Brassworks is back for another wonderful night of waltzes, polkas and some latin, swing and tango. Brassworks is the nations premier vintage dance band. They have played at Gaskells ball for 25 years.

Tom Hill is teaching polka from 7 to 8 pm and Bohemian National Polka form 8 to 9. We have had many requests for yet another class of BNP.

John Schmidt teaches introductory waltz class from 7 to 9pm. Thank you John!

casual attire. $13 general, $9 students. sorry due to live band, no discount for dance only.. Under 18 must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

Oakland Veterans Hall, 200 Grand Avenue Oakland CA X Harrison .A beautiful dance hall, with 3,500 square foot hardwood floor, extra room for socializing and meeting new people, easy access, great parking.

Richard Powers teaches intermediate waltz and djs tonight. Intermediate waltz classes at 7pm and 8pm in the large upstairs room

NOTE: NO INTRODUCTORY CLASS THIS DANCE. INTRO CLASS RETURNS NEXT TIME.

Richard Powers is our Waltz and Polka dj from 9pm to midnight.

Swingcats will be performing tonight! From their website:"The Swing Cats Rhythm Revue is the San Francisco Bay Area’s hottest Swing dance performance troupe!  Founded by world-renowned instructors, Rob and Diane van Haaren, the group specializes in Swing Era dances from the 1920’s to 1940’s.  The Swing Cats’ repertoire includes: classic jazz, flapper-girl Charlestons, crazy-legged Shag, fast-paced Lindy Hop with heart-stopping aerials, and everything else in between and beyond!

From its beginning in 1998, the mission of the troupe has been to bring Swing Era dances to audiences worldwide through performance and instruction.  At home in the San Francisco Bay Area, the place many have dubbed the hub of the modern Swing Revival, the Swing Cats have brought exhibitions and workshops to the area’s swing communities from Sacramento to Monterey.  Beyond their hometown, the Cats have been invited to perform at some of the most prestigious swing gatherings in the world, such as Camp Hollywood and Camp Catalina in Southern California, and Herrang Dance Camp in Sweden.

 Throughout the life of the troupe, it has showcased some of the best dancers in the Bay Area.  The members have trained with the very best in the world, and famed performers and choreographers such as Norma Miller, Chester Whitmore, and members of The Rhythm Hot Shots have all contributed to the choreographies and stunts in the Swing Cats' repertoire. The troupe’s focus on rejuvenating the traditional swing dances such as Savoy-style Lindy, Shag, and Charleston has made their repertoire unique among groups in the swing landscape today.  No other group can offer such a breadth of swing knowledge and performance.  Their focus on precise execution and performance training has won them the respect and admiration of those in swing communities worldwide.  Best of all, their focus on fun and creating an enjoyable dance experience has made them one of the most well received groups for audiences everywhere."

$12 for both the classes and the dance. $8 dance only. No partner necessary. All Ages. Casual comfortable attire. Under 18 must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

First United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto, CA. Upstairs, Fellowship hall, entrance on right of courtyard, facing away from street.

Richard Page is our Dj waltz and polka from 9 to 12 midnight.

Anna Botelho teaches Intermediate Waltz class from 7 to 9 pm.

Tom Hill teaches an introductory waltz class from 7 to 9 pm in the downstairs room. To get the most from this class, try to start at 7pm. Excellent first time class

Oakland Veterans Hall, 200 Grand Avenue Oakland CA X Harrison .A beautiful dance hall, with 3,500 square foot hardwood floor, extra room for socializing and meeting new people, easy access, great parking.$12 for both the classes and the dance. $8 dance only. No partner necessary. All Ages. Casual comfortable attire. Under 18 must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

Our anniversary dance. 8 years and going strong! Richard Powers teaches intermediate waltz and djs tonight. Intermediate waltz classes at 7pm and 8pm in the large upstairs room

Tom Hill teaches an introductory waltz class from 7 to 9 pm in the downstairs room. To get the most from this class, try to start at 7pm. Excellent first time class.

Cakes, pies, ice cream, Peppridge Farm cookies, shrimp platter, cheese and slices platter, and the usual selection of grapes, strawberries, mms, raspberries, blackberries, good'n'plenty, dots, gummies,chocolate malteds.

