Upper Potomac Music Weekends
English Dance in Shepherdstown!
Afternoon Workshop & Evening Dance
Saturday, April 30, 2022
Workshop 2-5pm
Evening Dance 8-11pm
English country dancing draws from a tradition dating to the 1600s. Revived in the early 1900s, the modern form includes folk, classical, and modern music, with corresponding dances that range from stately to romping, jaunty to driving, that can be playful, serious, sweet or meditative.
An afternoon workshop, and an evening dance is designed to be enjoyable for dancers of mixed abilities to experience old favorites and learn some new dances as part of the Upper Potomac English Dance Musician’s Weekend workshop activities and co-sponsored by Shepherdstown Music and Dance.
Dance leader, Melissa Running will be leading the workshop and evening dance. Her clear teaching and knowledge of the dances make her programs both lively and fun, and full of interesting dances.
Liz Donaldson and Tina Chancey provide the music for the afternoon program, the evening dance will feature the Oorts-Wiesler Orchestra, which includes many of our favorite local musicians in a large ensemble led by Paul Oorts and Dave Wiesler.
Cost: $15 per session, or $25 for both.
$12 per session or $20 for both for SMaD members.
Attendance will be limited to 50 dancers for maximum enjoyment.
About the town: Shepherdstown is located 70 miles west of Washington DC and Baltimore along the Potomac River. West Virginia’s oldest town, it boasts a thriving community of shops, restaurants, boutiques, and galleries and is close to several national parks, the Appalachian trail and other scenic wonders. About 4 square blocks in it’s downtown area, it’s easy to navigate and fun to visit.
Lodging: We regret that Shepherdstown has lost our two largest and more modestly priced hotels during the pandemic. It will be harder to find lodging close by, but there are nice BnB’s in Shepherdstown and across the river in Sharpsburg, and more affordable options are available in Charles Town and Martinsburg, about 8-10 miles away.
Showcase Concert: On Friday evening, there will be a showcase concert featuring the staff, an English Dance music set by Paul Oorts and Dave Wiesler. The concert is $20 adults, $18 seniors, $15 SMaD members, and $10 students.
Advance Tickets for both the concert and pre-registration for the English Dance workshops are available by Paypal or by mail. Send and email to upperpotomac@gmail.com with the information from the linked flyer to receive an invoice. Thank you for supporting this program!
Safety: It is hard to predict what the pandemic conditions will be by the end of April, but we require full vaccination status (2 vaccinations plus booster), and masking, and recommend testing in advance if you may have been exposed. We recommend N-95 or a similar medical grade mask for your safety. We care about the health of all members of our community.
For your convenience, tickets are available online at Brown Paper Tickets.