Details

Join us for a delightful evening of dancing on March 28, 2024, as we welcome back Margaret Mathews and the old-time musicians of The PossumTone String Band for an evening of lively mountain music that will get you up onto the dance floor.

The Rose Room Blooms at 6:00 pm with our 4th Thursday open waltz series. Clara Riedlinger and Zak Spath will provide the music. An introduction to Contra follows at 7:10 pm. The main dance begins at 7:30 pm.

Experience the magic of contra dancing, where all are welcome, and no partner or experience is necessary. Bring your friends, family, and fellow dance enthusiasts for a night of lively music, connection, and community.

We have a sliding scale admission policy, with a target of $10. Pay more if you can, less if you can’t – come dance!

 

Caller

Margaret Mathews at the microphone

Margaret Mathews

With more than 35 years experience as dancer, musician and caller, Margaret’s easy-going, engaging style gets everyone out on the dance floor. Her ability to smoothly adjust the dances to the experience level of the dance community make it a fun and accessible evening for everyone. In addition to contra dances, she calls for traditional Old Time square dances, Civil War reenactments, hoedowns, weddings and other joy filled occasions. Her dance calling has taken her up and down the East coast, from the Carolinas to Vermont, as well as the Northwest and Canada. When not calling, Margaret plays bass in Wild Root String Band, a Southern Old Time band.

Band

PossumTone Stringband on stage

PossumTone String Band

Tom Owens (fiddle), Dan Palmer (guitar), Michelle Burack (banjo), Jordan Kleiman (bass)

The PossumTone String Band, based in Rochester, NY, plays high energy music anchored in the Southern tradition. While most their tunes come from the Appalachian region of the United States, some are from the Midwest and beyond. The band plays music that’s centuries old as well as new tunes created in the past few years. They enjoy playing for dances, weddings, farmers’ markets, and other happy events.