$12 for both the classes and the dance. Sorry, due to party food, no separate price for dance only.No partner necessary. All Ages. Casual comfortable attire. Under 18 must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

First United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto, CA. Upstairs, Fellowship hall, entrance on right of courtyard, facing away from street.

This is a very very special event. Not to be missed! We are expecting a very large crowd. We will have about total of an hour of waltzes, polkas, hambos,and schottische interspersed with 2 hours of contra dances. Waltz, polka, contra, waltz, hambo, schottische, contra, repeat. 9pm to 12 midnight. 2 hours of introductory social dance classes from 7 to 9 pm. Local contra group, BACDS, Bay Area Country Dance Society. They have 60+ monthly contra dances.

Richard Powers will be calling contras. He started out calling contra many years ago in Cincinatti and is now returning to his roots. Richard will also be teaching two hours of social dances from 7 pm to 9 pm.

Contra dancing is very similar to the line dancing in "Gone with the Wind". Think Virginia Reel. The local contra group is "Bay Area Country Dance Society"

We are very pleased to present Hillbillies from Mars, one of the country's most popular contra bands. They are superb musicians. You will not be disappointed. We are expecting a very large crowd.

From their website, "The Hillbillies From Mars have been rocking the contradance scene in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1982. They combine their love and dedication to Celtic and American traditional fiddle music with a healthy dose of their own "folk roots" of rock 'n' roll, swing, Latin and African beats, forging a new tradition of dance music."

	Kevin Carr:  fiddle, bagpipes, accordion, banjo, vocals, storytelling Kevin's powerful fiddling forms the backbone of the Hillbillies' French Canadian and Irish repertoire. In addition, he adds musical texture through his virtuosity on the Irish bagpipes and diatonic accordion. Kevin is also an accomplished storyteller, and delights audiences young and old with tales from Celtic and Appalachian sources.
	Ray Bierl:  fiddle, guitar, vocals Ray's background in Appalachian and Cape Breton fiddle styles adds another dimension to the group's repertoire. His driving fiddle backup technique shifts squares and contradances into highgear. Ray is well known on the west coast as a folk singer, and his country and cowboy songs are often featured in the Hillbillies' performances
	Paul Kotapish: mandolin, guitar, percussion Paul's versatility on the mandolin and guitar have made him a long-time favorite in the traditional music scene. His rock solid rhythms and harmonic textures form an integral part of the Hillbillies' sound. Paul has recorded and toured internationally with several bands, including Kevin Burke's Open House.
	Daniel Steinberg:  keyboards, flute, percussion Daniel's polyrhythmic piano/synthesizer backup and dynamic flute playing fill out the band's sound. The Hillbillies perform many of his original dance tunes and feature his innovative arrangements of traditional material. Daniel's workshops in French Country Dance and Instant Choir have received rave reviews at dance festivals around the country.

$20 for the evening. $15 for students with id and seniors over 60. No partner necessary. All Ages. Casual comfortable attire. Sorry due to live band, no discount for dance only. Under 18 must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

We will have our traditional selection of cherry pies, double chocolate devine mousse, raspberry cheesecakes, lemon merengue pies, and a zingy selection of Mitchell's ice creams, including avocado, mango, ginger and green tea.

Oakland Veterans Hall, 200 Grand Avenue Oakland CA X Harrison. A beautiful dance hall, with 3,500 square foot hardwood floor, extra room for socializing and meeting new people, easy access, great parking.

djs Waltz and polka music from 9pm to midnight.

Tom Hill teaches an introductory waltz class from 7 to 9 pm in the downstairs room. To get the most from this class, try to start at 7pm. Excellent first time class

$12 for both the classes and the dance. $8 dance only. No partner necessary. All Ages. Casual comfortable attire. Under 18 must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

First United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto, CA. Upstairs, Fellowship hall, entrance on right of courtyard, facing away from street.

Crepes Musette is back! Rave reveiws from each of their appearances at Friday (Saturday) Night Waltz. Waltz and polka music from 9 to 12 midnight. Sylvia Herrold, Charlie Hancock, Shira Kamen, Chuck Ervin.

