ContraVT Contra Dance news and such for Vermont 27 December, 2003 *************************************************************************** Here are the sections in this issue: ~ANNOUNCEMENTS, ETC... ~SPONSORS ~CONTRA DANCES ~FESTIVALS AND WORKSHOPS ~PERFORMANCES ~FOLK MUSIC ON VERMONT PUBLIC TELEVISION ~GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT CONTRAVT ~SUBSCRIBING AND UN-SUBSCRIBING *************************************************************************** ~ANNOUNCEMENTS, ETC... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I received emails regarding some special holiday events, so here is an update. Special Note: Not that I encouorage watching television, but if you happen to have the tube on on Jan 23 at 10pm, turn to Vermont Public television. David Millstone's latest video, What's Not to Like? will be shown. I think David did a great job of exploring what a contra dance community is, plus you will probably recognize some of the dancers interviewed! I have received a few cards from subscribers, and I appreciate it. It is not too late to send one! If there is a donation in the card, grand, if not, then a simple "thank you" will go a long way. You can send cards to: Patrick McCullough, 35 Washington St., Trumbull, CT 06611. I suggest a donation of $12 for the year. A suggestion was made to me regarding donations. If you use PayPal, you can send a donation to me at patrick@contracopia.net. If you have no idea what PayPal is, go to www.paypal.com. It is basically a service that handles credit cards. If you see CALL TO CONFIRM! in a dance listing, then contact the dance contact before going. The listing is for the correct day, but I have not heard from the dance this month. Regardless of where I wander in the coming months, I will be in constant email contact. Keep sending info of interest to the VT contra dance community, to Patrick at contravt@contracopia.net. Thanks ~patrick. *************************************************************************** ~SPONSORS ~~~~~~~~~~~ The Music Box 147 Creek Road, Craftsbury Village, VT Lisa Ann Sammet hosts a variety of music at her performance space. Check below for what is happening this month. CyberYankee That's me! I have a web page at www.cyberyankee.com, where I have some information about the various things that I do. Contracopia A web based music store dedicated to contra dance music! Over 85 titles to choose from, with music from all over the country. Each CD has audio samples to listen to. Stop by and browse! www.contracopia.net The Dance Gypsy gives dance info for New England and New York, and covers more than just contra dancing. Visit their web page at http://www.thedancegypsy.com or email thedancegypsy@thedancegypsy.com to learn more. *************************************************************************** ~CONTRA DANCES* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Always assume you need to bring clean, soft soled shoes to dance in. If you need more information about dances, use the contact information given Saturday, December 27 Otter Creek Contras' 4th Saturday Contradance Holley Hall, Bristol, VT Brendan Taaffe calling with Bill Drislane, Don Jamison and Sam Falvo playing Information: 802-524-1466 or DonP@lchdc.org Saturday, December 27, 2003 Annual Holiday Ball, a traditional holiday contra dance Willey Hall, Cabot, VT Grand March at 8 pm, caller Doug Bergstein, guest fiddler Pete Sutherland music by Tom MacKenzie, and the Hull's Union Victory String Orchestra pot luck lunch at intermission. for info call David Carpenter 426-3331 Saturday, December 27 Tracy Hall, Norwich, VT NO DANCE! see you New Year's Eve Please contact Rick Barrows at rbarrows@cs.dartmouth.edu if you're interested in helping out on New Year's (decorations, refreshments, etc...) Saturday, December 27 Montreal Contra-Danse Victoria Hall, 4626 Sherbrooke St. West Westmount area of Montreal 7:00 to 7:30pm Beginner's Workshop Dance 7:30pm to 10:45pm, Admission $10, $8 students CALL TO CONFIRM! info: 514-344-0367 or 514-341-0322 or email lesleycoulton@hotmail.com Wednesday, December 31, 2003 Cuckoos Nest New Year’s Eve Contradance (sponsored by Muskeg Music) (note: