MORRISVILLE NY - O’Shanigans contra dance band will be playing high energy fiddle tunes with Tim Ball on fiddle, Phil Robinson on guitar and Mike Ludgate on mandolin at Madison Hall in Morrisville for the Syracuse Contra Dance on Saturday December 3rd 2011. The fantastic caller, David Smukler will teach the dances. Madison Hall is on the National Register of Historic Places. A symbol of the town of Eaton and village of Morrisville the building sits in the center of Morrisville, NY 13408 on Historic US Route 20. Madison Hall was constructed in 1865 and was once the county center for Madison County in New York State. See  the links below for dance location and sponoring dance group. See http://www.oshanigans.org/ for more about the band! December 3rd 8-11 pm $7-

Sponsored by Syracuse Country Dancers! Admission $7- Don’t miss this dance! This is an authentic (registered historic site built in 1865) old ballroom style venue with a newly refinished dance floor! Bring clean shoes, a water bottle and YOUR FRIENDS! All dances taught, No partner needed.

DIRECTIONS to this DANCE — Historic Madison Hall is 4/10 mile east of the traffic light on Rte. 20 in Morrisville, NY, about 10 miles east of Cazenovia. Madison Hall is on the south side of Rte 20. Parking is available across the street on the north side of Rt 20.

PARKING — TONS OF EASY PARKING right across the street! Parking is available across the street on the north side of Rte 20. http://www.syracusecountrydancers.org/Directions.html#madison

BAND on WEB http://www.oshanigans.org/
BAND on FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/oshanigans (please click “like”)
VENUE WEBSITE http://www.syracusecountrydancers.org/index.html
EVENT POSTER http://canaaninstitute.org/docs/Oshanigans_current_poster.pdf
FACEBOOK EVENT https://www.facebook.com/events/304382226252350

GOOGLE MAPS DIRECTIONS to this DANCE — http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Madison+Hall+Morrisville+NY&ll=42.898462,-75.641406&spn=0.009321,0.01929&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&fb=1&gl=us&hq=Madison+Hall&hnear=0×89d97e3dfcce6591:0xbd7e214b46903be3,Morrisville,+NY&cid=0,0,973169564827262547&t=m&z=16&vpsrc=0

DIRECTIONS http://www.syracusecountrydancers.org/Directions.html#madison

PARKING — TONS OF EASY PARKING right across the street! Parking is available across the street on the north side of Rte 20. http://www.syracusecountrydancers.org/Directions.html#madison

FROM THE DANCERS AND MUSICIANS about O’Shanigans — “The O’Shanigans rocked the hall tonight! You guys sure know how to throw a party!” “I was really glad to get to dance to your music- that was tons of fun!!” “Super dance on Friday! You guys were peppy, and there were some imaginative arrangements that made even old, familiar tunes sound fresh. Hooray for the O’Shanigans!” “It was invigorating music, great company and fun caller!” “Do play for us again!” “It was fun dancing and even more so to the tunes of O’Shanigans!” “It was great!” “Mike, you and Phil and Tim were SOLID! I had a blast and my daughter had fun too! Thanks for playing, and thanks Ray for the goodies!” “We’ve heard great stuff about you guys: We’d love to have you play at our dance!” “Wow! I have not seen that kind of energy at the Friday Dance in long time, you guys were great!” “That was the most amazing medley … was there something Middle Eastern in there?” “You guys were way out there like in Hungary or somewhere? … then you brought it back home with that old-time tune … the best version of that I have ever heard!” “The band was absolutely wonderful last night!”

