Welcome to High Tea 2018
Wow! High Tea 2018 officially SOLD OUT on MAY 12, 2018!
The High Tea Weekend started out life as a crossover weekend - originally called High Tea & Whiskey, it was half Contra, half English. It was English the way contra dancers like it - full of energy and joyous sponteneity, and contra the way English dancers like it - with spit and polish and interestingly varied music.
A few years ago the whole weekend (except for Sunday night) became devoted to English Country Dancing. We still fancy high energy and sponteneity along with our spit and polish, but perhaps lean a bit more towards the graceful and elegant now.
Here's a flyer for you to print out.
Labor Day Weekend August 31 - September 2, 2018
Gene Murrow - photo by Tatiana Daubek
The Caller
Gene Murrow has been an English country dancer and musician since 1965 and has taught and called since 1988 at clubs, workshops, festivals and balls throughout the U.S. as well as Britain, Europe and Japan. In 1996, he organized the Amherst Assembly, a week-long conference devoted to a scholarly and practical look at the origins and evolution of the country dance.
Sought out for his deep understanding of both music and dance and for his exceptional clarity when teaching, Gene has written a resource guide and training curriculum on musicianship for English country dance leaders. He has also performed on four recordings as a member of MGM, produced the CDS Boston English Country Dance series featuring Bare Necessities and served on the Board of Directors of CDSS and Early Music America.
Gene is the Executive Director and Founder of Gotham Early Music Scene (GEMS).
The Ladies at Play band - Miranda Arana, Shanda McDonald and Kathy Dagg, with Martha Edwards
The Band
Once again, we're bringing the Ladies back.The wonderful, amazing Ladies at Play will again be joined by our own Martha Edwards. Miranda Arana will again bring her transcendant flute playing to the weekend, joined by her beloved band-mates, Kathy Dagg, master of all things horizontal and plucked (guitar, mandolin, etc.) and Shanda MacDonald, funky, bluesy fiddler and kick-ass keyboard player. Martha Edwards brings her classical training and years of melodic improv to the mix.
This band has toured pretty extensively together, playing both contra dances and English Country dances. In 2016 they played ten dances up and down the central Midwest (Huntsville, Nashville, Louisville, Lexington, Cincinnati, Bloomington, Indianapolis, Cape Girardeau and St Louis). In 2017 their "Bay Tour" took them to Albuquerque, Phoenix, Monrovia, Berkeley, Hayward, Palo Alto, Coloma, Nevada City, Sebastopol, Petaluma, Culver City, and Oklahoma City for 16 events in 17 days.
The Schedule
Friday, August 31, 2018 at the Monday Club
- 8-11 pm English Country Dance, calling by Gene Murrow $25
Saturday, September 1, 2018 at the Monday Club
- 10 am-12 pm English workshop with Gene Murrow $15
- 12-2 pm Lunch on your own
- 2-4 pm English workshop with Gene Murrow $15
- 4-8 pm Nap, dinner on your own, dress
- 8-11 pm English Country Dance Ball (dressy attire) $30
- 11 pm After Party at the Monday Club
Sunday morning-Afternoon, September 2, 2018
- 11am-1:30pm Potluck Brunch at Mary Schmidt's house in Kirkwood
- 2:30-4pm Callers Workshop at the Monday Club $5
Callers bring your cards! Dancers bring your feet!
Contact Bob Green atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to sign up to call.
Sunday evening, September 2, 2018 at the Monday Club
- 7-10 pm Contra Dance - the regular Childgrove Country Dancers Sunday contra dance at the Monday Club ($7)
While this dance is not, strictly speaking, a part of the weekend, there's a tradition that many weekend attendees also enjoy contra dancing, so they stay, and we all have a blast! Monday, September 3, 2018 is Labor Day - you can sleep in, and still make it back home before work on Tuesday.
music: Ladies at Play with Martha
caller: TBA
For additional information, contact: Bob Green at