Our neighbors to the west will celebrate Jane Austen on Feb 27, 2016 all day, with guest speakers, tea, and a dance ball. The dance will be called by Peg Hesley with music performed by The Syncopaths (previous stars of the FolkMADness stage)!
The Jane Austen Society of North America is dedicated to the enjoyment and appreciation of Jane Austen and her writing. The Greater Phoenix Region serves Phoenix and its surrounding areas.
Briefly introduce yourself and how you got involved in dance/music.
I got into dance and music as a child. I basically grew up at folkmads.
How and when did you get involved with FolkMADS? What encouraged you to contribute to our community?
My parents encouraged me to help out in the community.
What’s a contribution (or a few) you’ve made in FolkMADS that’s most meaningful for you and how has that contribution enriched your life?
I’ve been selling Raffle Tickets at the Memorial Weekend (FolkMADness) since I was around 8 years old and I have since then been trying to beat my record and have more or less taken control of the raffle area when Angela isn’t there.
I started helping out with the sound when I was in 8th grade and have since then continued because it’s fun and a great learning experience. Before I started helping with sound I just hung around the sound folks, later Steve Mills asked to see if I wanted to try helping out with sound and I have been since.
Other people that should be recognized:
Steve Mills and Bob Ford from sound.
See the FolkMADS-UNM page for more details.
Erik Erhardt calling with Rusty Tap four Fridays 7:30-10:30 PM during the Spring 2015 semester:
January 22, February 26, March 25, and April 15.
11/25/2016: Contribute a tune to Gary’s tune book, in memoriam.
Briefly introduce yourself and how you got involved in dance/music.
My name is Gary Papenhagen and I began playing the violin in public schools – 1963. Yigal Zan resurrected my interest in the instrument in 1978 with Irish and American Old Time tunes. He was the match, I was a considerable stack of wood. Playing Dances really fanned the flame and have kept the blaze burning happily ever since.
What’s a contribution (or a few) you’ve made in FolkMADS that’s most meaningful for you and how has that contribution enriched your life?
I have learned and gained an inestimable amount running the SF Megaband and we’re practically family after all these years. We’ve played some Great dances. Sweet!
When I was asked to help with bands on the 2nd Sunday English/Contra series I think it was with the idea that I and some combination of friends would play each dance. The pool of bands was a scant puddle. Now it’s a Water Park!! I had to leave Bo y Yo out of the Fall season, we have so many capable bands. Double Sweet!!
I love to play dances. I remember a while back when I was only getting one or two dances per year with the band I was in!! Bummer!! This is better – I play more dances each year than I can easily count. Super Sweet!!!
Briefly introduce yourself and how you got involved in dance/music.
Deb Brunt, Albuquerque resident since 1986. Semi-retired mechanical engineer. I’m originally from Massachusetts but I never tried contra dancing when I lived there. I started first with country-western dancing and was a member of a performing CW dance group (High Desert Dancers) for many years. That’s where I met my partner, Tom Leith. Tom was the person that introduced me to contra dancing.
How and when did you get involved with FolkMADS? What encouraged you to contribute to our community?
I was first involved with FolkMADS as a dancer. I attended FolkMADness for the first time in 2005 and somehow volunteered to help with registration! I have a friend in another volunteer organization (Society of Women Engineers) who once told me that I have a “V” (for volunteer) on my forehead! I like to get involved in organizing things and am detailed-oriented (I’m an engineer – surprise!) so FolkMADness registration is a good fit for me. I’ve also served on the Board, I send out the weekly emails, and do other jobs for FolkMADness.
What’s a contribution (or a few) you’ve made in FolkMADS that’s most meaningful for you and how has that contribution enriched your life?
Serving as FolkMADness registrar and working with Lisa Bertelli & Nancy Ford, has been the most meaningful. We make a good team! I like welcoming people to our community, both the first time attendees and the folks that come to FolkMADness every year. I take great pride in the fact that all the work we do results in a well-run event.
What have been some of your most memorable events with FolkMADS or friendships it has fostered?
FolkMADness and my friendship with Lisa and Nancy. And of course, anytime I can dance with Tom is memorable!
What would you like to see in FolkMADS’s future?
More young people. I really hope the UNM dances can help in that regard.
Other people that should be recognized:
The Albuquerque Megaband. They play every month for FREE!!!! Without the generosity of these musicians, FolkMADS would be really struggling financially. Special recognition for Jane Phillips and Bruce Thomson for their work with the Megaband.
I’m proposing a New Year’s Resolution for our experienced dancers to become “ambi-danceterous” or “bi-dancual” … to become a fluent dancer of both dance roles. This suggestion was originally made last month by Will Loving of western Massachusetts who posted to the SharedWeight.net Organizers message board.
There’s so much to gain from dancing both gender roles! Not only will you be getting on a gender-free wave sweeping the greater contra community, but you have these aspects to look forward to:
So, when you’re on the floor these next couple months, consider asking someone to dance and indicate you’d like to dance a specific dance role (“gent” or “lady”, start “left” or “right” in line). “I’d like to dance the lady role, want to dance?”
My experience is that there’s often more play (more fun) when I dance the other gender role, or when I give someone else that opportunity. These are my most memorable dances. I also believe this has a positive community effect of reducing sexist role expectations and creating more equal dance opportunities for everyone.
For callers, it’s imperative to understand how everyone moves and interacts on the floor, and there’s no substitute for dancing a figure from every dancer’s perspective. The experience will often give you insight about where the “trouble spots” are for teaching a figure/call to a new dancer, and when dancers need to hear which words to more quickly have success and enjoy it (and save them from struggling frustratedly). As callers, we also want to encourage dancers to “dance with who’s coming at ‘cha” — it’s the dance position/role (not biology) that determines the interaction between dancers. All of us can be anything we want, when we want.
Erik Erhardt, FolkMADS President
Spotlight On … is a weekly post starting in 2016 that recognizes someone for their contributions to the FolkMADS community. We will shine our internet light on selected volunteers, organizers, musicians, callers, sound people, and others who enrich our lives because of the gifts they bring to dance and music events. These NM local heroes will give us a chance to learn a little more about them and to share their (often hidden) contributions.
Suggest someone! If there’s someone you’d like to see recognized, please write Erik with a sentence or two why these people stand out for you.
A boogie both bygone and modern, a living tradition gets thumbs up in Albuquerque The Magazine.
Clara Byom’s new UNM band will join us. We can focus on band-related skills, such as basics of communication, changing tempo, resychonizing when things get off (if the band drops a phrase or if the caller drops a call or starts the next move early), and a range of apologies and smiles for all situations 🙂