HISTORY OF MADISON HALL — Madison Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. A symbol of the town of Eaton and village of Morrisville the building sits in the center of Morrisville, NY 13408 on Historic US Route 20. Madison Hall was constructed in 1865 and was once the county center for Madison County in New York State. The current building is the last of three courthouses built on the same site. The original courthouse built in 1817 was a simple wooden structure and was demolished in 1849. It was replaced with a sturdier more attractive building of Greek Revival features and stood for 15 years. On October 11, 1864 it is rumored that the notorious NY Loomis gang set fire to this building because they wanted to destroy county records since a gang member was on trial. Replacing the burned down building, the present building was erected on the old stone foundation, preserving the previous steps and porch floor. In 1909 the county seat was moved north to Wampsville, NY to more closely associate with businesses and travel along Scenic Route 5 Seneca Turnpike. In 1910 the courthouse became the main instructional and administrative facility on the newly established New York State School of Agriculture which later became Morrisville State College. The historic courthouse now sits on the edge of the college campus. http://www.madisonhall.org/

About Contra Dancing: WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR FIRST DANCE Contra dancing is easy to learn. It’s so easy to learn that you don’t take lessons. Just show up at a dance and by the end of the first night you’ll have learned all the dance moves and you will be able to enjoy the next dance even more. People are friendly and welcoming to beginners. The age range is from kids to folks that have been around for a while. Both singles and doubles come to contra dances and women as well as men ask people to dance. It is usual that you change partners after every dance. You will meet people in a relaxed, pleasant, smoke and alcohol free atmosphere. The patterns of the dance can be a tad confusing at first but remember everyone had a first time and that other dancers will help you. Listen to the caller and the music and go with the flow of the dance. Some people find they get dizzy at first. Looking directly at the person you are dancing with eliminates this sensation. For many, the music is what keeps them coming back as it is exciting and lively. People come to dance, hear the music, socialize and have a good time. Adapted from http://www.greatmeadowmusic.com/music.html

WHAT TO WEAR? Wear smooth soled shoes and comfortable light weight clothing. Some halls require non-street shoes so make sure the soles of shoes aren’t bringing grit onto the dance floor. Most people bring a bottle of drinking water. Contra dancing is joyous so it’s important that you bring a smile. Adapted from http://www.greatmeadowmusic.com/music.html

More information About Contra Dancing:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contra_dance
http://tedcrane.com/DanceDB/DisplayDance.com/US_NY_ITH_TCCD
http://hands4dancers.org/
http://www.syracusecountrydancers.org/
http://www.canaaninstitute.org/
http://contra.binghamtondance.org/contra_calendar.htm
http://www.thedancegypsy.com/
http://www.oshanigans.org/
http://www.notesinegales.org/

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Sarah VanNorstrand

Saturday, 3 Dec., 8-11 pm (beginners’ workshop 7:30 pm)

Beverly J. Martin School, 302 W. Buffalo St., Ithaca

$8 HFDI members, $10 nonmembers

The members of Montage are true to their name; they fuse deep interests in dance music old and new: Breton, English, and Scottish country dance, Parisian café tunes, Renaissance bourrées, hot swing, and music rooted in Scandinavia, Canada, New England, and southern Appalachia. In the few years since Sarah VanNorstrand has been a dance caller, she’s proven her mastery and inventiveness and is in demand across the country at high-powered dance events. She’s also a mainstay organizer of the Syracuse Country Dancers.

Montage is a dynamic trio of well-attuned musicians. Jane Knoeck (piano, accordion), classically trained, discovered contra and other folk dance in the 80s and has performed on the dance circuit ever since; she also plays with the contra bands Riverbend and Groovemongers, where she is both focused and explosively energetic. Rachel Bell (accordion, wooden flute) is earning recognition as a fine composer of quirky, playful, and highly danceable tunes. She’s also a lively member of Tunescape and the Andrew and Noah VanNorstrand Band. Tom Santarsiero (guitar, mandolin, banjo, jaw harp, foot percussion) provides the rock-solid yet eclectic beat that anchors dancers while giving them space for expression; he also plays with Riverbend. The rich sound of Montage has been described as “chocolate cake,” so come hungry to dance!

Hands Four Dancers of Ithaca is pleased to sponsor this event. No need to bring a partner, but please DO bring clean, soft-soled shoes to protect the 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 briefly taught. You can join HFDI (a volunteer nonprofit organization) at the event and receive a discount on all our dances. For more info, visit www.hands4dancers.org or call 607-539-3174.

