BRATTLEBORO — Caller Adina Gordon is set to team up with the Brattleboro Music Center's Celtic “mega band” for an event that is the culmination of the BMC Celtic classes' year of work and a highlight of the center's traditional music program.
All classes will combine to perform together for a year-end contra dance. In an area rich in dance music, organizers say this dance event stands out, with a band of 30 fiddles, mandolins, flutes, and guitars.
The dance is set for Sunday, June 10, at 7 p.m. at the Stone Church at 210 Main Street. Tickets are available at the door, and are $10 for adults, $8 for college students, and $5 for youths.
With adult Celtic music instruction as well as youth classes and summer programs, the BMC encourages players of all levels to build their repertoire and hone their skills in the traditional music of Ireland, Scotland and Quebec.
“For almost 10 years, the Celtic music program at the BMC has been a thriving musical presence in the Brattleboro community,” said BMC faculty member Keith Murphy, who leads the program with Becky Tracy.
BMC students have brought their exuberant music to the Strolling of the Heifers Parade, the Brattleboro Farmers' Market, the Northern Roots Festival, local seniors homes and other venues and events.
Murphy notes that popular dance caller Adina Gordon will be at the June 10 dance, ready to make everyone feel welcome on the dance floor, regardless of experience.
Gordon finds an outlet for her loves of travel, music, dance, and silliness by calling and dancing throughout the U.S. and Canada, creating joy and minor chaos wherever she goes. Combining a voice that makes you want to do what she says with a commitment to using that power for good and not evil, she calls contra, English and squares both old and new that cause spontaneous eruptions of joy on dance floors, according to a news release.
Based in Burlington, Gordon has called dances in 37 U.S. states spanning all six American time zones, as well as three Canadian provinces and Israel. Dancers frequently remark on her energy and joy, which is both highly evident and highly contagious. She believes that when it comes to dance, if you're laughing and smiling, you're doing it right.
Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Groundworks, which provides ongoing support to families and individuals facing a full continuum of housing and food insecurities in the greater Brattleboro area.