Connecting people with dance and music…

When I first started calling for contra dances, five year ago, I set a goal.  My goal was to call for the Brattleboro Dawn Dance by 2010.  On Monday, September 6, 2010 @ 3:30am, Nor’easter: Cedar Stanistreet, Max Newman, Julie Vallimont, joined by Stefan Amidon and myself took the stage for the final set of the Brattleboro Dawn Dance.  We setup and were ready to go.  As I looked out onto the floor filled with dancers, there was no doubt I was a little nervous, but there was the sound of “four potatoes” and we were off.  We proceeded to put up 16 sets, all no-walk throughs, for a non-stop, breathtaking conclusion.  The dance and tunes combinations were carefully planned, the programmed mapped out, and all and all everything was beautifully executed.

A couple of people have asked me for my 16 dance, no-walk through program, so here it is:

1. Kitchen Stomp – Becky Hill

2. Leave The Wine – Rick Mohr

3. Rod’s Grits – Bill Olson

4. Chuck The Budgie – Rick Mohr

5. Fisher’s Jig – Tom Hinds

6. Small Potatoes – Jim Kitch

7. Balance To My Lou – Becky Hill

8. Sleepless In Pinewoods – Bob Isaacs

9. Saturday Night Line – Joseph Pimentel

10. Cranky Ingenuity – Bill Olson

11. Square Affair – Becky Hill

12. Chorus Jig

13. Comfort Deluxe – Rick Mohr

14. Petronella’s Pin – Dave Colestock

15. Heart Of Glass – Carey Ravitz

16. The Baby Rose – David Kaynor

A special thank you of course to Nor’easter: Cedar Stanistreet, Max Newman, Julie Vallimont, joined by Stefan Amidon.  Your performance was nothing less then amazing, it was a honor and a pleasure sharing the stage with you.  I look forward to the next time.  Thank you to all the dancers.  You have an endless amount of energy and it showed when I saw five sets at 6:30am.  Thank you to all the performers.  You have been an inspiration to me and I hope I can make as much of a contribution to our tradition as you have already done.  And thank you to Brattleboro Dawn Dance Committee.  You are a dedicated group of volunteers that make this dawn dance happen year after year after year.  Thank you.