MUSIC Forum at canaaninstitute.org :: cinst.org

[Mike_L]

Dance to Tunescape in Ithaca this Saturday, December 4!

Hands Four Dancers of Ithaca is closing out the year with a great dance on Saturday, December 4 with TUNESCAPE, one of the region's hottest contra dance bands: Tim Ball on fiddle, Jodi Austin on keyboard and second fiddle, Nadine Dyskant on flute, Rachel Bell on accordion, and Peter Blue on percussion and accordion. This dance at Beverly Martin School (302 West Buffalo Street) is FREE to members ($8 to non-) and will be preceded by a potluck at 6:30. Calling duties will be shared by Tom Calwell and Myra Hirschberg, two excellent callers from Peterborough, Canada. If you have questions, visit our website at www.hands4dancers.org, or call Tom Gudeman at 539-3174. Hope to see many of you there!
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Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Join us for Hands Four Dancers of Ithaca's seventh annual contra dance and dessert potluck with one of our favorite hometown bands, the Contradictions! The event takes place on Saturday, February 5, at the Women's Community Building, 100 W. Seneca St., Ithaca, across the street from the Dewitt Mall and Moosewood Restaurant.

With Laurie Hart on fiddle, Rick Manning on fiddle and mandolin, Tom Hodgson on guitar, Dave Davies on bass, and the sparkling Vikki Armstrong calling, this witty and energetic ensemble delivers irresistible fiddle harmonies and imaginative, hot rhythms to drive way the winter chill. The Contradictions' peppy mix of Appalachian and Irish jigs and reels, bluegrass, driving French Canadian tunes, lilting Swedish couple dances, 1930s and Texas swing, and sophisticated tango-waltzes from Venezuela will help you burn off some of the calories you're apt to consume at the fabulous dessert potluck that follows the contras. Here's the schedule:

* 7:15: Beginners' lesson
* 7:30-10:30: Contras
* 10:30-11:30 Dessert potluck and couples dancing


Admission is $8 for HFDI members, $10 for nonmembers. For more information call 607-539-3174, or visit www.hands4dancers.org. You can also visit the event's Facebook page to see who else is attending or to leave a comment!

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_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Fiddlehead Frolic Schedule 2011
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=140384776025805
Website http://www.hands4dancers.org/

Noon–1:00 p.m.: Waltz jam sandwiches
Open waltz jam & light lunch
Eat, dance, and play!
(Cafeteria)

1:00–2:30 p.m.: Contras
Elixir, calling by Nils Fredland
(Main Hall)

1:00–2:45 p.m.: Open jam
(Cafeteria)

2:45–4:15 p.m.: Contras
O’Shanigans, calling by Katy Heine
(Main Hall)

3:00–4:00 p.m.: Musicians’ Workshop
Members of Elixir
(Cafeteria)

4:15–5:30 p.m.: Old-time squares
Mad Goat String Band, calling by Nancy Spero
(Cafeteria)

4:30–5:30 p.m.: English country dance
Elixir, calling by Pamela Goddard
(Main Hall)

5:45–6:15 p.m.: Contra medley
O’Shanigans & friends, calling by committee
(Main Hall)

6:15–7:15 p.m.: Potluck Supper
Please bring a dish to share and your own place setting
(Cafeteria)

7:15–7:45 p.m.: Waltzes
O’Shanigans
(Main Hall)

8:00–11:00 p.m.: Contras and squares
Elixir, calling by Nils Fredland
(Main Hall)

For more info, visit http://www.hands4dancers.org/
O'Shanigans http://www.canaaninstitute.org/oshanigans.html
_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Just want to remind area dancers that the Fiddlehead Frolic will take place on SATURDAY, APRIL 16, from noon to 11:00 p.m. For the day's schedule, go to www.hands4dancers.org/frolic/2011/grid/index.html.

This year's Fiddlehead Frolic features the exhilarating music of renowned New England band ELIXIR: Ethan Hazzard-Watkins on fiddle, Anna Patton on clarinet, Owen Morrison on guitar, Jesse Hazzard-Watkins on trumpet and flugelhorn, and multi-talented caller/trombonist Nils Fredland. In addition, we've got plenty of hometown talent adding to the fun: contra and waltz sessions with O'Shanigans; a square dance session with Mad Goat String Band; and Pamela Goddard, Nancy Spero, and me calling English Country Dance, squares, and contras, respectively.

