Dancing Up a Storm at Western Days : There will be three days of competitions, workshops and fancy stepping at the annual Ventura event.

Dance fans, get your motors runnin’ and your boot socks dry: Ventura Western Days, an annual three-day weekend of country dancing, workshops and competitions is almost here. Best of all--you don’t have to drive to Bakersfield or Fresno. It’s all happening at three venues in Ventura from March 11-13.

Accomplished country dancers love this event. But deejay-instructor Rick Henderson and his J. R. Productions have something for everyone. I especially urge novice dancers to give this event a try. You’ll have a chance to improve your skills, confidence, and see everything from simple line dances to exhibitions by champion competition couples and teams.

Several popular couples dances, including the waltz and West Coast swing, will be taught. You don’t have to bring a partner to participate, but it is recommended.

And for you line dance fanatics, Henderson has added an eight-hour bonus Line Dance Mania Workshop to be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 12 at the Ventura Concert Theatre. For this new event, he’s invited out-of-town guest instructors, in addition to some of your local favorites. And you can bet that they’ll teach plenty of new and challenging line dances.

Special discount lodging is available at the Ramada Inn on Santa Clara Street near the American Legion Hall. Just mention you’re there for Ventura Western Days. See ya there!

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About three months ago, Schooner Time, a concrete-floored, no-frills sports bar in Simi Valley’s Cloth World shopping center, began offering free line dance lessons and booking bands, including Platte River Crossing, on Thursday nights.

It’s been going so well that the gang at Schooner Time recently swept up the peanut shells, installed a wooden dance floor and extended the 7 to 8 p.m. free lessons to Friday and Saturday. And at 8:30 p.m., you can dance to live music.

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Beginning in March, the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks will change its format. Mondays through Thursdays, look for Happy Hour from 5 to 7 p.m. and dance lessons at 6, 7 and 8 p.m. The only cover charge kicks in at 7 p.m. Wednesdays and 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Monday will be your last chance to take advantage of the weekly West Coast swing night. In March, John Santangelo will be teaching Line Dance Mania on Mondays.

In addition, 4 to 8 p.m. Sundays will be Family Nights, with line dance lessons at 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. for kids.

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Fans of the popular-but-disbanded Ventura group Caught Redhanded should be happy to know that lead singer Troy Robinson has given up ostrich farming in Oklahoma and returned to Ojai. Rumors are flying that the band will be re-formed in some incarnation. As you may know, guitarist Jim Monahan is now with Desert Rose band. And Alan Flaa is playing pedal steel for Sky King. So what gives? Your guess is as good as mine. Stay tuned.

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Phil Salazar’s fabulous bluegrass group the Acousticats recently played Nicholby’s in Ventura (you remember--the huge upstairs club everyone says has so much potential). For a terrific toe-tapping time Saturday, drop by between 9:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. for a rare performance by another tight-harmony bluegrass band, the Cache Valley Drifters from Los Olivos. In June, the band will headline the annual Live Oak Music Festival held near Santa Barbara. But thanks to Fred Schmidt, Nicholby’s new stage manager, you can enjoy them in this great venue for only $3.

Details

* WHAT: Ventura Western Days, an annual three-day weekend of country dancing, workshops and competitions.

* WHERE: American Legion Hall, 83 S. Palm St., Ventura; Ventura Concert Theatre, 26 S. Chestnut St., Ventura; Nicholby’s, 404 E. Main St., Ventura.

* WHEN: March 11 through 13.

* HOW MUCH: Three-day admission pass per person until March 5, $35, $15 for juniors (age 17 and under); $45 and $25 at the door; one-day tickets, $20; line dance workshop only, $10; Friday or Saturday night open dances, $7.50 each; competition fee per event: $10 couples, $25 teams.

* FYI: 647-1893.