BARN DANCE IN OAKLAND ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23D When: Friday, February 23rd, 8 p.m. What: Community Dance Party Who: Alan Winston, performing with the band Across the Pond Where: Humanist Hall, 390 27th Street, Oakland Info: 650-365-2913, www.liveavatar.com/ceilidh Admission: $10, $5 for students/low-income/kids. Family and group discounts available. Hard-driving traditional tunes from the English countryside will propel you through simple dances, many with swings, called by Alan Winston. A robust, vital, bouncy, sweaty evening of simple dances that let you experience the joy of movement to music, partner connection, and general community fun, without having to think very much. As such, it's a great dance to bring your previously non-dancing friends, or your kids (10 and up), or your friends' kids. Or just show up yourself! It's mostly set dances, but there'll also be a few waltzes, polkas, and schottisches (schottische taught if wanted). Across the Pond (Dick Bagwell, Jody and Colette Veahman, Alan Lochhead) have immersed themselves in the robust traditional reels, rants, polkas, schottisches, and jigs of the trad English scene, very different from the classically-influenced English Country Dance tunes. Alan Winston calls English, contra, Regency, Victorian, Early California, Early American, and English ceilidh dance and takes joy in all of them; he never forgets that this stuff is supposed to be fun. Community dance (also called "barn dance" or "ceilidh") is a dance style from Great Britain that lets you dance not just with your partner of the moment but with an entire room of happy people. Alan Winston will lead the dancing, with live music from the Berkeley band Across The Pond. Comfortable waltzes and easy group dances. Beginners welcome, all dances taught and called, casual dress -- wear comfortable shoes. You don't need to bring a partner. Dancing accessible for children 8 years old and over.