Background on the Hayward Contra Dance

For years, the Hayward Contra has drawn dancers from all over the Bay Area and beyond.  

Some of the unique features that have drawn a loyal following are: 

  • Hayward is centrally located and the Venue, The Hill and Valley Club, 1808 ‘B’ Street, Hayward, CA, is easy to reach by Bart or car. NOTE: Special events may be held at other venues as needed. Check each event on the calendar to make sure of the dance’s location.

  • As a weekend dance, we have attracted dancers with busy work schedules.

  • Meeting in the afternoon from 4-7pm, dancers coming from greater distances were able to manage the travel time both before and after the dances.This time slot has had the added benefit that we did not need to worry as much about disturbing our neighbors at night.

  • Our venue, the Hill and Valley Club, is one of the airiest dance halls in the bay area.

These features have allowed us to attract a very diverse multigenerational crowd that is comfortable with our gender-neutral atmosphere.

The pandemic seems to be receding, but unfortunately, is not yet conquered. During our transition, we will need to take extra care to restart safely. To that end, we need to be restrictive in our protocols for welcoming dancers to Hayward. The most obvious adjustments will require that we put an emphasis on attracting fully vaccinated dancers who are willing to pre-register for dances.

In 2021, we held successful contra dances on November 28, 2021 and December 12, 2021.

We hoped to have a dance on January 23rd. Unfortunately, the Omicron strain of SARS-CoV-2 continues to create a surge in new cases and hospitalizations. 

We have decided to not have a dance on January 23rd. We are now looking to February 13th as a potential first dance of the year, but we will need to see more data before making a decision on that date.

Looking forward, we are still planning to hold contra dances on the 2nd and 4th Sundays from 4-7PM, COVID-19 permitting.

In a recent survey offered to people who came to our dances in 2021, there was considerable interest in augmenting our safety protocols. Specifically, we highly encourage dancers to get booster shots as soon as they qualify for them and to get either N95 or KN95 masks to wear in public settings including our dances.

Please be proactive. If you have not been boosted, schedule a date. If the masks you want are not currently available, backorder them.