The club meets on Thursdays, during term time, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

The venue is at

Gracious Street Methodist Church Hall,
4 Chapel Street, Knaresborough, HG5 0AN

There are car parks next to the venue and the Knaresborough bus station is close by..

Dancing is generally to music from CDs played over the club's own P.A. system and dance club members share the calling duties - the dance instructions are provided on a series of cards by the Dance Organisers. On several occasions throughout the year, dancing will be to a live band or with a guest caller. There is a break half way through the evening for refreshments and a brief rest! Tea and biscuits are donated by members.

Club members pay an annual subscription of £55. Visitors pay a £4.00 entrance fee which includes light refreshments.But your first visit will be FREE.

For more information, Contact:
Mary 07929 515702 or
Linda 01423 770070

On Thursday 14 July 2016 past and present members were invited to Knaresborough Country Dance Club's 30th Birthday celebrations at King James's School, Knaresborough.
The caller was Tony Whitehead.
John Cheesbrough took the trouble to record the occasion with his camera - the results can be seen here - http://www.cheesbrough.net/websites/kcdc2016/kcdc2016.htm

Knaresborough Country Dance Club has been established for over thirty years.

Here is some history taken from the Knaresborough Post newspaper - this was printed in 1998.

Continuing the Knaresborough Post's series featuring local societies we focus this week on Knaresborough Country Dance Club. Enthusiastic member Mrs Eleanor Mayhew tells of the happy sociable time they have learning new dances.

If you would like to write about your society and have a photo taken of your membership, please contact Vonni Wilkins at the Knaresborough Post, 90, High Street, or telephone Harrogate 869272.

Knaresborough Country Dance Club began as an evening class in 1973 at King James's School. The aim, then as now, was to have a happy sociable evening whilst learning English country dancing.

It combined good exercise with good company and provided a pleasant evening out for all.

Some 12 years ago in 1986 it was decided to change the status of the group from an evening class into a club, and it has been a club ever since then. The chairman of the club, Mrs Phyl Hardacre, encourages anyone who is interested, to call dances. We have guest callers: Ian Porter and more particularly Tony Whitehead have helped us in this respect.

Favourite dances can be requested, especially when visiting musicians enliven the proceedings. We have visits from Malcolm Dewes fairly regularly and other bands such as Dogsbody and the Polka Dots.

Friendly

It is a very friendly group of people. Some of the members have belonged to it for 15 or 16 years. They enjoy the Christmas end of term parties and club dinners. Everyone is welcome.

Country dancing goes back hundreds of years. The dancers were danced by country people on festive occasions such as weddings, Christenings, May Days, midsummer, harvest and Christmas.

Queen Elizabeth I watched her subjects dancing in the castle courtyard at Warwick and because of her interest, country dances were added to the formal dances which were danced at court.

The Dancing Masters of the day began making up new dances, which were danced to lively tunes or more stately music. These dances were then taken up by the country people. They were more friendly, less formal than the court dances and they could be danced by everyone.

The same is true today. Everyone can do country dancing, often called folk or barn dancing. Nowadays barn dances are held regularly in many places, not always in barns!

If you would like to learn more of these dances come to Knaresborough Country Dance Club. It always helps if you have some knowledge of the dances before you go to a barn dance. Our dances are varied. Some are stately, arranged in long lines and date from the 18th century. Others are more modern lively dances, arranged in square or circle formation.