Come contra dancing on Saturday, October 27, with caller Abigail Hobart and the band Whistlin’ Rufus.

This dance party is THE alternative to your boring costume gathering. Wear your finest and scariest costume while dancing to choreographed moves to live music. After dancing until your bones shake loose, enjoy a feast of frightening proportions during the break.

Abigail Hobart is the caller who has been contra dancing since she was eight years old. She began calling while on a four-month backpacking trip through Europe. She states on her website that “Growing up in the local folk community was so important to me; I felt connected and loved, free to express myself, and enthralled.” Come to the dance and experience this connection yourself.

The Whistlin’ Rufus band will be playing hauntingly beautiful music. The band consists of Ann Whitley on fiddle; Doug Olsen, mandolin; Cindy Olsen, bass; and Matt Levine, guitar.

Contra dance is a fun and easy-to-learn way to get great exercise while listening to fine music and making new friends. No experience is needed. It is not necessary to bring a partner. Come by 7:30 p.m. for free lessons, with dancing from at 8 to 11 p.m. Admission is a bargain at $7 for SNCA members, $10 for other adults, $5 for students, and free for children under 12.

Dances are 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. Visit www.Sauteecontra.com or www.snca.org for more information.

Get ready for another fun evening of contra dancing in Sautee, on Saturday, September 22, with band Cattywampas and caller Susan Davis.  Last month 150 dancers enjoyed the dance. Come find out what drew so many to the Sautee contra dance.

Cattywampas is a four-person band much in demand throughout the Southeast community of contra dancing. The four members have a long, active history as musicians in the region.

Fiddler Tim Cape and guitarist Scott Russell, originators of the band, are both legendary musicians in the Atlanta contra dance community. They have provided an eclectic mix of dance music with a hearty old-time core since the beginnings of the Atlanta community dances in the mid-1970s. Over the years, they have joined their talents with many musician friends to play for contra dances and other community events.
 
Fiddler Jan Smith and acoustic bassist Pete Senkowski have played with Cattywampas for several years. Pete, known for his upbeat and reliable rhythmic playing, backs up the band with strong, acoustic playing and has been the bassist of choice for many other groups as well. Jan is an accomplished old-time fiddler with many contest wins to her credit and has recorded with several different groups, including The Rosin Sisters, with whom she sings and plays both banjo and fiddle.
 
Caller and musician Susan Davis, along with her husband Scott Russell, has been a key player in establishing and nurturing contra dancing in the Atlanta area as part of the traditional Appalachian music scene for over thirty years. Susan has called regularly with the Chattahoochee Country Dancers and as a guest caller at dances throughout the Southeast. Both beginning and experienced dancers love her clear calling and helpful instruction.
 
Contra dance is a fun and easy-to-learn way to get great exercise while listening to fine music and making new friends. No experience is needed. It is not necessary to bring a partner. Come by 7:30 p.m. for free lessons, with dancing from 8 to 11 p.m. Admission is a bargain at $7 for SNCA members, $10 for other adults, $5 for students, and free for children under 12. Dances are held at the Sautee Nacoochee Cultural Center historic gym, 283 Highway 255 N., ¼ mile off Highway 17 in Sautee, Georgia, (706) 878-3300. Visit www.Sauteecontra.com or www.snca.org for more information.

Laurie Fisher, a dazzling fiddler from Asheville, NC, has assembled two equally dazzling musicians as the band Boom Chuck for the May 19 contra dance at the Sautee Nacoochee Center. Complimenting an evening of high energy dancing will be veteran caller Cis Hinkle from Atlanta.

Laurie Fisher has made several recordings for contra dancing over the years, most notably with the band String Beings. With Boom Chuck, she will play lead fiddle, accompanied by Nic Coker on guitar and Géraud Barralon on fiddle and acoustic bass.

Nic Coker is known to Sautee dancers for his guitar and fiddle playing with the band, The Stuff. Based in Asheville, he plays a wide range of energetic fiddle tunes covering many styles that keep the dancers moving. He plays with other contra dance bands, such as Spinning Wheel and Kudzoo.

Géraud Barralon comes from the Rhône-Alpes region of France. Drawn to the Django Reinhardt style of rhythmic swing guitar, he has performed for swing dances in France and has recorded original and traditional French songs accompanying himself on guitar, fiddle or octave mandolin. As part of the French Appalachian old-time band Ida Red Trio, Geraud has played bass for contra and square dances both in the States and abroad. He currently lives near the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina, where his wife recently served as director of the music and dance program. The couple now joins other traditional musicians in the area to play music events and mentor younger musicians through Geraud’s role as director of the Cherokee County Junior Appalachian Music program.

