Ken Crawford’s 80th birthday Celebration
Join Ken Crawford’s 80th Birthday Celebration. This is a free, day-long dance event featuring the finest musicians and callers.
1-5pm Waltzing, English Country Dancing & Games
5-7pm Catered Dinner & Entertainment
7pm Beginners’ Contra Instruction
7:30 – 11pm Contras & More
More details listed in the callers’ information
This is a Free Dance. Swingin’ Tern extends their sincere appreciation to Ken Crawford for covering all expenses for this event so that the dancers, callers, musicians, family and friends may come together to celebrate not only Ken’s birthday, but to celebrate the unique joy of our dance community.
1pm The afternoon starts off with waltz basics led by Ken Crawford & Karen Justin followed by an hour of waltzing.
3pm After reviewing English Country Dancing basics, Jenny Beer will lead an English Country Dance as a remembrance of Loretta Holz.
4:30pm Ken’s Playpen — fun and games
5pm Catered Buffet Dinner
6:15pm Entertainment
7pm Contra Beginner Instruction led by Christie Riehl
7:30 – 11pm Contras called by Bob Isaacs, Christie Riehl, and Karen Justin.
The evening will include a contra medley, waltzing, Landans in tribute to Joel Remde, and of course, Birthday Cake!
Providing the music for the afternoon English Country Dancing and Waltzing will be Bronwyn & Justin.
Bronwyn Bird specializes in the traditional Swedish nyckelharpa (keyed fiddle), a bowed instrument with 16-strings. Justin Nawn provides hearty 6 and 12 string guitar accompaniment. They work as a husband and wife duo who love to craft performances that feature Irish, Swedish, Appalachian, old-time and bluegrass music.
After graduating from Berklee College of Music, Bird and Nawn founded the Birdhouse Center for the Arts in 2012 (Lambertville, NJ). Their business is a creative hub that is located in the heart of Lambertville. Inspired by the core belief that music can transform lives, The Birdhouse strives to provide quality learning and healing opportunities for all. Offering music therapy services, private music lessons, performances, ensembles, workshops and more, the Birdhouse serves as a creative home to the community, where life through song takes flight!
Providing the music for the Evening Contra Dance and Waltzing will be Larry & Tory.
Larry Unger has been a full-time musician since 1984, playing guitar, banjo, and bass, while composing more than 5000 tunes played by his various bands Notorious, Big Table, The Reckless Ramblers, Uncle Gizmo, and Kaleidoscope. Tory Horner is a fiddler based in Cambridge, MA. She got her start playing for dances in the Asheville music scene in 2023 and in 2024 moved to Boston and formed Here on the Hill. A graduate of Vassar College with a music degree focused on violin performance, Tory’s playing balances her technical skill with her sensitivity to the groove. She draws from her deep knowledge of contra dance to enthrall dancers and listeners alike with fiddling ranging from rhythmic and driving to groovy and flowing.
USEFUL INFORMATION:
- Newcomers are welcome to come at 7pm for an introductory lesson on the basics of contra dancing. No partner is necessary. All dances are taught with a “walk-through” by the caller.
- Masks and vaccines are optional.
- All dances at Swingin’ Tern are called to the gender-neutral terms Larks & Robins.
- Our hall is air-conditioned with the option to open windows on all four sides.
- Our dance is two blocks from the Chatham station on the Morris/Essex line out of Penn Station, NYC.
- Please bring your own water bottle. Water bottles may be filled at the orange Igloo cooler.
- Wear comfortable clothing. Contra dancing is aerobic. We prefer you carry in your shoes.
- We are a friendly, inclusive group. Pack plenty of smiles!
Hourly Schedule
Dance Schedule
- 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
- Waltzing & English Contra Dancing
- Basics, Waltzing, ECD, and More
- 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
- Catered Dinner and Entertainment
- Dinner and a Show
- 7:00 PM - 7:30 PM
- Beginner's Workshop
- Learn the basics or help the newcomers.
- 7:30 PM - 10:30 PM
- Dance
- The main event.