Friday Night Waltz

Romantic Music Night with Richard Powers at Friday Night Waltz - Nov. 14th

Tonight's Romantic Music Night theme was requested by Scott Gamble.



Yes, a full evening of the most romantic dance music in Richard's collection. If life has seemed a bit stressful lately, escape to a full evening of especially sweet and beautiful music, with some of the friendliest dancers in the Bay Area.

Richard Powers teaches classes with his sweetheart Tracey. The classes will be from 7:15 to 9 pm with a halftime break.

Tango is the perfect dance for Romantic Music Night! "Tango is a four-legged animal with two beating hearts." Social tango is the easier style of tango—the kind that is most often danced at FNW, and is seen at parties and weddings, and in movies like Scent of a Woman and True Lies. Tango will be played twice at tonight's dance party.

Tango is not about fancy repertoire, flourishes and embellishments. At the core it's simply about starting, stepping and pausing with the music. All the rest is icing on the cake. - Chris Corby

For a mixed-level class, Richard has chosen tango figures that are do-able by beginners (because tango is mostly slow walking), but also new for those who have learned basic social tango—figures like Tripled Rocking Corte, Pivots and Underarm Turn, and a new Grapevine Parallel Dip.

If you already tango, refresh what you know, then learn some new figures and styling. If you don't already tango, this is the class for you! Be sure to be there at the beginning, to learn the basics.

Tango partnering will improve your dancing in every other dance form. Both leading and following skills reach a noticeably higher level in tango. Richard makes tango accessible and friendly, without losing any of the authenticity.

These are ALL-LEVELS CLASSES, no previous experience required. Bring a friend. It takes two to tango! (But you don't need to come with someone to have fun at FNW.)

9 pm - Dance Party! Especially romantic music for waltz, swing, tango, cross-step waltz, bachata, West Coast Swing, polka, cha-cha, Congress of Vienna, BNP, salsa, Tokyo Polka, Lindy, NC2S, hustle, and more!

For those who don't know about Richard Powers, he is one of the world's foremost experts in social dance. He has taught dance in Paris, London, Rome, Venice, Prague, Vienna, Verona, Geneva, Seville, Edinburgh, Krakow, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Tokyo and Kyoto, including 34 workshops in France (teaching in French) and 28 in Japan (teaching in Japanese). Richard is currently the full-time social dance instructor at Stanford University.

This Friday, November 14th
Doors open at 6:45.
Classes start at 7:15. Please arrive 15 minutes early to avoid the rush.
$15 general. $10 for students with ID.
Cash, Check, Credit Card, Apple Pay. We do not accept Venmo. Tickets at the door.
No partner necessary. We rotate rapidly in class.
All Ages. Casual comfortable attire.
Masks are optional. Free Masks. Free bottles of water.
To unsubscribe, respond with "unsubscribe" in the subject line.
First United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto CA, upstairs Fellowship Hall.
Parking in rear parking lot. Many on-street parking spaces available.
Large Webster/Cowper parking garage one block away.
http://www.fridaynightwaltz.com

09.26.2025 Richard Powers hosts Friday Night Waltz 24th Anniversary Ball
One of the biggest FNWs of the Year!

Richard is back from his summer tour of teaching 14 dance workshops in 14 weeks, mostly in Europe.

For the celebration of Friday Night Waltz's 24th year, tonight's dance music will travel through the nine major special themes of the year!
Movie Music Night
Anime, Game and Fantasy Night
Halloween (one month early)
Holiday Dance (way early)
Black, White and Red Valentines Ball
Rainbow Edition
Bastille Day Waltz Ball
April Fool's Odd Ball

This is Richard's 295th time leading Friday Night Waltz. He chose the most danceable music from these nine themes, leaning toward tunes that are especially beautiful or fun, including some FNW premieres.

Richard Powers and Tracey teach classes from 7:15 to 9 pm. Tonight will feature two FNW premieres.

