Announcing our 2024 summer season!
In June, July, and August, we (North Berkshire Community Dance) will be in North Adams (not Williamstown). The new location gives us the opportunity to try some things we’ve been wanting to do for a while.
But, first, what will stay the same? We are still hosting a community oriented contra dance, welcoming to new and experienced dancers alike, with live music and expert teaching, on the second Saturday of the month, from 7:30 – 10:30 PM.
So, what’s new?
Location: All Saints Episcopal Church, 59 Summer Street, North Adams MA. This is next-door to the post office, in the upstairs community room. (An elevator is available.) It’s a pleasant space, with windows that open, plenty of parking, and centrally located in very walkable North Adams.
If all you want to do is dance, that’s all you need to know. But there’s more!
Calling Workshops: we’re learning to call, and you’re welcome to learn also! From 3-5PM, preceding each dance, we’ll host an introduction to calling for curious dancers. Intended for moderately experienced dancers with no (or minimal) calling experience. The first calling workshop will be led by Peter Stix, who will focus on the mechanics of calling, which centers around timing, and fitting your verbal prompts to the music. Sign up in advance: email Dance@NorthBerkshireDance.com
Music: more opportunities to play! Yay! Rather than hiring in musicians, we’d like to develop, and further develop, local talent. Contra dance music is a very particular thing – the AABB form is well defined, and (relatively) easy to play adequately, which makes it accessible to musicians with skill in other genres. However, contra dance music also has immense room for specialization, improvisation, and collaboration. It’s particularly rewarding for musicians who like to feel appreciated: you can see and feel appreciation from the dance floor when you succeed. Try playing for our community dance, and feel the joy of connection for yourself!
The musical opportunities come in two flavors: an open band on June 8th, and mixer bands on July 13th and August 10th.
Open Band: all musicians with acoustic instruments are welcome to play in one big group, led by experienced musicians. A standard repertoire tune list will be available on our website in advance.
Mixer Bands: volunteer musicians, in small groups, will rotate throughout the evening. Suitable for musicians familiar with the genre and ready to play in smaller, self-organizing, groups. Bring your instrument, and your favorite tunes, and sign up at the dance. Eric Buddington will organize.
Questions? Please email NorthBerkshireDance.com, or ask on our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/northberkshiredance/
We hope to see you there! Come dance, play music, bring your friends! It will be lots of fun.
Join us this Saturday, June 10th, for a delightful community contra dance! Maggie McRae will call (teach), starting the evening with easy dances accessible to novices and families with children. The hall will fill with lively, energetic dancers, new skills will be taught as needed, and by the end, we’ll have danced the old chestnut, “Chorus Jig”, to the traditional reel of the same name. (Trust us, Chorus Jig is fun! That’s why people have been dancing it since 1820, at least.) Come alone, or with friends.
Music will be provided by two masters of New England’s traditional dance music: Laurie Indenbaum on fiddle, and Mary Cay Brass on keyboard. Mary Cay has been a foundational performer and teacher in the traditional dance and music community for many years. In addition to teaching choral singing, she has supplied a vital pulse in various 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”. 
North Berkshire Community Dance 