As I mentioned in an earlier e-mail, we'll have a silent auction to help cover expenses for this great event. If you have goods or services that you'd like to contribute, please contact Phil Syphrit at philsyphrit@yahoo.com or 273-0249. Also, come prepared to bid on some of the great auction items, such as massages, a "sumptuous dessert for six," mandolin lessons, and the use of a HFDI member's sauna--as well as CDs, earrings, and one of Phil's favorite chair projects.


Finally, if you live in town and are able to offer hospitality to out-of-town dancers, please contact our hospitality coordinator, Susan Arnsten-Russell, at sarnsten@gmail.com or 277-0770.

See you in a couple of weeks!

Best,
Katy Heine, board member
Hands Four Dancers of Ithaca
_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Fiddlehead Frolic: a Dance Fest!
Saturday, April 16, noon to 11 pm
Boynton Middle School, 1601 N. Cayuga St., Ithaca

As fern fiddleheads push their way through winter-squashed litter and tardy snow, dancers and musicians will also unfurl in 11 hours of nonstop contra, English country, squares, waltzes, instrumental workshops, and jamming. Fabulous New England-based band Elixir, with Ethan Hazzard-Watkins on fiddle, Anna Patton on clarinet and vocals, Jesse Hazzard-Watkins on trumpet and flugelhorn, Owen Morrison on guitar and foot percussion, and multi-talented caller-trombonist-vocalist Nils Fredland, will ignite the crowd with the brassiest contra dances around. It’s a happy fusion--with finesse--of big-band, traditional Celtic and French Canadian, Dixieland jazz, swing, reggae, and rock. The tone ranges from raucous to serene; always creative and impossible for dancers to resist! Nils Fredland is an inventive, wildly popular and gifted caller who wowed the crowd at the 2007 Fiddlehead Frolic with fun, interwoven dances never before seen in Ithaca. Nils and Elixir will also do some singing squares learned from grand master Ralph Sweet, will provide flowing tunes for English country dances taught by Pamela Goddard, and will lead an instrumental workshop. Energy to spare! Ithaca’s own O’Shanigans (in high demand throughout the region), with Tim Ball on soulful fiddle, Michael Ludgate on mandolin, and Phil Robinson on guitar, will offer more contras (called by Katy Heine), waltz sessions, and a contra medley. Mad Goat String Band (Peter Fraissinet on fiddle and banjo, Joe Hayward on banjo, Tom Ruscitti on mandolin and hammered dulcimer, Marianne Marsh and Nancy Spero on [double] bass) will play for an old-time square dance with Nancy Spero calling. Informal jam marathons will occur afternoon and evening (no charge for those who come just to jam).

If high spirits and sublime, hot music are not fuel enough, there will be sandwiches/light lunch and a waltz jam at noon and a community potluck supper at 6:15 pm. There’s also a silent auction (with wonderful donated goods and services). Whether it’s your fingers or feet that are flying, you’ll find hours of delight in spring-celebratory company at the Fiddlehead Frolic, hosted by Hands Four Dancers of Ithaca.

Prices vary by session (afternoon, evening, all-day); discount for HFDI members. Full schedule and details at http://www.hands4dancers.org/frolic/2011/index.html or call 607-539-3174. Out-of-towners who need a place to stay should contact Susan Arnsten-Russell at 607-277-0770 or sarnsten@gmail.com. Newcomers are welcome; each dance is taught, there a just a few basic steps, and the dance community is friendly and happy to help beginners. You don’t need to bring a partner, but you will need clean, soft-soled shoes (to protect the floor). Hands Four Dancers is a community-run, all-volunteer nonprofit dedicated to promoting great dances in the region, and the Frolic is our home-grown festival, guaranteed to induce euphoria!

---Margaret Shepard
_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

One of our favorite New England fiddlers, David Kaynor, will lead the band on Saturday, August 27, for a contra dance at the Community School of Music and Art (330 East State Street, Ithaca). The dance will begin with a newcomers' workshop at 7:30, followed by dancing from 8:00 to 11:00.

The band will include old friends and new, including fellow fiddlers Andrea Katz and Jennifer Dotson; Gail Blake on guitar; Nancy Spero on bass (and sharing the calling); and Ethan Jodziewicz, newly arrived from the Pacific Northwest, on a variety of instruments, including tenor banjo, mandolin, guitar, and bass. Be ready for many musical surprises and delights!

We could use several VOLUNTEERS for this dance--so if you're willing to spend a little time working in exchange for free admission, please contact Tom Gudeman at 607-539-3174.
_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Contra with David Kaynor and Friends
Hands Four Dancers of Ithaca dance
Saturday, 27 August; 7:30 pm newcomers’ workshop; 8-11 pm dance
Third Floor CSMA (Community School of Music and Art), 330 East State Street, Ithaca
$8 HFDI members; $10 nonmembers.

