Contra Dance in Columbus and Central Ohio

Couldn't decide which of these photos of central Ohio dancers at River Rendezvous was best. So including them all. A few people are missing from the photo: Frank, Anya, Jonathan, Keith & Jan. Did I forget anyone? Everyone had a great time and the talent was superb. Thanks to the RR organizers!

June 29 - an evening of waltz in Cincinnati

For those who didn't make it to Pigtown Fling, it was a wonderful weekend! Check out the Cincinnati Contra dancer's page for lots of photos and videos. They did an amazing job of putting on a wonderful weekend with dancers from 29 states and incredible performances from Trillium, Elixir with Nils calling, Darlene Underwood and many others who led workshops.

SOLD OUT!!
PIGTOWN FLING
March 22-24, 2024
Dear Dancers,
PigTown Fling 2024 has reached Full Capacity!!
We thank dancers for their support.
Please join our Wait List & we will contact as slots become available!!
Our beautiful new venue does not have as much space as previous PigTown Fling Events!
We have planned for dancers to be comfortable & happy.We hope to see you soon!!
Awesome Bands & Spectacular Callers Await!!

We are welcoming CONTRA DANCERS
FROM 27 States!

Pigtown Fling is March 22-24. No walkins this year since the venue is smaller. They are at 90% of capacity, so sign up soon at
https://cincinnaticontradance.org/

Hi, everyone, a little different request. Does anyone remember Von Del Fisk? He danced with us while he lived here, 2007-2012. He moved back to Oregon when diagnosed with cancer, and passed away there. He left some personal items with someone here before moving, and the items included family photo albums. His daughter is trying to find them. She thinks the items were being stored in a barn, but he got ill very quickly and was never able to tell her who the friend was. Any ideas? You can comment here or call her (Jessica) at 503-701-3562 if you have any ideas.

Hi, folks, we have a couple of dancers coming to Winter WarmUp in an RV. They can park at the center but can't camp overnight there. Does anyone have a long driveway that could accommodate them at night? (they do have 2 dogs). If you can help, text or call me (Ellie Nowels) at 614-395-2196. I'll be busy with setup today so will not be checking Facebook much!

You can pay in person tonight at the All Soles dance! Volunteers are still needed, so take a look at the schedule when deciding when to volunteer. We need helpers for setup on Friday, teardown on Sunday, kitchen and registration help, and of course bakers to make yummy treats for the cafe!

WWU 2023 workshop scheduled is here! If you plan to attend yoga bring a mat, musicians bring your instrument for the jam, and anyone who loves percussion bring your drum or percussion instrument for the drum circle (some items will be provided). Can't wait! Remember early bird pricing ends next Saturday, Nov. 18.

not contra, but Irish!

Columbus Comhaltas is sponsoring the 6th Annual Big Irish Dance Party on November 17. This event is a Come-As-You-Are event that requires no specific partner to partake in the dancing. Our caller is Peggy Shanahan, Irish Dance Teacher Extraordinaire who will teach the easy steps. Not to worry, it's all in fun and either someone will drag you around if you think you have two left feet, or Peggy will provide a gentle nudge to get you in the correct place. If you aren't a dancer, then, we welcome your attendance as an audience for the Live-Band, which will be playing Irish Trad (and I'm in it!). We will have a bartender on site. We will provide free hot tea, have a 50/50 raffle and also have door prizes. All info is on the attached poster.

Not contra, but dance - and you can't have too much dance in your life!

Social Ballroom and Latin DanceSport group classes starting the November 13th week at the Swerve Dance and Fitness Complex (Address: 640 Lakeview Blvd Plaza Suite A, Worthington, OH 43085).

Phone: (614)401-7757
Email: [email protected]

Thanks to the Grandview Library for hosting a demo contra dance! Our new dancers all had a great time! Thanks to Richard Ades for calling and The Old Grey Cats for providing the tunes.

Join Contra Dance in Columbus and Central Ohio for an evening of partnered folk dancing at the library! Get instruction and learn how to dance to the music by following the “caller”. Join in or just watch. No experience or partner required. Children 7 & up accompanied by adult welcome. No fee. Registration required at ghpl.org/dance.

