East Bay Waltz is a monthly casual social dance featuring mostly waltz and cross-step waltz, with polka, swing, schottische, and latin dances thrown in to mix things up.
Every month, there is a class for beginners and a class for more experienced dancers, from 7-9 p.m. Then, there's DJ'd social dancing and fun times from 9-midnight. $12 gets you the lesson and dance, or $8 for just the dance.
Come by yourself, or with a friend, or a crowd. People of all ages are welcome. Dress in jeans and a t-shirt, or dress up all fancy-like if you'd like.
Please note new & improved location at the Finnish Hall in Berkeley:
1970 Chestnut St (@University), Berkeley, CA
Go there. Do not go to the old location - where we will not be.
Lessons: 7 - 9 p.m.
Dancing: 9 p.m. - midnight
Kathy Lowy will be teaching introductory cross-step waltz. No experience or partner necessary!
Christophe Taylor will be teaching tango in the intermediate class.
Our DJ from 9-midnight will be Anthony Argyriou.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Lake Merritt Dance Center
200 Grand Avenue, Oakland CA
Save the date: Saturday, June 23rd. The Brassworks will play its first event for East Bay Waltz, at Oakland's Veterans Hall (AKA Lake Merritt Dance Center), 200 Grand Avenue at Harrison, overlooking beautiful Lake Merritt.
Since there will be no Gaskells Society June Ball this year, East Bay Waltz has moved to fill the gap for all of our dedicated vintage dance fans!
Admission will be $20/person. There will be a complimentary one-hour introductory lesson in waltz and polka starting at 7:00, and live (mostly Victorian style) music for dancing from 8:30 to Midnight, by The Brassworks! There will be free snacks, desserts and beverages as well, and you are welcome to bring your own, or some to share. (This is a non-alcoholic event.)
Please note that there will be a dress code for this event. As this is a formal dance, we ask that you attend in formal wear of the 18th, 19th, or 20th century -- 19th century preferred. Those in jeans or t-shirts will be politely required to try again.
We'll see you in the beautiful Ballroom of Lake Merritt Dance Center this June!
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Lessons: 7 - 9 p.m.
Dancing: 9 p.m. - midnight
Kathy Lowy will be teaching introductory cross-step waltz. No experience or partner necessary!
Christophe Taylor will be teaching tango in the intermediate class.
Our DJ from 9-midnight will be Anthony Argyriou.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Lessons: 7 - 9 p.m.
Dancing: 9 p.m. - midnight
Kathy Lowy will be teaching introductory rotary waltz. No experience or partner necessary!
Bob Galloway will be teaching cross-step waltz in the intermediate class.
Our DJ from 9-midnight will be Christophe Taylor.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Lessons: 7 - 9 p.m.
Dancing: 9 p.m. - midnight
I'm almost certain we'll figure out who's doing what when long before August! Possibly definitely!
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Saturday, October 20, 2012 -- Halloween Dance
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Please note new & improved location at the Finnish Hall in Berkeley:
1970 Chestnut St (@University), Berkeley, CA
Go there. Do not go to the old location - where we will not be.
East Bay Waltz takes place in the wonderful Berkeley Finnish Hall at 1970 Chestnut Street in Berkeley. The Hall is a 7 to 10 minute walk from the North Berkeley BART Station and is easily accessible by the 51 Bus.
1970 Chestnut Street
Berkeley, CA 94702
We have a wide variety of teachers from all sorts of different backgrounds who teach on occasion.
Christophe TaylorChristophe Taylor picked up dancing while an undergraduate student at UC Berkeley and has been addicted ever since he first took a Tango class there. He has competed in International Syllabus Dansport, performed at PEERS and with the Can Cannibals, and is also a member of Fezziwigs, the ballroom dancing group at Dickens Fair. Now, he teaches a weekly dance class in Oakland at the Sunshine Biscuit Factory and performs regularly with the burlesque troupe - the Can Cannibals.
TodiTodi has been teaching and dancing for a long, long time. Check out this article from her days at Yale: http://www.yale.edu/opa/arc-ybc/v27.n26/story8.html
Sam SimmonsSam Simmons is well versed in Balboa, Blues, Can-Can, Cha-Cha, (Lindy/Tandem) Charleston, Collegiate Shag, Cross-Step Waltz, Danse Macabre, East Coast Swing, English Country, Foxtrot, Gallop, Hambo, Hustle, Irish Ceili, Jitterbug, Jive, Lindy Hop, Maxixe, Mazurka, Merengue, Morris, Nightclub Two-Step, One-step, Polka, Redowa, Rumba, Salsa, Samba, Schottische, Scottish Country, Tango, Valse, Varsovienne, Waltz (Shadow, Rotary, Viennese, Hesitation, Reverse), West Coast Swing, 20's Charleston, and probably a few others.
In addition to teaching & DJing, Sam performs with the girls of Le Cancan Bijou and The Deco Belles. In his copious spare time (sic) he can also be found rock climbing around the bay and studying aerial arts (rope/tissu/trapeze).
MacKenzie StuartMacKenzie Stuart is a teacher, dancer and DJ with a love of Irish, English, waltzing and other vintage dances. Comfortable with classes from six to sixty students, she teaches Irish weekly at the Alameda Ceili and has also enjoyed teaching beginning waltz. She performs with the Vintage Invaders as well as the Merrie Pryanksters. Look for her running out onto the floor for a hambo or calling a polka set at dance events across the Bay Area.
Bob GallowayBob Galloway started social dancing in 2007, when Ms. Stuart and two other excellent people dragged him into and through a 4-Hand Reel. It wasn't long before he was waltzing, polkaing, schottisching, jigging, lindying, chachaing, bluesing, etceteraing, and recategorizing his music collection by dance type. He DJs for Vintage Invasion, Friday Night Waltz, and EBW, dances at many of the Bay Area's fine waltz, swing, Irish, and blues parties, and can be found (politely) dragging strangers onto Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig's dance floor at Dickens Fair. Bob enjoys dancing with newcomers and old hands alike, as a lead or follow, so ask him to dance!
Kathy LowyKathy Lowy has been a dancer since the age of 4, when she started ballet. She taught ballet for 3 years, and is venturing into the world of teaching vintage ballroom. She began ballroom dancing with Fezziwig's 2 years ago and fell in love with it at once. You can find her out dancing most nights of the week. (Image credit: Dave Price)
The evening begins with either a basic dance class for beginners and those new to dance, or an intermediate class for those who want to build up their dance skills.
During the dance, water and light refreshments will be available. There is a coat rack available for use and chairs available to relax and socialize.
Below is a sample set list of music and dances for an evening
When we're not at East Bay Waltz, we're here:
Friday Night WaltzSite Header Photo - David Bedno
Description Tab Photo - Matt Rollefson