California Revels shows, performed with the Oregon, SF, and California Shakespeare companies, and has worked with many prominent early music ensembles, performing and teaching around the US and farther afield. Shira has a degree in music from UC Berkeley and is at home in many musical genres, including English, Breton, Medieval & Renaissance. She has played on several television and movie soundtracks including 'The Nativity Story'.

Jim Oakden has gone through a succession of musical stages, from early music to traditional. Jim has been a staff musician at many West Coast camps including Fall Weekend, both by himself and as part of The Guppies, and is currently active as a musician for English country dances, contras, Irish and Cape Breton sessions and dances from Brittany. Jim is a board member of the Traditional Dancers of Santa Cruz, led the band for the 2000 Playford Ball, and programmed the 2001 and 2002 BACDS Fall Weekends.