Friday Night Waltz has mostly waltzes in the dances and classes, along with polka, tango, swing, and salsa. People come from all over the Bay Area. People are friendly, The atmosphere is warm and welcoming. Partners are not needed. We rotate rapidly in classes. Casual comfortable attire. All ages. To get on our email list, send request to email list: info@FridayNightWaltz.com   Facebook page:

07.24.2026 Samuel, Lyna and Akshay.Pizza night! your favorite pizzas! Beginner waltz classes

All kinds of pizzas- all meat,veggie, Hawaiian, pepperoni, cheeeese,sausage, onion, olive.

Lyna Kim and Akshay Smit will be teaching on 7/24.

lyna

Lyna Kim

Lyna Kim has been in love with dance since 2022 when she had to be forced to attend an Austria Fortnight lindy hop class taught by her PSET partner! Lyna was in the Stanford Viennese Ball Opening Committee from 2022 till 2025, and was choreographer of the 47th Stanford Viennese Ball in February 2025 with Akshay Smit. Lyna considers her Viennese Ball choreography to be her life's greatest artistic undertaking thus far, and poured in her soul to delivering a story that could reach everyone in the audience, regardless of their dance training or artistic background. Over several years, Lyna has led numerous social dance workshops in and around Stanford, taught 1000+ people how to take their first dance steps,  and danced many different dance styles in countries all around the world. Outside of dance, Lyna studied Computer Science at Stanford and works as a climate investor. To Lyna, dance is a new medium of human connection, and she would love to dance with you AND have a conversation after if you see her on the dance floor! 

Akshay Smith

Akshay Smit

 

Akshay Smit has been in love with dance since 2022, when he got started under Professor Richard Powers at Stanford University. Akshay was in the Stanford Viennese Ball Opening Committee from 2022 till 2025, and was choreographer of the 47th Stanford Viennese Ball in February 2025. Akshay considers his Viennese Ball choreography to be his life's greatest work thus far (Polka: https://youtu.be/ef7KNEIakik?si=j4WkANy1hfKvrY86) (Waltz: https://youtu.be/OecToTxPurk?si=oQ5FTxbkQ2nlC99w). Over several years, Akshay has taught numerous social dance workshops in and around Stanford and become deeply embedded in several other dance styles and dance-adjacent hobbies. Outside of dance, Akshay studied Computer Science at Stanford and works as a machine learning engineer. If you see Akshay on the dance floor, know that he will be super glad to dance with you!

Samuel is djing

7:15 - 8PM : Beginner Rotary Waltz. No prior dance experience or partner required. If you are new to social dance or just new to waltzing, this is the class for you! Rotary waltz has no equal in our hearts: no other partner dance has you rotating at up to 180 bpm with another person while feeling graceful and controlled. We will focus on the 6-count turning basic, after which you should have the tools to keep practicing on the dance floor.


-  9PM: Intro to Rides: rides are a series of highly elegant turning movements (usually the lead turning the follow, but the reverse can happen too) that rely on balance and counterbalance, and originally come from West Coast Swing. Recently, they have become an essential part of rotary waltz as done at Stanford. The past 3 years of Stanford Viennese Ball choreographies have made heavy use of rides and the trend shows no sign of slowing. We will introduce the fundamental concepts behind rides and teach a few versions of rides, linked together with the (also turning) rotary waltz basic step.

9-11:45 Samuel is djing waltz, polka, tango, swing, salsa, line dances and mixers

samuel

Samuel Desai

Samuel Desai has been dancing since 2023, when he took a rotary waltz sequence at Stanford. He is the former president of Dancebreak, Stanford�s social dancing club, and co-chair of the Stanford Big Dance (420+ attendees each year). Outside of dance, he studies energy science and engineering, and can count to 10 in Klingon!

 

 

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.

07.31.2026 Richard Powers

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.

08.07.2026 Sharon and Jordan are teaching.

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.

08.14.2026

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.

08.21.2026 Karn tango. Jerry Wang djing.

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.

08.28.2026 Richard Powers- Full Moon FNW anniversary dance

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.

09.04.2026 Labor Day weekend (closed?)

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.

09.11.2026 Hustle night! Hustle fan John Bauer is djing. Classes in hustle by Stanford teachers Brandon and Mirabel

john bauer

John Bauer

John Bauer has been at Friday Night Waltz since the very beginning. When he's not dancing, John enjoys Dance Dance Revolution, working at Stanford NLP, and driving his kids to the rink.

 

 

Mirabel and Brandon are teaching Hustle! first time in many years we have Hustle at Friday Night Waltz

$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.

09.18.2026

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.

09.25.2026 Richard Powers

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.

10.02.2026 karn

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.

10.09.2026

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.

10.16.2026 Richard Powers: Stanfor Homecoming reunion. everyone welcome! with Angela Amarillas

Richard Powers is also djing tonight.a MUST GO dance!

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.

10.23.2026

Akash Verma is djing tonight

akash Akash discovered ballroom dancing in the Bay Area in 2017 and has been dancing ever since. He's drawn to dances where he's drawn to the music, and loves to explore and share both. $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.

10.30.2026 Halloween dance

Peggy is teaching

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.

11.06.2026 Richard Powers. Romantic Music night. my favorite dance of the year.

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.

11.13.2026

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.

11.20.2026 karn

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.

11.27.2026 Closed Thanksgiving

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.

12.04.2026

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.

12.11.2026 Richard Powers Holiday Ball

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.

12.18.2026 Xmas Holiday Ball

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.

12.25.2026 Christmas. closed

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.

Copyright 2001-2025 Scott Gamble

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