Since my very first contra dance (Halloween 1982), my travels have taken me to a lot of places. Here's a partial list...
| Places I've danced
Missoula MT Seattle, Spokane WA Ohio: Akron, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Fremont, Grand Rapids, Tiffin, Toledo
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Historic re-enactment dances called (mostly Civil War)
Ypsilanti Heritage Festival encampment dance 2000-2007 8th Arkansas/22nd Michigan Midwinter Ball, 2002-2007 Marshall CW Ball & Social Event, 2002-06 Tulip Time Dutch Trade Fair ball, Holland 2007 Association of Lincoln Presenters' Presidential Ball, Romulus 2005 Saline Presidential Ball 2002, 2004 Historic Fort Wayne Muster (Detroit) 2002-03 Ypsilanti CW Muster Ball 1999-2002, Holiday Ball 2003-05 Hayes Presidential Center Ball, Fremont OH 1999-2006 Fayette OH CW Muster Ball, 2004 10th Michigan Regiment Muster Ball, 2001-2004 "Gone With The Wind" costume ball, Tecumseh Country Club 2003 Officers' & Gentlemens' Ball, Amhurstburg, ONT 2003 5th Texas Regiment Co. "E" Holiday Ball 1999-2001, 2003 Holly Muster 25th anniversary 2001, Sweetheart Ball 2003 Southfield CW Muster 2001 Wade House CW Muster Ball, Greenbush WI 2001 Akron OH High School CW dance 2000 Grand Rapids CW Remembrance Ball 1999-2001 Morenci CW Muster 2001 Feast of the Harvest Moon, West Lafayette IN 2001 (guest caller) Western PA Harvest Ball, Erie PA 1999 Michigan Cavalry Brigade holiday party, 1999 Fallen Timbers Preservation Ball, OH 1998 Mesopotamia CW Muster, OH 1998 Cascades CW Re-enactment Ball, Jackson 1997 Thomas Edison Festival CW Ball, Port Huron 1997 Charlton Park CW Muster Ball, Hastings 1996-2001 |
| Special events, singles, churches
Festival of the Arts, Grand Rapids 2005 - 2007 St Cecilia's "A Country Sonata," Lowell 2006 Stelter Partners Ho-ho-hoedown, 2006 Health-Media company picnic & hoedown, 2005 Kentwood Baptist Church bar-b-que, 2005 Catholic Social Services dance workshop, 2005 Calvary Baptist Church singles 2005-06 Parke-Davis Holiday Hoedown, 2004 Thresher's Ball, Morenci 2004 Double OO Ranch barbeque, 2004 First Night Birmingham 2001-2004 Northwest U-U Church Welcoming Congregation dance, 2003 Taste of Ann Arbor 2002 Spiritus Sanctus Thanksgiving family dance, 1998-2002 Ypsilanti Downtown celebration, 2000 Paint Creek Folklore Society's May Play Day 1992, 1994, 2001 (maypole dance) Evart Dulcimer Festival dance 2000-2001 Ann Arbor Universalist-Unitarian Family Dance Party 1999-2000 Ypsilanti New Year's Jubilee 1994-96, 98-2000 AACTMAD's Dancing in the Streets 1999 St Ive's singles dance, Southfield, 1998 Agricultural meeting barn dance, Delton 1998 Pioneer Days, Matthai Botanical Gardens 1998 Bethany Singles barn dance, 1997 Bowling Green State University Cultural Affairs conference, 1998 Toledo Metroparks Corn Ball, 1998 Bowling Green Arts Festival 1997-1998 Ford family birthday parties, Greenfield Village, 1996-97 Frat & sorority party, Wiard's Orchards, fall 1996 Keene's Farm harvest festival dance, 1995-1997 Single Point spring & fall weekend camps, 1995-96 Members' Party, Greenfield Village 1995 Residents' Party, Chelsea Senior Center, fall 1991 Ypsilanti Heritage Festival street dance 1990-91, 1994 | Scouts & schools
