DECEMBER IDEAS

Sunday, December 6th: Sing the Season Concert and Video Shoot

Four really amazing musicians approached Brooklyn Contra (BkC) about hosting their “Sing the Season: Songs to Warm the Dark” tour. “Sing the Season is both cheerful and soulful, a midwinter celebration of traditional songs and tunes from England alongside American and Celtic folk traditions. The program blends driving instrumental music, percussive dance and harmony-rich song with ample opportunities for audience participation, creating a festive atmosphere that feels intimate and cozy.”

The musicians are all quite well-regarded folk musicians:

Alex Cumming of The Tea Cups (UK)
Andrew VanNorstrand of The Faux Paws
Audrey Jaber of Alex Cumming and Audrey Jaber
Laurel Swift of Gadarene complete with clog dancing (UK)

This event would be in the evening. We’d also like to use the auditorium to shoot some contra dance instructional videos that day. This would enable us to do two events in one day, and allow us to use funds earmarked for the rental of a video shoot space to enhance your space instead!

Saturday, December 12th: Nic Gareiss: Solo Square Dance And Percussive Dance Workshop

Nic Gareiss, a well-known percussive dancer wanted to see if we’d be interested in hosting his show “Solo Square Dance” on Dec. 12th, alongside a percussive dance workshop during the day and evening.

“Solo Square Dance is a one-person percussive dance show created and performed by Nic Gareiss commemorating the 1935 Irish Dance Halls Act which banned citizens from dancing in homes. Always set in-the-round in houses, this 60-minute performance combines movement, speaking, and song inspired by this and other such dance bans, including the dancing ban in Pound, Virginia (only lifted in 1999!) which required that dancing permits not be granted "to anyone not a proper person, nor to anyone without good moral character." Solo Square Dance engages traditional and original step dance movement from Ireland, Canada, and Appalachia to explore the dialectic of public/private life, probing the subversive power of dancing bodies. The show begs the question: in light of its historic prohibitions, can dance act as a vehicle of transgression, liberation, and social transformation for our times?”

Other December Notes:

As part of this ongoing collaboration, BkC is excited to help keep enhancing the space. During this short term series of concerts, we’d look to complete a series of small projects such as:

Repair and paint bathroom walls and other bathroom repairs
Paint doors into hall
Create magnetic signage for bathrooms and private areas
Fix door jams for hall doors
Clean and polish main doors

I (Joe) am also happy to come help out with upcoming student work days if needed!