KICKOFF CELEBRATION AND DANCE!

 

The public is invited to the Second Annual Ball Kickoff Celebration and Dance to be held at the Old Gym on the Flora Macdonald Campus (200 College St. in Red Springs) on December 3, 2006. Sponsored by the Flora Macdonald Legacy Foundation this informal dance will be called by Dean Snipes and briefed by various Scottish country dance instructors from the Carolinas.  Music for the dance will be provided by fiddler Mara Shea and pianist Jim Stevenson (See Biographies below).

 

Beginner dance lessons start at 2:30 p.m. followed by the dance at 3:00 p.m.  At the 4:00 p.m. intermission the Foundation will present a check for $1,000 to help preserve the historic Flora Macdonald Campus, will announce next year's Legacy Award recipient and will share the vision for the 2007 Ball.  Admission for any or ALL of these events is $7.00 Adults, $3.00 for under 15 yrs. and FREE to Ball Apprentices and can be purchased at the door. 

 

Biographies of the musicians and links to the Dance Program Cheat Sheet and Directions can be found below.

MUSICIAN BIOGRAPHIES

  MARA SHEA

Since the early 1990s, Mara Shea has been playing for dancers—ceilidh, contra, English country, and Scottish country dance.  She has been on staff at Pinewoods, Ramblewood, and the John C. Campbell Folk School, has played for the Teachers' Association of Canada (TAC) summer workshops, and took first place in several Scottish fiddle competitions, including the Loch Norman and Grandfather Mountain Highland Games.  With her guitar-fiddle duo band, The Elftones, she has made a number of recordings (www.elftones.com) and can frequently be heard at dance weekends and concerts.  More information on Mara can be found at: www.elftones.com/Mara.htm.  Mara recently played fiddle for the Flora Macdonald Ball and was featured along with Jim Stevenson and Dave Wiesler playing dance workshops during the Flora Macdonald Highland Games. 

 JIM STEVENSON

Jim Stevenson first played for English and contra dance bands before venturing into the world of Scottish Country in the early 90’s. He has been on staff at Pinewoods, Ramblewood, and New York's Pawling Weekend, and has played for the Teachers' Association of Canada (TAC) summer workshops. With his band, Celtic Knot, he is often heard at dances in the New York area and regularly plays for workshops and dance weekends across the US and in Canada. His original tunes appear in Milton Levy’s dance book, The Tin Woodman, and several are featured on Roy Hendrie’s CD by the same title. Jim was recently featured along with Mara Shae and Dave Wiesler playing dance workshops during the Flora Macdonald Highland Games. 

 

SEE TAB AT LEFT TITLED "DANCE PROGRAM" (6th FROM TOP) FOR DANCES ON THE PROGRAM AND FOR THE CHEAT SHEET.

 

SEE TAB AT LEFT TITLE "MAP & DIRECTIONS" (22nd FROM THE TOP) FOR MAP AND INFORMATION ON HOW TO GET TO THE FLORA MACDONALD CAMPUS. THE OLD GYM IS AT THE BACK OF THE CAMPUS AND LOOKS LIKE A BARN.

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Article from this past Kickoff Celebration held in

Red Springs on Saturday, November 26, 2005

From the Red Springs Citizen -  Wednesday, November 30, 2005


Jack and Jamie Pressley of Charlotte
twirl as Karen Gilchrist Poppele of Southern
Pines dances with her daughter (out of view).

Locals and Out-of-towners