The Dances of 2018

See the dances of 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017

The Caller

Gene Murrow, one of the most knowledgeable callers in the nation, called the High Tea weekend in September of 2018.  One of our dancers said "Unlike some callers, who I wish would just stop gabbing and get on with the dancing, Gene is full of short, fascinating tidbits about the history of this dancing we all love, delivered with humor and charm. I often wish he would just keep on talking."

Gene has been an English country dancer and musician since 1965, and has taught and called at clubs, workshops, festivals and balls in the U.S., England and Europe for the last 20 years. In 2006 he appeared at the Southam Gathering and Tring Ball in England and led a series of workshops in Japan. For CDSS, he has frequently chaired Early Music Week, English-American Dance Week, and English Dance Week. In summers 2000 and 2003, he offered a seminar on English Dance Leadership Training in Music at Early Music Week. In addition to oboe and recorders, Gene plays concertina, accordion, and crumhorn. He holds a degree in music from Columbia University with studies at Juilliard, Class of '68. As a member of the dance band MGM, he has made three recordings of dances by Fried Herman and Gary Roodman. He is the producer of the Boston Centre series of English dance recordings featuring Bare Necessities and has served on the Country Dance and Song Society Governing Board. He approaches English country dances as works of art, striving "to make their richness of structure, musical form, texture, and affect enjoyable and appreciated by dancers of all abilities."

The Dances of 2018

 FRIDAY NIGHT DANCE

Date & Time: Friday, August 31, 2018 at 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Caller: Gene Murrow       Band: The Ladies at Play

Enfield Wash
Cockle Shells
Handel With Care
Candles in the Dark
Well Done Jack
Corelli's Maggot
Bonny Cuckoo
Homecoming
INTERMISSION
Honeysuckle Cottage
Astonished Archaeologist
Passages
Emma Turns Three
Gentlemen's Delight
Alice

SATURDAY Workshop 1 Music Made Visible (Duple meter)

Saturday, September 1, 2018 at 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Caller: Gene Murrow       Band: The Ladies at Play

Red House
Autumn in Amherst
Fast Packet
Say I Do
Auretti's Dutch Skipper
Beggar Boy
Apollo's Hunt

SATURDAY Workshop 2 Music Made Visible (Triple meter)

Saturday, September 1, 2018 at 2:00 - 4:00 PM
Caller: Gene Murrow       Band: The Ladies at Play

Hole in the Wall
Vermont Friends
Irish Lamentation
Duke of Kent's Waltz
Rich Delights
Round About our Coal Fire
Potter's Wheel
10 for the Ten Commandments

SATURDAY NIGHT BALL

Date & Time: Saturday, September 1, 2018 at 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Caller: Gene Murrow       Band: The Ladies at Play

Benjamin's Birthday
Sir Watkins' Jig
Easter Morn
Kneeland Romp
Dance With Me
Mary K
Rich Delights
Fenterlarick
INTERVAL
Indian Queen
Elizabeth
Zither Man
When Laura Smiles
Well Hall
Never Love Thee More
FINIS
Autumn in Amherst