Grand River Folk Arts Society Dancing

2010 Dance Schedule

First Friday Dance
Live Music, no partner necessary.
Admission - members $6 non-members $8, student or senior $7
October 1 Old Gray Cats with Caller Karen Dunnam
November 5 Fiddlefire with Caller Karen Nils
December 3 Brookfarm Stringband with Caller -Mike Clark
January 7 Celery City Sodbusters with Caller Laurie Petrievale
February 4 Fiddlefire with Caller Danika Murray
March 4 Hawks and Owls with Caller Glen Morningstar
April 1 Caller Laurie Petrievale; band to be announced
May 6 Hawks and Owls Open Mic calling
dancebooker@grfolkarts.org

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International Folk Dance
Visit a dozen countries or more in a single evening !!!
“We teach beginning-level dances from Israel, Bosnia, France, Mexico, Japan, South Africa, Bolivia, Germany,
Ghana, Turkey, Sweden, China, and many other countries.”
No partner necessary.
The dancing begins at 7 PM on the second Friday of each month:

Venue: Wealthy Theatre Annex 1130 Wealthy St.
Cost: $5

For more information email International@grfolkarts.org or call 616 949-8374.

2009 International Folk Dance Flier

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Contra Dance/Jam
Contra dancing to live music led by Bruce Ling and Hawks and Owls
You are invited to dance, play in the band, or even call a dance!

Contra dancing is basically like the square dancing your grandparents did, but to live music and in different formations. There are some basic moves that the caller teaches and then the dance is called out step by step. It is definitely aerobic and the swirling, intereactive dance is intoxicating, so it is best to show up with a clear head! Young, old, single, married, first timers and dance masters are all welcome. You don't need to bring a partner because everyone pairs off at random. Grab a couple friends and come on down for a great time: Dose do and an ocean wave!

7 PM on Fourth Fridays:

Fifth Street Hall, 701 5th Street NW in Grand Rapids. $6
If calling or playing please call ahead 616 361 9219 or email fri.contra@grfolkarts.org.

What is Contra Dancing?

The Fiddle Fire band and Tom Van Deusen
both have excellent descriptions on their web pages
Also of course see it the Wikipedia

Or on Youtube

What is International Folk Dancing ?

Learn more about the musicians and callers on our
Musicians and Callers page.

Contra Dance Tunes Key Charts

Contacts



Dance Sites								Top

5th Street Hall Saint Adalbert's Aid Society 701 5th Street NW Grand Rapids NW corner of 5th St. and Davis. Near St. Adalbert Basilica	Wealthy Theatre Annex 1130 Wealthy St SE Grand Rapids A few doors west of the theater, the other side of the driveway to the parking lot out back
Price: $6 Map to St. Adalbert's	7:00 p.m. International Dancing Price: $5 Map to Wealthy Theatre Annex

Dance Contacts Top

Dance Style	Contact
Contra	Julie: 616-361-9219 dancechair@grfolkarts.org
International Israeli, Eastern European, many others	Donna: 616-949-8374 international@grfolkarts.org
General Dance Info or Saturday Dance Info	Jeff: 616 532 3787 dancebooker@grfolkarts.org

Musician Information
If you’re not a dancer but you’ve always wanted to learn to play old-timey string band music, come and jam with more experienced players on the fourth Friday contra dance night. You will learn old fiddle tunes and have fun playing with others. Tune titles and keys are published below so you can practice up. Bruce Ling of Hawks & Owls String Band will lead the group. You can bring your standup bass, fiddle, guitar, or mando and sit in. You don't have to be a star or a beginner. We want to see the number of "old time", and "contra dance" bands and musicians grow in Grand Rapids.

Dance tunes and key chart	Top

		Chord Charts More Contra Dance Tunes (in .pdf)
Common Tunes	Key
Flowers of Edinburgh	G
June Apple	A	Key of A
Liberty	D	Key of D
Over the Waterfall	D	Key of D
Ragtime Annie	D	Key of G
Soldier's Joy	D
Spotted Pony	D	Provided by by Bruce Ling of Hawks and Owls String Band

Last update: 20 Aug 09
For updates or corrections, please email: updates@grfolkarts.org