Cis Hinkle is one of the most sought-after contra dance callers on the circuit. She is much in demand at music and dance festivals from the USA to England and Denmark. Cis has delighted contra and square dancers since 1985 with her skilled teaching, welcoming manner, playful enthusiasm, and masterful selection of dances. When not on the road, Cis teaches t’ai chi classes in her native Atlanta, Georgia. 

Introductory lesson, 7:30 pm; dance, 8-11 pm. No partner or prior experience necessary.  SNCA members, $7; non-members, $10; students, $5; children 12 and under, free. The SNC historic gym is located at 283 Highway 255 North, ¼ mile off Highway 17 in Sautee, Georgia. Contact: (706) 878-3300; www.snca.org or www.sauteecontra.com.

Get on your dancing shoes, or just come to listen, because three phenomenal musicians from three different states will meet in Sautee to play for the April 28, 2018 contra dance. They promise a repertoire of powerful, eclectic, lyrical and highly entertaining music that includes Celtic, Appalachian Old-Time, Jazz, Rock and Roll, and original tunes. Veteran caller Warren Doyle from Tennessee will team up with the threesome.

Ed Howe, a master fiddler from Maine, assembled the band that includes another fiddler, Rob Zisette, from Virginia, and guitarist Roger Gold, from North Carolina. Ed is known for his exquisite talent for improvisation and wide-ranging palette of traditional and original fiddle tunes, from New England, Acadian, and bluegrass to contemporary folk and electronica. He is also a sound technician with a reputation for unique design of systems, especially for contra dancing.

Fiddle player Rob Zisette has played fiddle and various other instruments, including vocals, since childhood.  His sound is lyrical, improvisational and driving. As an avid contra dancer, Rob says he likes to play in a way that gives dancers the best experience possible. His main band has been Toss the Possum, a nationally esteemed group that includes his classically trained pianist mother and two older siblings on bass, saxophone, flute and Irish whistle.  

Roger Gold has brought his talents to Sautee on several occasions with the bands The Elftones, Steamshovel, and others. His playing is legendary, ranging from Celtic and Jazz styles to oozing intricate melodic playing, and he accentuates this playing with foot percussion.

Caller Warren Doyle has been involved in the contra dance scene as a dancer, caller, and dance event organizer for over forty years. An advocate of Appalachian life and culture and director of the Appalachian Trail Institute, Dr. Doyle helped found a folk school near Mountain City, Tennessee, that provides quality contra dancing and music for the local rural community. A life-long educator, Warren has a calling style marked by clarity and patience and is especially helpful with beginner dancers. Of special note, he has walked the Appalachian Trail seventeen times.

Ed Howe’s involvement in traditional music is extensive. Steeped in old-time bluegrass music as a fiddler since an early age, Ed currently plays with at least three other groups: the New England bluegrass band Gather Rounders; JEMS, a four-piece contra dance band; and a two-person band, Barefoot. He co-founded the band Perpetual e-Motion, a widely acclaimed twosome that performed and recorded unique music for contra dancers throughout the country.

Regarding his passion for playing dance music, Ed says: “I exceedingly enjoy weaving in and out of tunes building energy and resolving tension … Music is a feeling not a sound: it should be felt in the soul, from me to you, a gift of which I am honored, humbled and very pleased to offer.”

Introductory lesson, 7:30 pm; dance, 8-11 pm.  No partner or prior experience necessary. SNCA members, $7; non-members, $10; students, $5; children 12 and under, free. The SNC historic gym is located at 283 Highway 255 North, ¼ mile off Highway 17 in Sautee, Georgia. Contact: (706) 878-3300;  www.snca.org or www.sauteecontra.com.

Ed Baggott and Elsie Peterson are two outstanding musicians from Huntsville, Alabama, invited back year after year to play for the Sautee Nacoochee Center (SNC) contra dance. This husband and wife duo’s devotion to making great music for dancers is legendary.

