About Us

In 1913, the Tecolote (Owl) Dancing Club was organized.  The name of the club was suggested by John Peirano, the Club’s first secretary.  The Athene Club House was selected as the meeting place and Harry Moore’s Orchestra as the official music.   Up to the time of its reorganization, the club was limited to 25 couples. In June 1916 it was decided to increase the membership to 50 couples.   At that meeting some of the members objected to being called “Night Owls” and the name La Estrella (The Star) was proposed and adopted.  In 1966 the bylaws stated that membership should consist of not more than 125 couples.  Currently, membership is limited to the capacity of the ballroom.

La Estrella Dance Club is for couples and is dedicated to sponsoring formal dinner dances.  The dress code requires men to wear tuxedos and women long formal evening gowns or tea length dresses.  Men who are guests for the first time may wear a dark suit and tie; following dances require a tuxedo.

Members pay yearly dues of $130.00 per couple. Charges for each dinner dance attended are $90 per member couple and $105 per guest couple.  Champagne welcome reception, dinner, wine, dessert & coffee are all included. Tables are decorated and a “Big Band” orchestra plays music for ballroom dancing.

Membership.  New members are invited on by current members and will complete an informational application.  A waiting list of membership candidates is established when no vacancies exist.  Members are encouraged to invite couples as their guests.  Because of space limitations at the Poinsettia Pavilion, the number of guests per dance could be limited.

La Estrella Dance Club has been very successful for 99 years in sponsoring elegant fun—a tradition that its members pledge to continue.  The success of La Estrella Dance Club is based on a non-profit organization and the generous participation of its members helping with all club functions.  We have no salaried staff; all work is done by volunteers.

Couples to act as officers for the forthcoming season are nominated at the May dance and elected at the June dance.  An annual meeting of members is held during the June dance.

The governance of the club is vested in a Board of Directors consisting of four elected couples as officers – president, president-elect, treasurer, secretary – the immediate past president, and two other couples from the membership, for a total of 14 members.

Dinner Reservations.  Invitations for each dance will be mailed two weeks in advance.   Reservations must be received by the treasurers no later than the Monday preceding the dance. It is important that members respond promptly either with acceptance and a check covering the reservations or with regrets.   A member may cancel and be credited for the next dance, provided the treasurer is notified by the Tuesday before the dance.  There will be no credit after Tuesday when the catering company has purchased the food.

Dinner Etiquette.  Members and guests are asked to wait for everyone in the primary buffet line to be served before returning for seconds.

Dance Etiquette. Dancers are reminded to maintain the counterclockwise line of dance.  Where the music allows for a choice of dances, such as Foxtrot or Swing, the circular corridor will be reserved for the travelling dancers and the center of the dance floor will be reserved for the more stationary dancers.

The Band. The Board of Directors selects and schedules bands for the dance club.   The Music Committee is responsible for members’ concerns regarding musical likes and dislikes.   Members are requested to make any comments concerning the band, the music or the tempo of the music to the Music Committee and not to the band leader.

Music for The Dance Season

Provided by the Moonlight Orchestra under the direction of bandleader Ed Nani

The 2012-13 Dance Season

First Friday of October and December – First Saturday of November, and January through June

POINSETTIA PAVILION

3451 Foothill Road, Ventura, California 93003

Ph.: 805-562-9957 or 805-705-9863