noon to 11:30 p.m., Boynton Middle School, 1601 N. Cayuga Street, Ithaca, NY
featuring Elixir with Nils Fredland
Elixir (Ethan Hazzard-Watkins, fiddle; Jesse Hazzard-Watkins, trumpet/flugelhorn; Anna Patton, clarinet/vocals; Owen Morrison, guitar/foot percussion; Nils Fredland, calling/trombone/vocals) is a high-energy dance band that blends driving fiddle and guitar playing with the rich texture and rhythmic excitement of a full horn section. Elixir performs tightly crafted music drawing on a wide range of styles and evoking a variety of moods. Elegant melodies evolve into raucous dixieland horn riffs; transcendent harmonies, playful improvisations, and rock, swing and reggae-inspired rhythms weave in and out of traditional and original Irish, French Canadian and New England tunes. Elixir plays for dances, festivals, camps, weddings and other events, with a repertoire that includes music for contra, square, English and swing dancing; waltzing; couples dancing; and concert programs.
Nils Fredland has been calling dances with admirable skill and infectious energy since 2000. Respected for his expertise as a teacher and caller, sensitive leadership, and generosity, Nils is one of the busiest and most sought-after callers in the business. He draws on a large and varied repertoire of dances, presenting material from centuries-old “chestnuts” to cutting-edge contemporary choreography. Nils is also known for breathing new life into traditional singing squares, and in 2010 he co-authored a book on the topic with master caller Ralph Sweet.
For more details, brochures, etc, head over to the Frolic 2011 page.