Programme published

Southam Gathering 2012 Enclosed are details for the Southam Gathering 2012. We hope that you will enjoy the programme that we have put together for your week-end. The Grange Hall will be open from 5pm on Friday night for collection of tickets. Emergency contact at the weekend is 07963 043290. This is not monitored at other times. As ever we do hope you will take a full part in the festival and sheets will be available at the Grange on Friday for you to sign up as volunteers for making tea, stewarding a session etc. It is by taking part in these activities that allows us to continue running – it really does work out about one each so if one person shirks someone else does two (or three!) Stewards, please turn up in good time, as nobody can enter the halls until you are in place. It is imperative that badges are WORN and VISIBLE at all times. If you don’t see someone’s name badge please challenge them so that we can keep premises secure at all times and allow everyone to learn names. As last year, there will be three dancing venues at the Grange, Graham Adams Centre, and Southam Primary School. There is decent parking at the Grange and on the School playground, but limited parking at Graham Adams Centre. All venues have dances on Friday night. We have given instructions to stewards regarding hall capacities. Please accept the steward’s decision as final and try elsewhere if your first choice is full Sandwiches have been ordered in advance and you will receive tokens to collect them when you arrive. Everyone has brown bread unless otherwise stipulated. Please keep your tokens safe and remember to bring the relevant ones on the day. Just a brief note on dance etiquette if we may.......... We are all experienced dancers who I am sure do not need reminding of the basics but we would ask you please to give special thought to the following points for the increased enjoyment of all dancers. • Do please respect “House Full” notices. Venue limits are set for everyone’s benefit. Please do not embarrass the stewards by trying to negotiate your way into a full event. • Please stop talking when the caller starts their teaching (whether you are on the floor, or sitting out) – there are always people at the bottom of the room who are struggling to hear (and you may well miss vital instructions yourself!) • Even if you are not someone who normally changes partner, please consider doing so occasionally, especially if you see that someone has been sat out who may have wanted to get into the last dance if only.... • Please feel free to make up longways sets as soon as you are ready to dance. We shall be asking callers to adopt, where possible, the technique of taking hands 6, 8 etc. From the top to make up 3 couple or 4 couple sets. We feel this is a lot fairer way of making up these types of sets. If that does not leave you with those friends you always dance with – well sorry but why not dance with some different people for a change? This is now our fourth year running Southam as a team and the feedback we received from you has been very positive. Thank you to all who gave us feedback, we appreciate it. Thank you too for volunteering, it really is important to keep the event running. We look forward to seeing you on the dance floor. Do give us feedback afterwards. Jean, Denise, Jenny, Paul, Peter, Norman Southam 2012 Programme Notes This year’s callers are Andrew Shaw, Andrew Swaine, Colin Wallace, Hilary Herbert, Robert Moir, Sue Horsham, Trevor Monson, and Victoria Yeomans; with music from Tradaree, Keeping Thyme, Fat Harry, Deo Volente, Masquerade, and Knotted Chord. Due to work commitments Aidan Broadbridge and Rod Stradling are not able to be with us as originally advertised. FRIDAY 8:00pm - 10:45pm Welcome Dance – Grange Hall – Andrew Shaw + Masquerade A relaxing opening evening with Andrew Friday Frolics – Primary School – Victoria Yeomans + Knotted Chord A mixed programme to start the weekend off Meet & Greet – Graham Adams Centre – Robert Moir + Keeping Thyme Renew friendships - is it really a year since the last Southam? SATURDAY 9:30am - 11:00am Dances Written for a Spouse – Grange Hall – Trevor Monson + Masquerade Dances that people have written for their husbands/wives for some reason or other! Places To Go – Primary School - Robert Moir + Fat Harry Take a dance trip round the world - not just across the Pond. Contra Style – Graham Adams Centre - Andrew Swaine + Keeping Thyme A Contra warm up - making it feel good. 11:30am - 1:00pm Same Tune, Different Dance – Grange Hall - Hilary Herbert + Masquerade Pairs of dances written to the same tune. Brian Wedgbury - 10 yrs on – Primary School - Andrew Shaw + Fat Harry To mark the 10th anniversary of Brian's death. Lighten Our Darkness– Graham Adams Centre – Victoria Yeomans + Keeping Thyme Dances on the theme of light (or the lack of it). 