Passion, Music & the Joy of Dance

Carl grew up in a folk dancing family. Born & raised in San Jose, California, he was dragged out onto the floor at a YMCA family folk dance camp at age 5 and introduced to fun dances such as Hokey Pokey and the Virginia Reel. Returning to the camp each Labor Day Weekend with his family, by 14 he had learned waltzes, polkas, schottisches, contras, quadrilles, and square dances, as well as other folk dances from around the world.  In high school, Carl and his family were taking weekly classes and attending folk and square dance festivals in the San Francisco Bay Area. By college, he was a popular square dance caller. His love of dance and his enthusiasm for fun, inter-generational activities led him to develop his Family Barn Dance programs for groups that have no previous dance experience.

Over the next two decades, Carl was a Dance Leader for schools, churches, the Y, company parties, and youth and senior citizen groups throughout the Bay Area, and featured Square Dance Caller for California State Folk Dance Festivals.  When he moved to the Midwest, he briefly opened the Branson Dance Barn in Branson, MO. In early 2010, he started CBDanceman in NW Arkansas, expanding his services to include Ballroom Instruction and Professional DJ Services for Weddings & Special Events.  Returning to the West Coast in 2019. Carl’s goal continues to be introducing everyone in Southern Oregon and Northern California to social dancing - a fun, old-time, family-oriented experience that America grew up with.