The Strafford Ball is held the first Saturday in October of each year, usually in S. Strafford VT.
^*Sometimes (2006, 2007, 2012, 2017) this is also Columbus day weekend; then the ball is typically held in Fairlee VT.

The Eighteenth Annual Strafford Ball
October 6, 2012

featuring music by

The Bare Necessities

Mary Lea (violin)
Earl Gaddis (violin, viola)
Jacqueline Schwab (piano)
Peter Barnes (flute+)

and calling by

Scott Higgs
in
The Fairlee Town Hall, Fairlee, Vermont

Enjoy a wonderful evening of best-beloved Playford style dances in a charming Vermont village hall during the height of Autumn color. Then, if you like, socialize with other ball dancers at a country brunch and take in the fall foliage with a Vermont walk or a New Hampshire mountain hike on Sunday.

• This Year's Flyer and REGISTRATION (pdf)
• This Year's DANCE LIST. (Usually available mid-summer)
• This Year's condensed dance INSTRUCTIONS (HTML) . (Usually available late summer and even then some may be missing, awaiting author permission)

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

August:

The Month Before the Ball:

Dance classes (optional)
The ball dances will be taught in four sessions prior to ball:

• DATES:
  TBA
• Callers: Chris Levey and David Millstone
• Music: Trip to Norwich (Carol Compton and Thal Aylward)
• Location: Marion Cross School Multipurpose Room, Norwich VT
• Please wear clean soft soled shoes
• Free to ball registrants and to any others with an interest in learning some of the fine points of the dances on the ball program. Donations for out of town musicians are accepted.

The Ball Weekend

Saturday afternoon review session:

• Saturday, 1-4pm
• Caller: Chris Levey
• Music by Trip to Norwich:
  • Carol Compton on keyboard, accordion, and recorders,
  • Thal Aylward on fiddle
• Location: Fairlee Town Hall

The Strafford Ball

• Saturday, 8pm
• Caller: Scott Higgs
• Musicians: The Bare Necessities
  * Mary Lea (violin)
  * Earl Gaddis (violin, viola)
  * Jacqueline Schwab (piano)
  * Peter Barnes (flute + all sorts of instruments)
• Refreshments provided at mid-ball break.
• Location: Fairlee Town Hall, Fairlee, VT

• Sunday, 9AM-Noon
• Location: Heuboden Farm (Chris and Barbara's house - map sent with acceptance packet), Thetford, VT
• No charge to ball registrants, no need to bring food.

• In the late morning on Sunday, we will lead short country walks around nearby meadows and woods.
• As in the past, we expect to lead a mountain hike and/or a longer country walk for those who would like to spend time Sunday afternoon enjoying the fall foliage.

• Previous years Dance Lists:
  2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995
• Previous Years Condensed Dance Instructions
  2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995

• Combined previous years dance list ('95-'10) (pdf)

• 2001 Ball Video Clips:
  • Waltz: QT Small (0.5M), QT Streaming (0.9M), QT Medium (3M), AVI Streaming (4M)
  • Dublin Bay: QT Small (1M), QT Streaming (2M), AVI Streaming (7M)
• 2001 Ball Photos (by Marty Stock)
• 2000 Ball Photos by Marty Stock and year 2000 Ball Photos by Paul Brown
• 1998 Ball Photos
• PHOTOGRAPHS from 1995 ball (~100K)

• Local English Dance Series (Norwich, VT)
• Local Youth Morris Dance Teams (Norwich, VT)