Bay Area West Coast Swing Dancing - January 2012
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Thursday, January 5, the Doc Kraft Band plays at the Presidio Yacht Club at Fort Baker in Sausalito under the Golden Gate Bridge from 9:00pm-1:00am. FREE Admission. Doc’s music ranges from Jazz, Blues, Country, Funk, Latin, Rock, to Oldies. They play a selection of the best classic standards from the 1930’s to the 1980’s for your listening and dancing pleasure. This is not a strictly west coast swing venue so good to bring a dance partner with you. Details and directions at www.dockraft.com and www.dockraft.com/yacht_club_directions.htm
Saturday night, January 7 is the Next Generation Swing Dance Club monthly dance at Allegro Ballroom in Emeryville. Next Gen Dance starts at 6:00pm with returning favorite Beth Bellamy as DJ. There is a beginning WCS lesson from 7pm -8pm with Melissa Rutz in the back room. There will be a Luck of the Draw contest. BRING YOUR CLUB CARD! Next Gen is checking for membership cards at the registration desk. Allegro is located at 5855 Christie Ave in Emeryville. For more information, try www.nextgenswingdance.com. Next dances February 4, March 3 (A Day with the Stars)
NEW DANCE: Sunday, January 8 is Kelly’s Swing Dance Party starting on the second Sunday of the month at the Allegro Ballroom in Emeryville. Beginning WCS lesson from 6pm -7pm with Kelly Casanova. No prior experience needed. No partner needed. Dance follows from 7-11pm with DJ Kelly. Music will be a mix of blues and contemporary swing music along with a touch of Nightclub and Hustle. Allegro is located at 5855 Christie Ave in Emeryville (510-655-2888). For more information, contact Kelly at 707-838-0388 or Kellycdancer@aol.com
Sunday, January 8 is Michelle Kinkaid’s “Second Sunday” Monthly Swing Dance at the Imperial Dance Club in Redwood City from 6-10pm. This is the Anniversary Holiday dance with a west coast swing dance lesson starting at 6pm. The DJ music mix is primarily west coast swing and also contains some hustle, night club two step, country two step, waltz, and latin. Michelle Kinkaid is the DJ. Refreshments included. Door prizes too! Holiday attire suggested but not required! Check the website for more information. www.michelledance.com/dances.html .
Please note that there are “local” conventions friendly to beginning WCS dancers in January and February. Conventions are a gathering of west coast swing dancers from around the country to participate in a combination of large group classes with the top professional WCS dancers, competitions for all levels of dancing and lots of open dancing and late night dancing. If you have never been to a convention, Monterey is an easy convention to start.
January 12-16, Martin Luther King weekend, is Monterey Swingfest held at the Hyatt Regency in Monterey. Discounts on tickets available until December 30. For more information, please go to www.centralcoastswingdance.com
Saturday, January 21, at the WnY Warehouse in Novato from 7:00-11:30 pm is Kelly and Yenni’s MONTHLY DANCE IN MARIN”. Both a beginner and intermediate lesson simultaneously from 7:00-8:00 pm each month. Kelly and Yenni will alternate each month as to who teaches which class. Open dancing from 8:00-11:30pm with your co-DJ’s Yenni and Kelly. There is usually a Luck of the Draw contest with a twist. Cost is $10 including the lesson. For those under 21, cost is only $7. For more information, contact either Yenni at dance@wnywarehouse.com, 415.828.3408 or Kelly at kellycdancer@aol.com or 707-838-0388 or check the website www.wnywarehouse.com . Location is WnY Warehouse, 64 Digital Drive, Novato, CA 94949, Enter from the front of the building, the door to the warehouse is on the left hand side next to the roll up door/loading dock.
Sunday, January 22, is Lakeside Swing at the Veterans Hall at Lake Merritt in Oakland held on the fourth Sunday of the month from 7:00-10:30 pm. Intermediate WCS lesson from 6-7 pm with in the main ballroom. DJ Mike Pyle then presents a great mix of swing, hustle and more for general dancing. This is a great room and floor for WCS dancing! Details and directions at www.lakesideswing.com . If you would like to be on Mike’s list directly, please contact him at mike@audiopyle.com . Oakland Veterans Hall, 200 Grand Ave. at Lake Merritt in Oakland.
Tuesday, January 24 is the return of the dance with a live Big Band in Novato. The People of Note, a 15 piece band, present their Tuesday Big Band Dance at the Margaret Todd Senior Center in Novato, 1560 Hill Road, from 7:30 to 9:30. Admission is only $5. The center has a nice, large dance floor. This band plays a mix of general ballroom, latin, and medium swing, much of it WCS friendly. Range of attendees is seniors to teenagers. Best to bring a dance partner. For more info or directions, call the Center at 415-893-7940. Future dates January 24, February 28, March 27, April 24.
Saturday, January 28, will be the Redwood Empire Monthly Swing Dance at Odd Fellows Hall at 545 Pacific Avenue in Santa Rosa. Included at the dance is a free beginner lesson from 7:00-8:00 pm. Dance also starts at 7:00 pm and continues to 11 pm. For information, please go to www.resdc.org or call (707) 762-8928.
