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CANCELLED DUE TO SNOW: Music, Movement, and Friendly Faces – Our February 8th Community Contra Dance may be just the medicine you were looking for

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February 8th dance CANCELLED DUE TO SNOW:

With the robust snowstorm in the forecast, and mountainous roads between us and our chosen performers, we’ve decided to cancel our February 8th dance in Williamstown.  Boohoo.

However, next month is still on:  Luke Donforth calling to music by Spare Parts, March 8th.

Hope to see you on a dance floor soon!

CANCELLED:
Dance off any February glumness at a friendly contra dance.  North Berkshire Community Dance will hold its monthly contra dance on Saturday, February 8th.  Popular young caller Liz Nelson will teach every dance to live traditional fiddle music from The Vintons.

Contra dancing is the contemporary face of a living tradition; some of the dances are hundreds of years old, some are recently composed. Everyone is welcome. New dancers and families with children are encouraged to arrive at 7:30 for an introductory lesson. Come with or without a partner; most people change partners for each dance throughout the evening.

Liz Nelson, the caller, will teach all the dances her inclusive and welcoming style, using gender-neutral phrasing. Liz believes that anyone and everyone can dance. Her goal is to help create evenings where music becomes movement and moving together becomes joy, just as natural as breathing.

The band, “The Vintons,” is a new collaboration of three long-time musician friends with a love for the classic New England contradance sound: George Wilson – fiddle, Andy Davis – accordion & piano, and Marko Packard – guitar & flute. With many decades of musical experience of all kinds between them, from George with Fennig’s All-Star String Band & teaching at dance camps, Andy with Nowell Sing We Clear & years of dance calling, and Marko with Airdance & Elixir, these three weave new musical fabric from the traditional tunes that they love.

The dance will run 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. in the Community Hall of the First Congregational Church, 906 Main St., Williamstown. Admission is pay-as-you-can, $12 – $20 suggested, and barter (especially help with cleanup) is also welcome.  Visit www.NorthBerkshireDance.org for more information.

For optional extra fun, come to our pre-dance calling playgroup in the Williamstown Public Library, 2 – 3:30. Bring a dance you’d like to try calling with a collaborative group – or simply help out as a biddable dancer on the floor.

Respiratory Illness Policy: Please stay home if you feel ill or have cold symptoms. We’ll be glad to see you next month!  Masks appreciated but not required.

The Contra Dance of January Eleventh, in Williamstown

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What’s more fun than the not very fun, possibly rather tedious, thing you could be doing Saturday, January 11th? I don’t know — but perhaps you’d prefer a contra dance! Luckily, Julian Blechner will be calling, George Wilson will be fiddling, Selma Kaplan will be playing the piano, and a whole bunch of rather fun people will be eager to dance with you from 7:30 – 10:30 PM, right here in Williamstown, MA. Newcomers always welcome.

Where: the Community Hall of the First Congregational Church, 906 Main Street, Williamstown, MA (the iconic white church, in the middle of town).
When: 7:30 – 10:30 PM
Who: You! (and a bunch of other lovely people who also feel like socializing and enjoying a little live music in mid-winter.)
How Much: please contribute what you can, $12 – $20 suggested.
Role Terms: Larks and Robins

Julian Blechner will call (teach) all the dances. Julian enjoys creating fun evenings with varied and engaging choreography for whatever the crowd is up for! He brings a cheerful, friendly attitude with clear, concise teaching and prompting.

Music will be provided by George Wilson, whose dynamic fiddling, strongly influenced by Cape Breton and French Canadian styles, has been popular with contra dancers and concert-goers since the late 1970s. George will be accompanied by Selma Kaplan on keyboard. Selma is an accomplished pianist, composer, and arranger, and one of the most requested dance musicians on the East Coast.

For optional extra fun, come to our pre-dance calling workshop/practicum in the Williamstown Public Library, from 2 – 3:30. Bring a dance you’d like to workshop in a friendly group setting – or simply help out as a biddable dancer on the floor.

