Nelson Town Hall

Pot luck, followed by dancing with calling by Lisa Sieverts, music by Harvey Tolman, Gordon Peery, and probably a plethora of other musicians. At some point the dancing stops and people migrate to Center Pond for fireworks.

The Monadnock Folklore Society presents the Nelson Second Saturday Contra Dance on January 14th, featuring Lisa Sieverts calling with Roger Treat on fiddle and Gordon Peery on piano.

Dancing begins at 8:00 PM. Beginners and singles are welcome — there is a short orientation before the dance for early arrivals — and all dances are taught throughout the evening. Admission is $8, $6 for senior citizens and students. For more information call 603.762.0235 or visit http://www.monadnockfolk.org. The Monadnock Folklore Society has presented contradances and concerts of traditional music since 1982.

The Monadnock Folklore Society brings this community event to the Nelson Town Hall each year, admission is $5, and treats are appreciated for the dessert potluck. This year the evening will begin with a holiday concert featuring a selection of traditional and original seasonal music; as part of the concert 2011 Johnny Trombly Scholarship recipient  will entertain us with their musicianship. The Folklore Society invites you to bring along your favorite holiday dessert and we’ll supply the beverages for the intermission. After the concert the chairs and benches are cleared to make way for a traditional New England Contradance. Unfortunately, or not, the dance is often interrupted by various groups of unsavory characters presenting their idea of seasonal entertainment. These diversions, sometimes involving costumed individuals making complete fools of themselves or performing ancient ritual dances to help us through this dark time of the year, are generally tolerated as once they are applauded and fed we can return to dancing the night away.

Nelson Town Hall
Admission $8 / $6 seniors and students
Beginner’s Workshop 7:30

Sponsored by the Monadnock Folklore Society

The Nelson Second Saturday dance welcomes Luke Donev to his Nelson Town Hall calling debut. Luke recently acquired his PhD in physics, which could make for some remarkable dances!

Music is the solid “New England with an Irish edge: (or Irish with a New England edge) Celticladda, with Randy Miller on fiddle, Bill Thomas on flute and uilleann pipes, and Gordon Peery on piano.

The evening should be nothing short of splendid

Nelson Town Hall
Admission $8 / $6 seniors and students
Beginner’s Workshop 7:30

Sponsored by the Monadnock Folklore Society

Mega star caller Adina Gordon will move dancers effortless across the dance floor with grace and wit. The music: none other than the band that was born from the Nelson Monday Night Dance (and named after a Pete Sutherland tune): Trip to Nelson, featuring Perin Ellsworth Heller, fiddle; Richard Backes, guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, and maybe more, Matt Garland, flute and whistle,Liz Backes, flute, whistle and concertina,  and Gordon Peery, piano.

Nelson Town Hall
Admission $8 / $6 seniors and students
Beginner’s Workshop 7:30

Sponsored by the Monadnock Folklore Society

Vermont caller Mary Wesley makes her Nelson Town Hall debut to the music of Carey Bluhm, fiddle, Max Nunnemaker, bass and saxophone, and Gordon Peery, piano. Sure to be a lively evening with calling and music that is at once energizing and relaxing. Come out for a fun time with your friends and neighbors.

Nelson Town Hall
Admission $8 / $6 seniors and students
Beginner’s Workshop 7:30

Sponsored by the Monadnock Folklore Society

The amazing Heathen Creek returns to the Nelson Town Hall, with caller Don Primrose at the helm.

“Heathen Creek” is what happens when contra music has a head-on collision with Gen-X. Maia Rutman’s scorching fiddle soars while Pete Johannsen (guitar) and Mark Koyama (mandolin) lay down thunder and crunch that is equal parts Keith Murphy and Kurt Cobain. Blissfully tired contra dancers concur — the Heathens are all about rhythm, and they’re dead-on. But the trio plays lush too — sultry digressions full of lilt and peppered with caprice. From Pittsburgh to Peterborough, from Coeur D’Alene to Concord, Heathen Creek has been busting it up for seven years, filling the night with music and generally knocking the socks off all and sundry.

Nelson Town Hall
Admission $8 / $6 seniors and students
Beginner’s Workshop 7:30

Sponsored by the Monadnock Folklore Society

Bob Isaacs hails from the New Jersey area, but we don’t hold that against him. He’s an extraordinary dance caller, as well as author of some very interesting dances. Music is provided by Old New England:

• Jane Orzechowski ~ fiddle
• Deanna Stiles ~ flute, piccolo, fiddle
• Bob McQuillen ~ piano, accordion

Dudley Laufman will lead the dancing at a special Old Home Week edition of the Nelson Saturday Contra Dance on August 6th.

On a recent episode of the NH Public Radio program, The Exchange, host Laura Knoy said, “When he raised the roof at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965 with his country orchestra, Dudley Laufman energized the youthful crowd and helped re-light the torch for traditional country dancing that had been carried at the time by a few old-timers. He helped create a movement of contra dancing and contra music that has played out in the churches and barns of small town New England for more than a quarter of a century.” Dudley was named a National Heritage Fellow in 2009, and received the NH Council of the Arts Folk Heritage award in 2001.

Dudley and Jacqueline Laufman, usually joined by several of their musician friends, are a tradition at the August Nelson dance.

Dedicated dancers should note that this dance is being held on the first Saturday of the month, instead of its regular second Saturday date. Note also that there will not be a first Saturday dance at the Peterborough Town Hall in August, thus, dancers should plan to go to Nelson instead.

Dancing begins at 8:00 PM. Beginners and singles are welcome and all dances are taught throughout the evening.

Admission is only $2, thanks to the generosity of an anonymous benefactor.
The dance takes place in the historic Town Hall in Nelson, NH and is sponsored by the Monadnock Folklore Society. For more information call 603.762.0235 or visit www.monadnockfolk.org.

The Monadnock Folklore Society presents the Nelson Second Saturday Contra Dance,  featuring Lisa Sieverts calling with Amy Cann on fiddle and Carol Compton on piano.

Fiddler Amy Cann teaches at Vermont’s Putney School, and is a member of Apple Crisp, Calliope, Interstate Quartet, Jack’s Maggot, Next Generation Orchestra and the Emulsifiers. She is known for fiddling that is both danceable and inventive, breathing new life into old tunes and writing new melodies that sound traditional.

New Hampshire native Carol Compton (piano, recorder, accordion) has been involved in music and folk dance since childhood. Her classical piano training gave way to dance music in the 1980′s, when she began playing for English Country Dance and contra dancing in the Philadelphia area. She has played at festivals and dances throughout the Northeast and mid-Atlantic.

Carol can be heard on the 2000 Smithsonian Folkways Recording “Choose Your Partner,” playing with the contra dance band Northern Spy and appears in the contra dance video “What’s Not to Like?”. She has also performed Early American music at the Smithsonian, Winterthur and other historic sites.

Caller Lisa Sieverts appears regularly at the Nelson Monday contra dances and serves on the board of the Monadnock Folklore Society.

Dancing begins at 8:00 PM, with a short workshop beforehand. Beginners and singles are welcome and all dances are taught throughout the evening. Admission is $8 or $6 for students and seniors. The dance takes place in the historic Town Hall in Nelson, NH. For more information call 603.762.0235 or visit www.monadnockfolk.org. The Monadnock Folklore Society has presented contra dances and concerts of traditional music since 1982.