|
The North
Bay Country Dance Society (NBCDS) teaches
and runs regular and special traditional
American dances including contra dance,
English country dance, and morris ritual
dance. Our events are held in Sonoma
and Marin counties, in the San Francisco
North Bay Area.
 Our Contra and English
Country Dances are easy, fun, friendly and inclusive. All dances
are taught and prompted, with live music. No experience is necessary;
if you can walk, you can dance! Come alone or bring a friend: No partner
is required, no costumes, no classes; just wear comfortable clothes and
dancing shoes which are low, smooth-soled, comfortable and that do not mar or scratch or damage. No running shoes or shoes with tread are allowed.
First-timers are encouraged to come early for an orientation, and for
simpler dances early in the evening.
 Apple
Tree Morris requires
a commitment to regular training and
participation, and is more challenging. Dances
are choreographed and include the use
of sticks, hankies and swords. The
dancers perform in full costume. They
perform traditional dances like "Speed
the Plow" and "Curly Headed
Plowboy."
Announcements
Note:
Calendar has full listings of all
events and all event details |
|
Moving
Violations play for Sonoma Valley
reunion on July 12
$11 members, $13 general
admission |
Longtime
dancers have a soft spot for
the Sonoma
Valley Woman’s
Club, the old site of the Sonoma
dance. “I yearn tragically
for that hall,” says Joyce
Miller, who accepted with alacrity
the invitation to call when the
Moving Violations come to the
North Bay. The only tragedy about
the MVs is that they’re
here just one night on their
way from American Week. So get
that night up on your calendar
now!
The MVs, from Massachusetts,
are Ron Grosslein on fiddle and
mandolin; Van Kaynor on fiddle;
Becky Ashendon on piano, bass
and accordion; and Chuck Corman
on guitar, bass and dumbek. They
are versatile, funny and outrageously
musical. They write terrific
originals and refresh contra
classics and drive the dancing
as relentlessly as any band in
the land.
Why Sonoma? The usual San Rafael
hall isn’t available that
second Saturday. We had to find
a place with an acoustic piano
for Becky, who knows that real
rocking takes an acoustic keyboard
for full-on dynamics. The combination
of good floor, baby grand and
nostalgia led us back to Sonoma.
To celebrate, some of us will
be getting together ahead of
time for dinner somewhere; watch
the website
for details.
|
Welcome
back, Keith!
Contraphiles from the Southeast
and Mid-Atlantic know Keith Cornett
Eustis as a delightful caller
particularly adept at making
even complex Cary Ravitz dances
accessible. She (her first name
is Mary) was the caller with
Hotpoint for our first contra
weekend, Hotfoot, celebrating
10 years of NBCDS dances. Now
she comes out from South Carolina
to call in San Rafael with the
Raggedy Annes on Saturday, August
9. Join us! |
|