Respiratory Illness Policy: Please stay home if you feel ill or have cold symptoms. We’ll be glad to see you next month!  Masks appreciated but not required. Be aware that contradance isn’t made to social distance, as, whoever your partner, you’ll wind up dancing with everyone in the room. You may wish to bring a spare mask to change into for comfort throughout the evening.

Poster: Help more people find the dance, if you feel so inclined. Print and hang our flier!  Available at  https://northberkshiredance.org/poster/

December 14th Dance — You Need Not be Mathematically Inclined

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On Saturday, December 14th, we’re having another friendly contra dance (it’s just about habitual by now). Maggie McRae will call to music by three out of Four Musicians Walked Into Thirty Two Bars. What more would you like to know?

Where: the Community Hall of the First Congregational Church, 906 Main Street, Williamstown, MA
When: 7:30 – 10:30 PM
Who: You! (And a bunch of other lovely people who also feel like attending a low key social event with live music and dancing as an excuse to move a little while winter settles in)
How Much: please contribute what you can, $12 – $20 suggested.

Maggie McRae will call. Her fun and easy teaching style will help everyone relax and enjoy dancing.  

Music will be provided by three out of Four Musicians Walked into Thirty-Two Bars, a band of life-long musicans who enjoy playing traditional New England tunes, sometimes with their tongues in their cheeks. The three musicians are George Wilson and Rebecca Weiss on fiddle, with Becky Hollingsworth on piano.

For extra fun, we’re hosting a pre-dance calling workshop/practicum in the Williamstown Public Library, from 2 – 3:30. Bring a dance you’d like to workshop calling for in a friendly group setting – or come to see how it works, and help out as a biddable dancer on the floor.

Covid Policy: Please stay home if you feel ill or have cold symptoms. We’ll be glad to see you next month!  Masks appreciated but not required. Be aware that contradance isn’t made to social distance, as whoever your partner, you’ll wind up dancing with everyone in the room. You may wish to bring a spare mask to change into for comfort throughout the evening.

Poster: Help more people find the dance, if you feel so inclined. Print and hang our flier!  Available at  https://northberkshiredance.org/poster/

Please come – we’re dancing again!

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On Saturday, November 9th, North Berkshire Community Dance will hold its monthly contra dance with calling by Andy Davis, and live music by Mary Cay Brass and Laurie Indenbaum.

The dance will run from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. in the Community Hall of the First Congregational Church, 906 Main St., Williamstown. Admission is pay-as-you-can, $12 to $20 suggested, and barter is also welcome.   For more information, visit www.NorthBerkshireDance.org.
Our caller this month is Andy Davis. Andy will teach all the dances in an inclusive and welcoming style, using gender-free phrasing. His goal is to put everyone at ease so they can have fun and dance.  
Music will be by Mary Cay Brass on keyboard, Laurie Indenbaum on fiddle, and Andy Davis on accordion. (Does it get any better than that?)

Mary Cay has been a foundational performer and teacher in the traditional dance and music community for many years, supplying a vital pulse in many beloved dance bands, including “The Greenfield Dance Band” with David Kaynor, and “Airdance” with Rodney Miller.  Laurie Indenbaum has been fiddling for dances in Vermont and surrounding states since 1976, with many fine callers and bands, including “Applejack” and “The Full Catastrophe.”  Andy Davis has been a part of Nowell Sing We Clear, and on staff at Country Dance and Song Society summer camps for many years. He also plays accordion for a Morris dancing team and frequently while calling for contra dances.

Each of these musicians has been playing for contra dances for over forty years, and frequently together.  Their music will lift your feet, and bring all the dancers together into one joyful dance.  
Covid Policy: Please stay home if you feel unwell or anyone in your household has Covid. (Then come next month!) Masking is welcome, but not required.  Be aware that contradance isn’t made to social distance, as whoever your partner, you’ll wind up dancing with everyone in the room. Bring a spare mask to change into, for comfort throughout the evening.