Old friend David Kaynor, revered veteran of the New England contra world, and by now an “honorary Ithacan,†will call and lead a band of friends in a high-spirited, inventive evening of dance. Beneath David’s whimsical and self-effacing image lies a superb musician who has dedicated himself to creating and sustaining a vibrant contra dance community. Over many years he has affectionately mentored other musicians, callers, and composers of tunes and dances; it was his pivotal effort that preserved and expanded Greenfield’s Guiding Star Grange (dance mecca) for Grange members and dancers alike.

Rounding out the band on August 27 will be a medley of old friends and new faces: Andrea Katz and Jennifer Dotson on fiddles (watch out: triple fiddle bliss), Gail Blake on guitar, Nancy Spero on bass (and sharing the calling), and Ethan Jodziewicz (just in from the Pacific Northwest) on tenor banjo, mandolin, guitar, and bass. David is sure to mix goofy jokes or puns and wry commentary with some sublimely flowing dances and can’t-be-beat traditional tunes. Expect the unexpected. CSMA is spacious, airy, and air-conditioned, with a smooth, cushioned Marley floor! Sound wizard Terry Kelleher will get the acoustics just right.

No need to bring a partner, but please DO bring clean, soft-soled shoes to protect the splendid dance floor. People new to contra dancing or to this area are always made welcome by the dance community. There are just a few basic steps and patterns, easily learned, and every dance is taught. You can join HFDI at the event and receive a discount on all our dances. Upcoming HFDI dances: Clayfoot Strutters and George Marshall (Oct. and Montage with Sarah Van Norstrand (Dec. 3)!

For more info, visit www.hands4dancers.org or call 607-539-3174.
_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

David Kaynor Contra Dance

Contra with David Kaynor and Friends
Hands Four Dancers of Ithaca
http://www.hands4dancers.org/
Saturday, 27 August; 7:30 pm newcomers’ workshop; 8-11 pm dance
Third Floor CSMA (Community School of Music and Art), 330 East State Street, Ithaca $8 HFDI members; $10 nonmembers.

Old friend David Kaynor, revered veteran of the New England contra world, and by now an “honorary Ithacan,” will call and lead a band of friends in a high-spirited, inventive evening of dance. Beneath David’s whimsical and self-effacing image lies a superb musician who has dedicated himself to creating and sustaining a vibrant contra dance community. Over many years he has affectionately mentored other musicians, callers, and composers of tunes and dances; it was his pivotal effort that preserved and expanded Greenfield’s Guiding Star Grange (dance mecca) for Grange members and dancers alike.

Rounding out the band on August 27 will be a medley of old friends and new faces: Andrea Katz and Jennifer Dotson on fiddles (watch out: triple fiddle bliss), Gail Blake on guitar, Nancy Spero on bass (and sharing the calling), and Ethan Jodziewicz (just in from the Pacific Northwest) on tenor banjo, mandolin, guitar, and bass. David is sure to mix goofy jokes or puns and wry commentary with some sublimely flowing dances and can’t-be-beat traditional tunes. Expect the unexpected. CSMA is spacious, airy, and air-conditioned, with a smooth, cushioned Marley floor! Sound wizard Terry Kelleher will get the acoustics just right.

No need to bring a partner, but please DO bring clean, soft-soled shoes to protect the splendid dance floor. People new to contra dancing or to this area are always made welcome by the dance community. There are just a few basic steps and patterns, easily learned, and every dance is taught. You can join HFDI at the event and receive a discount on all our dances. Upcoming HFDI dances: Clayfoot Strutters and George Marshall (Oct. 8) and Montage with Sarah Van Norstrand (Dec. 3).

For more info, visit www.hands4dancers.org or call 607-539-3174.
_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Groove-based contra dance fusion with the Clayfoot Strutters

Hands Four Dancers of Ithaca invites you to an afternoon and evening of "groove-based contra dance fusion" with the Clayfoot Strutters on Saturday, October 8, at Beverly Martin School, 302 W. Buffalo St., Ithaca.

The Strutters specialize in combining the modes and melodies of traditional American immigrant music, progressive harmonies from pop and modal jazz, and hot dance-floor rhythms from the Afropop, swing, Latin, Cajun, and zydeco worlds.

Leading the afternoon and evening sessions will be the ever-gracious George Marshall, with his gentle teaching style and a deep repertoire of fun dances.

