Contra Dance to a Celtic folk band & live caller

Contra Dance Sun 6:30-9:30pm

Lesson@6:10

Price? $12-15 (your choice) We are a small non-profit, co-sponsored by the city, fighting to keep the price low for a live band and caller and great fun and exercise. Support us by showing up, the more the merrier.

Dance to the Stepwise & Jeff Spero band with Lindsay Verbil calling at the Carrillo Ballroom: 100 East Carrillo St. 6:30-9:30pm. There will be a free Contra Dance lesson for anyone interested in trying Contra Dance at 6:10pm

This is a band well worth coming for just to listen to the music. Go to https://stepwiseband.com to watch videos. Stepwise is a traditional Celtic folk band consisting of Liam Lewis (mandolin, guitar, fiddle, voice), Olivia Breidenthal (fiddle and voice) and All-Ireland Champion bones player James Yoshizawa (percussion).

They perform a mixture of traditional Irish songs with tight vocal harmonies and traditional Irish tune sets. Olivia is a practitioner of the Galway fiddle style with influences including Kevin Burke, the Kane Sisters, and Liz Carroll.

Together, their instrumental arrangements feature intricate twin fiddles or groovy rhythm guitar fit for a traditional Ceili or the discerning ears of an Irish-enthusiast audience.

CONTRA DANCE

• Fun social dance
• A live band and a caller
• Enjoyable
• Good Exercise
• Good for the body and brain
• You don’t need a partner.

DECEMBER DANCES (put 1st and 3rd Sundays on your calendar)

December 2023

3    Stepwise & Jeff Spero/ Lindsay Verbil

17   Frannie Marr Audrey Leigh Jabber & Jeff Spero

25  Free Dance! Our annual free dance, not on Christmas eve, but in the evening of Christmas day.

Erik Hoffman calls, band To be announced

We are co-sponsored by the City of Santa Barbara, whose policies follow the State of California, which do not allow us to require masks or vaccinations.

That said, we encourage you to properly wear N-95, KN-95, KF-94, or equivalent masks and to be fully vaccinated, for the protection of yourself, and others, including those in your shared living spaces.

Contra dance is a fun social dance with a live band and a caller. Enjoyable, good exercise, and you don’t need a partner. From 6:30 -9:30pm. Contra dance orientation/lesson at 6:10 p.m. in the Carrillo Ballroom for those who are new. Every dance is a new experience.

We are a community, so please help everyone get to dance. Don’t book ahead. Watch for people sitting on the side and ask them to dance! Reach out of your comfort zone to make folks feel welcome. You might make a life-long friend!

We enjoy new dancers!

At SB Carrillo Recreation Center

100 East Carrillo Street, Santa Barbara, CA

in the large ballroom with the sprung floor.

You don’t need to bring a partner because this is a social dance and everybody dances with everybody. You don’t need to know how to Contra Dance. There is a lesson at 6:00 pm and a walk-through by the caller before each dance so you can just jump in. You will get friendly help all night.

Those who participate in contra dancing find a safe place to meet and socialize with other people. It’s a great social activity, a way to meet people, to socialize and have a good time with a group of people. Not just one or two….At a contra dance you meet lots of people in the course of an evening. Lots of good exercise too.

The band takes a break in the middle. At the end of each half, you can dance a waltz if you like. And during the break, recorded music is played for East and West Coast swing dance, Country Dance, and more.

The best description we’ve heard is that with each dance we build a carousel, then jump on and ride it. Great fun for the brain and the body. Join us for great fun!

Video of one of our dances

This weeks band: https://stepwiseband.com

https://www.facebook.com/groups/129163743804181

Dance video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BC3x-IFN1MQ

More info: http://www.sbcds.org/contradance/