Remember how much fun we were having in early 2020? (Link to video on Facebook.)

Join us for the sequel on May 13th, 2023! We’re having another open band dance. As before, we’ll have calling by Andy Davis, and the band led Becky Hollingsworth and (this time) Susan Conger on fiddle.

The dancing will, as usual, feature a gentle opening suitable for beginners and children at 7:30 PM, then progress into somewhat zestier dances after 8:30, including the old chestnut Chorus Jig.

Admission: pay-what-you-can, $12 – $20 suggested

Location: 906 Main Street, Williamstown, MA 01267, in the community hall of the First Congregational Church

Time: 7:30 – 10:30 PM, Saturday, May 13th

Covid Precautions: Masks and proof of vaccination required. If you’re pre-registered, you won’t have to show your card at the door. Here’s a link to the pre-registration form:  https://tinyurl.com/NorthBerkshireDancePreReg  Performers may go unmasked *if* they’ve had a negative rapid test that day — this includes open band members while in the band area, but masks are required while dancing and elsewhere in the hall.

Anyone with an acoustic instrument is welcome to join the band. Here’s a list of the tunes we’ll play: https://northberkshiredance.org/tune-list-for-open-band-may-13-2023/ Chorus Jig is a little tricky — sheet music available in the “New England Fiddler’s Repertoire” or the “Fiddler’s Fakebook”. Note the ABCB form of Chorus Jig differs from the standard AABB of most contra dance repertoire.

Worried your dance skills are rusty? Have a friend or family member who is scared to dance? Come to our April 8th community contra dance in Williamstown, bringing your hesitant friends, and your enthusiastic friends, too!

Our caller this month will be Paul Rosenberg, who specializes in leading dance events welcoming to complete novices, families with children, and people who are really worried about the whole idea. The evening will feature lots of simple dances appropriate for novices and families, gradually building the dancers’ skill levels and confidence while having fun.

Caller: Paul Rosenberg

Musicians: Tony Pisano, Eric Buddington, Patrician Kernan (Two fabulous locals, and one spcialist in the caller’s repertoire.)

Location: the community hall of the First Congregational Church, at 906 Main Street, Williamstown, MA

Time: 7:30 – 10PM, Saturday April 8th

Admission: pay what you can; $10 – $20 suggested

Covid Precautions: Masks and proof of vaccination required

Community contra dance in Williamstown, MA, Saturday, February 11th. All welcome; introduction for beginners at 7:30pm, flowing right into the main event. Admission fee self-determined, $10 to $20 suggested.

Masks and proof of covid vaccination required. Optional pre-registration form here: https://tinyurl.com/NorthBerkshireDancePreReg

Dave Eisenstadter will call, with music by George Wilson and Selma Kaplan.

We’re thrilled to resume our second Saturday monthly series on Saturday January 14, at a new location in the community hall of the First Congregational Church, 906 Main Street in Williamstown, MA.

The night will begin with a brief introductory lesson at 7:30, by caller Andy Davis. The early part of the evening will be particularly welcoming to beginning dancers and families with children. Music will be provided by Arthur Davis on keyboard and banjo, with Cedar Stanistreet on fiddle.

Our Covid policy will follow that of the Friends of the Greenfield Dance, with masks and proof of Covid-19 vaccination required. Optional pre-registration at https://tinyurl.com/NorthBerkshireDancePreReg will help reduce time in lines at the door.
Admission is pay-what-you-can, $5 – $20 suggested.

Come dance with us on January 14th, 2023!
Andy Davis will call, starting with a brief introductory lesson at 7:30 p.m. The early part of the evening will be particularly welcoming to beginning dancers and families with children; at the end, we’ll have Chorus Jig. (What’s Chorus Jig? Read on to the end!)

New in 2023

New location: the community hall of the First Congregational Church, which is at 906 Main Street, Williamstown, MA.

Vaccination & Mask Requirement: unfortunately, some elements that make our dances wonderful community events are also great for spreading respiratory disease. Luckily, it’s possible to have most of the fun, and minimize the misery, with suitable precautions. To this end we’ll be requiring everyone in the hall to wear masks and show proof of Covid-19 vacination. We’ll follow the rules outlined by the Friends of the Greenfield Dance: http://www.friendsofgreenfielddance.org/covid-19-policy/ , and we’ll have an optional pre-registration system to help ease lines at the door.

Optional pre-registration: Save time the first time you attend our dance by pre-registering with your vaccination status here!

New Admission Fee Schedule — Pay What You Can: Pre-pandemic, we put a lot of effort into setting admission fees to both cover expenses and also let as many people as possible join us. Charging different amounts by category got complicated, and still didn’t work for everyone, so we’ve decided to let you decide for yourself how much to contribute. You may choose to contribute by helping with practical matters, like checking people in at the door, or sweeping the floor at the break. However, we do use money to pay our performers (though never quite enough for their specialized skills) and to pay rent for the hall, so contributions from $5 to $15 per person are most welcome.

New Dance of the Year — Chorus Jig! Admittedly, Chorus Jig is old, not new, but dancing it every month here in Williamstown is new for us. Chorus Jig is a dance with a name, and a history, and a reputation for boisterous fun.

North Berkshire Community Dance is coordinating a dance at the Clark Art Institute’s Free Sunday on Nov 6th.  Paul Rosenberg will call several short sets of family friendly traditional dances, with a harvest theme to match the overarching event.  Music by Eric Buddington and friends. Masks supplied for Covid safety.
https://www.clarkart.edu/event/detail/2083-89800
Bring your friends and family, wander the galleries, take a hike, try your hand at drawing, and join us for the dance!

Separately, NBCD is planning to resume our regular second Saturday monthly dance schedule in January 2023.