Friday Night Waltz has mostly waltzes in the dances and classes, along with polka, tango, swing, and salsa. People come from all over the Bay Area. People are friendly, The atmosphere is warm and welcoming. Partners are not needed. We rotate rapidly in classes. Casual comfortable attire. All ages. To get on our email list, send request to email list: info@FridayNightWaltz.com Facebook page:

09.04.2026 Fusion dance night! learn a popular new dance with Paris teaching and Caroline djing

Fusion class taught by Paris

Paris

Paris started dancing in the Bay Area fusion dance scene, and currently enjoys a variety of partner dances and the different music, atmosphere and motion they bring, particularly salsa, waltz, and argentine tango. Paris is cohost for Nested Micro, a monthly microfusion event in Berkeley. She leads and follows, and loves learning dance styles and techniques so she can dance to every song.

What is fusion dancing?

Fusion dancing is the answer to how can I dance with anyone? Connection to your dance partner, connection to the music and understanding mechanics of motion allows dancers with different backgrounds to have a really great dance together.

Historically, fusion dancing originated during the Lindy revival in the 90s, where events would slow down the pace and play blues music at the end of the night. People would be dancing to blues music, but not dancing blues; rather a dance style emerged that was a “fusion” between elements of Lindy hop, blues, argentine tango, and west coast swing. The new dance initially co-opted the name and image of blues dance, which has its own culture, history and technique pool, and is still danced today. Nowadays, modern fusion dance has its own identity and name.

7:15: Fusion 101: Establish a two-way connection that lets you stop guessing what your partner is doing and move in sync. Move in any direction, allowing for improvisation and creativity, even on a crowded dance floor.

8:05: We build on the first class to explore different dimensions of motion, and how to shift the connection to access them. We will cover lead and follow technique for expression and communication. The fusion technique toolbox includes multiple close embrace frames, which we will demonstrate.

Caroline is djing frm 9:00 to 11:45

Caroline

Caroline has been dancing for years and started her dance journey with Irish step dancing and attending Victorian balls to avoid those awkward middle and high-school dances! Caroline is a co-organizer of East Bay Waltz’s monthly dance in Berkeley and enjoys teaching and DJing. She both follows and leads so ask her for a dance for a waltz, west coast swing, fusion, any Latin dance, or a mix of all-in-one!

$15 general. $10 for students with ID.
Cash, Check, Credit Card, Apple Pay. We do not accept Venmo. Tickets at the door.
No partner necessary. We rotate rapidly in class.
All Ages. Casual comfortable attire.
Masks are optional.
Free Masks. Free bottles of water.

First United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto CA. at Byron, Upstairs Fellowship hall.
Parking in rear parking lot. Many on street parking spaces available.
Very large parking structure one block away. Webster/Cowper garage.

09.11.2026 Hustle night! Hustle fan John Bauer is djing. Classes in hustle by Stanford teachers Brandon and Mirabel

john bauer

John Bauer

John Bauer has been at Friday Night Waltz since the very beginning. When he's not dancing, John enjoys Dance Dance Revolution, working at Stanford NLP, and driving his kids to the rink.

Mirabel and Brandon are teaching Hustle! first time in many years we have Hustle at Friday Night Waltz

mirabel

Mirabel Miscala's Biography

Mirabel began her dance journey as a former competitor and latin ballroom coach for San Jose State University's Ballroom Dancesport team, participating in collegiate competitions throughout the Bay Area. She is currently a social dance instructor and performer for FanimeCon's Black & White Ball, North America's largest anime convention ball event, and has volunteered with them since 2010. Mirabel loves teaching the joy of dance to newcomers and advanced dancers alike, and has a love for high energy dances, like swing—and especially the Latin Hustle.

In the 1970s, her aunt was in the first generation of dancers who taught and danced in the era of hustle, and trained and danced alongside the great original hustle dancers in New York; this dance runs in the family!

Outside of dance, Mirabel moonlights as an on-camera actress and filmmaker, and is a teacher and coach for aspiring actors at a local studio in the south bay.

Brandon Hoang’s Biography

Brandon is a former collegiate Dancesport competitor specializing in International Latin who competed at various competitions throughout California. He is also a social dance instructor and performer for FanimeCon's Black & White Ball, North America's largest anime convention ball event, and has volunteered with them since 2013. He is experienced in most ballroom and nightclub partner dances and loves to share what he knows. Currently, he is working to grow the Latin Hustle community in the Bay Area and has participated in various global Latin Hustle events representing the Bay Area. His love for house, funk, and R&B drives his love all things Latin Hustle!

Outside of dance, Brandon is a full-time Engineer and part-time professional photographer specializing in weddings, portraiture, and events.

7:15–8PM — Beginner Hustle

New to Hustle? We'll break down the foundational &1-2-3 count, build your lead/follow connection with a partner, and get you comfortable with fun moves and simple combinations to build confidence on the dance floor. No partner or previous experience required!

8-9PM — Intermediate Hustle

You know the basics, now let's make them shine! This class will provide fun patterns, hand changes, styling, and dynamic ways to get you traveling around the dance floor. A grasp of the &1-2-3 timing is recommended for this class.

Why we enjoy hustle, and its worldwide impact:

Latin Hustle, aka the Hustle, emerged from New York City's Latin communities in the 1970s, blending Latin dance traditions with disco music. Hustle is a high energy dance characterized by smooth continuous movement, spins, dynamic turns, rhythmic music, and a strong partner connection- which is why we enjoy dancing it!

