Cosmic Otters play contra dance in Jonesborough!
The Historic Jonesborough Dance Society will present another in a series of contra dances on Saturday March 20, 2010 at the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center, 117 Boone Street. This dance will feature the music of the Cosmic Otters with caller Rachel Shapiro providing the choreographic direction. A class for beginners will be held from 7:00-7:30pm. Then the dance will take up the rest of the evening concluding at 10:30pm. As always, a country waltz and Klondike Bar break will occur at 9:00pm.
No partner is necessary. All dances are taught by the caller. All dances are smoke and alcohol free. Admission to the dance is $7, $ for HJDS members and $4 for students. We welcome families with children in hopes of teaching the fine art of folk dance for generations to come.
Contra dance is a group-based social activity that has a long tradition. It is similar to square dancing and the Virginia Reel, usually done in circles or long lines in which partners dance with many other couples in turn throughout a dance set. There are a few basic dance figures, all of which are taught during the beginner’s class, that are combined in a various ways, prompted by the caller. These figures are repeated with all of the dancers in a set. The result is a lot of fun, great exercise, lots of smiling and laughing as the group moves to the music, each person contributing to the shared experience. It is community building at its best!
The rebirth of contra dance in our region began four years ago with a handful of folks who had some experience and lots of beginners. Now it is common to see 125-150 in attendance at the center of contra dance, Jonesborough, Tennessee. If you have yet to experience one of these evenings of “community joy in motion”, the March dances offer wonderful opportunities with terrific bands and great callers. If dancing is not for you, just come and enjoy the music and laughter.
The Cosmic Otters love playing for contra dances. Based in Chicago, they
are equally inspired by scratchy archive fiddle recordings, old fashioned dance music from the Midwest and the Celtic fringe and the great New
England dance bands of recent decades. The Otters have a reputation for dance music that is lush, driving, responsive to the dancers and grounded in a solid choice of tunes.
Jonathan Whitall’s driving fiddle sound, honed after years spent playing pubs in the Chicago Irish band Donnybrook, sitting in adulation at the feet of master Cape Breton musicians and dancing to Chicago’s finest old-time bands, gets even the most lethargic dancers jumping. Jonathan not only adds French-Canadian style foot percussion, but wears spectacular pants.
A member of the Otters since 2008, mathematics graduate student, Edward Wallace brings a second fiddle, juicy harmonies and a rich repertoire of Irish music learned around the globe. He has opened the bands ears to the possibilities of Morris dance tunes, yet refuses to wear loud shirts or bells.
Meg Dedolph anchors the Cosmic Otters with her solid rhythm, tast chords and steadfast refusal to bicker with the fiddlers over tune choices.
She discovered contra dancing while working as a newspaper reporter on the Wisconsin tundra and has never looked back. Meg’s drumming, a legacy of her shady past as a percussion major in college, is a big hit with dancers.
Since finding herself in a contra dance line at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival , Rachel Shapiro has dedicated herself to the contra dancing good life in Boston and now in Chicago. She calls fun dances that flow well with short walk-throughs that dancers love.
For more information, contact event organizer, David Wiley at 423-913-3246 or visit www.historicjonesboroughdancesociety.org. and on the Historic Jonesborough Dance Society page on FACEBOOK. |
