Wednesdays at
Lake Merritt Dance
In class this week:
This week at the Country-Western Two-Step class at 6:45 we learned the basic step, closed frame, and line of dance. We practiced an outside turn. Then we continued the turn, changed hands, and got into “sweetheart.” We got out of sweetheart and back into closed frame by reversing that with 1.5 turns—change hands—and back to closed.
In the 7:45 American Smooth Waltz and Foxtrot we are beginning to build mini-routines.
We practiced boxes in both Waltz and Foxtrot, changing weight with each step. For waltz, we initiated an outside turn—for the follow—at the latter half of the box and reconnected with a quarter turn for the lead.
In foxtrot we explored slow and quick timing—sometimes one slow or two slows per quick-quick, or a variety of combinations—just feel it! The piece we learned in this class started with the basic step, then rotating boxes to orient towards the line of dance, then moving forward together in promenade.
If you missed this and want to watch the recap video, email nancy@oaklandqueerdance.com. See you at the next class.
September 2, 9 & 16 @ 6:45 PM -- Country-Western Two-Step (beg/beg+) with Citabria
In this three-week series we will get comfortable with some basic moves, build a stronger frame, and gain confidence, so we can have more fun at the country dance!
Bring your dance shoes or cowboy boots, or pick up some dance socks here. You can choose to lead or follow and we will rotate partners in class.
September 2, 9, 16, & 23 @ 7:45 PM -- American Smooth with Emily and Citabria
In September, we get to have both Emily and Citabria teach us some of dances that they do in American Smooth. We will be learning mini-routines for Waltz and Foxtrot.
We hope you can attend all classes, but drop-ins are okay. We will be rotating partners in class.
The September/October Choreo Class
We are getting together a group to perform at Fog Town Hoedown in San Francisco on October 31. (We will also try to get a couple more performances within 2 weeks of that.)
It will be in the style of East Coast Swing / Lindy Hop with The Charleston. It will be an energetic crowd-pleaser and great for beginner and intermediate-level dancers.
We want you to participate even if you can’t make it to all the performances. Check out the Taster Class on Sept 23.
September 23 @ 6:45 PM -- Choreo Taster Class with Citabria
Come to this class to get a first look and try out some moves.
September 30 @ 6:45 PM to 8:30 PM -- Choreo Extended Class
In this longer class, we will take a deep dive into learning the choreography.
October
The 6:45 class will likely be a Country-Western Partner Dance class and the 7:45 class will be the Choreo class.
It was amazing!
Members of Queer as Oak made the trip to Valencia, Spain, to compete in ballroom dance. For many, it was the first time at the Gay Games, and it was everything we hoped for!
Over 10,000 participants came to Valencia for 38 sports, and more than 240 dancers took part in the DanceSport competition. The camaraderie was beautiful, everyone cheering for each other.
Highlights
We competed in Mens, Womens, Open Gender, 18+ and 45+, Novice divisions. (Citabria and Emily competed at the A-level, of course.)
We performed our best, took home some awards and memories, cheered for other types of dance—Latin, Formation Teams, etc.—and watched some other sports as well.
We shared meals and excursions, taxi rides to the opening ceremony, and stayed at Airbnb’s in a cluster.
Here are some videos from the event in an “unlisted” YouTube playlist.
We want to thank you all again!
Many of you have supported us on the 6-month journey to get to the Gay Games. You have watched us dance, sent a kind text or email, donated money, listen to us talk non-stop about Ballroom, given us make-up, jewelry, or advice about our costumes, volunteered at The April Affair, attended a Wednesday class, or asked us how we were doing.
We, Queer as Oak, along with both Formation Teams—Rebel Motion and Vima Vice Squad 2.0—were so proud to represent the Bay Area at the Gay Games 2026.
Where to Dance
We are lucky to have so many places to dance in the Bay Area. Here are some that we frequent.
Sundance Saloon in San Francisco — country-western dance for the LGBT+ community every Thursday and Sunday.
Starlight Strut in Oakland — for women, trans people, and non-binary people.
OutWest in Sebastopol — LGBTQIA+ dance. Third Saturdays.
Abrazo Queer Tango — LGBTQIA+ Argentine Tango classes and milongas (dances).
Yes, you can dance!
Our classes are designed with beginner dancers in mind.
We try to offer at least one beginner-level class each day. You can choose to lead or follow. You do not need to bring a partner—we rotate partners regularly.
The types of dances we teach include: Country-Western Two-Step & Waltz, East-Coast Swing, Nightclub Two-Step, Lindy Hop, Ballroom, and more!
Typical Schedule:
6:30 PM Doors open, registration and warm-up
6:45 PM 50-minute class
7:35 PM 10-minute break
7:45 PM 50-minute class
8:45 PM Close
Cost:
One class is $18. Two classes per evening is $30. Special classes will have a different price.
Discount with pre-registration.
Location:
200 Grand Ave., Oakland, CA. We are in the “lounge” on the first floor. Enter at Bay Place at Grand Avenue and go up a few stairs. It’s the room on the left with the glass doors.
