English Country Dancers, remember that we’ll dance this summer at the YLI in Sacramento, due to the lack of a suitable hall in Roseville!
On September 6th, Lise Dyckman will call an English dance, presumably to the music of Quite Carried Away, at the YLI;
On September 12th, we’ll have two events in a row at the same venue! There will be a Beginning Waltz Workshop taught by Paul Scouten from 5:30 60 6:30 (suggested donation $5.00), followed by a Contra called by Dane Wallinga at the Coloma, to the music of W[ld Goose Chase!
English again on September 20th, when Gary Sandler calls, accompanied by Quite Carried Away!
Follow us, and tell your friends!
We’re on Instagram and Facebook at sacramentocountrydancesociety !
The Sacramento Country Dance Society, building community through lively dances, live music, and friendly people, proudly presents:
Caller: Bruce Hamilton Music: Quite Carried Away Sound: Sue Jones and David Wright Date: Sunday, August 16th, 2026 (3rd Sunday, in Sacramento) Time: 2:00-5:00 pm Location: CHANGED!! Now Polish American Hall, at 327 Main Street in Roseville! Cost: $15 for adults; $10 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $30 maximum for families (cash or check)
English Country Dances are being held solely at the YLI during the hot months of this summer, but we expect to return to the Roseville Masonic Lodge for first Sundays, beginning in October. This week, however, the air conditioning in the YLI is down, so we’re retreating to the Polish American Hall in Roseville, where we danced before the Pandemic.
Bruce Hamilton
Bruce Hamilton is a well-respected, thoughtful, and energetic teacher of English and Scottish dancing with 45 years’ experience. He has launched dance classes, trained teachers, coached performing groups, and adjudicated festivals.
A retired research scientist, Bruce is always looking for new ways to understand and present ideas for the dancer. Whenever he presents workshops, he weaves many conceptual threads besides dance technique and choreography into his lessons. Musicality, sociability, and physiology are his current favorites. People often say they come away with a different way to experience and think about dance. Occasionally he holds a weekend teachers’ class that also draws high praise. He continues to run a bi-weekly English dance class in the Bay Area. In the recent past, he was the president of the Country Dance and Song Society. With invitations to teach at many festivals and dance camps each year, he has taught workshops all around the United States and in the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, and Australia.
Six musicians and friends under the direction of David Wright and Sue Jones. Just give them English Country Dance music to play, and they’re Quite Carried Away!
The members of QCA are (clockwise from upper right): Martin Lodahl (viola da gamba), Susan Jones (English concertina), Jane Kostka (whistle), David Wright (violin and mandolin), Arlene Jamar (piano), and Dick Holdstock (octave mandolin and tenor banjo), who has, alas, just retired after two glorious decades with the band. He is deeply missed.
Quite Carried Away is the home band for the English Country Dances.
As usual, beginners are welcome. If you are bringing, or know of any, first-timers, please urge them to come at 1:30 for the introductory workshop that precedes the dance. No partners are needed, so come by yourself or with friends or with family. While events at the Masonic Lodge are fully handicapped-accessible, events at the YLI are somewhat accessible to people with disabilities, but not perfectly. Ask for help within.
It’s always nice when folks bring snacks to share–please bring items that don’t require plates or utensils. Please bring your own water bottles.
For more information, and lost and found, contact Laura Leonelli, 916-549-7093, or email info@sactocds.org. Our schedule of future dances is always available at https://sactocds.org/calendar/. You may join our email list on groups.io at https://groups.io/g/SactoCDS/. Please enter your name when joining.
Food and Drink
Hydration is important while dancing. Dancers are encouraged to bring their own water bottles.
Please bring snacks to share with the community. Dancers may eat in the area near the food table or outside. Please don’t spill food or water on the dance floor.
Follow us, and tell your friends!
We’re on Instagram and Facebook at sacramentocountrydancesociety !
The Sacramento Country Dance Society, building community through lively dances, live music, and friendly people, proudly presents:
Caller: David Newitt Music: Quite Carried Away Sound: Sue Jones and David Wright Date: Sunday, August 2nd, 2026 (1st Sunday, in Sacramento) Time: 2:00-5:00 pm Location: Young Ladies Institute (YLI), 1400 27th St, Sacramento, CA 95816 Cost: $15 for adults; $10 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $30 maximum for families (cash or check)
English Country Dances are being held solely at the YLI during the hot months of this summer, but we expect to return to the Roseville Masonic Lodge for first Sundays, beginning in September.