Hustle continues to thrive in communities internationally, and is danced not just to the music of disco, but also to pop, R&B, funk, house, and contemporary dance music, celebrating musicality, creativity, and social connection around the world.

09.18.2026 One step night! easiest social dance of all time by Joan Walton

One step is the easiest, and in many ways, most fun dance of all!! Dead simple, just walk walk walk!. This leads to easily learning many steps which are useful in polka,waltz, foxtrot, and viennese waltz. Very best class for beginners.

classes by Joan Walton

beginner one step class 7:15 - 8:00

slightly more advanced one step class 8:00-9:00

joan walton

Joan Walton

Joan Walton is a Vintage Dance Teacher and Choreographer who has taught Vintage dance workshops across the United States, Russia and Europe. Her high-energy, focused teaching, and choreographic style have become well known to Vintage dancers over the past years. She has performed all over the United States, including at the Smithsonian, on the TV mini-series North and South, and with the Vintage Dance Ensemble at Stanford University. Her choreographies have been performed from coast to coast by Vintage and university dance companies. Joan is a graduate of Stanford's Dance Education Master's degree program, and is currently teaching, choreographing and residing in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/joan.walton.dance/ and email at jcwalton@gmail.com

dj Jason Anderson 9:00-11:45

jason/

Jason Anderson

Jason is one of the most popular DJs at Friday Night Waltz. He is responsible for several of our most popular theme nights, like our Disney Night. He also is an excellent dancer, performing with The Academy of Danse Libre.

waltz, polka, ONE STEP!, salsa, bachata, congress of vienna, Bohemian National Polka, many line dances and mixers.

7:00 Doors open
7:15 Classes start - Please arrive 15 minutes early to avoid the rush.
8:00 Intermediate class
9:00 DJ dance music
11:45 Doors close

09.25.2026 Richard Powers

7:00 Doors open
7:15 Classes start - Please arrive 15 minutes early to avoid the rush.
8:00 Intermediate class
9:00 DJ dance music
11:45 Doors close

10.02.2026 karn

7:00 Doors open
7:15 Classes start - Please arrive 15 minutes early to avoid the rush.
8:00 Intermediate class
9:00 DJ dance music
11:45 Doors close

10.09.2026

7:00 Doors open
7:15 Classes start - Please arrive 15 minutes early to avoid the rush.
8:00 Intermediate class
9:00 DJ dance music
11:45 Doors close

10.16.2026 Richard Powers: Stanfor Homecoming reunion. everyone welcome! with Angela Amarillas

Richard Powers is also djing tonight.a MUST GO dance!

7:00 Doors open
7:15 Classes start - Please arrive 15 minutes early to avoid the rush.
8:00 Intermediate class
9:00 DJ dance music
11:45 Doors close

10.23.2026

Akash Verma is djing tonight

akash Akash discovered ballroom dancing in the Bay Area in 2017 and has been dancing ever since. He's drawn to dances where he's drawn to the music, and loves to explore and share both. $15 general. $10 for students with ID.
Cash, Check, Credit Card, Apple Pay. We do not accept Venmo. Tickets at the door.
No partner necessary. We rotate rapidly in class.
All Ages. Casual comfortable attire.
Masks are optional.
Free Masks. Free bottles of water.

First United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto CA. at Byron, Upstairs Fellowship hall.
Parking in rear parking lot. Many on street parking spaces available.
Very large parking structure one block away. Webster/Cowper garage.

10.30.2026 Halloween dance

Peggy is teaching

7:00 Doors open
7:15 Classes start - Please arrive 15 minutes early to avoid the rush.
8:00 Intermediate class
9:00 DJ dance music
11:45 Doors close

11.06.2026 Richard Powers. Romantic Music night. my favorite dance of the year.

7:00 Doors open
7:15 Classes start - Please arrive 15 minutes early to avoid the rush.
8:00 Intermediate class
9:00 DJ dance music
11:45 Doors close

11.13.2026

7:00 Doors open
7:15 Classes start - Please arrive 15 minutes early to avoid the rush.
8:00 Intermediate class
9:00 DJ dance music
11:45 Doors close

11.20.2026 karn

7:00 Doors open
7:15 Classes start - Please arrive 15 minutes early to avoid the rush.
8:00 Intermediate class
9:00 DJ dance music
11:45 Doors close

11.27.2026 Closed Thanksgiving

7:00 Doors open
7:15 Classes start - Please arrive 15 minutes early to avoid the rush.
8:00 Intermediate class
9:00 DJ dance music
11:45 Doors close

12.04.2026

7:00 Doors open
7:15 Classes start - Please arrive 15 minutes early to avoid the rush.
8:00 Intermediate class
9:00 DJ dance music
11:45 Doors close

12.11.2026 Richard Powers Holiday Ball

7:00 Doors open
7:15 Classes start - Please arrive 15 minutes early to avoid the rush.
8:00 Intermediate class
9:00 DJ dance music
11:45 Doors close

12.18.2026 Xmas Holiday Ball

7:00 Doors open
7:15 Classes start - Please arrive 15 minutes early to avoid the rush.
8:00 Intermediate class
9:00 DJ dance music
11:45 Doors close

12.25.2026 Christmas. closed

7:00 Doors open
7:15 Classes start - Please arrive 15 minutes early to avoid the rush.
8:00 Intermediate class
9:00 DJ dance music
11:45 Doors close

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