Poster: Help more people find the dance, if you feel so inclined. Print and hang our flier!  Available at  https://northberkshiredance.org/poster/

Happy Contra Dance in Williamstown – Saturday, October 12th

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Please join us in Williamstown for our monthly community contra dance, this Saturday, October 12th. We’ll have live fiddle music by Cedar Stanistreet and Michael Sokolovsky — the duo version of Sycamore! All dances will be taught by caller Quena Crain, a favorite both locally and nationally.

Quena Crain, who calls all over New England, brings an infectious joy to the dance hall.  Her fun calling, and easy teaching style, are beloved by all age groups, from elementary school, through college, and well past retirement.  Music will be live, provided by Cedar Stanistreet on fiddle and Michael Sokolovsky on guitar  — the duo version of the popular contra dance band, Sycamore!

The dance will run 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. in the Community Hall of the First Congregational Church, 906 Main St., Williamstown. Admission is pay-as-you-can, $12 – $20 suggested. Barter is also welcome, including help with cleanup.

Covid Policy: Please stay home if you feel unwell or anyone in your household has Covid. (Then come next month!) Masking is welcome, but not required.  Be aware that contradance isn’t made to social distance, as whoever your partner, you’ll wind up dancing with everyone in the room. Bring a spare mask to change into, for comfort throughout the evening.

Poster: Help more people find the dance, if you feel so inclined. Print and hang our flier!  Available at  https://northberkshiredance.org/poster/

Back to Williamstown – First Fall Dance September 28th

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North Berkshire Contra Dance returns to Williamstown on Saturday, September 28th, with a lively community contra dance taught by caller Jeff Walker, and energetic, New England-style fiddle music.

Contra dancing is the contemporary face of a living tradition; some of the dances are hundreds of years old, some are recently composed. Jeff’s hallmark clear instructions and infectious enthusiasm combine with the band’s high-energy music to create an unforgettable evening of dancing just right for the level of experience of the crowd. Everyone is welcome. New dancers and families with children are encouraged to arrive at 7:30 for an introductory lesson. Come with or without a partner; most people change partners for each dance throughout the evening.

Kathy and Jeff Walker have been playing New England-style dance music for over 40 years.  Kathy plays fiddle and Jeff accompanies her on guitar and calls. Their repertoire spans the Celtic world drawing tunes from Ireland, Scotland, Galicia, French Canada, Cape Breton, and Appalachia, and includes many kinds of dance music from fast, energetic jigs and reels to slow, beautiful waltzes.

The dance will run 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. in the Community Hall of the First Congregational Church, 906 Main St., Williamstown. Admission is pay-as-you-can, $12 – $20 suggested. Jeff will use “gents and ladies” role terms. Visit www.NorthBerkshireDance.org for more information.

Covid Policy: Please stay home if you feel unwell (then come next month!) Masking is welcome, but not required.  Be aware that contradance isn’t made to social distance, as whoever your partner, you’ll wind up dancing with everyone in the room. Bring a spare mask to change into, for comfort throughout the evening.

Poster: Help more people find the dance, if you feel so inclined. Print and hang our flier!  Available at  https://northberkshiredance.org/poster/

Fall Season 2024

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The North Berkshire Community Dance (NBCD) has had a gloriously fun summer in North Adams — which we’re extending that into September for the sheer joy of it.

