CDSS News
CDSS News Issues
The CDSS News is a print publication and, in a slightly shorter format, an online publication. Below are articles and other material from the most recent issues. We hope you find it informative, thought-provoking, and entertaining. Please contact us if you have comments or questions.
Our Upcoming Events calendar of workshops, balls, special events, weeks, and weekends throughout North America, is only available online. There is no charge for a simple listing (date, event name, town/state, sponsoring group's name, contact info); send to events@cdss.org.
To submit letters, articles, dances, tunes and songs for possible publication, send to news@cdss.org. Information about advertising (print edition only) is here. To receive the printed newsletter as a benefit of CDSS membership, join here.
All material in the CDSS News is copyrighted by CDSS, the individual author or the original publication and may not be reproduced—other than for personal use—without permission. Views expressed represent those of the authors and not necessarily of CDSS.
(photo by Doug Plummer)
Masthead
Letters and Announcements
Columns
- All Join Hands: Dispatches from the World of Community Dance, by Marian Rose
- Balance and Sing (Store Update)
- CDSS Sings — On the Banks of Coldbrook, by Anthony G. Barrand, Ph.D.
- News from Canada — Weaving Old-Time Music and Dance into the Fabric of Small Town Life, by Leslie Gotfrit
- Tell Me More — Dr. Fauster's Tumblers, by Graham Christian
Articles
- Announcing the CDSS Legacy of Joy Society
- Skill-building for Dance Promotion: How to Create Good Instructional Dance Videos, by Don Bell
- Advocating for our Arts: CDSS and the North American Conversation on Participatory Arts
- Annual Meeting Looks to the Future of CDSS, by John Seto and Craig Meltzner
- A Couple Left the Set While We Were Dancing: Tips on Recovery, by Laura Brodian Freas Beraha
- Milestones: Traditional Dance, Music, and Song Groups Celebrating Anniversaries
Web Extras:
- Watch Don Bell's English country dance videos on his YouTube channel
- Watch Peter and Mary Alice Amidon tell a story through song during the April 21st community dance event
Dances
- David Ward's Waltz, by Anita Anderson
- English Country Dance: Waltzing with Gaye, or Madame Fifer's Inauguration, by Beverly Francis
- Two Contra Tunes — The Alligator's Dentist, and Gator Boots for Jolie, from the 2018 Stellar Days & Nights tune writing workshop
Web Extras:
- Waltzing with Gaye - dance instructions
- Waltzing with Gaye - tune
- See the dances being called by Gaye Fifer at the close of Stellar Days & Nights (video by Wendy Graham)
- Listen to the tunes on Soundcloud:
Last Page
- Back Cover (photo by Jeffrey Bary)
(photo by Jeffrey Bary)
Masthead
Letters and Announcements
Columns
- Marketing Tips—Old School News Releases Still Work, by Lisa C. Brown and David N. Boyer, Country Dancers of Rochester
- Balance and Sing (Store Update)
- CDSS Sings — The Cowboy, by Martha Burns
- News from Canada—A Survey of Canadian Traditional Dance, Music, and Song Organizers
Web Extras:
- Listen to Glenn Ohrlin sing "The Cowboy"
- US Organizers - Take the follow up survey by April 13, 2018
- Join the new Organizers email list
- Tell Me More — Hombey House, by Graham Christian
Articles
- Outreach Far and Wide—News from CDSS Grant Recipients in Karlsruhe, Germany, and Hindman, Kentucky
- Wild Rose Garland Continues the Tradition, by Mikki Tint
- Running Behind: Rush to Catch Up or Not?, by Laura Brodian Freas Beraha
Dances
- Atossa's Gift—English Country Dance by Scott Higgs; tune (Love for Three Generations) by Clara Byom (see links below)
