2006 Outings Group Event Archive

Photo's from recent events

2006 Outings Group Event Archive

 Dance Sundays
Swing - Salsa/Merengue - Ballroom - Disco
December 4 - January 22, 2006 - February 12 - March 12

This is the dance series where there have been three engagements so far in the last three years! Click here to see photos from recent dances.

7:00 - 10:00pm at Ansche Chesed. Meet great people! Free expert instruction (Reba Perez of Empire Dance) - no experience, no partner and no reservations necessary but do bring all your friends! If you can walk, you can dance. Just bring a smile! We'll have fun learning the basics and then dance the night away! Free refreshments, a super dance floor, a fun crowd and cozy spaces to sit and schmooze. Cost is $20 ($15 AC/Mosaic members) per dance. Volunteers are needed (in return for a reduced admission fee). Contact Michael (212/678-7881 before 9:00pm) to volunteer.

Sunday, December 4: The Empire Swings Back! We're gonna rock! There's only one word for it: SWING! Come have a great time "cutting the rug!" The FREE basic swing lesson provided by Empire Dance (
Empire Dance has proudly led Swing night at Midsummer Night's Swing, and other events all over NYC) makes it easy and fun. You rotate partners all during class and dance with everyone at the party. A good time is guaranteed!

Sunday, January 22: Latin Dance Party! Learn the basics of salsa and merengue. It's fun, it's easy and our basic class is guaranteed to uncover your inner Latin dancer! The class is Beginner Level; no partner or experience necessary! Learn to coordinate four feet, four hands, two bodies and two minds together into one partner dance -- or having lots of fun trying! Partner dance is a metaphor for life, played to the tune of sizzling Latin music! This is one of our most popular parties. Meet and dance with everyone at the party as we rotate partners throughout the class.

Sunday, February 12: Cancelled due to snow.

Sunday, March 12: Ballroom Bash! Let's harken back to the days of Frank Sinatra, Fred & Ginger and all the great Hollywood icons that defined an era of romance and elegance! The classic ballroom dances, like waltz and foxtrot, are so well loved because they are so easy to do, and they make such a great way to get to know people. (How many of our parents' and grandparents' generations met on the dance floor? That's gotta tell you something!) Empire Dance will teach the waltz and foxtrot, and provide swing, disco and Latin breaks during the party to heat things up even more! The Ballroom Bash will be a very special evening to remember!

Hiking - Sunday, May 21 - Anthony's Nose Hike - See great views of the Hudson River along this 6.4 miles (5.5 - 6 hours) hike on terrain of moderate difficulty with some challenging hills. Bring hiking boots (required), lunch, water, daypack, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, money, etc. Co-sponsored with the Mosaic Outdoor Mountain Club of Greater New York. Cost is $10 ($5 AC/Mosaic members). Limited to 30 people. Telephone reservations required by 6:00pm Monday, May 15. Contact Michael (212/678-7881 before 9:00pm) to reserve. Rain cancels. Car-pooling. Click here for detailed trip information including driving directions and photos of the great views seen from this hike.

Memorial Day Weekend - Friday, May 26 - Monday, May 29 - at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires. A fun filled weekend which attracts many people from the Ansche Chesed Outings Group and Young Professionals groups.  "Highly recommended!" The lower cost early-bird deadline for reservations is Monday, May 15 and all reservations are due by 5:00pm on Friday, May 19. Please make sure to mention "Ansche Chesed" when you register. Details and reservation forms are available at http://www.ramahberkshires.org/memorialday/

FREE: Live Shakespeare in Central Park (Outdoors) - Saturday, June 10 at 7:00pm.  See All's Well That Ends Well; Live Shakespeare in Central Park presented for free in a unique setting.  “The great appeal of these productions is that they are adapted to work with the park's natural terrain-the audience follows the performance from place to place, as the plot unfolds from scene to scene. The separation between the performance and the audience is then blurred, as our spectators experience the play as if it were happening at this very instant and all around them”.  No tickets or reservations are necessary.  The performance starts promptly at 7:00pm at West 103rd Street and Central Park West.  Ansche Chesed will meet promptly at 6:45pm at the entrance to Central Park on Central Park West at West 103rd Street. Click here to see where we are meeting. For more information check out New York Classical Theatre’s website at http://www.newyorkclassical.org/. This activity is a “show & go” in that there will be no reservations taken. Heavy downpour cancels but a light drizzle may not (this play takes place outdoors!).

