Country Dance*New York (CD*NY) is presenting the Fall Fling Contra Dance on Saturday, November 21, 2015 with live and lively 21st century contra dance music by The Coffee Zombies. No previous experience is required and it is not necessary to come with a partner. All dances will be taught. The highly regarded caller from Maryland, Janine Smith, walks everyone through the patterns of each dance making contra dancing a delightful pleasure for all.
On Saturday, November 21, Country Dance*New York is hosting two contra dances at P.S. 199, 270 West 70th Street in Manhattan: an afternoon dance for experienced dancers from 3:30pm to 6:30pm, and a dance for all from 8pm to 10:45pm with a contra dance beginner's workshop from 7:30pm to 8pm. Admission to the advanced afternoon dance is $15 general public and $12 for students and CDNY members, and to the evening dance for all, $20 for the general public and $15 for students and CDNY members.
For the full day (both dances) admission is $28 general public or $22 students and CDNY members. Further information can be found at
http://www.cdny.org or by calling
212.459.4080.
The Coffee Zombies (from Kentucky) have rocked dancers from Wisconsin to Washington, DC and Ann Arbor to Atlanta. Tom Cunningham's swing, old-time and bluegrass backgrounds influence his fiddle and guitar playing. Drawing on her passion for Roma gypsy, Celtic and Balkan dance music, Dianna Davis brings her keyboard, accordion, clarinet and foot percussion playing. Playing percussion and guitar, Bob Douglas infuses the band with years of experience in world beat, punk and prog rock. The Coffee Zombies' sound incorporates original tunes based on rock, classical and folk styles, as well as traditional and modern dance tunes. Combined with their hard-driving rhythmic base, their sound makes everyone want to dance.
Contra dancing is having a renaissance around the country, thanks to a thriving youth scene; lively, uplifting acoustic music; and joyful, fast-paced, aerobic dancing. Contra dancing started in New England in the 1700s, but the modern version is a far cry from the Virginia Reel-type dancing done in schools years ago. The current dancing is done in lines of dancers facing their partners and moving briskly in patterns to live music, dancing with a partner, and also with others they meet in the course of a dance.
Attendees are asked to bring a separate pair of clean, soft-bottomed shoes for dancing.
