Mark's Notebook

Dance of the week: Golden State Round Up

If it's Memorial Weekend, it's time again for the annual Golden State Round Up. This year, the festival takes place at a new venue, the Hilton Hotel in Pleasanton, California. Featured callers include Bob Baier, Joe Saltel, and Dan Nordbye.

The Round Up is sponsored by The Northern California Square Dancers Association. NCSDA began in 1951, the same year the first National Square Dance Convention was held in southern California. NCSDA held its first Round Up on Memorial Day Weekend in 1954. The Round Up has been held in Oakland, San Francisco, and Pleasanton:

• From 1954 until 1973 the event was held at the Oakland Auditorium.
• From 1974 until 1983 it was held at the San Francisco Civic Auditorium.
• From 1984 until 1999 it was held at the Oakland Convention Center.
• From 2000 until 2004 it was held at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton.
• In 2005, it has moved to the Hilton Hotel in Pleasanton.

Those who attended Round Up while it was in the Oakland Convention Center will remember how convenient it was to have the entire festival under one roof, both dance halls and hotel. Now in 2005 we'll get to have that same experience once again.

This year's festival includes five full-time dance halls: Mainstream, Plus, Advanced, Rounds, and Youth. There will be a part-time Challenge hall with dancing from C1 through C3. In addition, there will be Handicapable sessions on Saturday afternoon. You can find a complete schedule here.

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Last updated Monday 3 August 2009