Whitewater Rafting - Sunday, June 25 - On the Lehigh River (Class II & III whitewater - it's a dam release day!), Limited to the first 36 paid reservations (more wanted to come last year). No experience necessary. "Our most fun trip of the year." Co-sponsored with the Mosaic Outdoor Mountain Club of Greater New York and The JCC in Manhattan. $50. Paid reservations due by Friday, June 2.  Click here to check out photo's from last year's trip. Contact Michael (212/678-7881 before 9:00pm) for payment information (prior to sending payment!). Meeting time in NYC is 6:00 a.m. Detailed trip information including what to bring and driving directions.

Canoeing - Sunday, July 23 - On the Delaware River (Class I & II whitewater), Co-sponsored with the Mosaic Outdoor Mountain Club of Greater New York. $35. No experience necessary. Paid reservations required by Friday, July 7. Contact Michael (212/678-7881 before 9:00pm) for payment information prior to sending payment. Car-pooling (reserve early!). Click here for detailed trip information including what to bring and driving directions. 

FREE: Live Shakespeare in Central Park (Outdoors) - Saturday, August 5 at 7:00pm.  See The Comedy of Errors; Live Shakespeare in Central Park presented for free in a unique setting.  “The great appeal of these productions is that they are adapted to work with the park's natural terrain-the audience follows the performance from place to place, as the plot unfolds from scene to scene. The separation between the performance and the audience is then blurred, as our spectators experience the play as if it were happening at this very instant and all around them”.  No tickets or reservations are necessary.  The performance starts promptly at 7:00pm at West 103rd Street and Central Park West.  Ansche Chesed will meet promptly at 6:45pm at the entrance to Central Park on Central Park West at West 103rd Street. Click here to see where we are meeting. For more information check out New York Classical Theatre’s website at http://www.newyorkclassical.org/. This activity is a “show & go” in that there will be no reservations taken. Heavy downpour cancels but a light drizzle may not (this play takes place outdoors!).

Hiking - Sunday, August 6 - Palisades Interstate Park: Northern Section - a moderate 6+ mile (4.5 hours) hike with great views and a couple of modest hills (hiking boots required). Bring hiking boots, lunch, water, daypack, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, money, etc. Co-sponsored with the Mosaic Outdoor Mountain Club of Greater New York. Cost is $10 ($5 AC/Mosaic members). Limited to 30 people. Telephone reservations required by 6:00pm Monday, July 31. Contact Michael (212/678-7881 before 9:00pm) to reserve. Rain cancels. Car-pooling. Click here for detailed trip information including driving directions

FREE: The Jewish Museum - Saturday, August 12 at 2:45pm. At over 100 years old and still going strong, the Jewish Museum is a special part of New York’s cultural scene.  Enjoy a free (and air-conditioned) midsummer visit to the museum.  Meet on the north side of East 92nd Street near the corner of Fifth Avenue and the entrance to the museum at 2:45pm promptly. No tickets or reservations are necessary (or will be taken).  More information about the museum is available at www.thejewishmuseum.org.  A heavy and/or steady rain will cancel (although the museum will be open if you choose to go anyway).

The following hike takes place on erev-Yom Kippur and will return to NYC well before the holiday begins;
CANCELLED DUE TO RAIN: Hiking
- Sunday, October 1 - Bear Mountain - Approximately 4 miles (~3.5 hours) on terrain of moderate difficulty with a challenging hill climb to reach the top of Bear Mountain and Perkins Tower (great views!). Bring hiking boots, lunch, water, daypack, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, money, etc. Co-sponsored with the Mosaic Outdoor Mountain Club of Greater New York and The JCC in Manhattan. Cost is $10 ($5 AC/Mosaic members). Limited to 30 people. Telephone reservations required by 6:00pm Monday, September 25. Contact Michael (212/678-7881 before 9:00pm) to reserve. Rain cancels. Car-pooling. Detailed trip information including driving directions

