July 22nd contra dance

Talent: Mike Fynan calling to the music of Kathrine Gardner, Cynthia Faulkner (not pictured), and Allen Barnes
Time: 8:00–11:00 pm, with newcomer’s orientation at 7:30 pm
Date: Saturday, July 22, 2017
Location: Coloma Community Center, 4623 T St, Sacramento, CA
Cost: $12 for adults; $8 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $25 maximum for families (cash or check)

A newcomer’s orientation is offered at 7:30 pm, perfect for people who have not contra danced before, or who could use some refresher. Experienced dancers are invited to partner with newcomers during the orientation and early dances to help integrate them into the community.

No partners are needed, so come by yourself or with friends or with family. Potluck snacks are available at the break, and we encourage you to bring something to share. These events are accessible to people with disabilities.

For more information, and lost and found, contact Laura Leonelli, 916-549-7093, or email info@sactocds.org

Upcoming events:
July 29: special Truckee contra dance
August 6: English country dance
August 12: contra dance

Last call for Echo Summit Dance Camp

Echo Summit Dance Camp will likely fill up this month. Don’t miss out – get your registration in soon! Come to the high Sierra for great contra dancing and music with your friends old and new, on the weekend of September 15-17, 2017, featuring the Syncopaths, The Free Raisins, Cis Hinkle, and Luke Donforth. Send in your registration promptly to join in the fun!

Camp Sacramento is two hours east of Sacramento off Highway 50 just west of Echo Summit at an elevation of 6600 feet. Nestled in the tall trees of the Sierra Nevada, Camp Sacramento’s refinished wooden dance floor and rustic small cabins are waiting for you to enjoy. Camp staff sell espresso drinks in the morning, and beer and ice cream in the afternoons to keep your dance energy going.

THE CALLERS

Luke Donforth brings a warm and inviting playfulness to the hall with his calling. Contra caller and choreographer, based in Burlington, VT, he calls new and traditional contras at weekly dances, festivals, barn dances, weddings, and parties. Luke has shared the joy of dancing far and wide — in over a third of the US and a fifth of Canadian provinces.

Cis Hinkle has delighted contra and square dancers since 1985 with her skilled teaching, welcoming manner, playful enthusiasm, and masterful selection of dances. She is in great demand at music and dance festivals all over the US, England, and Denmark.  When not on the road, Cis teaches t’ai chi classes in her native Atlanta, Georgia.

THE BANDS

The Syncopaths
From dance floors to concert halls, the Syncopaths bring a fresh, contemporary spin to music and songs rooted in the Scottish, Irish, and American folk traditions. At the heart of the band’s sound are the twin engines of Ryan McKasson’s dynamic, Scottish-based fiddling and the amazing picking of mandolinist Ashley Broder. Jeff Spero provides inventive piano accompaniment, anchored by the driving power of Christa Burch’s bodhrán. Christa also lends her singular voice — warm, supple, expressive, and intimate — to the band’s songs. Together, they create a “chamber folk” sound, characterized by the compelling, rhythmic interplay of fiddle and mandolin, rich vocals, and unexpected colors and rhythms from the piano and bodhrán. The exuberant joy they derive from the music and each other is palpable and contagious.

The Free Raisins
An energetic dance band from Boston, the Free Raisins fuse New England roots with a modern groove. The band features Audrey Knuth on a driving and lyrical fiddle, Amy Englesberg on creative piano, and Jeff Kaufman on foot-stompin’ mandolin and dance-movin’ trumpet. They promise a versatile mix of supremely danceable tunes, guaranteed to get your feet moving. Come out and get your two scoops worth!

 

Sound by Victor Garza.

THE PROGRAM — Registration starts on Friday at 5 pm, a potluck dinner at 6 pm, and dancing at 8 pm. The weekend includes dances, dance and music workshops, and concerts by the bands. Camp ends at 3:30 pm on Sunday. Five meals are included. There are no beginner’s lessons at camp.