this dance replaces the usual Fourth Saturday dance) Tracy Hall, Norwich, VT Contradance with Cuckoo’s Nest Caller: Amy Cann 7:00 PM Family Dance (bring the kids!) 8:00 PM Contradance Singing at midnight~! Admission $10; under 10 are free, ages 10-16 and over 60 are half price. Discount $1 for Muskeg members. Festive attire encouraged. Please bring potluck finger foods for a snack at the break. This is a smoke-free and alcohol-free event. For more information or to volunteer contact: Rick Barrows at (802) 785-4607. Wednesday, December 31st, 2003 New Year's Eve dance at the Guiding Star Grange, 401 Chapman Street, Greenfield, MA. Swallowtail, Ron Grosslien, Timm Triplett, David Cantieni, Tim Van Egmond and George Marshall Special Guests include: Roroslaget, from Boston, featuring music for Scandinavian couple dancing More Contradancing with Mary Lea, Ethan Hazzard-Watkins, Anna Patton, Timm Triplett, Peter Siegel and Jim Frownes Schedule: 8-8:30 pm Roroslaget 8:30-10:45 pm Swallowtail 11:15 pm - 12:15 am All play! 12:15-2 am Mary Lea and friends There will be a dessert Potluck. All are welcome, no partner necessary. Admission at the door $15 ($10 students) For info contact George at band@swallowtail.com Vox: 413-323-9604 Friday, January 2, 2004 Bennington Community Contra Dance Masonic Lodge, 545 Main Street, Bennington, VT 8 - 11 pm Admission is $6 for adults, $3 for students and 8-18 year olds, free for children under 8. Gail Griffith with The Flying Garbanzos More information: www.benningtondance.org, or email info@benningtondance.org, or call Susan or David at (802) 447-2173 Saturday, January 3, 2004 Capitol City Grange Contra Dance, Montpelier VT 8:00pm dance, $7.00 admission Bill Olson calling with Scrod Pudding more info: call 802-744-6163 or ww.contracopia.net/sites/montpelier Friday, 9 January, 2004 Queen City Contras 2nd Friday contra dance Edmunds Middle School, Burlington Pete and Karen Sutherland with the Lake Champlain Waldorf School Contradance Band 8:00pm, $7 Admission, $5 students and seniors Info: 865-9363 or 453-3795 Friday, 9 January English Country Dance Saranac Elementary School Gym (nearest building to Rt. 3) 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 Donation: $5. adults $3. teens Music: provided by the Waickman family Caller: Wendy and Bruce contact: koester@westelcom.com Saturday, January 10, 2004 Tracy Hall, Norwich, VT 8:00 pm Contradance with Northern Spy Caller: David Millstone Admission $7, under 16 and over 60 are FREE. For more information contact: Rick Barrows at (802) 785-4607. Sunday, Jan 11, 2004 Contra Dance in St. Albans First Congregational Church in downtown St. Albans (corner of Church and Bank St., can't miss it). 3pm, Admission $3.00 with family rates CALL TO CONFIRM! I am nto sure if this dance will continue on the same Sunday each month, but I figured I should list it just in case. info: call (802) 524-1980 Friday, January 16, 2004 The Champlain Club Contra Dance Champlain Club, Crowley Street, Burlington CALL TO CONFIRM! call: 863-2199 for info Friday, January 16, 2004 Woodbury Strings Third Friday Family Dance Woodbury Town Hall in Woodbury Vermont on Route 14 7pm to 9ish, Admission: $3 adults, free for children music by Woodbury Strings. CALL TO CONFIRM! Web Site http://woodburystrings.home.att.net info: (802) 223-8945 January 17, 2004 Capitol City Grange Contra Dance, Montpelier VT 8:00pm dance, $7.00 admission Peter Amidon with Keith Murphy and Becky Tracy more info: call 802-744-6163 or ww.contracopia.net/sites/montpelier Saturday, 17 January, 2004 Rutland area Contra Dance Unitarian Universalist Church, 117 West St. in Rutland 7:00-8:00 Family Dance, 8:00-11:00 Contra Dance Admission - $7 Adults, $2 Children 16 and younger CALL TO CONFIRM! info - Joe or Linda 747-4833 or Tom at (802) 492-3116 email: tmitch@sover.net Friday, 23 January English Country Dance Saranac Elementary School Gym (nearest building to Rt. 3) 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 Donation: $5. adults $3. teens Music: provided by the Waickman family Caller: Wendy and Bruce contact: koester@westelcom.com Saturday, January 24, 2004 Tracy Hall, Norwich, VT Special Afternoon