A bonus to the evening of contra dancing on Saturday, March 24, 2018, is the calling of Atlanta-based Rob Harper. For several years, Rob has called dances for both children and adults here in Sautee, throughout the Southeast and nationally. He is known for keeping folks dancing with fun, interesting, yet accessible, dances, always peppered with his own style and energy. His calling fits well with Ed’s intricate and highly diverse fiddle playing accompanied by Elsie’s solid piano rhythms. Dancers can delight in a wide array of tunes that fit exquisitely to whatever dance is called.

Of special interest to the SNCA community is that Ed Baggott was among one of the original participants in the first contra dances held in Sautee almost 30 years ago. These early dances were forerunners to the monthly dances held continuously in the SNC historic gym since 2001.

Introductory lesson, 7:30 pm; dance, 8-11 pm. No partner or prior experience necessary. SNCA members, $7; non-members, $10; students, $5; children 12 and under, free. The SNC historic gym is located at 283 Highway 255 North, ¼ mile off Highway 17 in Sautee, Georgia.

Contact: (706) 878-3300; www.snca.org or www.sauteecontra.com.

Come on out to the historic Gym at the Sautee Nacoochee Center on Saturday, February 24, to dance to the “real fine” music of Reelplay. This New England-style trio of musicians, based in Old Time Appalachian styles, plays a variety of contra dance music from Irish to old-time and Quebecois to original. Calling by the popular Charlotte Crittenden promises an evening of even greater fun for dancers.

The three musicians of Reelplay are Robbin Marcus on piano, Doug Olsen on mandolin, and Dave Marcus on concertina. Together they have logged a century of years helping dancers find the rhythm and joy in contra and square dancing. They are known for their sense of fun as well as their lyrical, driving dance music. Dave is the composer of several tunes played by the band, including a host of beautiful waltzes.

Caller Charlotte Crittenden from Brasstown, North Carolina, has a wealth of experience as a dancer and caller in the Southeast. Dancers old and young alike are drawn to Charlotte’s delightfully warm and friendly calling style.  

Introductory lesson, 7:30 pm; dance, 8-11 pm. No partner or prior experience necessary. SNCA members, $7; non-members, $10; students, $5; children 12 and under, free. The SNC historic gym is located at 283 Highway 255 North, ¼ mile off Highway 17 in Sautee, Georgia. Contact: (706) 878-3300; www.snca.org or www.sauteecontra.com.

Here’s a chance to shake off that winter chill with a January tradition of welcoming, for the fifth year in a row, the band ContraForce - a true “force of nature.” The band has characteristically brought over 140 dancers to the historic gym at the Sautee Nacoochee Center, a testament to its great popularity.

An additional treat for the January 27, 2018 dance will be the energetic calling of Emily Abel.  Emily frequently collaborates with ContraForce and is making her second run with the band in Sautee.  

ContraForce is a three-piece powerhouse of musicians that combines the frenzied bowing arm of fiddler Andrae Raffield, the syncopated rhythms of drummer and saxophone player Joey Dorwart, and the acoustic and electric guitar onslaught of Jimi Periano. The band’s primary goal has been to transform traditional contra dance music into “a new, exciting, psychedelic force.”

Andrae and Joey had played contra dances for over fifteen years before they decided to strike out on their own in 2011 to explore a new vision, while teaming up with percussionist Jimi.  The band escalated to writing much of its own material and aimed it energies at stretching the boundaries of traditional dance tunes. Over the years, ContraForce has garnered an enthusiastic following, particularly among younger dancers hungry for its wild and energetic style of music for dancing.

Caller Emily Abel, currently from Asheville, NC, has called dances throughout the United States, having traveled thousands of miles, sometimes exclusively by bicycle. Nicknamed “Rainbowface” on the contra dance circuit, she is known for her energy and enthusiasm, for often singing her calls, and for her clear, concise instruction when teaching dances.

Introductory lesson, 7:30 pm; dance, 8-11 pm.  No partner or prior experience necessary. SNCA members, $7; non-members, $10; students, $5; children 12 and under, free. The SNC historic gym is located at 283 Highway 255 North, ¼ mile off Highway 17 in Sautee, Georgia.  Contact: (706) 878-3300; www.snca.org or www.sauteecontra.com.

Dance out 2017 at a special contra dance in Sautee on Saturday, December 30, with the band Joyful Noise and dance caller Diane Silver. Come early for a potluck dinner (information below) with a community of dancers ready for an evening of amazing music and challenging dances.

Joyful Noise is a group of four nationally renowned dance musicians assembled by pianist George Paul. Joining George are Cailen Campbell on fiddle, TJ Crow on mandolin, and Steve Kemble on percussion.

