Details
Gaye Fifer, nationally known caller and expert waltz instructor will be in Rochester for a special weekend – a gift to the CDR community from Rich and Peggy Dempsey, Chuck Dye and Bonnie Hallman-Dye, who bid on her services at a CDSS auction. Money collected at the gate will go towards future CDR special events. In addition to the national recognition for her skills as a caller of both Contra and English Country Dance, Gaye is President of CDSS, the Country Dance and Song Society. Her visit this weekend is a great chance for organizers to learn how CDSS can amplify our efforts to spread the joy of community dance in Rochester.
Saturday, June 1
- 4:00 – 5:30 pm American Folk Waltz Workshop – $5.00
- 5:30 – 6:30 pm Potluck Dinner for all
- 6:30 – 9:30 pm Contra Dance w/ Birch Trio – $15.00
Sunday, June 2
- 4:30 – 5:30 pm Informal Reception with Gaye
- 5:30 – 6:30 pm Potluck Dinner for all
- 6:30 – 9:30 pm English Country Dance w/ Serendipity – $9.00
A contribution of non-perishable food for the First Baptist food cupboard would also be welcome.
Caller
Gaye Fifer
Gaye Fifer (Pittsburgh, PA) hasn’t stopped dancing since she found contras in 1979. Introduced to the community in St. Louis, she has found dancing wherever she goes. Gaye learned to call contras in Charlottesville, VA and has been traveling to call and dance for the past 25 years. After 15 years of dancing, she finally realized that someone had to be doing work to make the dances happen. She began serving on her local dance committee, organizing her local dance weekend, serving on the CDSS Board and leading workshops for other organizers. Gaye is also a passionate teacher and dancer of waltz, having led workshops with her partner, Wayne, at numerous dance weekends around the country. She participated in a course at Pinewoods several years ago to learn how to call English Country dances and now includes that in her repertoire of offerings. She now lives in Pittsburgh, PA. where she retired from a 30 year elementary school teaching career.
Bands
Birch Trio
Casey Murray, Cello, Guitar, Daphne Pickens, Fiddle, Molly Tucker, Fiddle
Birch Trio unites fiddlers Daphne Pickens and Molly Tucker alongside cellist/guitarist Casey Murray. Childhood friends Daphne and Casey are natives of Rochester, NY who have been playing tunes and improvising together at the Kanack School of Musicsince they were 4 years old. Daphne and Molly, a native of Thousand Oaks, CA, later met at Oberlin College and Conservatory, overjoyed to find their mutual love for the New England contra dance repertoire. The three first came together in 2016 at the Dandelion Romp, Oberlin’s contra dance weekend, where they discovered an immediate joyful spark in making music with one another. With roots in traditional New England, Celtic, Québécois, and Old Time music, the three bring a fresh spirit to dance music through their improvisatory style, vocal harmonies, and original compositions. Their rich harmonies, flowing lines, and driving grooves fill dance halls with warmth and propel dancers across the floor.
Serendipity
Barb Seppeler, Piano, Laurie Giroux-Gillman, Flute
Pianist, music teacher and choral director, Barb Seppeler, fell hard for the beauty of the English Country Dancer repertoire, and she has made it her own with deep understanding and delicacy. Laurie Giroux – Gillman, a fellow music teacher and extraordinary flute player, is the other half of this delightful ensemble. Barb and Laurie have played regularly for dances in Rochester and all over the North East since 2012. They really have that teamwork thing worked out.