Caller: Kalia Kliban
Band: Rebecca King (piano), Judy Linsenberg (winds), and Maggie Moore (violin)
Join us for the 2025 Mad Robin Ball Weekend, May 16-18, in Petaluma, California. Our 21st Mad Robin Ball Weekend includes a welcome dance on Friday night, a workshop and the ball on Saturday, and a potluck brunch and dance on Sunday. All dances will be held on the resilient wooden dance floor in Petaluma’s spacious Hermann Sons Hall, 860 Western Avenue, Petaluma, CA.
Friday, May 16, 7:00-10 pm
The Welcome dance will feature the energetically textured calling of Kalia Kliban to music by Rebecca King, Judy Linsenberg, and Maggie Moore.
Saturday, May 17
Dancing Leader Joanna Reiner Wilkinson will lead the afternoon workshop and evening ball program.
- 1:30-4:00 pm Workshop, music by Jon Berger and Gary Thomas
- 7:00-10:00 pm Ball, music by Charlie Hancock, Shira Kammen, and Jim Oakden
Sunday, May 18
Enjoy a noontime potluck brunch at Hermann Sons Hall and adjacent outdoor space. Joanna Reiner Wilkinson will then lead the dance, with music by Shira Kammen, Rebecca King, and Jim Oakden.
- 11:30 am-1:30 pm Potluck Brunch
- 2:00-5:00 pm Farewell Dance
Caller: Gene Murrow
Band: Jacqueline Schwab (piano), Earl Gaddis (viola), Mary Lea (violin/viola), Daniel Beerbohm (winds)
Dancing master Gene Murrow will lead the afternoon workshop and the evening ball program “Celebrate the Classics.” His legacy program comprises significant and consequential dances drawn from those recorded by Bare Necessities, Reunion and Joyful Noise/Hold the Mustard. To learn more about the program, the staff, the auxiliary events, and registration please visit the Mad Robin Ball website.
The ball workshop is from 1:30 – 4 p.m.
The ball is from 7 – 10 p.m.
Pre-registration is required for the ball and the workshop. For pricing and more information, please visit the Mad Robin Ball registration page.
In addition to the ball and workshop, there are multiple additional Mad Robin Weekend dances. Our incentive in creating this significant weekend featuring these esteemed East Coast artists underscored by three of the most notable ECD callers in the genre is to lure our extended dance community to assemble with us in the striking Northern California Bay Area and celebrate some of the ECD classics which initially enticed us into this genre of dance and music, and continue to enliven us all.
Friday, May 17 Weekend Welcome Dance at the Petaluma Women’s Club
Caller: Kalia Kliban
Band: Jacqueline Schwab (piano), Earl Gaddis (viola), Mary Lea (violin/viola)
Sunday, May 19 at St. John’s Episcopal Hall, Petaluma
Caller Gene Murrow
Band: Jacqueline Schwab (piano), Earl Gaddis (viola), Mary Lea (violin/viola), Daniel Beerbohm (winds)
There is an optional catered dinner available following this dance.
Pre-registration is required for all of the Petaluma events, and special bundle pricing is available. For pricing and more information, please visit the Mad Robin Ball registration page.
Tuesday, May 17 at First United Methodist Church, Palo Alto
Caller: Bruce Hamilton
Band: Jacqueline Schwab (piano), Earl Gaddis (viola), Mary Lea (violin/viola), Daniel Beerbohm (winds)
Because of ongoing COVID-19:
— Unless otherwise specified, the NBCDS Sebastopol English dance will also require the wearing of appropriate masks. N95, KN95, KF94 and technical cloth masks, such as Enro Tech Mask, Happy Mask Pro, Proper Cloth Mask, Graf Lantz Zenbu Mask, and Kitsbow Face Mask, are acceptable. Your old cloth masks will need to be retired for our dance, sorry.
— If you are not feeling well the day of the dance please stay home to protect yourself and others.
— During the break we ask dancers keep their masks on while collecting snacks in the kitchen and waiting to unmask until outdoors.
— Please avoid wearing any scented products.
— Please mention the dance to friends!
Tom Spittler and Kathy Woeltjen, dance managers
Kalia Kliban, series programmer
Caller: Kalia Kliban
Band: Jacqueline Schwab (piano), Earl Gaddis (viola), Mary Lea (violin/viola)
New dancers are welcome and should come early for beginner instruction at 6:40 (no partner necessary). Wear smooth-soled, low-heeled shoes. Admission is $25, $10 for dancers 30 or younger. This is a fragrance-free event, so no perfume or scented products please.
Preregistration is encouraged (though not required) to secure your space. To preregister, please email Tom at tspittler@gmail.com.
Because of ongoing COVID-19:
— Unless otherwise specified, the NBCDS Sebastopol English dance will also require the wearing of appropriate masks. N95, KN95, KF94 and technical cloth masks, such as Enro Tech Mask, Happy Mask Pro, Proper Cloth Mask, Graf Lantz Zenbu Mask, and Kitsbow Face Mask, are acceptable. Your old cloth masks will need to be retired for our dance, sorry.
— If you are not feeling well the day of the dance please stay home to protect yourself and others.
— During the break we ask dancers keep their masks on while collecting snacks and waiting to unmask until outdoors.
— Please avoid wearing any scented products.
— Please mention the dance to friends!
Tom Spittler and Kathy Woeltjen, dance managers
Kalia Kliban, series programmer