A bonus will be the dance calling skills of Diane Silver from North Carolina. Diane is one of the most delightfully inspired veteran callers on the circuit. She is known for her “clear and kind” calling style and positive, community-building spirit that puts less experienced dancers at ease. Diane also loves to call “hot” modern contras, with a few fun squares mixed in, to provide a sizzling evening for dancers of all experience levels.

George Paul cut his professional teeth in jazz clubs, blues bars and honky tonks on the West Coast. He brings a combination of all these influences to contra dance playing, providing a very unique feel to the music. George has composed hundreds of dance tunes and recorded several CDs with contra dance bands and three waltz CDs, mostly of his own material.

Fiddler Cailen Campbell is one of Asheville's most beloved musicians. He brings both depth and playfulness to his consummate fiddle-playing, enlivening contra dances with his stratospheric reach and energy. He is also a dedicated homesteader practicing sustainable farming.

Percussionist Steve Kemble includes hand drums from Africa and other traditions in his repertoire. He also plays in a marimba band with his wife, Mollie, where he builds most of the instruments. Their building company, MudStrawLove, uses natural, sustainable building materials.

Mandolin player TJ Crow is known for his ability to inspire dancers and musicians alike with high energy and a solid groove. He has toured with dozens of contra dance bands and recorded with Vassar Clements, John McCutcheon, Robin and Linda Williams, and Tom Paxton. TJ has adapted the mandolin to many different styles, from jazz to middle eastern.

Community potluck, 6:30 pm:  bring a main dish to share.  No introductory lesson; some dance experience is helpful, but all are welcomed. Dance, 8-11 pm. SNCA members, $10; non-members, $12; students, $6; children 12 and under, free. The SNC historic gym is located at 283 Highway 255 North, ¼ mile off Highway 17 in Sautee, Georgia. Contact:  (706) 878-3300; www.snca.org or www.sauteecontra.com.

Imagine the joy of dancing the night away the weekend before Christmas, Saturday, December 16, 2017. The monthly scheduled contra dance in the historic gym of the Sautee Nacoochee Center features an amazing trio of Georgia-bred musicians, The Griddle Lickers, with calling by Atlanta’s own Scott Russell.

But wait! December 16th is only one of TWO opportunities to dance away the year. Coming soon is information on a second “special” dance, Saturday, December 30, with Asheville band Joyful Noise and caller Diane Silver.

The Griddle Lickers is the happy result of mixing a couple of crusty, veteran musicians with a youthful shining star in the old time Appalachian music scene. This recipe promises a rich evening meal of fabulous, multi-layered music, combining vintage ragtime and jazz piano with classic Appalachian fiddle, banjo, mandolin and guitar playing. The three highly skilled musicians are Mick Kinney on piano, John Grimm on fiddle and guitar, and Etowah Adams, on claw hammer banjo and mandolin.

Joining the band to call the dance is Scott Russell from Atlanta. Scott is a long-time musical colleague of the band who has played guitar for traditional dancing for almost thirty-five years. He has been a stalwart in establishing and supporting traditional dance and music in both the Atlanta and Sautee communities and in communities beyond.

Mick Kinney is a long-time, highly respected performer, fiddle camp instructor, and recording artist from the Atlanta area and band leader of the Georgia Crackers. An historian of early 1900s string band and ragtime music, he has recorded and preserved much of that era’s musical literature.

John Grimm has been an award-winning fiddler, multi-instrumentalist, and recording artist for many years. Owner of Vintage Music in Dahlonega, John teaches private music lessons and fiddle classes with the highly successful  Georgia Pick and Bow Traditional Music School , an after-school program that has provided lessons for hundreds of children for almost a decade.

Etowah Adams is one of the Pick and Bow’s greatest success stories. He and his two siblings were students during the earliest days of the program, and for several years since, they have played professionally as a band for numerous events and dances in the area. Etowah, now a high school senior, performed this past April at the Ryman Theater in Nashville, as part of an annual Georgia Music Foundation benefit.

Introductory lesson, 7:30 pm; dance, 8-11 pm. No partner or prior experience necessary. SNCA members, $7; non-members, $10; students, $5; children 12 and under, free. The SNC historic gym is located at 283 Highway 255 North, ¼ mile off Highway 17 in Sautee, Georgia. Contact:  (706) 878-3300; www.snca.org or www.sauteecontra.com.