Folk and Barn Dancing
Everyone is invited to dance at Fermilab!
There is folk dancing at Fermilab two or three
times every week, and the public is welcome to join in. Four different groups
meet to dance at Fermilab - barn dancing,
international folk dancing,
Scottish country dancing, and
English country dancing.
Barn Dancing
Barn dancing, with traditional American contra and square dances, is taught and
called to live music the second Sunday of the month at 6:30 p.m. from September
through June, and the third Sunday of the month at 2 p.m. from November to
April. This is presented by the Fermilab Folk Club, the
Fox Valley Folklore Society and the
Chicago Barn Dance Company.
Barn Dancing is being held at the
Kuhn Village Barn.
Please send email to folkclub@fnal.gov for more barn dance info.
More information can be found at the Folk Club's web site or by contacting Lynn
Garren at (630)840-2061, e-mail: garren@fnal.gov, or Dave Harding at
(630)840-2971, e-mail: harding@fnal.gov.
International Folk
Dancing
International Folk Dancing,
featuring line, circle, couple, trio, and
group dances from primarily Europe and the Middle East, meets every
Thursday year round beginning at 7:30 p.m. Newcomers are welcome to
join any week; the evening usually begins with the teaching of easy
dances and progresses to more challenging ones. Later in the evening
dances are done by request, and beginners are encouraged to stay and
follow along, a great way to learn and get good exercise. There is a
wonderful variety of styles and music. The group is also open and
welcoming to children. (Children must, however, dance, or play quietly
under parental supervision, as there is no childcare provided.) From
time to time the group hosts professional folk dance researchers and
instructors who offer special workshops open to everyone, and holds
parties with live music.
Silk and Thistle
Scottish Country Dancing
Silk and
Thistle Scottish Country Dancing
is a class of the Chicago
branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society and meets year
round every Tuesday beginning at 7:30 p.m. The dances are taught by
Doug Jensen, a physicist at Fermilab. They are traditional social
dances done in sets of couples, distinguished by stylized footwork
(and the costume of the kilt, sometimes in evidence, but certainly not
required). Beginners are always welcome, and are encouraged to come
early in the evening, when the easiest dances are taught. Basic steps
are presented and the figures and patterns are walked through. The
group is particularly friendly and welcoming to beginners.
English Country Dancing
English Country Dancing
is an accessible type of set dancing done to classical sounding music.
Part of the Chicagoland English Country Dancers,
this group has been meeting for a decade, monthly on Sunday afternoons, and now occasionally on Monday evenings as well.
The dance and music come from from the 17th through 19th centuries in modern form,
as well as modern creations.
As with Scottish and contra dancing, most of the dances are made
up of figures done in sets. The basic step is walking, and English
country is relatively less strenuous than other dance forms. There is
wonderful recorded music, and live music by
Old Fezziwig's Band generally every other month. Please check the websites for specific dates.
Locations
Kuhn Village Barn,
on Sauk Blvd. on the east side of the Fermilab site,
is the main location for International, Scottish, English, and American (barn) dancing at Fermilab.
Ramsey Auditorium,
located at the back of the ground floor of Wilson Hall,
the high-rise, is where the weekly Scottish and International groups generally
meet during the summer months. It is also the usual backup location when there is a
special event at the Barn.
For directions, click on the links above.
Sponsorship
International, Scottish, and English dancing at Fermilab are partly
sponsored by the
lab's community organization
(NALWO) and are intended
to offer recreational possibilities not only to employees and the many
foreign visitors at the lab as well as the surrounding communities.
There is no cost to dance in these groups, but donations are
appreciated. When there is live music, as at special parties, or at
the Barn dances, an entrance fee is charged to cover costs.
For More
Information
More information about International, Scottish and English dancing at
Fermilab is available by phone from Mady Newfield at (630)584-0825 or
Doug or Susan Jensen at (630)232-9089; by
e-mail from folkdance@fnal.gov; or by
checking the
Silk and Thistle,
English Country Dancing, or
International Folk Dancing
web pages.
There is also a printable listing of traditional and ethnic dance groups in the
Chicago area
More information about Barn Dancing at Fermilab is available by phone from Lynn
Garren at (630)840-2061 or Dave Harding at (630)840-2971; by e-mail from
folkclub@fnal.gov; or by checking the
Folk Club web pages.
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