CDSS Survey Hello from CDSS! So glad you’re here! Are you 18-44 years old? Do you participate in folk music or dance? CDSS (Country Dance and Song Society) really wants to hear from you! We want to better understand who you are and what your community's needs are. This survey takes most people about ten minut...

This weekend is the Dublin Irish Festival - and in addition to all the fun Irish music and dance, you can contra dance on Saturday to the music of Boys of the Hock. Beth Mast will be calling. 5:45 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5 on the Ceili Dance Stage. Don't miss it!

Details at https://dublinirishfestival.org/

Last night's sponsored contra dance was such fun! So many new people having fun, and some old friends we hadn't seen in years! Thanks to Mark Barsamian and wife Carey Snyder for sponsoring a dance for their family reunion. Darlene Underwood did a super job getting everyone up to speed, and the music of Trillium kept us moving and happy!

Really really sad news about one of our beloved wacky joyful dancers. Celebration of life will be in May, will share more info when it is available.

Donald Joseph Murphy Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information View Donald Joseph Murphy's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

Not contra, but some local dance workshops next week - ballroom for adults, ballroom for children, Indian, and tap.

mucai-academy-llc.square.site

https://www.pbs.org/video/together-in-time-a-story-of-new-england-contra-music-jnggnl/

Made Here | Together In Time: A Story Of New England Contra Music | Season 5 | Episode 8 | PBS A 250-year history of an enduring form of community music and dance.

A new website for the contra community about gender and dance.

The site's description:

Controversy about gender language stirs strong emotions. Discussions become heated, and it feels like people “on the other side” aren’t listening. That hurts.

Intense feelings arise from personal experiences, which are deeply private. When we hear those personal stories, though, we begin to empathize and understand each other. This site provides a safe (anonymous) space to share those stories.

As understanding and empathy grow, we start to seek mutually satisfying solutions. We can embrace the challenges of diversity, and work together to build communities where all can flourish. Dance groups have navigated difficult controversies before, and emerged stronger for it.

Gender and Dance Join the Conversation

Good morning, dancers,

I have unfortunate news: Covid has hit the Phillips household. Frank has tested positive this morning for Covid---he has light symptoms, and we are hoping it stays that way. I am feeling fine and have tested negative.

Because I have definitely been exposed, and would be interacting with just about everyone who would come to the dance, I've decided that cancelling is in the best interest of our dance community.

The next All Soles Dance is planned for Saturday, January 14th. The caller will be Kim Thompson, from Athens and our band will be Firefly Trace. Please mark you calendars.

I wish all of you a joyful and restful Holiday Season!

In music and dance,
Jan

not contra dance, but maybe of interest?

Cincinnati Contra Dance is back to every Monday. Vax and mask requirements continue.

left at last night's dance, comment if it's yours

Saturday, June 25, 2022, from 1:00 to 4:00 P.M. in the Market Pavillion. Come join in some good ole family fun!

You can purchase a ticket to this fun, family-friendly event at the website. Tickets are $5.00 per person. (Age 10 and under are FREE).

Old fashioned barn dance | Lynd Fruit Farm old fashioned barn dance There will be a $5/PERSON charge for the barn dance, pre-registration is recommended. Age 10 & under FREE! Get Your Tickets

From Jim Sedvy (of River Rendezvous)

"I was deeply saddened tp find out this morning that a member of our dance community had passed away in November. I am sure you knew him, Steve Suvar, our "fan Man". Steve was a good friend. He would give you the shirt off his back. He always did way more than he needed to do to make River Rendezvous a "cool" place to dance ( and a few other places too).

I know he knew a lot of dancers from the Columbus area. With this pandemic I had not seen him in over 2 years. He is missed."

At Natalie's this Sunday! Andrew, Noah and Chris!

The Faux Paws - Natalie's Coal Fired Pizza From raging fiddle tunes, to saxophone solos and unrequited love songs, the music of The Faux Paws would be hard to pin down with standard genre descriptions. The trio’s contagious groove, and feel-good melting pot folk music has been honed over ten years of playing together, and is the sound of t...