7:15 PM – The Final Waltz from Bridgerton
Step into the elegant world of Bridgerton for the Final Waltz from the last episode of Season 3. This is your ticket to the alternate Regency Era – where historical elegance meets creative flair. Richard recently taught Jack Murphy's choreography to the Academy of Danse Libre, and now it’s your turn to master this amorous routine! For the Movie Music Night part of tonight's theme, the soundtrack will be the dramatic Menuet Des Mortes Vivants (Minuet of the Living Dead) from Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016).

8:10 PM – The Mayfair Polka Quickstep
Get your feet moving with the high-energy Mayfair Quickstep! This fun fusion of polka and cha-cha steps is currently one of the most popular sequence dances in Australia. Richard and Tracey taught this in Verona, Italy, two weeks ago, and now they’re bringing it straight to you. If there's time left to spare, we'll spice things up with the Teddy Bear's Picnic Mixer, also fresh from Verona!

Both classes are beginner-friendly, with no prior experience necessary, but experienced dancers will find plenty to love as well. Whether you're a first-time dancer or a seasoned pro, these dances will leave you on cloud nine!

9:00 pm - Dance Party will feature Richard's favorite dance music plus some premieres. Waltz, swing, tango, cross-step waltz, Barbie Line Dance, bachata, West Coast Swing, cha cha, BNP, salsa, Tokyo Polka, Lindy, NC2S, Romany Polka, hustle, Shim Sham, and more!

For those who don't know about Richard Powers, he is one of the world's foremost experts in social dance. He has taught dance in Paris, London, Rome, Venice, Prague, Vienna, Verona, Geneva, Seville, Edinburgh, Krakow, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Tokyo and Kyoto, including 34 workshops in France (teaching in French) and 28 in Japan (teaching in Japanese). Richard is currently the full-time social dance instructor at Stanford University.

This Friday, Sept. 26th
Doors open at 6:45.
Classes start at 7:15. Please arrive 15 minutes early to avoid the rush.
$15 general. $10 for students with ID.
Cash, Check, Credit Card, Apple Pay. We do not accept Venmo. Tickets at the door.
No partner necessary. We rotate rapidly in class.
All Ages. Casual comfortable attire.
Masks are optional. Free Masks. Free bottles of water.
To unsubscribe, respond with "unsubscribe" in the subject line.
First United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto CA, upstairs Fellowship Hall.
Parking in rear parking lot. Many on-street parking spaces available.
Large Webster/Cowper parking garage one block away.
http://www.fridaynightwaltz.com

08.01.2025 Ken is our dj: Stefan teaches pivots
Tonight is a special night. We have not taught pivots for waltzing in many years.

Pivots are the most popular waltz steps for long time waltz dancers. Tonight Stefan will teach beginning pivots, available to everybody.

stefan

Stefan Warmuth
Stefan started dancing way back in 2009 with swing dancing. Within a year he was dancing over 10 dance styles. Within two he was taking point teaching the class where he started. Since then, he has only gathered more knowledge, focusing on the connection and communication in partner dance. He teaches in the ballroom, swing and fusion worlds in and around the bay area including his own venue, East Bay Fusion. He is great at analyzing and personalizing technique so please track him down for all your questions. Stefan started dancing way back in 2009 with swing dancing. Within a year he was dancing over 10 dance styles. Within two years he was taking point teaching the class where he started

Rotary Waltz Fundamentals

There are many types of waltzes around the world and they almost all include a natural turn. This turn is the basis of Rotary Waltz. Come learn the mechanics that make this turn feel natural as well as some of the characteristics that make it into Rotary Waltz.

Pivots in Rotary

Pivots use a different turn mechanic then you usually encounter in either solo or partner dance. In Rotary Waltz, however, we use pivoting action all the time. We will be highlighting some of the moves that subtly use pivots as well as learning some of the skills to ease multiple pivots in a row. That way you can build your understanding of pivoting action till the faster pivoting turns, flow with ease

7:15 Beginning rotary waltz.good for everybody

8:00 Beginner pivots. the most fun you will have waltzing!