– Margaret Shepard

the date and time 11/11/11 11:11:11.11 (starts at 8 pm)
the math (11 / 11) / 11 = 0.0909090909
the numerology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/11:11_%28numerology%29
the movie http://1111themovie.com/
the bible http://www.revelationbibleprophecy.org/revelation11.html
the occult http://www.whale.to/b/duke.html
the book http://1111angels.com/TheSearch.html
the dance 11/11/11 until at least 11:11.11 !! Mike-Andrea-Ethan as “Notes Inégales” at Bethel Grove Ithaca for a later than usual contra dance! 2nd performance of this fabulous high energy string trio! Videos from the last appearance by Ben Werner http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Notes+In%C3%A9gales+at+Bethel+Grove&aq=f

Mike-Andrea-Ethan will be providing music as “Notes Inégales” at the Bethel Grove Community Center for a later than usual contra dance! This will be a fun DANCE PARTY featuring “Notes Inégales” with Ethan Jodziewicz (guitar and feet) and Andrea Katz (fiddle) along with Mike Ludgate (mandolin) at Bethel Grove Community Center. Calling the dances will be various local favorites including Megan Ludgate. This is the 2nd performance of this fabulous high energy trio at this old New England style venue located at 1825 Slaterville Road (Rt 79 about 4 miles east of Ithaca) Ithaca NY from 8-11 pm. Admission $6- (discounts for students and new dancers) Sponsored by: TCCD - Tompkins County Country. The building has a newly refinished wooden dance floor and is a popular place for the weekly Ithaca contra dance.

NEW MUSICIANS — Two new musicians to the Ithaca area. Ethan Jodziewicz (bass, guitar, banjo, mandolin and feet) is a music major studying double bass performance at Ithaca College. Ethan is from Washington state. Andrea Katz (from Texas and playing fiddle) is a PhD candidate in applied physics at Cornell University. Both musicians are fantastic contra dance musicians and played for many contra dances in their home states.

“Notes Inégales” - About the band name. This trio previously appeared as “NO’Shanigans”. Usually that name is reserved for permutations of the locally popular O’Shanigans where a substitute musician fills in for Tim. Phil or Mike. But the Ethan-Andrea-Mike trio has such a unique sound the musicians thought it would be fun to have new band name for this combination. They were tossing around ideas of various phrases translated into French … a common theme in the contra dance world because fo the strong French-Canadian influence on this type of dance music. Ethan suggested this phrase “Notes Inégales” which literally means uneven note. Here is the wikipedia article on the phrase. “In music, notes inégales (French: unequal notes) refers to a performance practice, mainly from the Baroque and Classical music eras, in which some notes with equal written time values are performed with unequal durations, usually as alternating long and short. The practice was especially prevalent in France in the 17th and 18th centuries, with appearances in other European countries at the same time; and it reappeared as the standard performance practice in the 20th century in jazz.” source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notes_in%C3%A9gales

Notes Inégales events are LISTED HERE http://www.oshanigans.org/
VENUE http://tedcrane.com/DanceDB/DisplayDance.com?key=US_NY_ITH_TCCD
VENUE’S POSTER http://canaaninstitute.org/photos/TCCD_Insert_current.pdf
BAND’S EVENT POSTER http://canaaninstitute.org/docs/Oshanigans_current_poster.pdf
FACEBOOK EVENT https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=133082890127595

DIRECTIONS to this DANCE http://tedcrane.com/DanceDB/DisplayVenue.com?key=US_NY_ITH_BG Bethel Grove Community Center 1825 Slaterville Road (NYS Rt.79) (from Ithaca take State Street east to Rt. 79, about four miles from the Ithaca Commons; a few hundred yards past the Bible Church)

GOOGLE MAP link DIRECTIONS http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode&q=1825+Slaterville+Rd%2C+Ithaca%2C+NY+14850&sll=42.41161%2C-76.29505&sspn=0.008523%2C0.01929&ie=UTF8&hq&hnear=1825+Slaterville+Rd%2C+Ithaca%2C+Tompkins%2C+New+York+14850&ll=42.40552%2C-76.432515&spn=0.034097%2C0.077162&z=14

