Dancing

Everybody should learn to dance (even pigs)! Most people in Davis need to learn how to dance. Dancing teaches you about pace, rhythm, and how to move your body... dancers are better in bed. Even though Davis is rhythmically challenged, there are a handful of places in town where you can get started on the right foot [or on the left if you're male]. With most dance styles, be aware that some places emphasize performance dance versus social dance [remember high school?]: social dance is the stuff you do for fun in clubs or at weddings, while performance dance is what people do for competition and money. Either way, just keep in mind that most people have a preference of one style over another, and you should be aware of this when selecting a dance instructor.

• Dance Baby Dance
  

• Fiesta DanceN' Fitness
  

• Applegate Dance Studio
  

• Barbara's Dancing Tonight teaches a variety of dance styles from hip hop to swing and ballroom. Barbara usually offers a few of her more popular introductory courses at a very low rate through Davis Parks & Community Services. This is a good way to find out if you like her style as well as a particular dance style; Barbara also employs other instructors who specialize in different dance styles. If you choose to sign up for classes through the dance studio, you can purchase these on a drop-in basis for greater flexibility.
  

• Blueprint Dance Company
  

• Aalim Middle Eastern Dance is a new Middle Eastern dance academy that is originally from London, then St. Louis and now right here in Davis. It teaches the various "cabaret" styles of Raks Sharki/ Oriental dance (bellydance) as well as folkloric styles from many different countries. Classes are taught by Lili who has 10 years of performing experience in St. Louis, MO as well as San Juan, PR as well as 4 years of teaching experience with Aalim Dance Co. Classes are for all ages, shapes and sizes and are meant for both total beginners and those that have already had some experience with bellydance. Classes are held independently at Barbara's Dancing Tonight Studio on Sundays from 8:30-9:30pm. Classes cost 6 for $50 ($8.33/ class) or a drop-in rate of $10/ class. Private lessons also available. You can contact LILI at lilibellydance@yahoo.com.
  

• The Davis International Folk Dancers is an underground remnant of the 1950s and 60s folk dance movement where dances from Bulgaria, Israel, Greece, Armenia, and other countries with strange and wonderful dance traditions are given new life. The leaders of the group teach a class most Sunday evenings at the Davis Art Center, 7pm to 10pm, with all requests during the last hour. The dances range from simple to complex, from exotic to more popular. The members also make appearances at other locations and times for specific types of dance, such as Davis Israeli Dancing and Balkan folk dancing.
  

• The International Social Dance Club is a new student organization that will be starting up in Fall 2008. Like the Davis International Folk Dancers they will do a wide variety of dances from around the world, but with a greater emphasis on western European partner dances (waltz, polka etc.) and more regular teaching. The club meets Wednesday nights from 8-10 in the ARC Pavilion. When you enter the Pavilion from the ARC side, follow the signs to the club.
  

• Spotlight Dance & Fitness - A ballroom, latin, and swing dance studio in West Sacramento. About a 10 minute drive from Davis, with a very friendly and supportive group of students and staff. The instructors here are all professional dancers and instructors, so whether you are a complete beginner, or a seasoned veteran, you are sure to get a quality dance education at Spotlight. Many Davisites and UCD students take classes here.
  

• Davis Israeli Dancing is for dancers of all ages and all levels of experience. Open to the public, Davis Israeli Dancing is held on the first and third Thursday of the month from 7 to 9 pm at Congregation Bet Haverim social hall.
  

• Davis Parks & Community Services offers dance courses through their Recreation Program. These classes are very reasonably priced, and instruction is typically by professional dance instructors.
  

• The Sacramento Country Dancing Society puts on a Contra Dance every 3rd Friday at the Davis High School Dance Room from 8-11pm with a beginner's workshop at 7:30pm. The cost is $5 for students and $10 for adults, with a maximum of $25 per family.
  

• Experimental College regularly offers a variety of dance styles at reasonable prices, including salsa, capoeira, and sometimes samba. Be sure to check the EC Guide at the start of each quarter to find out when classes will be held.
  

• The Graduate and many other dance clubs often offer a free 30 minute or hour long lesson with your cover charge before they begin spinning beats. This is particularly true of certain styles such as country line, swing, and salsa... you're not likely to get an intro to hip hop at any club!
  

• Dynamic Dancing with Yvette - Yvette teaches a variety of dance styles including: Jazz, Ballet, Tap, Musical Theatre, Hip Hop and Bellydance. Classes are taught at three Davis locations and in Woodland.
  

• Davis Swing Dancers
  

• Irish Dancing is taught at the Davis Art Center for kids, teens, and adults of various skill and energy levels.
  

• The Pamela Trokanski Dance Workshop and Performing Arts Center offers a variety of classes, from modern dance to belly dance to ballet.
  

• The ARC is now offering all sorts of dance classes, from Ballroom and Salsa to Bellydancing and Ballet. They are offered each quarter and are taught by a very knowledgeable group of instructors. Check the quarterly Recreation Guide (or the ARC website) for more information.

• City Gate Dance is an on-campus Dance Ministry and the goal of this group is to show God’s love through dance to our audience.
  

• Spirit In Motion Dance Company A ballroom, latin, and swing dance company which is run through Spotlight Dance & Fitness dance studio. Many of the performers are current UC Davis students or alumni of UCD. For more details on how to join, or how to book SIM for a performance or event, contact Spotlight at 916-649-DANZ and ask about Spirit In Motion.
  

• Diverse Dance Dimensions is an on-campus multidimensional dance group. We incorporate several styles of dance — jazz, salsa, tap, hip-hop. We have an annual show and perform at various show- sponsored events.
  

• Davis Swing Kids
  

• Impulse
  

• Iranian Dance Team strives to teach its members the art of Iranian dance and educate the student body and the community about this aspect of Iranian culture.
  