Keep the Dance Flurry Weekend alive! Last year this wonderful weekend was remote, with an amazing lineup of music performances, dance workshops, zoom games and more. There will be a live concert but those of us in Central Ohio can support contra music (see lineup below) remotely for a mere $10!

Friday, February 18 at 7:00 PM

Celebrate Flurry Weekend at a live streamed benefit concert hosted by our friends at Caffe Lena. Emceed by veteran entertainer Kristoph “Ragliacci” DiMaria, this fundraising event will feature a lineup of familiar Flurry performers, both onstage and streaming in on video, to whisk you back to Flurryland for one magical night. All profits and donations will go to our Snowy Day Fund to preserve our ability to present the next Flurry, whether that works out to be this calendar year or next.

Live performers include The Whippersnappers, John Kirk and Trish Miller, Josh Fialkoff, and Joe and Jesse Bruchac. We’ll also have some special guests like the Faux Paws, Vanaver Caravan, Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, and Garland Nelson popping in from home, for a multimedia Flurry experience. While we can’t dance together in the big hall just yet, that’s no reason not to keep up the party this President’s Weekend in Saratoga Springs. Reserve your seat in the house, or tap your feet along from home, as we make the Flurry Festival come alive again!

$50 – Purchase tickets for the live concert HERE. (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/snow-day-a-flurry-festival-fundraising-concert-tickets-256466356777)

$10 – Purchase online streaming access HERE. (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/snow-day-a-flurry-festival-fundraising-live-stream-concert-tickets-257204334087)

Snow Day: A Flurry Festival Fundraising Live Stream Concert Tune in to the Flurry Festival Fundraising Concert from home!

Not contra dance but music! Tuesday, Feb. 1, 8:00 at the Rumba Cafe:

From Sean Oshima.

Background: My brother and I are Oshima Brothers, a Maine-based indie-folk band. We're also contra dancers since birth, dancing everywhere from Alaska to Maine, Dandelion Romp to LEAF to Flurry to CDH. Jamie's played in Barefoot with Ed Howe, Joy Compass, Mavish, Sassafras Stomp and so on.

We are in town to play a concert at Rumba Cafe this Tuesday night Feb 1st and ticket sales are very low. Vaccination or a negative test is required. Tickets are $10. I feel that live art is so fragile in hard times and thus we are on the road despite this craziness.

Here's a video of our sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVhZsU-ce_M

Here's a link to the show: https://www.ticketweb.com/event/oshima-brothers-rumba-cafe-tickets/11610475

RUMBA CAFE
2507 Summit St
Columbus, OH 43202

event - Rumba Cafe - Columbus, OH event Hoodoo Soul Band (Now at 9pm!) Sun January 23, 2022 9:00 pm EST $10 Buy Tickets Brother Moses w/ The Secret Life Of Houseplants Tue January 25, 2022 8:00 pm EST (7:00 pm DOORS) $10.00 Buy Tickets Early Eyes & Dante Elephante - Postponed Wed January 26, 2022 8:00 pm EST (7:00 pm DOORS) $15.00 B...

CIRCLE MIXER FROM OVER 100 ft IN THE AIR!
This beautiful video is shared from New England Dancing Masters!
● We are delighted to have the NEW ENGLAND DANCING MASTERS at our Ralph Page Vertual Event on Sunday 01/16/2022 @ 2:00 pm.
● Please register for this fabulous free event at (click and scroll down): https://www.neffa.org/.../34th-annual-ralph-page-jan-2022/
● You will be thrilled!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moL11SacgCs
● "The Circle Waltz Mixer" is a fantastic dance from the New England Dancing Masters book/CD "Sashay The Donut,"
● The audio track is called "In Continental Mood." This video shows a group of fourth graders directed by William C Doublestein from Boone Meadow Elementary School in Zionsville, IN.

Ralph Page Virtual Event January 16, 2022 – NEFFA Ralph Page Virtual Event January 16, 2022 “The Essence of the Past Driving the Spirit of the Future” Our theme this year is “Keeping the Flame Alive”! Let’s talk about sharing the dance and music that we love. Our performers were chosen this year because of their background in the New Eng...