Details
Join us as we come together to celebrate the magic of live music and dance. On the floor caller David Smukler will guide dancers of all levels through an array of lively and engaging dances. Paired with the vibrant melodies and infectious energy of Audrey Potter & Jane Knoeck, this promises to be a night where the dance floor comes alive.
Whether you’re a seasoned dancer or stepping onto the dance floor for the first time, this event is your ticket to an evening of joy, connection, and shared experiences. So mark your calendar, rally your friends, and join us for an enchanting night of music, movement, and camaraderie that you won’t want to miss! We can’t wait to dance the night away with you.
If you’re new to contra dance, have no worries. We offer an introduction to the moves about 15 minutes before the dance. Just let us know when you arrive. The entrance fee is a sliding scale; pay what you can, with a suggested amount of $10.
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
Audrey Potter
Audrey Potter (fiddle)
Fiddler Audrey Potter enthusiastically plays for our contras. A former member of Ginger Majority, she is an alumna of the Kanack School of Musical Artistry before going on to study Violin Performance and Music Education at the Fredonia School of Music. She now teaches Orchestra & General Music at West Irondequoit CSD.
Jane Knoeck
Jane Knoeck (piano, accordion)
Jane Knoeck is the doyenne of Rochester dance piano for both English country and contra. She is a member of the nationally touring band, The Groovemongers, as well as River Bend, Sister Haggis, and others reaching back over many years. It’s always a great night for dancing when Jane is on stage.