DANCE (Detector for Advanced Neutron Capture Experiments) is a 4$\pi$ array of BaF$_2$ crystals installed at LANSCE, Lujan Center. Neutron capture measurements on $^{157}$Gd and $^{89}$Y nuclei were conducted using this facility.

DANCE (Detector for Advanced Neutron Capture Experiments) is a 4$\pi$ array of BaF$_2$ crystals installed at LANSCE, Lujan Center. Neutron capture measurements on $^{157}$Gd and $^{89}$Y nuclei were conducted using this facility. The absolute cross sections of the $^{89}$Y$(n,\gamma)$ reaction was measured for the first time ever in the neutron energy range of 10 eV -- 10 keV and improvements were made in the 10 -- 300 keV range. The error bars were significantly reduced and number of cross section points was increased since the past $^{89}$Y$(n,\gamma)$ experiments. The $^{157}$Gd$(n,\gamma)$ cross section was determined at $E_n$ = 20 eV -- 300 keV by normalizing the experimental DANCE data to a well known resonance taken from the ENDF/B-VII library. Computer simulations of the $^{157}$Gd$(n,\gamma)$ cascades and DANCE pulse height function were made using DICEBOX and GEANT4 codes and simulated $E_{sum}$ and $E_{\gamma}$ spectra are compared to the experimental DANCE data. Values of spin and photon strength function (PSF) of the $^{157}$Gd$(n,\gamma)$ resonances are provided in the range of $E_n$ = 2 -- 300 eV using spin dependence upon a $\gamma$-ray multiplicity.