Wednesdays at
Lake Merritt Dance
January 7, 14 & 21
Country Waltz with Citabria at 6:45 PM
Welcome back to dance class! In this 3-week series we will learn to dance the beautiful country waltz using some of the moves you may have learned in country-western two-step lessons, plus we’ll learn a few more.
We will start at the beginning with waltz timing and frame. This class is great for beginners and those with some experience with other partner dances. We hope to see you all in class soon!
No partner necessary—we will rotate partners in class. Please arrive early to check-in and warm up. Location: 200 Grand Ave., Oakland — enter at Bay Place parking area. We are in the “Lounge” on the first floor with the glass doors.
We are going to the Gay Games and learning to compete in Ballroom dance.
An April Affair: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Oakland Queer Dance Studio will be hosting a “showcase / mock competition / dance event” for LGBTQIA+ dancers—teams and couples—with a focus on ballroom dance, but also include a variety of styles. This event will be open to all teams and schools in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Please plan to attend and consider performing!
Learn more on our Gay Games page.
The December 3 Winter Showcase and Dance Party was spectacular! It was heartwarming to see friends, old and new, come out on a Wednesday to watch the performances, dance with one another, and share the routines they’ve been working on.
Here are some photos below.
If you would like a copy of a photo in higher resolution, send an email to nancy@oaklandqueerdance.com.
Dance Events
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 Social Dance Class: 50-minute class
7:35 PM 10-minute break for practice with music and registration
7:45 PM Ballroom Training Class
8:45 PM Close
Cost:
One class is $18.
Discount for 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.
For 2026, we are also training folks in International Standard ballroom dance in preparation for the Gay Games.
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.
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.
Emily Coles
Emily began her dance career at the ripe age of 5, beginning with ballet and moving on to modern, jazz, tap, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian Samba, American Tribal Bellydance, and finally salsa. ...And the salsa stuck. To salsa, she eventually added a full range of ballroom, Latin, and social dances, which she has been teaching since 2008.
Emily's accomplishments include the titles of North American Women's Same-Sex International Standard and Latin Champion in 2019, World Women's International Standard Finalist at the Gay Games in 2018, and North American Women's Same-Sex International Standard Champion in 2017.
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. We also offer some volunteer positions in exchange for a discount. Please email nancy@oaklandqueerdance.com about volunteer opportunities.
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.