North Berkshire Community Dance will hold two(!) dances in September:

on September 14theptember 14th, we’ll be in North Adams.
3-5 PM, Eric Buddington will lead a pre-dance workshop for musicians, exploring musical ways to be heard in a noisy dance hall – acoustically.  All experience levels are welcome. 7:30-10:30 PM, Steve Howland will call a community contra dance welcoming to all, from the newest of dancers through the most experienced.  Music will be by mixer bands. Mixer bands are volunteer musicians in small groups, with the order of the evening decided by Eric Buddington. Interested musicians please email eric@buddington.net.
Location: All Saints Episcopal Church, community hall (door closest to post office), on Summer Street, North AdamsAdmission: $5 – 15 suggested; no one turned away for lack of funds
Role Terms:  non-gendered
On September 28th, we’ll be in Williamstown. 7:30 – 10:30 PM 
Jeff Walker will call a program admirably suited to introducing new dancers to the joy of community dance. Experienced dancers will enjoy it, too!
Music by Kathy and Jeff Walker:  fiddle and guitar, in the classic tunes so admirably suited to the dance form.
Role terms: Gents and Ladies
Location: the community hall of the First Congregational Church, 159 Main Street, Williamstown, MA.  This is the iconic white church in the middle of town.
Admission:  $12 – $20 suggested; no one turned away for lack of funds.
Here’s our schedule for the remainder of 2024:

October 12th WilliamstownQuena Crain will call to music by Cedar Stanistreet and Michael Sokolovsky – the duo version of Sycamore! Role terms: Larks and RobinsQuena’s calling is a supportive delight, loved by dancers of all experience levels.

November 9th Williamstown Andy Davis will call, and likely play the accordion, with Mary Cay Brass on piano and Laurie Indenbaum on fiddle. These three are fantastic together – playig a classic New England fiddle tune repertoir with driving rhythms and foot-lifting joy.

December 14th WilliamstownMaggie McRae will call, to music by Three out of Four Musicians Walked into Thirty-Two Bars. Those three musicians are Rebecca Weiss, Rebecca Hollingsworth, and George Wilson.

I hope we’ll see you there!  

A few background reminders about our dance:  as a community dance in a small college town, we try to be welcoming to and fun for a wide range of dancers. Novices and families with children are encouraged to arrive by 7:30 to participate in the introductory dances.  More experienced dancers can certainly enjoy the first half (simpler dances make socializing easier and more relaxed) , but some may prefer the second half ot the evening when we often shake out somewhat more complex or vigorous dances.

Role Terms:  contra dancing can be taught without gender roles, or with the more traditional “gents and ladies.”  It’s fun either way. In these last few years we’ve enjoyed a variety of approaches, ranging from positional calling, in which instructions are given based on your position relative to other dancres on the floor, with role terms “Larks and Robins,” “Rice and Lentils,”, and “Gents and Ladies”.   When we use Gents and Ladies, the caller will almost always say “the person dancing the gentleman’s [or lady’s] role” or similar, making it clear that these are roles, not identities.  As a general rule, dancers are wise to dance with whomever is present and ready.

Location: in the Community Hall of the All Saints Episcopal Church, on Summer Street, in North Adams, MA. Next door to the Post Office.  Admission: $5 – 15 suggested; no one turned away for lack of fundsORin the Community Hall of the First Congregational Church, on Main Street, in Williamstown, MA. The side door of the iconic white church in the center of twonWe start promptly at 7:30 pm with an introduction for newcomers and run ’til 10, or 10:30 on a lively night.  Admission: $12 – $20 suggested; no one turned away for lack of funds.

Did I miss anything?  Questions welcome via email to NorthBerkshireDance.com

August 10th Dance, very soon!!!

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Reminder: we will be in North Adams (not Williamstown) for the summer.
Please come to our community oriented contra dance!  It’s welcoming to new and experienced dancers alike.

This month again, music will be supplied by local musicians in new and exciting combinations.  We’re calling the format “Mixer Bands.”  If you’re interested in playing, please email Eric@Buddington.net, with ideas on tunes you want to play and people you want to play with.

Our caller for August is Andy Davis. Andy will teach all the dances in an inclusive and welcoming style, using gender-free phrasing. His goal is to put everyone at ease so they can have fun and dance – so please feel welcome whatever your experience level.  Come with friends, new or old!  Or come by yourself – contra dances are a great place to meet your neighbors thru a fun activity.

