Saturday found these contradancing fiddlers on a journey to Peterborough, NH with SK and our friend Rachael for the annual Snow Ball, a winter dance extravaganza. Sunny skies and dry roads made for safe travel. Winter is still evident in shaded places, such as this icy ledge just off the highway.
A field of abandoned pumpkins caught our eye as we were driving along. We had gone past it enough that it was difficult to go back for a good shot. We did stop at a nearby strip mall though, thinking we could just go out back and get a photo from a different angle. A short walk out behind the stores, down a slope to cross a railroad bed, up a little knoll to scale a short wire fence, we were then met with a copse of trees, a steep decline to a river before ever getting to the pumpkin field! Ughh. So, we got this shot through the trees.
Finally, the dance! We estimate about 500 +/- dancers attended... quite something when you're on the dance floor with hundreds of people who are energized by the music. An equally amazing experience to be up in the balcony watching the fluid motion of hundreds of dancers moving as though professionally choreographed. I think this was the first time I've had a full appreciation of the power and responsibility a caller has over the dance. The band and music certainly play a big part, but without a strong and clear caller, it wouldn't all come together.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Sweet Journeys
The Snow Ball will certainly be one of those experiences against which I measure
other dances of the past, and in the future.
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2 comments:
(be aware: Rachael spells her name with an e after the a, as if ordered by an AngEl.)
Thanks SK, I'm glad you told me so I could fix the post! Names and their spellings are VERY important, especially to those whose names are being misspelled! Rachael, if you happen to read these comments, my apologies :)
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