We are the Merrie Pryanksters. We are legion. We will assimilate you (if you dance - or play music - or cook). Our forces are currently concentrated in the Davis/Fairfield/Sacremento Hemogeny, and the Greater Bay Area Co-prosperity sphere (ie, all over the SF/SJ area).

Anyway, the "real" activity of the Pryanksters is English Country Dance, specifically 1st edition Playford. We also have a subset of Pryanksters, Red Rose Morris that shares a striking similarity to Faultline Morris, but that's incompletely coincidental. And we do occasionally throw in a Morris dance to our show. But as a Faire performance group/guild, English Country Dance is what we do.

However, being that we just plain enjoy dance, we go to the area dance events, and bring friends along to indoctrinate them in the ways of social dance. And sometimes vice versa. Some of our members are also accomplished Irish dancers, some Scottish, some Swing, and it wouldn't surprise me if we have some Latin and Ballet dancers as well. And probably more than one all in the same person.

Practices are held in San Leandro on Wednesday nights (when there is a critical mass of folks) and Thursdays in Davis. You can email sarahc@pryanksters.org for information about that practice, and check out www.pryanksters.org for more info. Dances are taught at practices, and are an excellent place to learn them. We also do street sets at most faires, and can likely walk you through a few basic steps and dances - and we don't mind working with other folks. We love our shills. But practices (and the occasional Pryankster Party) are what build the team.

If you have any questions, let me know. As you can see, I'd be happy to answer them (as best I can).

There are regular pryactices in Davis (usually on the UC Davis campus) on thursday evenings. Send me a message (or email me) and I'll send you contact information. If you're going to Truckee Faire (this weekend?) or Folsom, you can talk to us (them - I won't be at either) there, too.

Many people join Pryanksters because they are interested in dancing, and want a way to get into RenFaire. Others are dragged in kicking and sreaming by the Guildmistress.

As the Pryanksters only dance once a week and a few weekends a year, those who are dance addicts will seek out other forms of dance to try to get their fix. Many of the Davis pryanksters come to Gaskells regularly. Other people have joined Pryanksters because their other forms of dance don't happen often enough, and Pryanksters offers another outlet.

The Sac VIntage Dance thing was partially a fluke - there was a class on ballroom dance offered through EC at Davis, and one Pryankster told the rest about it, and a bunch took it. But once word gets to some of them, the rest will hear.

The same way one gets to Madison Square Garden.

Practice : ).

Sas
Look, I've been waiting to use that one since I was six OK?