David Newitt
David Newitt arrived at Swarthmore College in the fall of 1976 and was shocked to discover that this pillar of higher education had a two year physical education requirement. Faced with the alternatives of being smashed to pieces on the football field and going to Folk and Square Dancing, the choice was clear. He’s been dancing ever since.
Starting with international folk dancing, he was soon dragged into the local Scottish Country Dance group, the college morris and rapper sword team, and, when it started in 1978, the Kingsessing Morris team of Philadelphia. He came to Berkeley in 1982 to work on a Ph.D.in physics and to do country and display dancing. Since the dissolution of the One Shot Morris Team due to MIBS (Morris Induced Baby Syndrome), he has concentrated on country dancing in the Bay Area, teaching and playing music for regular Scottish and English dances and calling contras and the occasional square dance.
When not dancing, David takes pictures of people’s insides, doing research in Magnetic Resonance Imaging at UCSF, specializing in body parts that start with B. David is one of the most accomplished country dance teachers in the Bay Area, known particularly for his mastery of dance geography and his ability to make complicated dances seem simple. David’s priorities can be guessed from the final acknowledgment in his dissertation, in which he thanks, “All my friends in various dance and music groups without whose continuing support I would undoubtedly have finished this dissertation several years earlier.”
Six musicians and friends under the direction of David Wright and Sue Jones. Just give them English Country Dance music to play, and they’re Quite Carried Away!
The members of QCA are (clockwise from upper right): Martin Lodahl (viola da gamba), Susan Jones (English concertina), Jane Kostka (whistle), David Wright (violin and mandolin), Arlene Jamar (piano), and Dick Holdstock (octave mandolin and tenor banjo), who has, alas, just retired after two glorious decades with the band. He is deeply missed.
Quite Carried Away is the home band for the English Country Dances.
There will be a potluck and pool party after the dance! Grills will be available if you want to bring something to grill. Bring your suit! Directions will be supplied at the dance.
As usual, beginners are welcome. If you are bringing, or know of any, first-timers, please urge them to come at 1:30 for the introductory workshop that precedes the dance. No partners are needed, so come by yourself or with friends or with family. While events at the Masonic Lodge are fully handicapped-accessible, events at the YLI are somewhat accessible to people with disabilities, but not perfectly. Ask for help within.
It’s always nice when folks bring snacks to share–please bring items that don’t require plates or utensils. Please bring your own water bottles.
For more information, and lost and found, contact Laura Leonelli, 916-549-7093, or email info@sactocds.org. Our schedule of future dances is always available at https://sactocds.org/calendar/. You may join our email list on groups.io at https://groups.io/g/SactoCDS/. Please enter your name when joining.
Food and Drink
Hydration is important while dancing. Dancers are encouraged to bring their own water bottles.
Please bring snacks to share with the community. Dancers may eat in the area near the food table or outside. Please don’t spill food or water on the dance floor.
Follow us, and tell your friends!
We’re on Instagram and Facebook at sacramentocountrydancesociety !
English Country Dancers, remember that we’ll dance this summer at the YLI in Sacramento, due to the lack of a suitable hall in Roseville!
On August 2nd, David Newitt will call an English dance to the music of Quite Carried Away, at the YLI; Afterward there will be a Potluck and pool party; directions to the venue will be available at the dance.
On August 8th, Chris Oshiro will call a contra at the Coloma, to the music of The Community Band! Directed by Claudia Kirkpatrick, this is always fun to dance to, and fun to play in! Open to all musicians; if you’d like to play, email kirkmusic@hotmail.com!
English again on August 16th, when Bruce Hamilton calls, accompanied by Quite Carried Away!
Follow us, and tell your friends!
We’re on Instagram and Facebook at sacramentocountrydancesociety !
