Is It For Me?
We hear it all the time: "I can't dance," or "I don't like country music." Well, there are plenty of folks at Sundance Saloon who once *thought* they couldn't dance, or *thought* they disliked country music.
Learning to two-step or line dance is a skill that takes time, and some longer than others. You're not going to learn everything in one lesson, or a month, or even a year. But much of the fun is in the learning, and in seeing the progress you make, however slowly.
Country music has evolved and is certainly not the twangy sound of a generation ago. And regardless of how you feel about country music now, it take can take on a completely different meaning once you're dancing to it.
Sundance Saloon is an incredibly friendly place, so unlike any other dance club in San Francisco. You'll make real live connections here, guaranteed, as our regulars welcome you into our community.
Here's some advice from one of our 5-star Yelp reviewers (gregg c from 10/18/10) :
Everyone is warmly welcomed! No one is left out, no gender, no size, no age... it is by far the friendliest place to go in our community to meet people and dance and smile. You can't help but smile, everyone is smiling as they spin their partners around the dance floor. It's magic-medicine for the heart and the soul. It is a tradition at Sundance to make everyone feel welcomed. And they/we do!
Please give yourself a gift-forget any hesitation, shyness or preconceived notions about country western music and your ability to dance. Just come by for a visit and you will be swept up, I promise.
Will I Fit In?
It turns out that country-western dancing is a great equalizer. You'll find possibly one of the most diverse LGBT communities at Sundance Saloon: men, women, bi, trans – we're all well-represented. We have folks in their 20s and folks in their 80s, all races and ethnicities, and all socio-economic levels, all mixing together in one happy place. Straight? No problem, as long as you don't care who dances with whom. Yes, most likely you will fit in.
How Should I Prepare?
There really isn't anything to do in advance. Just come on down! Give yourself enough time so that you are not late for your first beginning lesson (5:30 pm on Sunday, 7:00 on Thursday).
Dress casually and comfortably. Some folks do dress up in full cowboy gear – and we love it when they do – but that tends to be the exception. Smooth-soled cowboy boots are highly recommended, as these are ideal for sliding across the dance floor, but any shoe that isn't too grippy will do.
Here are two highly-recommended resources for newcomers:
What Are Dance Lessons Like?
We always have beginning two-step lessons, so even if you've never danced before, we can get you going with the basics. We try to keep our lessons casual and with no pressure. Just remember to be patient with yourself, and most importantly have fun!
Two-step is a partner dance, like ballroom dancing, but you don't need to come with a partner: we'll pair you up with someone. Our instructors rotate partners frequently, so even if you come with a specific partner, you'll have the opportunity to dance with different folks during the course of a lesson. (Switching partners is optional, but highly recommended.)
Line dancing does not require a partner. On Sundays we teach a beginning-level line dance and a more advanced-level line dance at the same time in separate rooms starting at 6:30 pm. If you are new to line dancing, we stongly suggest our Sunday beginner line dances. On Thursday we review the more advanced dance from Sunday in half the time, so this is usually not a good option for novices.
