Details
Kathy Sommer & Harvey Nussbaum, calling by David Smukler
Open Waltz at 6:00
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
Kathy Sommer & Harvey Nusbaum
Kathy Sommer (Fiddle), Harvey Nusbaum (guitar)
Syracuse guitarist Harvey Nusbaum is not a new name to the Rochester contra dances. Harvey is one of central New York’s quintessential, sought-after guitarists, competent in various genres including Irish, contra dance, folk, swing and jazz. Harvey performs and jams regularly (a lot) and his guitar playing is notable for his wide use of the guitar neck and moving chordal lines. Harvey has become the guitarist of choice for Kathy’s band Fiddlers Three when they are in NYS.
Kathy Sommer plays the violin/fiddle and is known for her svelte yet dynamic style, versatility of genre and for playing from the heart. Raised in Rochester but living north of Watertown NY she has energetic and exciting solo flair and performs alone or with numerous musicians at opera house and town concert series, porch concerts, restaurants, weddings and funerals, contra dances, and even yoga sessions. In band formats she is one of three fiddlers in the exciting band Fiddlers Three, is a founding member of The Buskers, a popular pop/folk band, and performs jazz, gypsy jazz and classical repertoire. Get more detail at her website.