Date: December 31 2008
Potluck: 6:00-8:00PM
Waltzing: 7:00-8:00PM (Newcomers&rsquo
Dancing: 8-12:00PM
Toast and more dancing: 12:00-
Potluck dessert: Somewhere in there
Band: Local musicians!
Caller: Local callers!
Venue: BGCC
Admission: Free (Donations welcome)

Tags: bethel grove community center

A day of Wild Asparagus with calling by George Marshall and food by Potluck!

Date: October 25 2008
Challenging Contras: 3:30-5:30PM
Potluck: 5:45-7:30PM
Workshop: 7:30-8PM (Newcomers&rsquo
Dancing: 8-11:30PM
Band: Wild Asparagus
Caller: George Marshall
Venue: BJM
Admission:

Time	Members	Nonmembers
Afternoon	$6	$8
Evening	$9	$12
Both	$12	$15

Flyer: Wild Asparagus 2008 rev

Tags: george marshall, wild asparagus, beverly j. martin school

Giant Robot Dance with calling by David Kaynor and food by Potluck!

Date: September 20 2008
Potluck: 6:30PM
Workshop: 7:45PM (Newcomers&rsquo
Dancing: 8-11:30PM
Band: Giant Robot Dance
Caller: David Kaynor
Venue: BJM
Admission: $9 for HFDI members, $12 for General Admission
Flyer: GIANT ROBOT DANCE rev

You may be wondering... "What exactly is Giant Robot Dance?" Not to worry, there is a perfectly plausible non-paranormal explanation. Unfortunately, I'm not at liberty to go into particulars (national security is after all our number one priority) but, suffice to say that a team of highly trained specialists has been analyzing various data collected from the most recent incident and it has nothing to do with a highly infectious strain of contra dancing or the outlandishly-rocking music and bizarre fashion experiments reported from the area.

Tags: david kaynor, giant robot dance, beverly j. martin school

Kitchen Chair with calling by Katy Heine and food by Potluck!

Date: August 9 2008
Potluck: 6:30
Workshop: 7:45 (Newcomers&rsquo
Dancing: 8:00-11:00 PM
Band: Kitchen Chair
Caller: Katy Heine
Venue: Women’s Community Building
Admission: $8 for General Admission, $FREE$ for HFDI members
Air Conditioning: Air Conditioning!
Flyer: hands4 flyer for KC 08-09-08


No partner needed.
All dances taught.
As always, please bring clean, soft-soled shoes. See you on May 31st!

Tags: kitchen chair, katy heine, women's community building

Date: May 31
Potluck and Annual Meeting: 6:00 in the BJM Cafeteria
Workshop: For newcomers at 7:30
Dancing: 8:00-11:30 PM
Band: Magic Foot
Caller: Nils Fredland
Venue: Beverly J Martin School
Admission: $8 for HFDI members, $10 for General Admission
Flyer:

If you haven’t heard of Magic Foot, then you will be in for a real treat. Fast on the heels of their Southern Tour (Glen Echo, Asheville, Atlanta, River Falls), the exuberant New England band Magic Foot will make its first Ithaca appearance, along with inventive, wildly popular caller (and trombonist) Nils Fredland. Colin Lindsay on fiddle and concertina, Chris Stevens on button accordion, Brendan Taaffe on guitar, feet, and vocals, and Stefan Amidon on percussion and vocals have a decidedly Celtic bent, but are sure to toss in some surprises.

Caller Nils Fredland wowed the crowd at last year's Fiddlehead Frolic with fun, interwoven dances never before seen in Ithaca, taught clearly and with high spirit. Colin, who fiddles in the sweet Irish style, is on staff at Pinewoods, was a top student of Brian Conway, and has played with the Greenfield Dance Band and members of Wild Asparagus. Chris handles the accordion with tremendous drive and good taste, is prominent in Boston sessions, performs regularly with Wild Asparagus, and teaches for CCE Boston. Brendan, rock-solid and imaginative on guitar, got a Master's in Irish music at the University of Limerick, where he played with All-Ireland champion Danny O'Mahony and fiddler Colin Farrell. He's toured Europe with Northern Harmony and Turtle Dove, and played for contra dances throughout the Northeast with top players including George Wilson, and Pete Sutherland. From a tender age, Stefan has provided percussion for contras, most famously with Popcorn Behavior/Assembly, Lift Ticket, and Lissa Schneckenburger. He's on staff at Pinewoods, did a recent turn on Prairie Home Companion, and has toured Europe with Northern Harmony. Turn out to give these lads a fine welcome!

We are looking for a few Hands4 members who would like to be more involved in putting together our dances by being a part of the board. Please contact Jennifer or call 607-273-7076 for more details. You can also nominate people from the floor but please don’t surprise them!

Tags: nils fredland, magic foot, beverly j. martin school

The second annual Fiddlehead Frolic!
Date: Saturday, April 5, 2008
Time: Noon to Midnight (see schedule for more details)
Music by: The Clayfoot Strutters, Too Much Fun, Long John & the Tights, and Kathy Selby
Callers: Beth Molaro, David Kaynor, David Smukler, Nancy Spero, and Katy Heine
Venue: Ithaca High School

Admission: Less than $30 (see brochure for details)
Flyer: ff08 flyer
Brochure: ff08 brochure v2 (includes printable pre-registration form. Register early to save $5 off the all-day ticket price!)
Workshops: New Dancers' Workshop at 6:30pm
Potlucks: There will be a break for dinner at 6:00

Featuring...

The Vermont-based CLAYFOOT STRUTTERS--Pete Sutherland, Jeremiah McLane, Lee Blackwell, Peter Davis, and Harry Aceto--fuse traditional American immigrant music, pop, jazz, and hot dance-floor rhythms from the swing, Latin, Cajun, and zydeco worlds. They are in great demand at camps, dances, and festivals across the country.

Beth Molaro, one of the country's most popular callers, has a clear calling style and contagious enthusiasm that infuses her dances with energy and excitement. Beth makes her home in Asheville, North Caroline, but is known and loved by dancers from coast to coast.

TOO MUCH FUN combines the talents of fiddle impresario David Kaynor from Greenfield, Massachusetts, with hometown favorites Jennifer Dotson, Gail Blake, and Nancy Spero. Providing the foundation for David's eclectic and playful style is a deep respect for tradition and strong desire to build community through dance. Jennifer and Gail, a.ak.a. Kitchen Chair, contribute exquisitely interpreted traditional tunes and inspired originals, while Nancy Spero provides solid support on bass.

LONG JOHN & THE TIGHTS is a new incarnation of a great old-time Appalachian band, UpSouth. John Hoffman, Stefan Senders, Jim Reidy, and Randi Beckmann crank out built-from-scratch music perfect for hot squares and cool contras.

Tags: david kaynor, beth molaro, the clayfoot strutters, too much fun, nancy spero, katy heine, kitchen chair, long john & the accidentals tights, kathy selby, ithaca high school

Date: Saturday, January 26
Time: 7:30-10:30
Band: The Contradictions
Caller: Vikki Armstrong (TBC)
Venue: Women's Community Building (TBC)

Admission: Members: $8 Nonmembers: $10
Flyer:
Workshop? 7:15 Beginner's Workshop
Potluck? Dessert potluck and couples dances 10:30-11:30

Tags: the contradictions, vikki armstrong, women's community building