English, Contra & Ceilidh Dancing Bash, Announced for 2/3

Country Dance*New York (CD*NY) is presenting an English, Contra, Ceilidh & Potluck Bash on Saturday, February 3, 2018 with lilting, driving, and joyous live music by two stellar musicians: Alex Cumming, a superb, traditional accordionist, singer and dance caller originally from England now living in Boston; with Carol Bittenson, a wonderful fiddler from Massachusetts. No previous experience is required and it is not necessary to come with a partner. All dances will be taught.

An afternoon English country dance will be followed by a potluck dinner and contra and ceilidh dancing in the evening:

4:00pm - 6:00pm English country dancing for all to live music (suitable for beginners to experienced dancers)

6:00pm - 7:30pm Community potluck dinner

7:30pm - 8:00pm Contra dance introductory lesson

8:00pm - 11:00pm Contra and Ceilidh dancing for all to live music

The highly regarded caller and teacher Beverly Francis will teach the afternoon English country dance and in the evening, callers Alex Cumming and Alex Deis-Lauby will walk everyone through the patterns of the contra and ceilidh dances making the dancing a pleasure for all. All the February 3 dances will be held at the Church of the Village, 201 West 13th Street, New York City.

Admission: English country dance: sliding scale of $5 to $10; Contra & Ceilidh dance: $15 general public, $12 for students with ID or CDNY members

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. English country dancing is choreographed community dancing, with repertoire ranging from court dances of the 1600s and 1700s to dances composed in the 20th and 21st centuries. English country dance is a participatory art form, welcoming to novices and experienced dancers alike. At the start of each dance, dancers invite one another to be partners. After centuries of development, it is extremely diverse and can vary from elegant to energetic, from playful to solemn, and from stately to boisterous. English country dance has many things in common with the Ceilidh - a Scottish social dance tradition - although each has its differences.

Further information can be found at www.cdny.org or by calling 212.459.4080.

Attendees are asked to bring a separate pair of clean, soft-bottomed shoes for dancing.