The Sacramento Country Dance Society, building community through lively dances, live music, and friendly people, proudly presents:
Caller: Alan Winston Music: Not Quite Carried Away Sound: Clark Smith Date: Sunday, July 19th, 2026 (3rd Sunday, in Sacramento) Time: 2:00-5:00 pm Location: Young Ladies Institute (YLI), 1400 27th St, Sacramento, CA 95816 Cost: $15 for adults; $10 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $30 maximum for families (cash or check)
Alan Winston
Caller, choreographer, and community leader, Alan Winston started with Regency dance in 1978 and has been dancing contra since 1985. He’s been calling Regency, English, Early American, and Victorian dance since 1985, and started calling contras in 2006. He’s called for balls, camps, and special events from Southern California to the Bay Area to Oregon, Washington, and Victoria BC. He co-founded the Bay Area English Regency Society and has been the house caller since 1985.
His clear, cheerful, and witty instruction have served dancers well at a variety of venues including science fiction and romance writer conventions, Pie Ranch, weddings, a residential Victorian weekend, Playford Balls on both coasts, Williamsburg, VA, the San Francisco Free Folk Festival, the New England Folk Festival (NEFFA), and as a staff member at BACDS Family Week, the Heather and Rose gender-free English/Scottish weekend in Oregon, and the Queer Contra weekend in Aptos. It is Alan’s great joy to share the joy of community through country dance.
Six musicians and friends under the direction of David Wright and Sue Jones. Just give them English Country Dance music to play, and they’re Quite Carried Away!
The members of QCA are (clockwise from upper right): Martin Lodahl (viola da gamba), Susan Jones (English concertina), Jane Kostka (whistle), David Wright (violin and mandolin), Arlene Jamar (piano), and Dick Holdstock (octave mandolin and tenor banjo), who has, alas, just retired after two glorious decades with the band. He is deeply missed. Further, this week Arlene, Sue, David, and Martin are all unavailable, leaving Jane as the last stalwart, so we’ve brought in Kathrine Gardner (fiddle) and Clark Smith (guitar) to save the day.
Quite Carried Away is the home band for the English Country Dances.
As usual, beginners are welcome. If you are bringing, or know of any, first-timers, please urge them to come at 1:30 for the introductory workshop that precedes the dance. No partners are needed, so come by yourself or with friends or with family. While events at the Masonic Lodge are fully handicapped-accessible, events at the YLI are somewhat accessible to people with disabilities, but not perfectly. Ask for help within.
It’s always nice when folks bring snacks to share–please bring items that don’t require plates or utensils. Please bring your own water bottles.
For more information, and lost and found, contact Laura Leonelli, 916-549-7093, or email info@sactocds.org. Our schedule of future dances is always available at https://sactocds.org/calendar/. You may join our email list on groups.io at https://groups.io/g/SactoCDS/. Please enter your name when joining.
Food and Drink
Hydration is important while dancing. Dancers are encouraged to bring their own water bottles.
Please bring snacks to share with the community. Dancers may eat in the area near the food table or outside. Please don’t spill food or water on the dance floor.
Follow us, and tell your friends!
We’re on Instagram and Facebook at sacramentocountrydancesociety !
The Sacramento Country Dance Society, building community through lively dances, live music, and friendly people, proudly presents:
Caller: Bonnie Richardson Music: Quite Carried Away Sound: Sue Jones and David Wright Date: Sunday, July 5th, 2026 (1st Sunday, this time in Sacramento) Time: 2:00-5:00 pm Location: Young Ladies Institute (YLI), 1400 27th St, Sacramento, CA 95816 Cost: $15 for adults; $10 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $30 maximum for families (cash or check)
Bonnie Richardson at sunset
Bonnie Richardson has been an avid English country dancer for over 20 years. She also enjoys contra, ballroom and is passionate about waltzing. She and Rebecca King founded the Napa English Country Dance in 2015. She has been teaching, calling and managing English dances 2-3 time a month in this small, but vibrant dance community ever since. After retiring as a Family Physican from Kaiser Permanente in 2018, Bonnie was able to attend far flung dances and camps and lend her organizational skills to promoting ECD. She currently serves on the Board of the North Bay Country Dance Society, the Fall Frolick Committee and the Mad Robin Ball Committee.
Six musicians and friends under the direction of David Wright and Sue Jones. Just give them English Country Dance music to play, and they’re Quite Carried Away!