MORE general INFORMATION About Contra Dancing:

http://www.greatmeadowmusic.com/music.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contra_dance
http://tedcrane.com/DanceDB/DisplayDance.com/US_NY_ITH_TCCD
http://hands4dancers.org/
http://www.syracusecountrydancers.org/
http://contra.binghamtondance.org/contra_calendar.htm
http://www.thedancegypsy.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTtEOaruqr4
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128273050

An NPR article from recent news: Contra dancing has been around since the 1700s. If you don’t know it — it’s kind of like square dancing but with long lines of dancers. The dance is having a renaissance around the country thanks to a thriving youth scene and incredibly lively acoustic music. Article by Marika Partridge on All Things Considered NPR July 2nd 2010 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128273050

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Mike Merenda and Ruthy Ungar Merenda

Saturday, 19 November, 8 pm

Hollis Cornell Auditorium,

Goldwin Smith Hall, Cornell Arts Quad

Theater in NYC drew them together, but it is music that has found sweet union in this couple. For seven years, Ruthy Ungar Merenda and Mike Merenda made an impressive worldwide splash as founders, with Tao Rodriguez-Seeger, of The Mammals, a “subversive” acoustic string band (who gave a riveting concert for the Cornell Folk Song Society back in 2004). They’ve played with Arlo Guthrie on his 40th Anniversary Alice’s Restaurant tour and for Pete Seeger’s 89th birthday appearance on Letterman. Mike & Ruthy tour with Jay Ungar (Ruthy’s father) and Molly Mason (of Ken Burns’ Civil War and contra and swing dance fame); this stellar Family Band did a great show for CFSS back in 2008. Ruthy also performs with her mother Lyn Hardy, Abby Newton, and Rosie Newton (local old-timey darling of the Pearly Snaps and Evil City) as the Mother Daughter String Band.

The birth of their son in 2008 did not slow their music-making, but gave Mike & Ruthy a new focus. Since then, they have performed mostly as a duo. And what a duo! Love infuses their instrumental give and take and the twining together of their voices. Says Ruthy, “I’ve always loved singing harmony. Mike’s voice is very breathy and mine is really strong, so it was a challenge at first. But I think that’s part of what makes us sound different than other duos.” Their interplay creates a “disarmingly laid-back yet tensile feel,” writes Jeff Rosenberg (Willamette Week).

In concert, Mike & Ruthy offer a no-limits repertoire from original to contemporary indie roots-rock, blues, stompin’ honky tonk, and traditional American folk delivered with passion and respect. They’re edgy, sensual, literate, political, and full of heart. Dazzling fiddle, banjo, guitar, and ukulele, and sweet, soulful harmony singing are alive with this young couple’s natural chemistry. Ruthy was raised on a diet of Ashokan folk music camps, swing, and contra dances (as a child, she created the wildly fun “Wizard’s Walk” dance), while Mike grew up honing his lyrical skills as a songwriter and playwright, and playing in alternative and ska bands. They’re willing to experiment, but are solidly planted; their songs have meaning and their music-making is organic, never copied. The Valley Voice declares that “Mike & Ruthy bravely and successfully bring folk music to a new place, while holding on to the timelessness of the of the genre, namely, the telling of a story.”

In addition to their recordings with The Mammals, Mike & Ruthy have produced seven CDs, including the ambitious Million to One in 2010. Of this most recent project, David Bromberg says, “The songwriting, singing, and production are all first rate.” Come hear for yourself the continuing evolution of this surprising and endearing duo. For sound clips and fun photos, check out http://www.mikeandruthy.com/

$15 advance/$17 door; $3 rebate for CFSS members, seniors, teens. Cornell students $10/$12. Children 12 and under free. Tickets: Ludgate’s, Ithaca Guitar Works, GreenStar, Autumn Leaves, Bound for Glory, and online at www.cornellfolksong.org. Info: website or 607-279-2027.

– Margaret Shepard