Dance

 

Contra dancing - every Fri. evening at Glen Echo Park.  Come join me (and about 250 of my closest friends) - it's great fun, wonderful exercise, and you meet terrific people.  Starts with a free lesson by an experienced contra dance instructor.  Live band.

 

Waltz (English Country)- 1^st & 3^rd Sun. afternoon at Glen Echo Park.  Not very crowded.  Starts with a free beginning waltz lesson from an experienced ballroom dance instructor.  Sometimes a polka, schottische, hambo, foxtrot, tango, or other dance is thrown in for variety.  Several times a year Viennese waltz is taught instead of English Country waltz and the dance features more Viennese waltzes.  Live band.

 

Swing dancing - 1^st, 3^rd,& 4^th Sat. evenings at Glen Echo Park.  Starts with a free beginning jitterbug lesson from an experienced instructor.  Also some Sun. afternoons preceded by a free Charleston lesson from an experienced instructor.  Live band.  The Friday Night Swing Dance is held in several locations with air conditioning on a large excellent wooden floor.  Dances are usually preceded by a free 30-45 minute lesson and the music is live.  See the web site for the locations and schedule.  there is also a Sunday night dance to recorded music.  Fridays and some other evenings swing dances are held in Walkersville, MD (near Frederick) featuring the lindy hop.  A free lesson usually precedes the dance.  See www.lindylink.com for dance locations, schedule, and schedule of classes.

 

Cajun & Zydeco - 2^nd Sat. evening and some Sunday afternoons at Glen Echo Park.  Starts with a free beginning cajun waltz and two-step lesson from an experienced instructor.  Live band.

 

Western swing - Some Sun. afternoons at Glen Echo Park.  Starts with a free beginning western two-step lesson from an experienced instructor.  Live band.

 

Polka - And other dances at Blob's Park.  The hall is open to anyone, but about once a month a group of friends meets there.  Email Pat if interested in email notification of the dates.  Dances feature polka with some ballroom, lined dances, and children's fare thrown in for good measure.  Music is live and on most Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings.  Lessons series are given by Butch & Mary Kotowski, award-winning dancers and instructors.

 

Ballroom Dancing - Occasionally go to the Hollywood Ballroom and The Dance Factory for Ballroom dancing, consisting of jitterbug, waltz, hustle, mambo, samba, tango, foxtrot, cha cha, and many more.

 

Meet me at the Smithsonian Festival of Folklife the last weekend in June and first weekend in July for folk and other dancing each evening.  This is a wonderful festival that brings cultures from around the country and the world - and it's free!

 

Irish Set Dancing - There are several Irish and Celtic festivals in the Washington area every year and they frequently have a dance venue.  Ceilis are also held throughout the year.

 

English Country Dancing - This is a very beautiful form of dance that follows many patterns.  Dancing is every Wed. evening at the Glen Echo Town Hall.  The group is small and intimate.

 

Tango - While I haven't done much tangoing, there is a regular newsletter with information of all the tango and related events in the area (see Capital Tangueros, below).

 

Popular dance sites   Glen Echo Park Spanish Ballroom Blob's Park Hollywood Ballroom Folklore Society of Greater Washington Capital Tangueros The Dance Factory DC DanceNet Listing Friday Nite Swing Dance Lindy Hop classes & Dances           If you would like a site included in this list, please email me.