Crepes Musette played waltzes, polkas, tangos, and swing in Oakland Veterans Hall on December 22 and May 24. What a great evening! Some comments "/Best night dancing ever" "Their Congress of Vienna puts them in a class by themselves" "Where can I buy their cd" (This is only the second time they have played together!) "I loved the dance-singalong to Edelweiss" "They played 'Its a small world' which was great but now I can't get it out of my head!"/ "/excellent!"/ "/..played very tight, not one missed note" "when are they coming back?""great great great" /and many more positive comments.

Sylvia Herrold uses her crystal-clear voice and impressive guitar skills to draw on the diverse traditions of swing, jazz, and traditional folk and Celtic music. Her extensive musical scholarship and earthy, nostalgic interpretations span a variety of musical styles and have earned her critical acclaim over a successful music career spanning 25 years. Herold is known as a singer of folk songs as well as a swing chanteuse and guitarist.

For sixteen years Herold toured and recorded with popular Bay Area swing trio CATS & JAMMERS. The Cats enjoyed a full schedule of festivals and concerts including multiple ppearances at Strawberry Music Festival. Herold was a five-year member of the Django Reinhardt-inspired HOT CLUB OF SAN FRANCISCO, appearing at the Jazz at Filoli Concert Series and the San Francisco Jazz Festival. Herold currently performs with WAKE THE DEAD, a band that melds traditional Celtic music with songs of the Grateful Dead. Their concert list includes the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, KMVR Celtic Festival and the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco.

In 2005 Herold released her third solo CD, Lovely Nancy, with the newly formed, café-style combo EUPHONIA. In addition to Herold on guitar and vocals, the high-energy collection of traditional folk songs features Paul Kotapish (Wake The Dead) on mandolin, Charlie Hancock on accordion and piano, and Brian Rice (Wake the Dead) on percussion. Chuck Ervin joins the group on double bass and vocals.

Charlie Hancock is a well known and long time Contra and English country dance musician, has been in many bands: ContraBandits,Raggedy Annes, Euphonia,Swing Farm.

Tom Hill teaches an introductory waltz class from 7 to 9 pm in the downstairs room. To get the most from this class, try to start at 7pm. Excellent first time class

Oakland Veterans Hall, 200 Grand Avenue Oakland CA X Harrison .A beautiful dance hall, with 3,500 square foot hardwood floor, extra room for socializing and meeting new people, easy access, great parking.$15 for both the classes and the dance. $10 for students. Sorry, due to live band no separate price for dance only. No partner necessary. All Ages. Casual comfortable attire. Under 18 must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

djs Waltz and polka music from 9pm to midnight.

Tom Hill teaches an introductory waltz class from 7 to 9 pm in the downstairs room. To get the most from this class, try to start at 7pm. Excellent first time class

$12 for both the classes and the dance. $8 dance only. No partner necessary. All Ages. Casual comfortable attire. Under 18 must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

First United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto, CA. Upstairs, Fellowship hall, entrance on right of courtyard, facing away from street.

Brassworks is back for another wonderful night of waltzes, polkas and some latin, swing and tango. Brassworks is the nations premier vintage dance band. They have played at Gaskells ball for 25 years. We will emphasize Strauss waltzes and polkas tonight.

casual attire. $13 general, $8 students.. Under 18 must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

Oakland Veterans Hall, 200 Grand Avenue Oakland CA X Harrison .A beautiful dance hall, with 3,500 square foot hardwood floor, extra room for socializing and meeting new people, easy access, great parking.

djs Waltz and polka music from 9pm to midnight.

Tom Hill teaches an introductory waltz class from 7 to 9 pm in the downstairs room. To get the most from this class, try to start at 7pm. Excellent first time class

$12 for both the classes and the dance. $8 dance only. No partner necessary. All Ages. Casual comfortable attire. Under 18 must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

First United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto, CA. Upstairs, Fellowship hall, entrance on right of courtyard, facing away from street.

Dj waltz and polka from 9 to 12 midnight.

Intermediate Waltz class from 7 to 9 pm.