Ken is our dj tonight 9:00 -11.45. Ken has taught many times for Friday Night Waltz. We welcome him as our dj tonight. dances are Waltz, polka, night club 2 step, salsa, cha Here is Ken of Ken and Deanna. only Ken is djing tonight.

Deanna and Ken
Deanna and Ken met at the Google ballroom dance club in the fall of 2013 and have been orchestrating dance shenanigans ever since. In addition to DJing and teaching at Friday Night Waltz and East Bay Waltz, they also used to help run the Google Contra dance and now semi-regularly call at contra dances in the Bay Area. You can always count on them for playing offbeat fun music and running a ton of mixers, and starting spontaneous salsa rueda circles.



7:00 Doors open
7:15 Classes start - Please arrive 15 minutes early to avoid the rush.
8:00 Intermediate class
9:00 DJ dance music
11:45 Doors close

$15 general. $10 for students with ID.
Cash, Check, Credit Card, Apple Pay. We do not accept Venmo. Tickets at the door.
No partner necessary. We rotate rapidly in class.
All Ages. Casual comfortable attire.
Masks are optional.
Free Masks. Free bottles of water.

First United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto CA. at Byron, Upstairs Fellowship hall.
Parking in rear parking lot. Many on street parking spaces available.
Very large parking structure one block away. Webster/Cowper garage.

05.30.2025 NO DANCE TONIGHT!

Here is a list of upcoming dances:

date dj instructor comments
5.30 No Dance No Dance
6.06 jason joan rainbow night. Joan teaches role reversal. Been years since we taught role reversal

6.13 richard powers richard powers

Triskaidekaphilia - Lucky Friday the 13th Party
6.20 tbd peggy/kerrysets

6.21 dancers picnic rinconada park 2-6pm free see fnw website for details

7.04 NO DANCE NO DANCE

7.11 jason tbd bastille day one of our most popular dances. Sublime french music and french waltzes

7.18 Richard Powers Richard powers Richard and Tracey's 20th Wedding Anniversary Party (for all)

🎟️ Buy tickets on EventBrite

https://www.danselibre.org/events/2025/jazz-age-afternoon/

The Academy of Danse Libre: Jazz Afternoon at Cabaret Hillside

Tuesday April 8

upstairs 625 Hamilton Ave Palo Alto x Byron

7 pm to 11 pm

7pm-8pm beginner salsa

8pm-9pm Intermediate Salsa

Open Breaks and Partner Connections:Students will learn to

incorporate open breaks and sweetheart positions, which

will provide more expressivity and personality to the dance

9pm-11pm dj Latin music fir DJ Frankie

about half the dances are salsa

with the rest are Bachata, Merengue, Cha Cha

a warm and welcoming dance

Salsa music is moderate tempo, very danceable, not loud

Sponsored by Friday Night Waltz

Scott 650.906.9617
[email protected]

$15 general. $10 for students with ID.
Cash, Check, Credit Card, Apple Pay. We do not accept Venmo. Tickets at the door.
No partner necessary.We rotate rapidly in class.
All Ages. Casual comfortable attire.
Free Masks. Free bottles of water.
Masks are optional.

Classes from 8 to 9pm

intermediate salsa class (8-9):

Another great night at Friday Night Waltz, with Richard Powers teaching his Bohemian National Polka, and Jordan and Sharon teaching waltz for those not quite ready for the rigors of BNP! 😀

We’re having a very busy night tonight at Friday Night Waltz! Whether you’re a seasoned dancer or just starting out, there’s a place for you on the floor! Soical dancing from 9pm-Midnight.

Come and be part of the magic – we can’t wait to see you glide across the floor! 💃🕺

No dance on 01.03.2025. The floor is being refinished.

Line already forming for the anniversary dance! And it's only 7:05.

Come on down!