Details
While this dance is part of the Jane Austen Ball weekend, you do not have to be signed up for the Ball to attend! Cost is $20, payable by cash, check or credit card at the door. Masking and proof of vaccination is required for all Ball weekend events, and dancers should being their own water bottle.
An experienced dance requires knowledge of and confidence in basic figures (e.g. double figure-eight, cross-over mirror heys, heys for 3 and 4) and some familiarity with more advanced/unusual figures (e.g. chevrons). Dancers are expected to dance the basic figures without assistance. Some walk-throughs may be brief.
Callers
Tom Amessé
Before Tom discovered English Country Dance, he pursued several interests which included both American History, and acting. If he seems a natural on stage, some of the credit goes to his having acted in local community theater! He has been a dance leader for over 20 years in New York City and northeastern New Jersey, and is well known for his entertaining and relaxed demeanor and for his ability to make complicated figures seem easy. That clarity and easy going style has caused him to become a favorite across the USA as well as in Canada, England and Wales. You might also find him calling Contra dances and Square dances, and playing his fiddle at Irish music sessions. Mostly though, he is very happy that dancing has resumed.
Richard Sauvain
Richard is the founder of Rochester’s current English dance series. His clear and persistent vision, quietly developed with his elegant, urbane style, is singularly responsible for the strong English Country Dance program Rochester has today. Beloved by all, his calling is always a pleasure to dance to.
Band
Shandy
Eileen Kalfass (violin), Rebecca McCallum (violin), Jane Knoeck (piano & accordion)
The musicians in Shandy have played together in various combinations for years and are now performing as a trio, playing for both English country and contra dancing. Past English events include the 2017 Rochester Jane Austen Ball and a Colin Hume ECD weekend in Toronto in 2019. Rebecca contributed her classically trained violin style to Rochester contra and English dances for many years, until she moved out of the area, and Eileen and Jane, as Sister Haggis, play often at the Rochester English dances.
Eileen has a new (award winning) CD, available on her website. Jane is the doyenne of Rochester dance piano for both English country and contra. Both Jane and Rebecca have played in the nationally known touring band, The Groovemongers, as well as River Bend, New Brew, and others.