About
Our mission at Oakland Queer Dance Studio is to provide a place where students can learn popular social dance styles and be able to fully participate in social dance within, and beyond, the Bay Area queer dance communities.
In addition to social dance, we also occasionally put together a group performance piece and train dancers for competition.
Who are we?
We are Citabria and Nancy. Citabria is the primary instructor for Oakland Queer Dance Studio. Citabria enjoys bringing queer community together to experience the joy and connection that partner dancing brings. She looks forward to seeing both new and familiar faces out on the dance floor.
Nancy enjoyed regular dance classes for queer people—at Zoe’s Trip the Light Fantastic—before the pandemic and treasures queer dance classes. She is an organizer at Starlight Strut and a regular at Sundance Saloon, country-western dance clubs for the LGBTQIA+ community, and values the skills learned and friendships made in the weekly classes. Nancy supports this program with all kinds of administrative activities other than teaching.
Instructors
Citabria Phillips
Citabria has experience both dancing and teaching International Standard and American Smooth ballroom, Lindy Hop, West Coast Swing, and Salsa and more. She studied extensively through the Ballroom Teachers College in SF, where she learned both the leader and follower role of many dances, along with how to be an inspiring teacher and coach.
Citabria has also competed nationally and internationally with much success, including garnering several titles in Dancesport as North American Champion, as well as medaling at the worldwide Gay Games. Citabria offers private lessons, group classes, and teaches many different styles of social and competitive dance.
For private lessons email Citabria at: Citabria@oaklandqueerdance.com
Shin Aoki
Shin Aoki has been dancing West Coast Swing for 20 years. He started teaching WCS in 2010 at Sundance Saloon, and began teaching regularly when he co-founded SwingOut!, the first LGBTQ and allies West Coast Swing dance in the Bay Area.
Shin has participated in numerous WCS competitions and performed several routines. He loves West Coast Swing because he feels that every dance is an opportunity for him to help his partner express the best in themselves.
Emily Coles
Emily has been teaching Latin, Ballroom, Smooth and Rhythm dance styles for nearly 20 years, and still delights in teaching even the simplest steps. Endlessly fascinated by how the human body moves, how people can connect to one another through movement, and the learning process as a whole, she aims to help her students feel comfortable and confident on the dance floor, and able to find humor in their mistakes.
Over the course of her career Emily has held national and international titles in several dance styles within the same-sex competitive dance community, and is currently a Women’s Standard World Champion, along with her spectacular dance partner, Citabria Phillips.
For Private Lessons email: Emily@EmilyColesDanceSF.com
Rafael Dominguez
Love for Dance has been in Rafael’s life for many decades. From a young age he studied many dance styles including Mexican Folklore, Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Modern, Ballroom and social dances.
He has also competed in the USA and Internationally in Ballroom, Latin, Smooth and Formation Team.
He has been a teacher in the Bay Area for many years.
FAQs
Do I need a partner?
No, come as you are. We will partner up and switch regularly throughout the class.
Do I need to be queer to attend?
This class is open to people of all genders, age, color, religion, sexuality, and abilities—as long as you’re in support of our mission to provide queer-friendly dance instruction.
What should I wear?
Anything that’s comfortable. Dance shoes or dance socks are nice to have. It makes turning easier on the knees and body.
What should I bring?
Bring water.
Are masks required?
Masks are optional. If you feel sick, please stay home. We’ll still be here when you feel better.
What is the cancellation policy?
Pre-registration helps us plan better. We understand that sometimes your plans change. We allow cancellations for refund up to 3 days prior to the start of a multi-week series or 3 days prior to a one-time special class.
Parking and Directions?
We are located at Lake Merritt Dance (a.k.a. the Veteran’s Memorial Building; a.k.a. the Oakland Senior Center) at 200 Grand Avenue, Oakland. Park in the parking lot adjacent to Bay Place—enter at Bay Place, exit at Grand Ave. The main doors are facing Bay Place. We are in the “Lounge” on the first floor—go up a few steps. It’s the room on the left with the glass doors.
Can I take a class in the middle of a series?
Yes, you do not need to sign up for the entire series. We try to move the content forward, so it’s easiest to start at the beginning of a series, but if you miss the first class, you’ll probably still be able to keep up.
Can I take an intermediate level class?
You probably can try the intermediate or “beginner-plus” level class. Many people start as “follows” then re-take the class as “leads.” We switch partners regularly during class, so any learning-struggles will be evened out.
Are the bathrooms gendered?
There are several bathrooms in the building—they are now all gender-neutral.
How do I pay for class?
Classes are $18 each. We accept payments at the door via card / tap-to-pay (preferred) or cash.
We offer discounts for pre-registration.
Where do I go to dance?
Many of us go to Sundance Saloon in San Francisco for social dancing. It is a country-western dance for the LGBTQIA+ community and it happens every Thursday and Sunday.
There, we dance country-western two-step, country waltz, west coast swing, east coast swing, nightclub two-step, and do line dances.
Some of us also go to Starlight Strut, which is very similar to Sundance Saloon, but for women, trans people, and non-binary people. That happens once a month on a Saturday in the same building as this class.