Afternoon session for experienced dancers: 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Evening dance for all: 8:00-11:00 p.m.

Between the two sessions there will be a potluck supper in the cafeteria. Please bring a generous dish to share!

For further information, call 607-539-3174 or visit www.hands4dancers.org.
_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Clayfoot Strutters Contra Dance!

Saturday, 8 Oct. 4-6 pm and 8-11 pm dancing; 6:15 pm potluck; beginners’ workshop 7:30 pm Beverly Martin Elementary School, 302 W. Buffalo St., Ithaca

Every October, legendary caller George Marshall brings with him from New England a mighty fine band for a Hands Four Dancers of Ithaca contra dance. We’ve delighted to Nightingale, Wild Asparagus, and Swallowtail; this time ‘round it’s the glorious Clayfoot Strutters. They were last in Ithaca many years back for the Fiddlehead Frolic; you don’t want to miss them! They’re veterans of the Dance Flurry, Falcon Ridge, and other dance festivals, camps, and musical partnerships too numerous to list. The stellar band includes our own Harry Aceto (bass), Vermonters Pete Sutherland (fiddle, piano, and vocals), Jeremiah McLane (accordion and piano), and Lee Blackwell (drums, guitar and vocals), plus Peter Davis (guitar, piano and sax) from Saratoga and Mark Roberts (flute) from the Pacific Northwest.

Since 1990, the Strutters have set the pace for creative musical fusions that really sizzle on the dance floor. With uninhibited, fluid playfulness and tight, brilliant instrumental work, they’re masters at arranging and composing contra dance tunes that meld disparate styles: traditional New England, Celtic, and Quebecois with jazz, swing, and pop, and hot grooves based in Latin, Afropop, Cajun, and Zydeco dance. This is one of the few bands that can pull off this level of diversity, holding dancers to the beat while bringing out their full expressiveness on the floor. Contra bliss is guaranteed.

This event is a special “double-header”: an afternoon session for experienced dancers, and an evening dance for everyone. Newcomers are encouraged to try this old, but freshly evolving, form of community dance. The steps and patterns are simple and quickly learned, particularly as taught by gracious caller George Marshall, who is adept at leading smooth, fun dances with clear, brief walk-throughs.

Between the two sessions there will be a potluck supper in the cafeteria. Please bring a generous dish to share! You don’t need to bring a partner to the dance, but please do bring clean, soft-soled shoes to protect the floor.

Admission cost varies by session, with discounts for HFDI members. Call 607-539-3174 or visit www.hands4dancers.org for more information. HFDI is an all-volunteer community-run organization, with membership open to all.
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Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Attention, Dancers: you won't want to miss our next dance event, coming up in just five days!

The Clayfoot Strutters, one of New England's hottest contra dance bands, will provide an afternoon and evening of "groove-based contra dance fusion" for your dancing pleasure on Saturday, October 8, at Beverly Martin School, 302 W. Buffalo St., Ithaca.

Afternoon session for experienced dancers: 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Evening dance for all: 8:00-11:00 p.m.
Potluck supper between the sessions!

The Strutters combine the modes and melodies of traditional American immigrant music, progressive harmonies from pop and modal jazz, and hot dance-floor rhythms from the Afropop, swing, Latin, Cajun, and zydeco worlds.


Dances will be graciously and ably led by George Marshall (best known in his role as caller and musician with Wild Asparagus), who has brought us dances every autumn for nearly ten years with Wild Asparagus and other great bands, such as Swallowtail, Nightingale, and Crowfoot.

Between the two sessions there will be a potluck supper in the cafeteria. Please bring a generous dish to share!

For more information, call 607-539-3174 or visit www.hands4dancers.org.
_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Saturday, 3 December

Contra Dance with Montage and Sarah VanNorstrand, 8-11 pm, BJ Martin School, 302 W. Buffalo St., Ithaca. 7:30 pm beginner’s workshop. Superb music and joyful traditional dance for all ages. The steps are simple and each dance is taught. No need to bring a partner, but please bring clean, soft-soled shoes. Info at www.hands4dancers.org or 607-539-3174.
_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

