Details
Virtual doors open at 6:50 EDT, dancing 7-8:20, and we’ll keep the link open for greetings at the end
David Smukler will lead us through the ins and outs of four interesting and enjoyable English Country dances and Laurel will play the music to keep us moving.
Tonight’s dances are:
- Mulberry Garden from The Dancing Master, 1670 As reconstructed by Cecil Sharp, 1922
- Counting to Ten by David Smukler 2020 to the Tune: The Noon Moose of Maine, by Andrea Beaton
- Costumer’s Delight by Philippe Callens, 2018 to the Tune: One Charming Night, by Henry Purcell (1692)
- Leather Lake House by Henry Bishop, 1788 as reconstructed by Fried de Metz Herman, 1986
This evenings dance notes are here: deep dive 14
The dances will be played through, so that dancers can dance all of the parts, and if time allows we’ll end with a waltz.
For information on how to join the dance, contact
Caller
David Smukler
David Smukler leads evenings of contras and squares, English country dances, family dances, school programs, and special events such as weddings, festivals, etc. He has also presented workshops on numerous dance related topics. His taste in dances is eclectic, and he presents a wide variety of dances. His repertoire includes plenty of New England contras, as well as an assortment of squares, singing calls, mixers, old chestnuts and freshly minted dances. He has a special fondness for English country dances, and his English programs also blend old favorites with new gems.
David grew up singing folk songs with his mom and began dancing contras in New Hampshire as a teen. In 1981 he was drafted to call for his local dance and has been calling ever since. David calls contras and squares, English country dances, and family and community dances, and is also a choreographer.
David is a retired inclusive early childhood and childhood educator who has also taught for years at the college level in a teacher preparation program. He has frequently used dance and song in his teaching, both with children and adults, sometimes to the great surprise of his students. A teacher through and through, David believes that people can always learn and grow. While welcoming change and evolution, David has enormous respect for the value of folk traditions and is the author (with David Millstone) of Cracking Chestnuts: The Living Tradition of Classic American Contra Dances, published in 2008 by CDSS.
Band
Laurel Sharp
Laurel Sharp (recorders, whistles and oboe)
Laurel is a true multi-instrumentalist, equally at home with with recorders, pennywhistle, and oboe, and adding variety to any ensemble she works with.