The members of QCA are (clockwise from upper right): Martin Lodahl (viola da gamba), Susan Jones (English concertina), Jane Kostka (whistle), David Wright (violin and mandolin), Arlene Jamar (piano), and Dick Holdstock (octave mandolin and tenor banjo), who has, alas, just retired after two glorious decades with the band. He is deeply missed..
Quite Carried Away is the home band for the English Country Dances.
As usual, beginners are welcome. If you are bringing, or know of any, first-timers, please urge them to come at 1:30 for the introductory workshop that precedes the dance. No partners are needed, so come by yourself or with friends or with family. While events at the Masonic Lodge are fully handicapped-accessible, events at the YLI are somewhat accessible to people with disabilities, but not perfectly. Ask for help within.
It’s always nice when folks bring snacks to share–please bring items that don’t require plates or utensils. Please bring your own water bottles.
For more information, and lost and found, contact Laura Leonelli, 916-549-7093, or email info@sactocds.org. Our schedule of future dances is always available at https://sactocds.org/calendar/. You may join our email list on groups.io at https://groups.io/g/SactoCDS/. Please enter your name when joining.
Food and Drink
Hydration is important while dancing. Dancers are encouraged to bring their own water bottles.
Please bring snacks to share with the community. Dancers may eat in the area near the food table or outside. Please don’t spill food or water on the dance floor.
The Sacramento Country Dance Society, building community through lively dances, live music, and friendly people, proudly presents:
Caller: Yvonne Couvillion Music: Quite Carried Away Sound: Sue Jones and David Wright Date: Sunday, June 21st, 2026 (1st Sunday, this time in Sacramento) Time: 2:00-5:00 pm Location: Young Ladies Institute (YLI), 1400 27th St, Sacramento, CA 95816 Cost: $15 for adults; $10 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $30 maximum for families (cash or check)
Yvonne Couvillion began dancing (waltz, twist, and swing) at age 9 with her mother. She first performed dance in junior high school, and continued dancing in high school and college. She took a class in teaching International Folk Dance in graduate school, and began calling 30 years ago. She met her husband Andre at a contra dance in Bastrop, Texas 26 years ago. They now live in Sacramento where they regularly attend, teach and host a variety of dance events including English Country Dance.
Six musicians and friends under the direction of David Wright and Sue Jones. Just give them English Country Dance music to play, and they’re Quite Carried Away!
The members of QCA are (clockwise from upper right): Martin Lodahl (viola da gamba), Susan Jones (English concertina), Jane Kostka (whistle), David Wright (violin and mandolin), Arlene Jamar (piano), and Dick Holdstock (octave mandolin and tenor banjo).
Quite Carried Away is the home band for the English Country Dances.
As usual, beginners are welcome. If you are bringing, or know of any, first-timers, please urge them to come at 1:30 for the introductory workshop that precedes the dance. No partners are needed, so come by yourself or with friends or with family. While events at the Masonic Lodge are fully handicapped-accessible, events at the YLI are somewhat accessible to people with disabilities, but not perfectly. Ask for help within.
It’s always nice when folks bring snacks to share–please bring items that don’t require plates or utensils. Please bring your own water bottles.
For more information, and lost and found, contact Laura Leonelli, 916-549-7093, or email info@sactocds.org. Our schedule of future dances is always available at https://sactocds.org/calendar/. You may join our email list on groups.io at https://groups.io/g/SactoCDS/. Please enter your name when joining.
Food and Drink
Hydration is important while dancing. Dancers are encouraged to bring their own water bottles.
Please bring snacks to share with the community. Dancers may eat in the area near the food table or outside. Please don’t spill food or water on the dance floor.
The Sacramento Country Dance Society, building community through lively dances, live music, and friendly people, proudly presents:
Caller: Alan Winston Music: Quite Carried Away Sound: Sue Jones and David Wright Date: Sunday, June 7th, 2026 (1st Sunday, this time in Sacramento) Time: 2:00-5:00 pm Location: Young Ladies Institute (YLI), 1400 27th St, Sacramento, CA 95816 Cost: $15 for adults; $10 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $30 maximum for families (cash or check)
Caller, choreographer, and community leader, Alan Winston started with Regency dance in 1978 and has been dancing contra since 1985. He’s been calling Regency, English, Early American, and Victorian dance since 1985, and started calling contras in 2006. He’s called for balls, camps, and special events from Southern California to the Bay Area to Oregon, Washington, and Victoria BC. He co-founded the Bay Area English Regency Society and has been the house caller since 1985.