LODGING – Lodging is in small rustic cabins, with bathrooms in separate buildings nearby. Couples get their own cabin; singles get a cabin with one to three other people of the same gender. The cabins are unheated and nights can be near freezing. BRING WARM BEDDING. Space heaters and heating pads are not allowed because of old electric wiring. You are allowed to sleep in your vehicle (van or car); no large RVs or trailers are allowed due to access issues in case of fire. No tent camping is allowed because of bears.  For those who prefer other housing, please make your own reservations offsite. We are unable to reduce the camp fee if you stay offsite.

July 8th contra dance

Talent: Erik Hoffman calling to the music of Whimsical
Date: Saturday, July 8, 2017
Time: 8:00–11:00 pm, with newcomer’s orientation at 7:30 pm
Location: Coloma Community Center, 4623 T St, Sacramento, CA
Cost: $12 for adults; $8 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $25 maximum for families (cash or check)

Erik Hoffman brings clear teaching and calling, and a sense of humor. Whimsical is an all-female contra dance band, featuring Debra Tayleur on piano, Regan Hemphill and Janette Duncan on fiddle, and Beth Christian (not pictured) on cello. The group loves to combine strong rhythmic drive with lilting melodies, playing New England, old time, Quebecois, and Irish tunes to make dancers’ spirits and feet fill the floor with joy.

A newcomer’s orientation is offered at 7:30 pm, perfect for people who have not contra danced before, or who could use some refresher. Experienced dancers are invited to partner with newcomers during the orientation and early dances to help integrate them into the community.

No partners are needed, so come by yourself or with friends or with family. Potluck snacks are available at the break, and we encourage you to bring something to share. These events are accessible to people with disabilities.

For more information, and lost and found, contact Laura Leonelli, 916-549-7093, or email info@sactocds.org

Upcoming events:
July 22: contra dance
July 29: special Truckee contra dance
August 6: English country dance

July 2nd picnic & English country dance

• Talent: David Newitt calling to the music of Quite Carried Away
• Date: Sunday, July 2, 2017
• Time: 3:00-6:00 pm, with newcomer’s workshop at 2:30 pm
• Location: Polish American Hall, 327 Main St, Roseville
• $10 for adults; $8 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $25 maximum for families (cash or check)

The Picnic: Yes, it’s time for the annual potluck picnic that follows our Roseville English Country Dance! Paul and Patty Larsen have once again invited us to their lovely home for a potluck picnic immediately following this Sunday’s dance! The Larsens will provide hamburgers and veggie burgers, and SCDS will provide the condiments and plates/utensils. Please bring any kind of side dish (appetizer, salad, fruit, dessert, etc.) of your choice, plus whatever you want to drink. And don’t forget your swim suit and towel so you can enjoy their pool!

The Dance: David Newitt came to Berkeley in 1982 to work on a Ph.D. in physics and to do country and display dancing. He teaches and plays music for regular Scottish and English dances and calls contras and the occasional square dance by night, while doing research in Magnetic Resonance Imaging at UCSF by day. David is one of the most accomplished country dance teachers in the Bay Area, known particularly for his mastery of dance geography and his ability to make complicated dances seem simple.

Give them English Country Dance music to play, and they’re Quite Carried Away! The band is Dick Holdstock on octave mandolin and banjo, Susan Jones and Sandra Westfall on concertinas, Arlene Jamar on piano, Jane Kostka on whistle, Martin Lodahl on viola da gamba, and David Wright on fiddle and mandolin.

As usual, beginners are welcome and no partners are necessary.  If you are bringing, or know of any, first-timers, please urge them to come at 2:30 for the introductory workshop that precedes the dance.  All dancers are welcome at the workshop, but first-time attendees receive a coupon for half-off admission at their next dance!

For more information, and lost and found, call Laura Leonelli, 916-549-7093, or email info@sactocds.org.