SATURDAY, 21 JANUARY--- Special contra dance with The Contradictions, Women's Community Building, 100 W. Seneca St., Ithaca (opposite Dewitt Mall). Contras 7:30-10:30 pm, fabulous dessert potluck and hambos, schottisches, and waltzes 10:30-11:30 pm, with the high-energy Contradictions: Laurie Hart on fiddle, Rick Manning on fiddle and mandolin, Tom Hodgson on guitar, Dave Davies on bass, and spirited Vikki Armstrong calling. Irresistible fiddle harmonies, imaginative, hot rhythms: Appalachian and Irish jigs and reels, bluegrass, driving French Canadian tunes, lilting Swedish couple dances, 1930s and Texas swing, and sophisticated tango-waltzes. Hits at Dance Flurry, Brattleboro Dawn Dance, Ashokan, and Ithaca! Beginners welcome (workshop at 7:00 pm teaches the simple steps). Bring clean, soft-soled shoes and a dessert to share. Sponsored by Hands Four Dancers of Ithaca: $8 members, $10 nonmembers. See www.hands4dancers.org or call 607/539-3174. This will also be a "Farewell to the Women's Community Building" event, then end of nearly a decade of a mutually supportive relationship. As the building demolition nears, the community at large will miss the helpful staff and the central space that has welcomed so many diverse events over the years.

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_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Join us for Hands Four Dancers of Ithaca's annual contra dance and dessert potluck with one of our favorite hometown bands, the Contradictions! The event takes place on Saturday, January 21, at the Women's Community Building, 100 W. Seneca St., Ithaca, across the street from the Dewitt Mall and Moosewood Restaurant.

With Laurie Hart on fiddle, Rick Manning on fiddle and mandolin, Tom Hodgson on guitar, Dave Davies on bass, and the sparkling Vikki Armstrong calling, this witty and energetic ensemble delivers irresistible fiddle harmonies and imaginative, hot rhythms to drive way the winter chill. The Contradictions' peppy mix of Appalachian and Irish jigs and reels, bluegrass, driving French Canadian tunes, lilting Swedish couple dances, 1930s and Texas swing, and sophisticated tango-waltzes from Venezuela will help you burn off some of the calories you're apt to consume at the fabulous dessert potluck that follows the contras. Here's the schedule:

7:00: Beginners' lesson
7:30-10:30: Contras
10:30-11:30 Dessert potluck and couples dancing


Admission is $8 for HFDI members, $10 for nonmembers. For more information call 607-539-3174, or visit www.hands4dancers.org. You can also visit the event's Facebook page to see who else is attending or to leave a comment!

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_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

REGISTRATION FLYER http://canaaninstitute.org/docs/Fiddlehead_Frolic_2012_Brochure.pdf

Dear Hands Four members,

On April 28, 2012, Hands Four Dancers of Ithaca will host its fifth Fiddlehead Frolic, a day of music and dance featuring one of the region's hottest contra dance bands, TUNESCAPE (Tim Ball on fiddle, Rachel Bell on accordion, Nadine Dyskant on flute, Jodi Austin on keyboard, and Peter Blue on percussion and nyckelharpa)--a band that "fearlessly explores the border between traditional music and modern groove." Calling with them will be the equally fearless Ron Buchanan of Pittsburgh, widely known for his creative choreography and mind-bending, high-energy squares.

JAMMING: Yes, jammers will get in free for the jamming portion. If they decide to stay on for the music workshop (or for anything else), they will be asked to pay for half of the afternoon ($6 for HFDI members, $7 for non-members). -Katy H

We've also got plenty of hometown talent adding to the fun: contra and waltz sessions with August Wheat, a square dance session with the Uphill Battle Boys, and a panoply of skillful local callers.

Register in advance and pay the low, low price of only $22 for the whole day! You'll find a PDF of the brochure (with registration form) attached to this e-mail.

Volunteer Opportunities

To make this event a success, we need your help! Please let us know if you can support the event in any of the following ways:

Work at the event: We need volunteers to work the door and to help with set-up and tear-down. Work 1.5 hours and get into either the afternoon or evening session free; work 2.5 hours to get in to the whole event for free. Contact kheine@twcny.rr.com or call 273-0249.

Contribute an item for the silent auction: To help us pay for this event (the expenses of which have always outstripped the income), we are going to have a silent auction. Are you a massage therapist? a gourmet chef? Consider a donation of your service to the auction! Or rummage through your shelves or closets and find something that you no longer need and that someone else will love. Contact Phil Syphrit at philsyphrit@yahoo.com or call 273-0249.

Offer an out-of-towner a place to stay: If you can put up a dancer from out of town, please contact Tom Gudeman at tgudeman@yahoo.com or 607-539-3174


With your help, this Fiddlehead Frolic will be another GREAT Hand Four event!

Best,
Katy Heine, board member
Hands Four Dancers of Ithaca
_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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