Information: Bev and Ginny Wilder, teachers of American squares, contras, and international dance.

Bev was born and raised in Boulder Creek in the Santa Cruz mountains in 1913, and lived near his family home for most of his life. He was an active member of the Audubon Society and went to places such as Costa Rica to study exotic birds.

Bev had a degree in Geology from U.C. Berkeley, where he played on the basketball team. He worked for a steel company, which shipped him and his wife Ginny to Chicago for several years. He was very active in organizing and teaching in the folk dance community there.

Bev and Ginny were active in the early years of the California Folk Dance Federation, Inc. of which Bev became president, and both Bev and Ginny were on the Research and Standardization Committee of the Federation.

Bev taught at the California University of the Pacific Folk Dance Camp (now Stockton Folk Dance Camp) in 1984, 1988 to 1992, and 1995. Bev Wilder was a major contributor to the camp and an active member of the Camp Committee for years. For many years, he ran "Once Over Lightly." Bev was known for calling of contras. They attended almost every year of Stockton Camp except when they were in Chicago.

Bev was a consummate archivist, cataloging his own wonderful collection of music and dance descriptions. He helped establish the Lawton Harris Library at the University of the Pacific, and for many years was the main cataloger of music, descriptions, and videos.

Bev and Ginny were excellent researchers and dancers (fun to watch). Bev devoted a good portion of his retirement to folk dancing at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz.

Bev and Ginny were guest teachers at the "Weekend of Dancing with the Dunsings" at George Williams College in Williams Bay, Wisconsin in 1966 and were teachers at the 22nd Annual Texas Thanksgiving Folk Dance Camp at Camp Hoblitzelle, Midlothean, Texas, in 1969.

Ginny passed away in 1990 and Bev passed away in 2005.

Dances Bev and Ginny taught include Montego Bay.