Tag Archives: Young Ladies Institute YLI

Third Sunday English Country Dance!

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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, August 18th (3rd Sunday)
Time: 2:00-5:00 pm
Location: Young Ladies Institute (YLI), 1400 27th St, Sacramento, CA 95816
Cost: $12 for adults; $8 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $25 maximum for families (cash or check)

Yvonne 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. 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.

COVID Safety Information:

Latest update: June 2024

The policies below are intended to balance our desire to dance with the safety of our community, including both our dancers and the wider public. If you are feeling ill, please stay home and join us at another event when you’re feeling well.

Vaccination

COVID vaccination and up-to-date boosters are highly recommended but not required.

Masks

Based on current immunity levels and transmission rates in our community, good quality, well-fitting masks are recommended but not required on the dance floor and in other indoor spaces at all our dance locations.

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.

English Country Dance, Third Sunday!

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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, July 21st (3rd Sunday)
Time: 2:00-5:00 pm
Location: Young Ladies Institute (YLI), 1400 27th St, Sacramento, CA 95816
Cost: $12 for adults; $8 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $25 maximum for families (cash or check)

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).

Quite Carried Away is the home band for the English Country Dances.

There will be a potluck and pool party after the dance! Location and other details available 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. 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.

COVID Safety Information:

Latest update: June 2024

The policies below are intended to balance our desire to dance with the safety of our community, including both our dancers and the wider public. If you are feeling ill, please stay home and join us at another event when you’re feeling well.

Vaccination

COVID vaccination and up-to-date boosters are highly recommended but not required.

Masks

Based on current immunity levels and transmission rates in our community, good quality, well-fitting masks are recommended but not required on the dance floor and in other indoor spaces at all our dance locations.

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.

English Country Dance, Third Sunday!

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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 16th (3rd Sunday)
Time: 2:00-5:00 pm
Location: Young Ladies Institute (YLI), 1400 27th St, Sacramento, CA 95816
Cost: $12 for adults; $8 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $25 maximum for families (cash or check)

Yvonne 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. Events are accessible to people with disabilities.

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.

COVID Safety Information:

The ECD Committee has reconsidered our COVID policy, and now the English Committee has followed suit.

Vaccination:

COVID vaccination and boosters are highly recommended but not required.

Masks:

Masking also is highly recommended but not required. Should conditions change and the infection rate rise significantly, this could be revised at a future time.

English Country Dance, Third Sunday!

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The Sacramento Country Dance Society, building community through lively dances, live music, and friendly people, proudly presents:

Caller: Gary Sandler
Music: Quite Carried Away
Sound: Sue Jones and David Wright
Date: Sunday, May 19th (3rd Sunday)
Time: 2:00-5:00 pm
Location: Young Ladies Institute (YLI), 1400 27th St, Sacramento, CA 95816
Cost: $12 for adults; $8 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $25 maximum for families (cash or check)

Gary Sandler‘s first exposure to dance was when he learned ballroom style in college. Decades later, his son’s involvement in a youth dance program introduced him to International Folk Dance. Over the years, he’s learned a variety of dance styles and developed a particular love of English Country Dance. Gary likes helping dancers get more fun out of their dancing through safe and comfortable hand-holds, practical demonstrations, and clear direct instruction.  Gary likes to vary the dance format for English Country Dances, shifting from lines to circles to squares. Through his local International Folk Dance group’s weekly dance, Gary calls and teaches Romanian, Israeli, Balkan, and Scottish dances in addition to English Country.

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 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.

COVID Safety Information:

The ECD Committee has reconsidered our COVID policy, and now the English Committee has followed suit.

Vaccination:

COVID vaccination and boosters are highly recommended but not required.

Masks:

Masking also is highly recommended but not required. Should conditions change and the infection rate rise significantly, this could be revised at a future time.

English Country Dance, Third Sunday!

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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, April 21st (3rd Sunday)
Time: 2:00-5:00 pm
Location: Young Ladies Institute (YLI), 1400 27th St, Sacramento, CA 95816
Cost: $12 for adults; $8 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $25 maximum for families (cash or check)

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).

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 are accessible to people with disabilities.

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.

COVID Safety Information:

The ECD Committee has reconsidered our COVID policy, and now the English Committee has followed suit.

Vaccination:

COVID vaccination and boosters are highly recommended but not required.

Masks:

Masking also is highly recommended but not required. Should conditions change and the infection rate rise significantly, this could be revised at a future time.

English Country Dance, third Sunday!

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Sacramento Country Dance Society, building community through lively dances, live music, and friendly people, presents:

Caller: Gary Sandler
Music: Quite Carried Away
Sound: Sue Jones and David Wright
Date: Sunday, March 17th (3rd Sunday)
Time: 2:00-5:00 pm
Location: Young Ladies Institute (YLI), 1400 27th St, Sacramento, CA 95816
Cost: $12 for adults; $8 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $25 maximum for families (cash or check)

Gary Sandler‘s first exposure to dance was when he learned ballroom style in college. Decades later, his son’s involvement in a youth dance program introduced him to International Folk Dance. Over the years, he’s learned a variety of dance styles and developed a particular love of English Country Dance. Gary likes helping dancers get more fun out of their dancing through safe and comfortable hand-holds, practical demonstrations, and clear direct instruction.  Gary likes to vary the dance format for English Country Dances, shifting from lines to circles to squares. Through his local International Folk Dance group’s weekly dance, Gary calls and teaches Romanian, Israeli, Balkan, and Scottish dances in addition to English Country.

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 are accessible to people with disabilities.

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.

COVID Safety Information:

The ECD Committee has reconsidered our COVID policy, and now the English Committee has followed suit.