- Lighter Than Air —Waltz Circle Mixer by Susan English; tune (Lighter Than Air Waltz) by Daniel Engle
- Caroline's Stellar Stomp—Contra Dance by Wendy Graham; tune (Eleanor's Jig) by Adam Nordell of Sassafras Stomp
Web Extras:
- Watch Katy German call "Atossa's Gift" at Berea Christmas School, December 2017
- Love for Three Generations tune in Eb
- Love for Three Generations tune in F
- Caroline’s Stellar Stomp set to Sassafras Stomp’s Eleanor’s Jig played by Uncle Farmer at Stellar Days & Nights: https://www.facebook.com/perkypantsdance/videos/1649223015154751/
Last Page
- Back Cover (photos by Jeffrey Bary, Doug Plummer, Carl Friedman, and Simon Chambers)
(photo by Ali Solomon)
Masthead
Letters and Announcements
Columns
- Balance and Sing (Store Update)
- CDSS Sings — Swing and Turn, Jubilee, by Lorraine Lee Hammond
- Yoga for Dancers — Yoga Esoterica on the Dance Floor, by Anna Rain
The concepts for the work in this column build on the structures practiced in these previous columns: - Tell Me More — Cottey House, by Graham Christian
Web Extras:
- Jubilee – sung by Jean Ritchie
- Gypsy Davy - sung by Woody Guthrie
- The Gypsy Laddies - Sung by Jeannie Robertson
Articles
Dances
Web Extras:
- Song to the Moon, recorded at Winter Dance Week at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC, with music by Foxfire and instructions/prompting by David Millstone
Poem
- The Dancernot, by Steve Green
Last Page
- Back Cover (photo by Doug Plummer)
Errata
An ad for the 2018 Binghamton (NY) Ball & Sunday Brunch was slated to run in the Winter 2017-2018 issue but was unintentionally left out. Please see the ad here. We apologize most sincerely for this error.
There were three ads in the issue that were submitted to CDSS with inadvertent errors. Though it is not our practice to proofread submitted ads, we apologize for not catching these mistakes before press time.
- The Lenox Assembly ad on page 27 has the wrong dates and information. Please see the corrected ad.
- The When In Doubt, Swing ad on page 28 has Erik Ievins name spelled incorrectly. Please see the corrected ad.
- The Portland Raindance ad on page 26 has an incorrect spelling of the band name Latter Day Lizzards. Please see the corrected ad.
In the printed issue, Melanie Axel-Lute's name was incorrectly printed as Melanie Axel-Lute Becket and the dance formation for each dance was omitted. The PDF of her dances has been corrected and is linked above. We sincerely apologize for the error.
(photo by Deborah Thompson)
Masthead
Letters and Announcements
Columns
- Balance and Sing (Store Update)
- News from Canada — ECD-Sea to Sea, by Lorraine Sutton
- Tell Me More — Hambleton's Round O, by Graham Christian
- CDSS Sings — A Singing Square Dance, by Bob Dalsemer
- Yoga for Dancers — Descend, Ascend, Broaden, Soften: Strengthen the Muscles that Lift Your Torso, by Anna Rain
Web Extras:
- Hear Bob Dalsemer calling Hurry, Hurry, Hurry
- These previous columns might be helpful, either in similar actions described, or possibly as inspiration:
- Summer 2015: Abdominal Integrity, Part the First
- Fall 2015: Abdominal Integrity, Part the Second
- Fall 2016: Float the Floating Ribs and An Altar for the Heart
Articles
- The Road to a Performance, by Linda Golaszewski
- Why Dance in China?, by Susan L. English, Ph.D.
- CDSS Annual Report for 2016
- Jean's Story, by Andrea S. Pitkow, Chattanooga Traditional Dance Society
- A Room That Spoke, by Gary Shapiro
Web Extras:
- A 35-minute photo/video presentation on the China trip
- Video Playlists:
- Contra Dancing Chattanooga - Chrissy Davis Camp with Rough Sawn Timber - The Big Easy 'A'
Last Page
- Back Cover (photo by Denise Smith)