Workshop and Family Dance 3:00 to 6:00 pm Workshop (for educators, music teachers, and parents) "Teaching Dance to Children" led by musician, singer, composer, and dancer, Peter Amidon. Peter will lead a brief workshop in advance of the afternoon Family Dance, demonstrate principles at the dance, and follow up with a discussion afterwards. Admission to the workshop and dance $10. Saturday, January 24, 2004 Tracy Hall, Norwich, VT Contradance with Cuckoo’s Nest Caller: Peter Amidon 8:00 PM Contradance Admission $7, under 16 and over 60 are FREE. Discount $1 for Muskeg members The usual 7 pm Family Dance will be held in the afternoon from 3:30-5:30 pm. Muskeg Music’s Annual Meeting and potluck supper will be held at 6 pm. For more information contact: Rick Barrows at (802) 785-4607. Sunday, 25 January 2004 English Country Dancing Tracy Hall, Norwich, Vermont Music by Morning Star Calling by Chris Levey 1 to 4 pm, $8.00 Admission. ($4 for under 16). $1 discount for Muskeg members. For more information call: (802) 785-4121 (Chris) or visit http://engineering.dartmouth.edu/~cgl/localECD/ Future Dates: February 22, March 28, April 18 2004 January 31, 2004 Capitol City Grange Contra Dance, Montpelier VT 8:00pm dance, $7.00 admission Rachel Nevitt with Honk the Moose more info: call 802-744-6163 or ww.contracopia.net/sites/montpelier January 31, 2004 Hot Dance on a Cold Night! Tracy Hall Norwich, Vermont 8 PM Contras and squares for experienced dancers David Millstone, caller, Music provided by Airdance (Rodney Miller, Mary Cay Brass, Stuart Kenney, David Surette) more info: David.Millstone@valley.net Friday, February 6, 2004 Bennington Community Contra Dance Masonic Lodge, 545 Main Street, Bennington, VT 8 - 11 pm Admission is $6 for adults, $3 for students and 8-18 year olds, free for children under 8. David Kaynor with Gigue-A-Bit More information: www.benningtondance.org, or email info@benningtondance.org, or call Susan or David at (802) 447-2173 *************************************************************************** ~FESTIVALS AND WORKSHOPS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tuesday Irish Music Session Tip Top Cafe in White River Junction, VT 6:30 - 9:30. Informal, play or just enjoy. Ralph Page Legacy Weekend January 16-18. 2004 Durham, NH http://www.neffa.org/rplw.html Sunday, January 18th, 2-5pm Irish fiddle and guitar workshopswith Randal Bays and Daithi Sproule College Street Congregational Church, Burlington, VT To register for either the fiddle or guitar workshop, please contact Malcolm Sanders at mmsander@zoo.uvm.edu Or by phone at (802) 859-0417 Costa Rica Dance Camp The Clayfoot Strutters invite you to join us for Pura Vida Dance Camp, Feb 28 through March 3, in the beautiful countryside of Costa Rica. It will be our third year at Hacienda Moravia in Grano D’Oro, 5 hours southeast of San Jose. Kathy Anderson will be calling, Johnny and Ana Soto, our hosts, will be feeding and looking after us. It promises to be another year of wonderful dancing, food, white water rafting, birding, jungle explorations, and poison dart extraction workshops (www.puravidadancecamp.com/) *************************************************************************** ~PERFORMANCES Village Harmony Concerts Go to http://www.northernharmony.pair.com/vhcconcerts.html Wednesday, Dec 31st First Night Burlington Pete Sutherland accompanying Deb Flanders, VT ballad singer 3pm and 8pm at College St Congregational Church Free w/ First Night button Friday, January 2, 2004 Blue Grass Benefit Concert Old Socialist Labor Hall - Granite St. in downtown Barre 7:00 - 11:00 pm, $12 in advance/$15 at the door BANDS: Cold Country, The Lindner Brothers (Banjo Dan and Willy) and Bob Degree and the Bluegrass Storm Tickets available at: Riverwalk Records - Langdon St. in downtown Montpelier Barre Books (North Main St. in downtown Barre) ALL PROCEEDS to go to Vermont CARES and Partners In Health (a Boston-based organization that runs a health clinic in rural Haiti) For more information call Melissa Clifford at 476-4898 or email at amaobruni2003@hotmail.com Friday, January 2nd, 2004 Pete Sutherland at FlynnSpace The Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, Burlington, Vermont Pete will appear in concert with several musical friends and collaborators. 