End-of-Year Contra Dance in Sautee

On Saturday, December 28, SNCA will have a contra dance with music by the band Contralicious! and calling by Dean Snipes from Charlotte. Contralicious!, from Atlanta, is Dave Marcus on concertina, Géraud Barralon on bass and octave mandolin, and Robbin Marcus on piano and percussion.

Contralicious! - Robbin Marcus, Dave Marcus, Géraud Barralon

Contralicious! adds two elements to the successful mixes the members have created with bands such as Reelplay, Ida Red, Over the Moon, Holy Coyote, and many others. Always playing a wide variety of music that is both lyrical and driving, the trio mixes in Dave Marcus’s jazzy, funky lead lines and Géraud Barralon’s deep experience in French bals music.

Over the last 20 years, Dave has popularized the concertina as a driving lead in the Southeastern contra dance music scene. One of our favorite callers said of his playing, “Wow. I just had no idea in the world that the concertina could be so funky.”  

Robbin Marcus grounds the trio with steady, playful rhythm lines on piano (and occasional percussion), moving the dancers with rock solid beat.

Géraud Barralon, from Ardèche in the Rhône-Alpes region of France, has a background in Django Reinhardt-style, rhythmic swing guitar and has performed for many swing dances in Lyon with a group, Djoukil. His most recent album, “La trace du Poète” (The Poet’s Trail) was released in 2019. As part of the French-Appalachian old-time band, the Ida Red Trio, Geraud is a frequent bass player for contra and square dances at home and abroad.  

Contralicious!’s repertoire is rooted in the New England contra dance tradition and includes original music as well as music from Quebec to Ireland and California to France. Dean Snipes will delight with his clear walk-throughs and smooth-flowing dances. Come on down and have a Contralicious! time with us.

Come join the friendly dancers of Sautee. If you have contra danced you know how much fun it can be. If not, come on out to try it. If you can walk you can contra dance. The caller will tell you the moves, so learning the dance is not necessary. No experience is needed. It is not necessary to bring a partner.

Bringing snacks to share is welcomed. The 8:00 dance, preceded by a free lesson at 7:30 pm., is held at the Sautee Nacoochee Cultural Center historic gym, at 283 Highway 255 N., ¼ mile off Highway 17 in Sautee, Georgia, (706) 878-3300. Cost is $10 for nonmembers, $8 for members of SNCA, $6 for students, and free for those under age 12. Visit www.Sauteecontra.com or www.snca.org for more information.