• English Country Dancers is a club on campus that dances in the style of medieval/Renaissance Northern European people, and sometimes performs at renaissance faires. They meet at 6:30 every Thursday. Check their wiki page for location updates. They will happily give lessons to anyone who stops by. People who have been in this for awhile have elaborate and beautiful costumes.
  

• MK Modern
  

• Telemark Dance Troupe exists to promote and foster the knowledge and expression of ballroom dance at UC Davis and in the surrounding community. We learn and perform as a Troupe as well as engage in fun activities outside of rehearsal and performance.
  

• bohemian bellies is a Yolo County based bellydance troupe that performs for public and private audiences. (Maybe you have seen us at the Village Homes? Or the Farmer's Market? Or the Yolo County Fair?)
  

• Chinese Dance and Arts Club is a great place to learn about Chinese culture and perhaps a new and unique style of dancing for most people. Anyone can join (men included!), no experience necessary.

• Capoeira is a Brazilian martial arts style dance.
  

• Cha Cha is a Latin dance that originated as an offshoot of the mambo. The dance gets its name from its characteristic triple "cha cha cha" step, and is a flirty, playful dance.
  

• Rumba
  

• Paso Doble
  

• Samba is a Brazilian dance best known in the US in relation to Brazilian Carnaval. Carnaval samba is very different from the samba associated with ballroom dance. Carnaval samba is loads of fun and can get downright nasty, though you can dance a less performance-based style in Latin clubs.
  

• Tango is a dramatic ballroom dance with staccato movements. It is not the same as Argentine tango.
  

• Foxtrot originated as a vaudeville dance. It is a combination of quick and slow steps, danced in 4/4 time. Foxtrot is beautiful and romantic, but playful. It is most often associated with Frank Sinatra era tunes.
  

• Waltz
  

• Viennese Waltz
  

• Quickstep
  

• Salsa is a flashy and lively Latin American dance style initially used to describe all popular Latin dance forms, including mambo, rhumba, bugaloo, and cha-cha. Today, salsa refers primarily to modern versions of mambo, which come in several forms. like many other dances, can be broken down into regional styles - Colombian, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Israeli, Miami, New York and LA. Additionally, Casino rueda is a salsa variant performed in a synchronized circle with a caller, much like square dancing; this one's difficult to perform at clubs because of space and other considerations, but is fun at parties where most people know basic salsa. Tuesday nights are salsa nights at The Graduate. Saturday nights are salsa, latin nights at [Spotlight Dance & Fitness].
  

• Swing includes the lindy hop, jitterbug, and various swing styles such as east coast, west coast, and country swing. The Graduate hosts swing dancing on Sunday nights several times throughout the year. For more regular dancing, you'll have to go to Sacramento: Midtown Stomp on Fridays, Spotlight Dance on Fridays, or Club 21 on Tuesdays.
  

• Merengue is danced to really fast Latin music. Basically, it's a two-step that's played about every other song in Latin dance clubs because even those with two left feet know how to march! It's an easy dance both to learn and dance with different partners. Merengue is versatile enough that those who don't know how to dance can do it, and those who know how to dance can dress it up with salsa-style flourishes. Tuesday nights are salsa nights at The Graduate where Merengue makes up about 25% of the music.
  

• Country .... Mondays and Saturdays at The Graduate are country nights.
  

• Folk Dancing Square, Folklorico, Contra, English Country, Tribal Belly Dance, International, Israeli... You have to look to find them, but they are lots of fun, and easy to learn. Contra dancing has come back to Davis! Join us on third Fridays during the academic year at the Davis High School dance room, 7:30-11pm. No partner is necessary, and all dances are taught. $10, or $5 students. See Sacramento Country Dance Society for more details.
  

• Square dancing is actually nowhere near as awful when you're not 12 as it was when you got forced to do it in middle school; it's mathematically interesting and can be a lot of fun, like puzzle solving, depending on how clever the caller is. There is a square dancing group at the Senior Center.

• The Graduate has a decent dance floor and hosts various dance styles on different nights. Monday and Saturdays it is "Country night." Tuesdays are "Salsa Night." And a couple times a month, on Sunday nights, the Grad hosts Rock It!, an indie dance night DJed by Boy Wonder
  

• G Street Pub has seen dancing on its dance floor, though it may depend on the show. Tuesdays is KDVS night, danceable music is often played. Wednesdays DJ Larry Rodriguez spins a lot of very danceable music, his favorite being funk.
  

• Froggy's had a DJ and dancing on Thursdays and Saturdays. Cold Shot played on Wednesdays which lead to a lot of dancing.
  

• Pasta during the school year usually has dancing on Wednesday (House music), Thursday (Hip-hop), Friday (Cold Shot) and Saturday (Hip-Hop) nights.
  

• KetMoRee
  

• Chaat Cafe aka 21-Seven (formerly Soga's)

• Sacramento
  

• Spotlight Dance & Fitness - A ballroom, Latin, Swing dance studio in West Sacramento. They also offer exercise classes such as Zumba and Bellydancing. A 10 minute drive from Davis.

• San Francisco

• There is a no dancing statute at Alpha Gamma Omega.

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Comments:

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Are there other places to dance in Davis? Any opposition to opening this page up to dance venues outside Davis?

2006-08-16 22:33:17   I propose listing places to dance organized by dance style. Currently, the section on styles just looks like a "Wikipedia" style overview of dance genres. —EddieKim

2006-09-13 17:46:32   Where can I find a caller or band for contra dance or square dance? —JudithTruman

2008-05-10 06:50:49   Anyone know where I can go for break-dancing lessons? —Kafani

The EC usually has a class every quarter.