Our Dance Parties

About Our Dance Parties

Chautauqua Hall Dance Club is a non-profit social club founded in 1926 to promote social dancing on the Monterey Peninsula.  Our mission is a promote and sponsor a weekly social dance event (lesson and dance party) for our members each Saturday night at Chautauqua Hall in Pacific Grove. All events are hosted by our dedicated and hard-working board members. All instructors are volunteers.

Admission:

Annual Membership: $10 (includes the cost of admission on the evening you join)

Member Admission: $10

Non-member Admission: $15

Types of Dances and Music Played

Our group lessons and dance party include a wide variety of partner dance styles to recorded music.  The music is selected by experienced dancers who are familiar with the rhythm and timing of each specific dance style.  We offer a marquee which lists the specific dance style that the DJ intended the song to be danced to so you don’t have to try to guess what dance style to do to the music.  Several songs work for more than one dance style, so each dancer can choose which style of dance they want to dance to the song.  (i.e. the same song could work for a cha cha and west coast swing, or a fox trot and east coast swing).  While music tastes can vary, we attempt to provide a wide variety of different music tastes to fit the various dance styles we offer.  If you are interested in hearing some samples of the type of music we play, look up Chdanceclub on Spotify. 

The most common dances we dance (multiple songs played each evening that fit this style):

Foxtrot

Tango

Waltz

Cha Cha

East Coast Swing

West Coast Swing

Rumba

Hustle

Salsa

Night Club 2 Step

Samba

Bachata

The less common dances we dance (only 1 song or less played each evening):

Argentine Tango

Bolero

Merengue

Viennese Waltz

Electric Slide (solo line dance)

Cha Cha Slide (solo line dance)

Mixer Dances

We offer 1-2 “mixer” dances each evening.  A “mixer” is where the followers line up in one spot in the room and the leaders will pick up the follow, dance with them around the room one time, then drop the follower off at the end of the line and pick up a new follower.  This process repeats for 2-3 songs.  

The benefit of a mixer dance is that you get to dance with several different people throughout 2-3 different songs, which can help introduce you to new people.  It also means that you do not have to ask someone to dance or wait for someone to ask you to dance.  By standing up and going to the place where the mixer line starts, everyone knows you want to dance.

West Coast Swing Nights

We have a vibrant West Coast Swing Community on the Monterey Peninsula, so when we offer West Coast Swing as the lesson, we mix things up a bit for the party.  The first hour of music for the party typically includes many songs that crossover between ballroom dance and west coast swing.  Then from 8-10pm, the music is all west coast swing.

Specialty Nights

Chautauqua Hall periodically will offer a specialty night, such as a live band, themed party (Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s), Veteran’s Appreciation, or highlighting a specific dance style for the evening.  If you are interested in hearing about our specific events please join our email list chdanceclub@gmail.com, or follow us on Facebook. 

Lead and Follow Roles

Chautauqua Hall welcomes people of all walks of life and does not require people to assume stereotypical gender roles for the lead and follow positions.  You are welcome to dance whatever position suits you.  Many of our more experienced dancers will switch their role as lead or follow because it helps develop their dance skills better in whatever position they traditionally dance.  (i.e. lead doing the follow role, or follow doing the lead role).

Questions? 

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions at chdanceclub@gmail.com