7:30pm, Tickets ($14 advance, $16 day of show) are available by calling 863-5966 or on-line at http://www.flynncenter.org/regional/. For more information about Pete, check his web site at http://epactmusic.com/Pete.html. Saturday, January 17th Randal Bays and Daithi Sproule In concert at FlynnSpace, Burlington, VT 8pm, Tickets ($14 advance, $16 day of show) will be available by calling the Flynn Box Office at 802-863-5966 or on-line at http://www.flynncenter.org. For more information contact Mark Sustic at mrksustc@together.net The MUSIC BOX in Craftsbury, VT *Saturday, Jan 3 at 7pm, $10 NORTHERN ROUTES a four piece ensemble that includes Tom MacKenzie, one of the finest Hammer Dulcimer players in the US! Kids under 14 are free! *January 31, Sat, 7 pm ANDY WEBSTER, singer, songwriter and great guitarist. This will be a BENEFIT CONCERT for The Music Box, all proceeds will go to help The Music Box continue. Come listen to great music and support the music! *February 21, Sat. 7 pm KAREN MCFEETERS & REBECCA PADULA Two great women singer/ songwriters and guitarists. From Burlington. Tickets $8 For more info call 586-7533 Live Art & The Barre Opera House Present The Granite City Folk Series *Friday January 9, 2004, 8:00 p.m. Tom Paxton with special guests John Specker and his band Shout Lula $22, $18, $15 *Thursday February 26, 2004 7:30 p.m. Dougie MacLean $25, $22, $18 *Saturday April 3, 2004 8 p.m. Richard Shindell with special guest David Francey $22, $18, $15 For more information about Live Art and the Granite City Folk Series, call 802-685-4304 or email Kristina Stykos, Director (Live Art) at kristina@liveartvt.org *************************************************************************** ~FOLK MUSIC ON VERMONT PUBLIC TELEVISION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Saturday 3 Jan 10:00PM Austin City Limits "The Jayhawks/ Gillian Welch" (CC) Saturday 10 Jan 10:00PM Austin City Limits "Guster/Los Lonely Boys" (CC) Saturday 17 Jan 10:00PM Austin City Limits "Ben Harper" (CC) Friday 23 Jan 10:00PM Reel Independents: Vermont's Film Showcase "What's Not to Like? A Community Contradance" A portrait of a monthly New England folk dance held in Norwich, Vt. Produced by David Millstone of Lebanon, N.H. Saturday 24 10:00PM Austin City Limits "Keith Urban/Rodney Cromwell" (CC) *************************************************************************** GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT CONTRAVT ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ContraVT is a free email publication intended to help contra dance organizers and musicians publicize their events in the northern VT area. Placing a listing is free, and signing up to receive ContraVT is free. If you would like to make a donation to help offset the costs associated with this effort, please send a check made out to CyberYankee, c/o McCullough, 35 Washington St, Trumbull, CT 06611. A $12 yearly subscription is suggested. You can reach the local dance community through ContraVT by running a three line personal announcement here for $5.00 a month, or advertise a business for $25 for 6 months. As always, I appreciate any and all input you folks send me, if you are announcing an event, please try to get me the information at least two weeks in advance. Feel free to add contravt@ontracopia.net to any regular announcement lists that you have. *************************************************************************** ~SUBSCRIBING AND UN-SUBSCRIBING ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To unsubscribe from ContraVT, simply send a blank email to contravt-unsubscribe@topica.com from the address you wish to remove, or use the quick unsubscribe below. If you have problems, let me know. If this message has been forwarded to you and want to subscribe, send a blank email to contravt-subscribe@topica.com , Pretty simple, eh? *************************************************************************** Patrick McCullough patrick@contracopia.net Contracopia: Contra Dance music CDs to browse and buy www.contracopia.net