Details
Join Us for a Night of Dance and Community in the Heart of the Southwedge!
Exciting News! The Rochester Contradance Series is thrilled to announce our move to a vibrant new venue right in the heart of the Southwedge.
Get ready to the lively tunes of our talented musicians and the expert calling of David Smukler.
🎶 Meg Grindrod on keyboard – A virtuoso musician whose lively melodies will keep your feet tapping all night.
🎶 Laurel Sharp on woodwinds – Laurel’s enchanting woodwind tunes will transport you to a world of rhythm and dance.
🎶 Catherine Sloboda on fiddle – If you’re lucky, you’ve heard Cat on our stage before, most recently at the Contravana weekend. She’s amazing!
Whether you’re a seasoned contradancer or brand new to the dance floor, all are welcome! No partner or experience necessary – just a desire to have a great time.
Bring your friends, family, and neighbors from the Southwedge community for a night of fun, laughter, and connection.
Contradancing is not just about the dance; it’s about building a welcoming and inclusive community.
Don’t miss this opportunity to be a part of something special in the Southwedge. Join us for an unforgettable evening of music, dance, and camaraderie!
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.
Bands
Laurel & Meg
Laurel Sharp (winds & oboe), Meg Grindrod (piano & concertina)
Catherine Sloboda
Catherine Sloboda (fiddle)
Catherine’s fiddling is energizing, sensitive, and creates music with that elusive quality of danceability. She also has long experience in playing for dancing; in the early ’90’s, Catherine was a member of the Sloboda family band, Glenrose, who played for many contra and family dances. She is a member of the ECD trio Bellamira and many other combinations of local dance musicians.