2:15pm - 3:30pm Lovely Ladies – Grange Hall – Robert Moir + Deo Volente Dances dedicated to the fair ones. American Squares – Primary School – Andrew Swaine + Tradaree Tradition style square dancing. What's in a Name? – Graham Adams Centre – Sue Horsham + Knotted Chord Dances about people. SATURDAY (Cont..) 4:00pm - 5:15pm Some Modern English Squares – Grange Hall – Andrew Shaw + Deo Volente Some recently choreographed English style dances in square formation.. Same Name, Different Dance – Primary School – Hilary Herbert + Tradaree Dances that share a name but nothing else. Bangers 'N' Mash – Graham Adams Centre – Colin Wallace + Knotted Chord A Tasty mix of Colin's own dances, some 'meaty', some easier to digest. 8:00pm - 10:45pm Keeping Thyme with Trev – Grange Hall – Trevor Monson + Keeping Thyme A selection of Trev's favourites at the moment. Mainly modern Playford style. An Evening With Robert – Primary School – Robert Moir + Tradaree Just what it says on the can. Andrew's Mix – Graham Adams Centre – Andrew Swaine + Fat Harry A mix of English and American dances from the livlier end of the programme. SUNDAY 9:30am - 11:00am Toad in the Hole – Grange Hall - Colin Wallace + Keeping Thyme All typically meaty dishes, some rather chewy, from the Wallace kitchen. Dancing In Rainbows - Primary School - Victoria Yeomans + Tradaree Colourful dancing. Can your dancing be as beautiful as the dances and tunes? Early Morning - Early Playford - Graham Adams Centre - Andrew Shaw + Masquerade Dances from the John Playford editions of The Dancing Master. 11:30am - 1:00pm With Military Precision - Grange Hall - Hilary Herbert + Keeping Thyme Dances with strong phrasing, requiring accurate timing. Contra Flow - Primary School - Andrew Swaine + Tradaree Your contra fix for the day -- making good dances better. Another Look at Playford - Graham Adams Centre - Robert Moir + Masquerade Pat Shaw's researched dances. Preview of book launch due 1st Sept. 2:15pm - 3:30pm Keeping it in the Family - Grange Hall - Andrew Shaw + Tradaree Dances for the Shaws Hilary's Humours - Primary School - Hilary Herbert + Knotted Chord Some of Hilary's own dances. Contra Medleys - Graham Adams Centre - Andrew Swaine + Fat Harry No walk throughs, just end-to-end contras as we go. Make sure this is not your first contra dancing experience. SUNDAY (Cont...) 4:00pm - 5:15pm M.E.C.D. - Grange Hall - Robert Moir + Tradaree As danced in the ECD community in the U.S. of A. Trev's Choice I - Primary School - Trevor Monson + Knotted Chord A selection of Trev's favourites at the moment. Mainly modern Playford style. This will include all the dances written for the Southam Write a Dance Competition in 1997 Natural Selection - Graham Adams Centre - Sue Horsham + Fat Harry Dance titles recalling seasons, flora, fauna and other "natural" phenomena. 8:00pm - 10:45pm Playford A'Plenty - Grange Hall - Andrew Shaw + Tradaree An evening of Playford style dances from Andrew. American Night - Primary School - Andrew Swaine + Knotted Chord Pure contras and squares. The Third Evening - Graham Adams Centre - Hilary Herbert + Masquerade A mixed evening of dances exploring various aspects of the number 3. MONDAY 9:30am - 11:00am At Sixes and Sevens - Grange Hall - Hilary Herbert + Fat Harry Dictionary Definition: in a state of total confusion or disarray. Surely not! Just dances in sets of 6 or 7 couples. Next of Kynaston - Primary School - Andrew Shaw + Keeping Thyme Dances from the new recording. The Bray Collection - Graham Adams Centre - Robert Moir + Masquerade Dances with theatrical bravura from 1699. 11:30am - 1:00pm Contradiction - Grange Hall - Andrew Swaine + Fat Harry Some more challenging contras - or are they even all contras? Holed in the Toe - Primary School - Colin Wallace + Keeping Thyme More fun from Colin Trev's Choice II - Graham Adams Centre - Trevor Monson + Masquerade More of Trev's favourites 2:15pm - 4:15pm (3:45 in school) Goodbye and Farewell - Grange Hall - Hilary Herbert + Fat Harry A mixture of dances to finish you off / finish off the week-end. Johnson's Tea Party - Primary School - Andrew Shaw + Knotted Chord Dances mostly from John Johnson's mid-18th century "Choice Collections of Favourite Country Dances"