What's happening?
Our annual MEMBERS' MEETING, May 31st @ Merion
6:15 -- Picnic (will be cancelled if there is rain, check the website or your email)
7:00 -- Meeting
8:00 -- Dance (all meeting attenders, admission free!)
Once a year, we gather to review the activities and finances of the past year, appoint/elect volunteers for our Board and other committees, and talk about the year upcoming. Come! It's more enjoyable than you might expect!
Nominating Committee is proposing the following slate:
Michael Wood: President (2nd term)
Judy Kleppel: Vice President (1st term)
Tristan Morris, At Large (1st term)
Continuing Board Members:
Barbara Schlenger-Faber: Treasurer
Cecily Selling: Secretary
Kathy Talvitie: At Large
Eileen Leypoldt: At Large
If you have any concerns, or wish to place yourself or someone else on the ballot for a vote, please contact the Nominating Committee via Kathy Talvitie.
Two hard-working Board members, Pat McGrath and Robert Mills, are cycling off the board after serving during the very trying pandemic years. They both have put HUGE sustained effort into piloting Germantown Country Dancers, and thanks to them and the whole board, we made it to the other shore! Lots of happy dancers attending our events are grateful.
Want to invest in the future of country dancing? Dismayed that there are no more Barn dances for 6 months? Take your favorite young ones to a summer dance camp!
Check out these options for fantastic & family-friendly participatory music & dance camps for all ages:
- CDSS Cascade of Music and Dance, August 14-20 (about 2.5 hours from Philly) - Rick & Chloe Mohr on staff
- Ashokan Family Week, August 7-11 (about 3.5 hours from Philly) - John Krumm on staff
- ECRS Camping Weekend, June 9-11 in Ottsville, PA (events@ecrs.org)
- Catoctin Mountain Music & Dance Weekend, June 16-18 in western MD
- Head for the Hills, November 10-12, in the Poconos
COVID-related regulations are in place for all GCD events, starting with these highlights:
- Mask securely covering your mouth and nose
- Proof of vaccination (including a booster dose) required on your first visit, except for the Barn Dance
- If you don't feel well, or have had symptoms within 48 hours even with a negative test, please stay home and take care of yourself.
- You will need to sign a liability waiver, which GCD will keep on file (no more signing each week). For detailed guidelines and waiver text see the COVID Safety page.
Regular Dances and Events
| When? | What? | Where? |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesdays Year round (occasional exceptions) 7:30 pm – Arrive for new dancers' orientation |
English Country Dancing
Sliding scale Admission: |
Merion Friends Meeting Activities Building |
| First Saturdays October - May 3:00–5:30 pm – Afternoon Workshop (most Saturdays) | ECD for intermediate and experienced dancers** see below
Sliding-Scale Admission: |
Summit Church, Mt. Airy |
| Mt. Airy Barn Dance 1st Sundays, November – April 2:00–3:45 pm |
Old time fun for all ages
Adults $5 |
Summit Church, Mt. Airy |
Before you come...
On Wednesday evenings and at the Mt. Airy Barn Dance, new dancers are always welcome! Each dance is taught, then prompted. You don't need to bring a partner, as we change partners throughout the session. Friendly folk will ask you to dance. English Country Dancing is community dancing, where one of the pleasures is interacting with everyone in the room.
Please wear flat-soled shoes.
** First Saturday workshops and evening programs are more difficult than on Wednesdays. The programs are intended for intermediate and experienced dancers who know standard figures, such as casts and leads, siding, single and double figures of eight, and all manner of heys.
Venues
Germantown Country Dancers holds dances in two locations:
Merion Friends Meeting Activities Building 615 Montgomery Ave, Merion, PA 19066 (on the Main Line)
Summit Church, Mt. Airy, Westview & Greene Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19119
Join us!
Do you appreciate the events GCD sponsors for dancers and musicians? For a small amount, you can become an Official Member of this great organization! (With the side-benefit of guaranteed Ball admission if you register in time.)