Vaccination:

COVID vaccination and boosters are highly recommended but not required.

Masks:

Masking also is highly recommended but not required. Should conditions change and the infection rate rise significantly, this could be revised at a future time.

Playford Ball Dance Workshop!

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Sacramento Country Dance Society: Building community through lively dances, live bands, and friendly people.

Caller: Ruth Scodel
Music: Daniel Syverson & Friends
Sound: Amanda Schmidt
Date: Sunday, March 3rd (first Sunday)
Time: 2:00-5:00 pm
Location: Young Ladies Institute (YLI), 1400 27th St, Sacramento, CA 95816
Cost: $12 for adults; $8 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $25 maximum for families (cash or check)

Ruth Scodel has been dancing Scottish Country Dance since 1983 and ECD since 1984. She taught SCD in Ann Arbor and occasionally called English (and was celebrated for her snacks at breaks); since moving to Sacramento in 2022 she joined the roster of leaders the beginners’ session at regular dances and has taught ECD through the Renaissance Society. She has attended many workshops, weekends, and dance weeks around the US. In her non-dancing life, she was Professor of Greek and Latin at the University of Michigan until she retired in 2019.

Daniel Syverson (no picture available) is a talented Davis pianist who will be doing the “heavy lifting” in this unusual dance, joined here by Quite Carried Away veterans Jane Kostka and Martin Lodahl.

Caller Ruth Scodel explains this event:

“This workshop has two purposes: to practice the program for those attending the Bay Area Playford ball (program at https://www.bacds.org/events/playfordball2024/), and to increase dancing confidence and enjoyment for everybody. It is not intended for beginners and will assume familiarity with common figures like poussettes and heys, but you don’t need to be an advanced dancer. Because there are 18 dances on the ball program and we want to get a chance to practice most of them, there will be fewer repetitions of each dance than usual, and the easiest / most familiar dances will be walked through only once and have a rolling start (one aim is to practice following cues from other dancers along with the calls, or giving helpful cues). For most dances, the caller will offer exactly one tip about an especially fun opportunity or a spot where extra attention will be rewarded, but this will not be an occasion for a lot of fussing about style.”

No partners are needed, so come by yourself or with friends or with family. Events are accessible to people with disabilities.

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.

COVID Safety Information:

The ECD Committee has reconsidered our COVID policy:

Vaccination

COVID vaccination and boosters are highly recommended but not required.

Masks

Masking is now recommended but optional at both the first Sunday and third Sunday English dances, though this could change with a significant change in COVID cases.

English Country Dance, Third Sunday!

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Caller: Lise Dyckman
Music: Quite Carried Away
Sound: Sue Jones and David Wright
Date: Sunday, February 18th (3rd Sunday)
Time: 2:00-5:00 pm
Location: Young Ladies Institute (YLI), 1400 27th St, Sacramento, CA 95816
Cost: $12 for adults; $8 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $25 maximum for families (cash or check)

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 are accessible to people with disabilities.

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.

COVID Safety Information:

The ECD Committee has reconsidered our COVID policy:

Vaccination

COVID vaccination and boosters are highly recommended but not required.

Masks

For English Country Dances at the Polish Hall or Masonic Lodge facility (1st Sunday), good quality, well-fitting masks are recommended but not required on the dance floor and other indoor spaces.

For English Dances at the YLI facility (3rd Sunday) – All dancers must wear a high-quality mask, such as N95, KN95, or KF94, when in the dance hall.  Masks with exhaust vents are not acceptable because they do not protect other dancers. No surgical or cloth face coverings are allowed.

English Country Dance on Jan. 21st (3rd Sunday)!

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Caller: Alan Winston
Music: Quite Carried Away
Sound: Sue Jones and David Wright
Date: Sunday, January 21st (3rd Sunday)
Time: 2:00-5:00 pm
Location: Young Ladies Institute (YLI), 1400 27th St, Sacramento, CA 95816
Cost: $12 for adults; $8 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $25 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.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alan.winston

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 are accessible to people with disabilities.

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.

COVID Safety Information:

The ECD Committee has reconsidered our COVID policy:

Vaccination

COVID vaccination and boosters are highly recommended but not required.

Masks

For English Country Dances at the Polish Hall facility (1st Sunday), good quality, well-fitting masks are recommended but not required on the dance floor and other indoor spaces.

For English Dances at the YLI facility (3rd Sunday) – All dancers must wear a high-quality mask, such as N95, KN95, or KF94, when in the dance hall.  Masks with exhaust vents are not acceptable because they do not protect other dancers. No surgical or cloth face coverings are allowed.

English Country Dance, Third Sunday!

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Caller: David Newitt
Music: Quite Carried Away
Sound: Sue Jones and David Wright
Date: Sunday, December 17th (3rd Sunday)
Time: 2:00-6:00 pm
Location: Young Ladies Institute (YLI), 1400 27th St, Sacramento, CA 95816
Cost: $12 for adults; $8 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $25 maximum for families (cash or check)

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).

Quite Carried Away is the house 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 are accessible to people with disabilities.

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.

COVID Safety Information:

The ECD Committee has reconsidered our COVID policy:

Vaccination

COVID vaccination and boosters are highly recommended but not required.

Masks

For English Country Dances at the Polish Hall facility (1st Sunday), good quality, well-fitting masks are recommended but not required on the dance floor and other indoor spaces.

For English Dances at the YLI facility (3rd Sunday) – All dancers must wear a high-quality mask, such as N95, KN95, or KF94, when in the dance hall.  Masks with exhaust vents are not acceptable because they do not protect other dancers. No surgical or cloth face coverings are allowed.