Details

Join us at Harmony House in the Village of Webster for our first Contradance in over 2 years!

The hall opens at 7 pm with a beginner workshop until 7:30 pm. Dance until 10 pm with 2 short (5-10 min) breaks.

David Smukler will call fun, accessible dances to the music of  Daphne Pickens [Ginger Majority] on fiddle, Ben Proctor [Crooked North] on guitar, and Jordan Kleinman on bass.

We are prepared to accept credit cards at the door instead of cash this year.

All participants must:

  • provide proof of vaccination at the door,
  • provide contact information, so we may inform you in the event of reported illness after the event, and
  • wear an N95, KN95 or Surgical+Cloth mask inside the venue.

 

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

Daphne Pickens

Fiddler Extraordinare! Daphne has played for Rochester contras since high school, when she and Casey Murray played for us, and somewhat later with Ginger Majority. After 4 years at Oberlin, Daphne has returned to Rochester and teaches music in the Penfield Schools as well as at the Kanack School of Musical Artistry.

Ben Proctor

Ben Proctor (Guitar)

Guitarist extraordinare!

Jordan Kleinman

Jordan Kleinman

Bassist extraordinaire