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Barn Dance #39 - Institute, WI - 4/28/07
2008 Dances
Sunday, January 13th- Family Dance- Caller/Teacher- LuAnn Desotelle, Sturgeon Bay YMCA, 1900 Michigan, Sponsored by the Sturgeon Bay Family Center, 1:00-3:00 PM
Saturday, February 16th- Valentine’s Contra Dance- Caller/Teacher- Terry Vlossak, Institute Saloon, 4599 Hwy 57 & Cty P, Institute, 6:30-9:30 PM. This is a Smoke Free/Alcohol Free Event. Enter in the back off Cty P. Sponsored by Lake Michigan Wind and Sun
Saturday, March 8th- St. Pat’s Ceili Dance- Caller/Teacher-Julie Clark place-Insitiute Saloon, 4599 Hwy 57 & Cty P, Institute, 6:30-9:30 PM. This is a Smoke Free/Alcohol Free Event. Enter in the back off Cty P. Live music by Bubble & Squeak. This event is a fundraiser for the Door County 4H Horse and Pony Project.
Saturday, April 26th- Hopefully Spring Contra Dance- Caller/Teacher- Terry Simeone, Team Leadership Center 4497 Ploor Road, East of Institute WI, 6:30-9:30 PM. This event is a fundraiser for the Special Adventures Foundation of the Team Leadership Center.
Saturday, May 24th - Contra Dance- Caller/Teacher- Roger Diggle, Baileys Harbor Town Hall, Hwy 57, Sponsored by the Ridges Sanctuary Nature Center, 6:00-8:30 PM.
Saturday, June 21st- Summer Solstice Contra- Caller/Teacher- Paul Collins, Potawatomie State Park, 3740 Cty PD, Park entrance fee required, 6:00-9:00 PM.
Saturday, July 26th – Contra Dance- Caller/Teacher- Tom Senior, Place- TBA, 6:30-9:30 PM.
Saturday, August 9th – Sesquicentennial Contra Dance- Caller/Teacher- Tim Jenkins, Sponsored by the Gibraltar Historical Society, 6:30-9:30 PM. Settlement Courtyard Inn, 9126 Hwy 42, Fish Creek.
Sept- Sunday, the 7th- Family Dance- this date is tentative
Oct- Saturday, the 18th –Everyone’s Birthday Contra- Caller/Teacher- Carol Ormand, place-TBA, 6:30-9:30 PM
Nov- Sunday, the 2nd or the 16th – Family Dance- these dates are tentative.
All dances have live music by the Sugar on the Floor Barn Dance Orchestra, except the Ceili Dance on March 8th which features music by Bubble & Squeak. All dances are alcohol and smoke free.
The Sugar on the Floor Barn Dance Society is an organization that promotes Contra and Family Dances in order to bring people together in ways that were common in America’s past. Its goals are to:
- Strengthen and nurture the community by bringing together people of all ages to interact in a lifelong activity that promotes positive physical and mental health values.
- Provide a forum for musicians to play, improve and expand their skills and knowledge of dance music.
- Encourage people in the community to become callers/teachers of the dances and provide opportunities to learn those skills.
Barn Dance #39 - Institute, WI - 4/28/07
In 1995 a group of musicians, dance enthusiasts, and
folks looking for chemical free adventures began a
holding a series of barn dances. They named themselves
the Sugar on the Floor Barn Dance Society. Since then
they have been having two to four barn dances a year
all over Door County. The Sugar on the Floor Barn
Dance Orchestra, anchored by members of Door County's
Celtic band "Bubble & Squeak", supplies the music for
the dances. The "orchestra" is open to anyone who is
willing to learn the music. Most of the music is old
American fiddle tunes.
Barn dances harken back to a time when folks came together to create their own entertainment. Single people, married couples, parents, children and grandparents all laughed and danced together, building stronger ties between generations and families. Dances include Squares, Circles, Contras (which is like a square dance in a line), and Sets.
We hold two kinds of dances. One series of dances are Family Dances and are held late afternoon or early evening, usually on a Sunday. We try to use local callers (please let us know if you are interested in learning to call and teach dances). The Family Dances provide a great opportunity for beginning callers "to give it a try". Sharing the calling at Family Dances makes it easy for all the callers to dance as well as to gain experience and confidence calling a dance or two, and no one has to bear the total responsibility for the entire dance. We will continue to hold Caller’s Workshops when we bring in callers from outside the area. At the Family Dances we do some “Play Party” dances and simpler dances. We also do some international dances. This remains a good time for young and old. All dances have a caller and live music.
The other series of dances are Contra Dances. They are usually held on Friday or Saturday night with a half-hour of dance instruction preceding the dance. We bring in teachers from outside Door County and try to use local callers as well. The emphasis is on more complex dances, moving faster through the dances. For more information on Contra Dances click here (pdf).
All dances are taught by a teacher/caller. The figures build on each other from one dance to the next. No previous dance experience is needed and by the end of the evening everyone is promenading and doing right hand stars like seasoned veterans.
The dances are great intergenerational, do-it-yourself, community building experiences that are enjoyed by everyone who participates. Our motto is "You can't beat fun for a good time".
Barn Dance Society Newsletters:
State of the Dance, December 2007
Newsletter May 2007
Newsletter end of 2006
Newsletter 2006
Newsletter 2005
Write:
Cy Rosenthal
PO Box 517
Sturgeon Bay WI 54235
Phone: (920) 743-7240 evenings and weekends
Email: doorbarndance@hotmail.com if you wish to be on an email list to get announcements of dances send your email address here.