‘Save the Date’ for Happenings in Country Music and Dance

By now, the holiday hoopla dust has settled. And it’s a good bet that you’re marking country entertainment events on those cute new calendars. So get out your “save-the-date” stickers for these country happenings.

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For lovely vocals and good dance music, check out Raywood and the Unseen, a popular one-man band that will play for a series of country-and-western dances from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday (also Feb. 14 and March 14) at the Camarillo Community Center, 1605 E. Burnley St. The dances are open to all ages. Admission is $5 per adult, $2.50 per youth. For information, call 482-1996.

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Calling all square-dancer wannabes. I can tell you from firsthand experience that this form of terpsichorean expression is a fun way to break an aerobic sweat!

And unlike partner dancing, which requires the gentleman to lead with confidence and skill, square-dancing features combinations announced by a caller that provide an easier “connect-the-dot” approach for the reluctant novice.

So if you can walk, skip, link arms and tell your left from right, this might be just the ticket in 1999 for those exercise resolutions.

Usually, square-dance clubs hold open recruitment for beginners only in September because everybody needs to advance through a sequence of steps at the same time.

But the Buckles & Bows and Pi-R Squares will offer two weeks of open enrollment with a free class from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Monday at Ascension Lutheran Church, 1600 E. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks. Remaining classes cost $4 per person. For details, call 373-3935 or 492-1669.

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Up the coast at the Galleon Room, two couples who call themselves the Twangin’ Iguanas will perform their version of top 40 and original country music at 9 p.m. today and Saturday for the couples dance crowd.

And every Thursday this month, Steve Woods and Kerri Wilson will take the stage at the same time, same place. The club is at 5925 Calle Real in Goleta. For information, call 967-0128.

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Camarillo’s best bet for midweek dancing starts at 8 p.m. Thursdays at Cinnamon’s Restaurant, 4815 Calle Alto, Camarillo. Raywood and the Unseen calls the dances for his loyal following. The crowd is friendly and glad to help newcomers find their footing. And this casual venue provides an equal opportunity for line-dance and couples formats. For information, call 388-1436.

The Stage Robbers band usually plays in rotation at the Cowboy Palace, Chatsworth’s cowboy claim to fame. But the fellas will take the stage at 8:30 p.m. Saturday at Mixers, 2381 Tapo St., Simi Valley. For details, call 520-7787.