Walker Brigitte Litz – she of the soaked bag (see below) – has lived in Burlingame (over the hill east from the Pacific) for more than 30 years and she’s the one who pointed out the Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society and relayed the legend of its name.
Founded by Pete Douglas in 1958 (he’s still there today), the beach-front complex in Miramar seats about 200 people for a yearlong series of concerts. It helps to be a member of the society (some $150 a year). Become a member and you just call up to reserve a seat. A non-member? You can drop in, but you probably need to get there very, very early for concerts on a one-time basis.
Anyway, says Litz, the name comes from Douglas’ love for classical music - Bach. Dancing, for folks he saw dancing on the beach. Dynamite, for the gung-ho guys who decided to set off explosives to celebrate the Fourth of July in those days.
Sunday’s the day for concerts, so if you’re in the area, this is a not-to-be-missed venture.
By the way, the other walkers wanted their names mentioned, too. I figure they deserve it. Eight miles in pretty nasty weather deserves a mention somewhere.
There also was Jane Powell, 20 years in Saratoga, Rosemarie Willimann, 20 years in Half Moon Bay and Linda Lee, 30 years in Moss Beach. No slouches, these. (P.S. Jane, Brigitte and Linda would like you to know they’re single. There. That was payment for accompanying me on the march.)
Thank you all for your history lessons and laughs.
http://www.bachddsoc.org/
For the Bach folk.
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