Date and Time: Saturday, August 10th, from 7:30 – 10:30PM  

Admission: pay-as-you-can, $5-$15 suggested.

Location:  Saints Episcopal Church, 59 Summer Street, North Adams MA. Use the door closest to the post office; we’re in the upstairs community room.

Poster:  https://northberkshiredance.org/poster/  please print and share!!!

Music:  Mixer Bands, possibly including you! Musicians, please email eric@buddington.net.

Calling workshop:  3-5 PM. This is separate from the dance. Aimed at dancers very new to calling – please email doonemackay@gmail.com to sign up or with questions.

Water bottles recommended!  The weather may be cooler than last month, but we’ll probably still be glad of open windows and fans.

July 13th Contra Dance – with fans and wide open windows!

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Reminder: we are dancing in North Adams (not Williamstown) for the summer.

Please come to our community oriented contra dance!  It’s welcoming to new and experienced dancers alike.

This month music will be supplied by local musicians in new and exciting combinations. We’re calling the format “Mixer Bands.” If you’re interested in playing, please email Eric@Buddington.net, with ideas on tunes you want to play and people you want to play with.

Fern Bradley is our caller. She calls regularly for community dances of all sorts and sizes – so please feel welcome whatever your experience level. Come with friends, new or old! Or come by yourself – contra dances are a great place to meet your neighbors thru a fun activity.

We look forward to seeing you there!

  • Date and Time: Saturday, July 13th, from 7:30 – 10:30PM  
  • Admission: pay-as-you-can, $5-$15 suggested.
  • Location:  Saints Episcopal Church, 59 Summer Street, North Adams MA. Use the door closest to the post office; we’re in the upstairs community room.
  • Poster:  https://northberkshiredance.org/poster/  please print and share!!!
  • Music:  Mixer Bands, possibly including you!
  • Calling workshop:  3-5 PM. This is separate from the dance. Aimed at dancers very new to calling – please email doonemackay@gmail.com to sign up or with questions.
  • Water bottles recommended!  The weather may be warm, but the windows open and we will have lots of fans.

Summer North Adams Series — Notes for Musicians and Calling Workshop Participants

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Our June dance in North Adams was a joyful success! Over forty happy dancers, and at least a dozen musicians, helped us open the hall. Are you considering joining us in July? Here are some potentially helpful notes:

Musicians: in July we’re trying a new “mixer” band format. Small groups will take turns playing for dances. Now is a great time to find friends to play with and plan out a set or two, though that’s not required. Please help us plan by emailing eric@buddington.net, with ideas on tunes you want to play and people you want to play with.

Calling Workshop: for July, please come prepared with one dance you are ready to call, at a mic, with live music. This means you’ll have worked out the timing of your calls, and possibly have thought about how to simplify over the course of a dance. Practicing at home, calling aloud, to real music, is highly recommended. One delightful feature of the “CallersBox” website (check out the recommended dances linked below), is that it links to videos for many of the dances, which is a fabulous help for visualization.

In the first half of the workshop, each participant will take a turn at the mic, calling with live music, but without dancers. In the second half, participants will have the opportunity to call for experienced, helpful dancers. (We’ll get into walk throughs and teaching in future workshops.)

Simple dances recommended, such as “Family Contra” by Sherry Nevins: https://www.ibiblio.org/contra…/thecallersbox/dance.php…

Galopede variant, by David Kaynor: https://www.ibiblio.org/contra…/thecallersbox/dance.php…

Lady of the Lake variant, by Don Lennartson: https://www.ibiblio.org/contra…/thecallersbox/dance.php…

Please sign up in advance by emailing Dance@NorthBerkshireDance.com. If you missed the first workshop and want to join now, please do! We’ll share notes to help you catch up, upon request.

Open Band from June 8th, 2024. Ably Anchored by George Wilson and Becky Hollingsworth.