Contra Dance Benefit and Silent Auction!
The Historic Jonesborough Dance Society welcomes Asheville band “Spring Chickens” and caller Fred Park to the next contra
On Saturday, May 17, 2008 at the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center, 117 Boone Street. This event will combine a contra dance and a silent auction in order to continue to raise funds for the new dance floor to be installed at the Visitors Center starting May 25th.
This special afternoon dance will begin at 1:30 p.m. with a workshop for beginners to be held at 1:00pm. Admission to the dance is $7, $5 for HJDS members and $4 for students. Since this is a benefit dance, attendees and patrons of the silent auction can make cash contribution of any size beyond regular admission in support of the drive to raise funds for the new dance floor. Event organizer, David Wiley, states that the fund raising goal is within reach. “We have over $11,000 in commitments with only $4,000 to go. Our organization is all volunteer and non-profit. We are providing this gift to the community and need everyone’s support”. If someone wishes to donate to the silent auction, please contact Wiley at 423-534-8879. Donations for the floor can be made to the Town of Jonesborough and thus are tax deductible.
The beginner’s workshop gives the experienced dancers and first timers
a chance to warm up together. The caller explains many of the calls
such as balance and swing, star left and star right, ladies chain across,
Do-si-do, courtesy turn, allemande and hey for four. Many of these
calls would be familiar to anyone who square danced. The contra
dance employs a longwise set and allows couples to progress up
and down the line to dance with all other couples.
The Spring Chickens known mostly for their hard driving rhythmic old time repertoire will crossover to add contra dance tunes for our dance. The Spring Chickens are lead by regional potters Rob and Beth Mangum from Weaverville, NC., on fiddle and guitar. The remaining members of their group are McLean Bissell on bass, Art Schuster on mandolin and special guest, Roy Andrade on banjo.
Fred Park was once the "bad boy" of the American Country Dance and Song Society for trying such shenanigans as mixing blues and gospel
Music with traditional melodies from Scotland and New England.
He later rose above the roar of the old guard to become a recognized teacher of the highest order.
Many callers and dance leaders have taken to heart his gentle
and patient humor when working with novice or advanced dancers.
His country dance choreography is lean and exquisite in the form of
circles, contras, squares, small set dances and waltzes. "If it’s not a
dance that I personally enjoy dancing I don't teach it!" Fred has been
on staff at most every dance festival in America and several in Canada, Scotland and France.
Fred's involvement in traditional dance predates the recent wave of
interest in contra dance while he is a noted organizer of traditional
arts events including festivals, community dances and teaching or
performing traditional arts in school programs, nursing homes and
prisons nation wide and abroad.
Event organizer, David Wiley, believes that our community building
efforts are paying off. “Our attendance is continually on the rise. We have a core group of regulars, but see many new dancers at every
event”. “We combine traditional live music and dances that anyone can
do” adds Wiley. The dances are held two times per month in the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center. All the dances are taught by
the caller. You don’t have to bring a partner.
For more information, contact David Wiley, event organizer at 423-913-3246 or visit www.historicjonesboroughdancesociety.org. |