His clear, cheerful, and witty instruction have served dancers well at a variety of venues including science fiction and romance writer conventions, Pie Ranch, weddings, a residential Victorian weekend, Playford Balls on both coasts, Williamsburg, VA, the San Francisco Free Folk Festival, the New England Folk Festival (NEFFA), and as a staff member at BACDS Family Week, the Heather and Rose gender-free English/Scottish weekend in Oregon, and the Queer Contra weekend in Aptos. It is Alan’s great joy to share the joy of community through country dance.
Six musicians and friends under the direction of David Wright and Sue Jones. Just give them English Country Dance music to play, and they’re Quite Carried Away!
The members of QCA are (clockwise from upper right): Martin Lodahl (viola da gamba), Susan Jones (English concertina), Jane Kostka (whistle), David Wright (violin and mandolin), Arlene Jamar (piano), and Dick Holdstock (octave mandolin and tenor banjo).
Quite Carried Away is the home band for the English Country Dances.
As usual, beginners are welcome. If you are bringing, or know of any, first-timers, please urge them to come at 1:30 for the introductory workshop that precedes the dance. No partners are needed, so come by yourself or with friends or with family. While events at the Masonic Lodge are fully handicapped-accessible, events at the YLI are somewhat accessible to people with disabilities, but not perfectly. Ask for help within.
It’s always nice when folks bring snacks to share–please bring items that don’t require plates or utensils. Please bring your own water bottles.
For more information, and lost and found, contact Laura Leonelli, 916-549-7093, or email info@sactocds.org. Our schedule of future dances is always available at https://sactocds.org/calendar/. You may join our email list on groups.io at https://groups.io/g/SactoCDS/. Please enter your name when joining.
Food and Drink
Hydration is important while dancing. Dancers are encouraged to bring their own water bottles.
Please bring snacks to share with the community. Dancers may eat in the area near the food table or outside. Please don’t spill food or water on the dance floor.
The Sacramento Country Dance Society, building community through lively dances, live music, and friendly people, proudly presents:
Caller: Lise Dyckman Music: Quite Carried Away Sound: Sue Jones and David Wright Date: Sunday, May 3rd, 2026 Time: 2:00-5:00 pm Location: Masonic Lodge, 235 Vernon St., Roseville, CA Cost: $15 for adults; $10 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $30 maximum for families (cash or check)
Yvonne Couvillion
Lise M. Dyckman has been teaching and calling English Country Dance (and Contra Dance) for decades, in Philadelphia, New York City, California’s Bay Area region and beyond, and is known for her clear and concise calling, musicality, humor, interest in dance history and attention to welcoming community.
Six musicians and friends under the direction of David Wright and Sue Jones. Just give them English Country Dance music to play, and they’re Quite Carried Away!
The members of QCA are (clockwise from upper right): Martin Lodahl (viola da gamba), Susan Jones (English concertina), Jane Kostka (whistle), David Wright (violin and mandolin), Arlene Jamar (piano), and Dick Holdstock (octave mandolin and tenor banjo).
Quite Carried Away is the home band for the English Country Dances.
As usual, beginners are welcome. If you are bringing, or know of any, first-timers, please urge them to come at 1:30 for the introductory workshop that precedes the dance. No partners are needed, so come by yourself or with friends or with family. Events at the Masonic Lodge are handicapped-accessible, through the elevator right inside the front door. Events at the YLI are somewhat accessible to people with disabilities, but not perfectly. Ask for help within.
It’s always nice when folks bring snacks to share–please bring items that don’t require plates or utensils. Please bring your own water bottles.
For more information, and lost and found, contact Laura Leonelli, 916-549-7093, or email info@sactocds.org. Our schedule of future dances is always available at https://sactocds.org/calendar/. You may join our email list on groups.io at https://groups.io/g/SactoCDS/. Please enter your name when joining.
Food and Drink
Hydration is important while dancing. Dancers are encouraged to bring their own water bottles.
Please bring snacks to share with the community. Dancers may eat in the area near the food table or outside. Please don’t spill food or water on the dance floor.