Tom Hill teaches an introductory waltz class from 7 to 9 pm in the downstairs room. To get the most from this class, try to start at 7pm. Excellent first time class

Oakland Veterans Hall, 200 Grand Avenue Oakland CA X Harrison .A beautiful dance hall, with 3,500 square foot hardwood floor, extra room for socializing and meeting new people, easy access, great parking. $12 for both the classes and the dance. $8 dance only or students. No partner necessary. All Ages. Casual comfortable attire

djs Waltz and polka music from 9pm to midnight.

Tom Hill teaches an introductory waltz class from 7 to 9 pm in the downstairs room. To get the most from this class, try to start at 7pm. Excellent first time class

$12 for both the classes and the dance. $8 dance only. No partner necessary. All Ages. Casual comfortable attire. Under 18 must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

First United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto, CA. Upstairs, Fellowship hall, entrance on right of courtyard, facing away from street.

No Dance tonight- go to Gaskells!

djs Waltz and polka music from 9pm to midnight.

Tom Hill teaches an introductory waltz class from 7 to 9 pm in the downstairs room. To get the most from this class, try to start at 7pm. Excellent first time class

$12 for both the classes and the dance. $8 dance only. No partner necessary. All Ages. Casual comfortable attire. Under 18 must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

First United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto, CA. Upstairs, Fellowship hall, entrance on right of courtyard, facing away from street.

Tom Rigney is back! Over 200 attended last time Tom played his ethereral waltzes. Many people again asked to have Tom and Flambeau back. Zydeco, waltz and polka from 9 to 12 midnight.

Tonight a very unusual dance - Live music
with Tom Rigney and Flambeau. They have the sweetest, most uplifting waltzes you have ever heard. Tom performed for Friday Night Waltz last April. We got absolutely rave reviews, and many demands for a return. About 40% of the dances will be waltzes, about 20% will be zydeco/cajun, with the balance from Swing and Latin, along with our usual djed Congress of Vienna and Bohemian National Polka. Tom from 9 to 12 midnight.

*Tom Rigney*, the fiery, electrifying violinist/composer, joins forces with some of the finest musicians on the San Francisco roots music scene to form* Tom Rigney and Flambeau*, a band that will tear the roof off of anyplace that has one and raise the spirits of everyone around. Rigney, after fifteen years at the helm of The Sundogs, has stepped out into the spotlight with a vengeance. Flambeau showcases his passionate, virtuoso fiddling, his commanding stage presence, his range, depth, and originality as a composer, and of course, those notorious red boots. His bandmates are veterans of the great bands of Charles Brown, Queen Ida, Roy Rogers, Clifton Chenier, and others, and together they generate enough heat and energy to ignite a dance floor or lift an audience to its feet.

"Flambeau specializes in fiery Cajun and zydeco two-steps, low-down blues, funky New Orleans grooves, and heartbreakingly beautiful ballads and waltzes. Most of the repertoire is composed by Rigney, but they also mix in a few classics from the Cajun/zydeco/New Orleans songbook. And if, along the way, you pick up a trace of Rigney’s Irish roots or a little Swing and roots Rock and Roll, it just makes the musical gumbo that much tastier. In the past few year’s Rigney’s skills as a composer have broadened and deepened, and he is today writing some
of the most evocative and uplifting music you will hear anywhere. And Rigney’s charismatic stage presence and high-energy delivery draw the audience into his performances and make them feel that they are an integral part of the music and the show"

Dana DeSimone teaches a two hour class in Zydeco and Zydeco waltz from 7 to 9pm. Dana along with "Louisians Sue" produce the long running Alameda Elks Friday Night Dance for the last 15 years. It is the largest Zydeco dance outside of Louisiana.

Zydeco originated in the call and response vocal music of the multiracial French speaking Creoles of south and southwest Louisiana

Usually fast-tempo, and dominated by the button or piano accordion and a form of a washboard known as a rub-board or frottoir, zydeco music was originally created at house dances where the people of south Louisiana would gather for socializing.

As the Creoles further established their communities and worshiped separately as well, the music moved to the Catholic church community center and then later to the rural dance halls and nightclubs. As a result, the music integrated waltzes, shuffles, two-steps , blues , rock and roll , and most dance music forms of the era. Zydeco is one of the easiest and simplest of dances to learn.