Hiking - Sunday, October 22.  Breakneck Ridge - Possibly the most memorable hike in the greater New York City area! An approximately 5.5 mile (4 - 6 hours) hike with 1350+ foot elevation gain on difficult terrain (multiple rock scrambles, experienced hikers only - no beginners please, not for those with a fear of heights, hiking boots required). Bring hiking boots, lunch, water (2+ liters), daypack, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, money, etc. Co-sponsored with the Mosaic Outdoor Mountain Club of Greater New York. Cost is $10 ($5 AC/MOMC members). Limited to 30 people. Telephone reservations required by 6:00pm Monday, October 16. Call Michael (212/678-7881 before 9:00pm) to reserve. Rain cancels. Car-pooling. Click here for detailed trip information including driving directions.

Dance Sundays
Dec 10, 2006: Swing Dance!     Jan 21, 2007: Latin Fiesta! 
Feb 11, 2007: Tango Fever!        March 18, 2007: Square Dance

7:00pm: Doors Open (7:15pm on March 18, all dances end at 10:00pm)
7:15-8:15pm: Basic Lesson in the dance style of the evening
8:30-10pm: Open Dance Floor
Free delicious refreshments are available throughout the evening.

Special Pre-Dance Pizza Dinner on December 10: Join Real Live People Party and Ansche Chesed at 5:30pm for a (kosher) pizza dinner and member-only pricing at the swing dance on December 10.  For $25 you will get a pizza dinner and member pricing for that night's dance party (what a bargain!)Reservations are required (no walk-in's allowed) and are made by contacting Michael (212/678-7881 before 9:00pm) by 12:00pm on Friday, December 8.

About the Lesson:
The free beginner lesson by Empire Dance gives you the basics you need to get out on the dance floor doing the "dance of the evening." The lesson covers the basic steps and rhythm of the dance, tips on leading and following, and cool moves and stylings. Partner dance is a great way to get to know people, learn a skill, and have lots of laughs while learning to coordinate four legs into one smooth dance step; you rotate partners throughout the class and dance with everyone at the party. No reservations, experience or partner necessary!  All welcome.

About the Open Dance Floor:
The music is playing and the dance floor is open. Dance with friends old and new, stop by the refreshment table, and enjoy schmoozing in our cozy café-style setting. The music will be in the dance style of the evening, plus some fun variations for your dancing pleasure! We might even sneak in an additional mini-lesson and/or a dance performance.

About the Dance Styles:
Sunday, December 10: Swing Dance! Shake a tail feather -- cut the rug -- dance like there's no tomorrow -- in a word: SWING! Swing is fun and easy to learn; you'll be impressing dance partners for a long time to come with the moves you'll learn! Party to classic hits from the big band era to today.

Sunday, January 21: Latin Fiesta! Get into the Latin craze with salsa, cha cha and merengue to awaken your inner fire. Your instructor will make it FUN & EASY to get that suave Latin flavor; you take it from there and dance the night away at this TROPICAL JANUARY EVENING!

Sunday, February 11: Tango Fever! Dance the night away doing the world's most romantic dance...TANGO! Join the fun --- we make it fun and easy to get out out on the dance floor! Yes! You can tango!

Sunday, March 18: SQUARE Dancing.  Do-Si-Do! Swing your partner! If square dance caller Allan Brozek can't get you dancing then you must not have feet. No partner, experience or reservations necessary. Lessons throughout the evening starting at 7:15pm.

More Details:
Dances take place at Ansche Chesed. Cost is $20 ($15 AC/Mosaic members) per dance. Volunteers are needed (in return for a reduced admission fee). Contact Michael (212/678-7881 before 9:00pm) to volunteer.  BTW, this is the dance series where there have been three engagements so far in the last four years!

Special Offer:
Anyone wishing to learn more about these dances is invited to take a four-week Group Course at
Empire Dance for only $60. Call 212-645-2441 and mention "Ansche Chesed Special" to get this special offer. This offer is valid through February 2007.

See What Happened at Last Season's Dances:
Click here to see photos from recent dances.