Downtown Amherst Contradance Most Wednesdays (exc 2nd), 7:30-10:30 Beginners Lesson at 7pm - bring your friends!
 
 
Beginners welcome: Intro lesson at 7pm at every dance. Masonic Lodge 99 Main Street - Amherst, MA (near the Black Sheep Deli and the Police Station) Admission: $10, Students: $8 , High School: $6 Please bring water and clean, soft-soled shoes to protect the wood floor. Also please refrain from wearing perfumes, colognes and other highly scented products. All dances smoke, drug and alcohol free. Dance Schedule October 30, 2013 Music: The Gaslight Tinkers! Calling: Quena Crain A spoonful of afro-pop, a pinch of jam band, a teaspoon of funk, two cups New England fiddle tunes, mix it up and you got another Valley creation. Veteran mandolin, guitar, banjo player and singer songwriter Peter Siegel has joined forces with the Alchemystics’ founder and bass player Garrett Sawyer to shake things up in the valley. Joined by percussionists, local fiddler Zöe Darrow and with local favorite Quena Crain calling, this looks to be a great night of dancing in Amherst.  November 6, 2013 Music: Escape Calling: Luke Donforth Members of the acclaimed Tunescape, join us from Ithaca, NY: Tim Ball (fiddle), Peter Blue (accordion, nyckelharpa, percussion) and special guest Eric McDonald on guitar. And, we’re delighted to have Luke Donforth calling for us for the first time. Tunescape/Escape website. November 20, 2013 Music: The Moving Violations Calling: Mary Wesley Valley favorites return! Van Kaynor on fiddle; Ron Grosslein on fiddle and mandolin; Chuck Corman on bass, guitar, percussion; Peter Barnes on keyboard.  December 4, 2013 Music: Nor’easter Calling: Nils Fredland “ toe-tappin', foot-stompin', shoe-shufflin', heel-clickin', booty-shakin' ”
the fabulous Nor’easter returns to Downtown Amherst. Nor’easter has the distinction of playing the first ever Burning Man contradance in addition to wowing dancers all over the country. Nor’easter features Julie Vallimont on keyboards, Cedar Stanistreet on fiddle and Max Newman on guitar and mandolin. Come hear one of the finest bands in the Northeast with calling by the equally fine Nils Fredland calling. Nils teaches a great beginning workshop so bring your friends at 7 for a great intro to contra dancing.  December 18, 2013 Music: Bartieni Street (Cantieni, Barnes & Stanistreet) Calling: Dave Eisenstadter A very special and very popular combination of musicians that you know from other bands. Come hear scintillating music: Cedar Stanistreet or Nor’easter (fiddle), David Cantieni of Wild Asparagus and Swallowtail (winds) and Peter Barnes of too many bands to name (keyboard and guitar). Boston caller Dave Eisenstadter returns to lead the evening.   Special Event: Sunday, Dec 29 - 7:30-10:45 Guiding Star Grange, Greenfield, MA Will Loving’s 3rd Annual 
Birthday Bash, Caller Fest & Fundraiser featuring FROST & FIRE and... 11 Callers! one for each dance including Lisa Greenleaf and others to be announced 200+ dancers, 11 callers, 4 amazing musicians, 1 very wild night. Celebrate and dance with and to your favorite callers. Admission: $12, Students $10
 Driving rhythms, unique arrangements, Frost & Fire embodies the best of what’s ‘hot’ and ‘cool’ in contra music today. Aaron Marcus (of Giant Robot Dance) on piano, concertina, banjo, foot percussion, vocals; Hollis Easter on flute, bagpipes, whistle, guitar, foot percussion, vocals; Peter MacFarlane on fiddle, low whistle, vocals; Viveka Fox on fiddle, bodhran, djembe. Did I mention....bagpipes?!   January 1, 2013 Music: “Techno Contra” with Firecloud Calling: Steve Zakon-Anderson “Firecloud” is now trio featuring Julie Vallimont of Nor’easter on keyboards, jaw harp and synths, Andy Reiner on fiddle and it's newest member, Andrew "DJ Nanocannon" Hlynsky on loops and beats. They are guaranteed to set your feet a-dancin’ with their musically rich blend of live fiddle and keyboard infused with infectious beats, loops, samples. Dramatic lighting with black lights and lasers (but no strobes). Bring your favorite glow-in-the-dark clothing, face paint, etc!   Click here to download a PDF of the current Amherst flyer Dances organized by Amherst Area Contradances, a group of local dance enthusiasts. For information, contact Will Loving This dance series is funded in part by the New Leaders, Good Leaders Fund of the Country Dance and Song Society http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyckelharpahttp://tunescape.orghttp://amherstcontra.org/Flyer.pdfmailto:will@dedicationtechnologies.com?subject=AmherstContrahttp://www.cdss.orgshapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1shapeimage_2_link_2shapeimage_2_link_3shapeimage_2_link_4
 Beginners
Welcome! ----- All Dances
Taught! ----- No Partner
Needed! ----- Please Bring Clean, soft-soled Shoes! ----- Download the current Flyer Here http://amherstcontra.org/Flyer.pdfhttp://amherstcontra.org/Flyer.pdfhttp://amherstcontra.org/Flyer.pdfshapeimage_3_link_0shapeimage_3_link_1shapeimage_3_link_2