Tom Hill teaches an introductory waltz class from 7 to 9 pm in the downstairs room. To get the most from this class, try to start at 7pm. Excellent first time class

Oakland Veterans Hall, 200 Grand Avenue Oakland CA X Harrison .A beautiful dance hall, with 3,500 square foot hardwood floor, extra room for socializing and meeting new people, easy access, great parking.$12 for both the classes and the dance. $8 dance only or students. No partner necessary. All Ages. Casual comfortable attire. Under 18 must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

djs Waltz and polka music from 9pm to midnight.

Tom Hill teaches an introductory waltz class from 7 to 9 pm in the downstairs room. To get the most from this class, try to start at 7pm. Excellent first time class

$12 for both the classes and the dance. $8 dance only. No partner necessary. All Ages. Casual comfortable attire. Under 18 must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

First United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto, CA. Upstairs, Fellowship hall, entrance on right of courtyard, facing away from street.

Brassworks is back for another wonderful night of waltzes, polkas and some latin, swing and tango.

introductory waltz class from 7 to 9pm

casual attire. $13 general, $8 students. sorry due to live band no separate price for dance only.

Oakland Veterans Hall, 200 Grand Avenue Oakland CA X Harrison .A beautiful dance hall, with 3,500 square foot hardwood floor, extra room for socializing and meeting new people, easy access, great parking.

The church is not available this night. We will relocate. Check in November for location.

djs Waltz and polka music from 9pm to midnight.

Tom Hill teaches an introductory waltz class from 7 to 9 pm in the downstairs room. To get the most from this class, try to start at 7pm. Excellent first time class

$12 for both the classes and the dance. $8 dance only. No partner necessary. All Ages. Casual comfortable attire. Under 18 must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

First United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto, CA. Upstairs, Fellowship hall, entrance on right of courtyard, facing away from street.

Lilli Ann Carey from Seattle is back again to teach a class in intermediate waltz and as our Dj waltz and polka from 9 to 12 midnight.

Intermediate Waltz class from 7 to 9 pm.

Tom Hill teaches an introductory waltz class from 7 to 9 pm in the downstairs room. To get the most from this class, try to start at 7pm. Excellent first time class

Oakland Veterans Hall, 200 Grand Avenue Oakland CA X Harrison .A beautiful dance hall, with 3,500 square foot hardwood floor, extra room for socializing and meeting new people, easy access, great parking. $12 for both the classes and the dance. $8 dance only or students. No partner necessary. All Ages. Casual comfortable attire. Under 18 must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

Richard Powers teaches intermediate waltz and djs tonight. Waltz and polka music from 9pm to midnight.

Tom Hill teaches an introductory waltz class from 7 to 9 pm in the downstairs room. To get the most from this class, try to start at 7pm. Excellent first time class

This is our Holiday/Xmas/Festive/Winter Solstice party. Cheesecakes, strawberry pies, Praline pecan ice cream, Double layer Chocolate cakes, Peppridge Farm cookies, more.

$12 for both the classes and the dance. Due to special holiday dance, no separate price for dance only. No partner necessary. All Ages. Casual comfortable attire. Under 18 must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

First United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto, CA. Upstairs, Fellowship hall, entrance on right of courtyard, facing away from street.

No Dance tonight- go to the Friday Night Waltz New Year's Eve "Over the Rainbow" Waltz Ball!

Our Seventh Annual New Year's Eve Waltz Ball.
Always fun, always a great time, a wonderful way to ring in the new year.
Sells out every year. 300 attendance.
East Bay Express article
Tickets available in October.
Formal attire strongly preferred, but dressy is fine too.
Delightful light refreshments - raspberry cheesecake, lemon merengue pies, apple tartes, triple chocolate cake, fruit, vegetable and meat platters.
A non alcohol event. All Ages. Under 18 must be accompanied by parent or guardian.
Dancing to live music from 9 pm to 12:30 am.
Midnight countdown, sing along.
Mostly Waltzes and polkas, with some swing, latin, and tango,
with Congress of Vienna and Bohemian National Polka dances and mixers.
No partner necessary, many attend as singles.
3 hour introductory waltz class Tuesday December 23 from 7 to 10.
upstairs First United Methodist Church 625 Hamilton Palo Alto $20, at door.
Check back in early November for more details and ticket purchase.
Pictures from previous NYE balls
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 New Year's Eve Ball