Cedar Springs grade school hoedown, 2005 Belleville HS Band Camp dance, 2004 Macomb Girl Scouts hoedown & banquet, 2004 Daddy-daughter dance, St Andrews church, Livonia, 2004-05 Home school graduation dance party, 2004 Ann Arbor Public Library reading hoedown, 2004 Hoedown, Mason Elementary School, Westland, 2003 Wyandotte Elementary School Western dance party, 2003 Ann Arbor Hebrew School open house, 2000 Immanuel Lutheran School all-grades dances, 1999 Thurston School all-grades dance sessions, 1998 Lawton School 2nd Grade year-end party, 1997 Chaya Mushak girls middle school Purim party, 1997-98 Girl Scout dance, Canton 1997 Detroit Country Day School mother-son Western Fun dance, 1997 Clonlara School Halloween, winter parties 1996-1998 Daddy-daughter Brownie dance, Plymouth, 1996 Eddy Geology Center 4th Grade school dance 1993 Ypsilanti Girl Scout troop party, 1991-92 Private parties: weddings, block parties, committment ceremonies, first communion celebrations, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, family picnics, adoption parties, private club events, corporate parties one to ten every year since 1990 |
| Dance spaces discovered
Dance groups are always seeking suitable places, and I've located a number of them... Lithuanian Hall, Baltimore MD Plymouth Masonic Hall Ypsilanti Freight House Royal Oak Senior Community Center Finn Camp, Wixom Finnish Cultural Center, Farmington Hills First Baptist Church, Royal Oak Rosedale Gardens Presbyterian Church, Livonia Central United Methodist Church, Lansing referred to a Civil War group; they love the place and its cost savings! |
Volunteer activities
Save the Lovett Hall dance grassroots effort: orchestrated a website, Yahoo discussion group, promotional materials, publicity and media contact campaigns. December 2004-ongoing Web goddess, Allegan Woods Folk Arts Cooperative dance in Holland, Michigan Co-coordinator, Ann Arbor Dawn Dance 1984, Volunteer 1986-93 Past board member: Detroit Country Dance Society, Oakland County Traditional Dance Society, Ann Arbor Council for Traditional Music and Dance Silver Strings Dulcimer Society, newsletter editor 1998-99 |
| Bands performed with
Aunt Lu and the Oakland County All-Stars, Bent Nickel Band, Bill Nieusma & Friends, Blue Sky Country Band, Black Swamp String Band, Bob Borcherding, Brook Farm String Band, Connie Major & Friends, Finvarras Wren, Fiddlefire (Panning family), Golden Griffon Stringtet, Java Junkies, Hawks & Owls, Hey Diddle Diddle, Heebie Jeebies, John Jim & Eloise, Joyous Noise, Jeremy Kittel with Elvie Miller, Lickety Split, Maison Bleue, New Balance, New Old Stock, Bill & Cindy O'Connor, Paint Creek Country Dance Orchestra, Pittsfield Open Band, POB-X, Pretty Shaky String Band, Puddingstone, Rhythm Billies, Ruffwater String Band, Scarlett Runner, Serendipity, Silver Strings Dulcimer Society, Streetwise String Band, Ten Penny Bit, Three's a Crowd, U4, Wes Linenkugel Quartet
Classes & series
| Events organized
New Year's Eve 1990-1993, 2005 Don Theyken's birthday celebration, 1988 Contra Alfresco almost-outdoor dances, summer 1992 Vernal Equinox Ball 1993-95 Halloween 1995-98 Dance society performances
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| References send them mail, ask them questions
Jim McKinney: fiddle, guitar, music transcription; Golden Griffon Stringtet Dave and Barbara McKee: Marshall Civil War Ball Larry Osterling: Saline Area Chamber of Commerce Fred A. Priebe: Abraham Lincoln presenter Nancy Ligeski: Spiritus Sanctus
Civil War ball dancers do the Margate Hoy run-around --> |
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8/07