Details
Honoring the light from the sun and the awakening of the earth, Ostara brings us music from New England and Quebec. Catherine Sloboda fiddles, her brother, Matt Sloboda plays fiddle, mandolin and accordion, and Tom Santarsiero strums guitar, mandolin and banjo and accordion, too. David Smukler will be calling.
The Rose Room Blooms at 6:00 pm this week with a Balfolk session. Join us for the delightful experience of French folk dance taught and played by Ostara.
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!
All dances are taught. An introduction to contra dancing is provided around 7:10 on request. Please let us know when you arrive.
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
Ostara
Catherine Sloboda (violin), Matt Sloboda (fiddle, accordion, mandolin, jaw harp), Tom Santarsiero (guitar, mandolin, accordion, foot percussion)
Ostara blends a rich texture of musical traditions from Western Europe, New England and Quebec with modern styles. With their contagious rhythm, Ostara has crafted a style that stirs up the dance floor.
Tom Santarsiero has been influenced by the musical styles of New England, France, French Canada and southern Appalachia. Tom has developed an eclectic approach to playing guitar, mandolin, diatonic accordion and foot percussion. His rhythm anchors musicians and dancers while giving them room for expression. Tom has played in The Groovemongers, Montage and New Brew.
Matthew Sloboda began fiddling in the mid 1990’s after being introduced to the Rose, NY contra dance. Suzuki violin lessons from the tender age of 3 laid a solid foundation for technique and his fiddle style was influenced by New England, Irish and Quebecoise traditions. Matthew developed traditional repertoire on the diatonic accordion and mandolin as a sideline to his fiddling. Current bands include Lake Effect, Glenrose, and the newly formed Ostara.
Catherine Sloboda is a teacher of classical violin. She and her brother, Matthew were introduced to fiddling by their parents. As kids they played for contra, ECD, and Scandi dances with their family band, Glenrose. Since 1995 Catherine has studied and performed in various fiddle styles at many camps in the US and Canada with a special interest in Quebecois repertoire.