Upcoming events:
July 8: contra dance
July 22: contra dance
July 29: special Truckee contra dance
August 6: English country dance

June 24th contra dance

Talent: Kelsey Hartman calling to the music of The Reno Ceilidh Band
Date: Saturday, June 24, 2017
Time: 8:00–11:00 pm, with newcomer’s orientation at 7:30 pm
Location: Coloma Community Center, 4623 T St, Sacramento, CA
Cost: $12 for adults; $8 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $25 maximum for families (cash or check)

Kelsey is a “contraholic,” who can often be found dancing or calling a contra dance. Her inspiration comes from Nils Fredland, whose workshop in 2012 spurred her down the caller’s path. When calling, she considers herself a conduit between the dancers and the band, helping to channel the joy of the music through flowing, interesting dances. The Reno Ceilidh Band is Bob Kastelic, Scott Cozen, and Jim Hutchins.

A newcomer’s orientation is offered at 7:30 pm, perfect for people who have not contra danced before, or who could use some refresher. Experienced dancers are invited to partner with newcomers during the orientation and early dances to help integrate them into the community.

No partners are needed, so come by yourself or with friends or with family. Potluck snacks are available at the break, and we encourage you to bring something to share. These events are accessible to people with disabilities.

For more information, and lost and found, contact Laura Leonelli, 916-549-7093, or email info@sactocds.org

Upcoming events:
July 2: English country dance, Roseville
July 8: contra dance
July 22: contra dance
July 29: special Truckee contra dance

Save the date: July 29th Truckee dance

Get ready for a hot time in the cool Sierras next month! Please plan to join us on the last Saturday in July for a special dance hosted jointly with the contra dance communities in the Foothills and Reno. Joyce Miller will be calling to the music of Post Industrial String Band from Quincey, CA (Kenny Davis, Leslie Mink, and Ken Cawley). The dance will be held at the Truckee Community Center (10046 Church St., Truckee, CA) from 7:30 – 10:30 pm, with a newcomer’s orientation at 7:00 pm.

Some people will be staying in the area and may be hiking on Sunday. Please contact Barbara Gebhart at bgebhart2000@yahoo.com or 916-761-3021 for info about camping.

June 10th contra dance

Talent: Andy Shore calling to the music of Derya and Deniz Akin
Date: Saturday, June 10, 2017
Time: 8:00–11:00 pm, with newcomer’s orientation at 7:30 pm
Location: Coloma Community Center, 4623 T St, Sacramento, CA
Cost: $12 for adults; $8 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $25 maximum for families (cash or check)

With over 26 years experience in teaching and leading social dance, Andy Shore has been calling contra dances since 2007. He calls both traditional and “gender role free” contra dances and loves everything from teaching beginners to satisfying seasoned dancers.

From the Bay Area contra dance bands Common Ground and Common Farmer, multi-instrumentalist Derya Akin enjoys playing fiddle in a variety of styles ranging from bluegrass and old-time to Irish and New England.  Although she has competed and placed in fiddle competitions throughout Northern California in the past, she much prefers applying her musical skills to playing for dances.  Derya has been an active member of the contra dance community since 2009 as a musician and dancer. Deniz Akin has become involved in just about all aspects of contra dance—calling, playing, programming, and dancing.  If she’s not on stage, you can usually find her on the dance floor, doing anything from ceili to contra to social dance (especially swing!), or attempting to learn ragtime piano.  As a guitarist for several different contra dance bands, she draws from both Irish and American traditions to create driving, dynamic, and of course highly danceable rhythms.

A newcomer’s orientation is offered at 7:30 pm, perfect for people who have not contra danced before, or who could use some refresher. Experienced dancers are invited to partner with newcomers during the orientation and early dances to help integrate them into the community.

No partners are needed, so come by yourself or with friends or with family. Potluck snacks are available at the break, and we encourage you to bring something to share. These events are accessible to people with disabilities.

For more information, and lost and found, contact Laura Leonelli, 916-549-7093, or email info@sactocds.org

Upcoming events:
June 24: contra dance
July 2: English country dance, Roseville
July 8: contra dance
July 22: contra dance
July 29: special Truckee contra dance