PATMAD and Thursday Contra Dance News
CDSS Exec Board Visits Philadelphia Jan. 22-26January 2025
The Country Dance and Song Society (CDSS), our national organization, is holding its executive committee meeting here in Philadelphia the last weekend in January. Many CDSS board members will arrive in time for the Wednesday GCD English dance, and stay through Sunday night or Monday morning.
There will be a full lineup of special events Wednesday through Sunday, including a contra dance on Friday evening with SPUDS at the Park Avenue Community Center in Swarthmore, and a community meeting on Sunday with pizza for all, interspersed with singing and dance games, at the Irish Center. This will be an exciting opportunity to share the richness of our music and dance community with the CDSS board!
Here is a snapshot of events during the visit:
Wed., Jan. 22 - GCD Wednesday English dance (8:00-10:15pm)
Merion Friends Activities Building, Merion, Pa.
Robert Mills calling with guest callers Luanne Stiles and Juliette Webb from the CDSS board
Thu., Jan. 23 - PATMAD Thursday night contra dance (8:00-10:30pm)
The Irish Center (Commodore Barry), Mount Airy, Philadelphia, Pa.
Donna Hunt coordinating callers with CDSS board members invited to participate
Fri., Jan. 24 - contra dance and more (pre-dance picnic supper at 6pm, dance 7:30-10pm)
Park Avenue Community Center, Swarthmore, Pa.
Callers: David Smuckler (NY) and Diane Silver (NC) from the CDSS board
SPUDS open band led by Boxwood
Interspersed with entertainment by Fiddlekicks Cloggers, Kingsessing Morris Men, and GCD's Colonial Assembly
Sat., Jan. 25 - English dance and more (pre-dance picnic supper at 6pm, dance 7:30-10:30pm)
Summit Church, Mount Airy, Philadelphia, Pa.
Callers: Tanya Rotenberg, Liz Snowdon, Ted Rudofker & Sam Rotenberg
Musicians TBA, some from the CDSS Exec Board, some locals
Interspersed with entertainment by Renegade Morris, the GCD demo team (and maybe more!)
Sun., Jan. 26 - Community meeting with the Exec Board (11am-2pm)
The Irish Center (Commodore Barry), Mount Airy, Philadelphia, Pa.
Pizza provided for all!
Meet with CDSS board members to share ideas and concerns and ask questions.
Interspersed with Pub Sing and fun dance-games led by ECRS
(Full and up-to-date details at the Germantown Country Dancers site)
January 2: New Year, New Me: Set the Night AglowJanuary 2025
From the PATMAD Board, we’re wishing you a happy start to the new year! Here’s to more gathering, more dancing, and plenty of love for the contra dance (and waltzes and squares). Our community is better with you in it.
We hope to see you at New Year, New Me: Set the Night Aglow on Thursday, January 2. The night will feature new and different dances for the new and different year, newly composed or newly learned, or incorporating different fun figures or features or feels.
You’re also invited to bring battery-operated candle lights, Christmas lights before they’re away for the season, wearable lights—whatever you’ve got! Also, if you’re cleaning out your closet, we invite you to bring clothes to swap with your fellow dancers during the break. Let’s start the new year off bright!
Matching Gift Opportunity for End-of-Year DonationsDecember 2024
Dear Dancing Friends,
I am happy to announce that two of our dancers have offered to match up to $1,000 for all donations to PATMAD before the end of this fiscal year. This wonderful act of generosity will go a long way in supporting our dance community. We have come out of the worst of the pandemic, our dance is gradually growing back to pre-COVID numbers and we are bringing back exciting special events, such as ContraCopia. Please help us continue to grow, and to maintain our financial stability.
Thank you for your support!
Dave Rupp (on behalf of the PATMAD Board)
Contributions to the 100% free platform we use for donations are optional, and may be set to "Other" including zero.
July 25 Dance Canceled July 2024
Due to several COVID infections reported after last Thursday's dance, in addition to a major outbreak following the PATMAD sponsored Techno Contra in Center City on Saturday, the PATMAD Board has voted to cancel this week's dance at the Commodore Barry Club in Mt Airy. We regret that we will miss the calling of guest caller Penelope Weinberger and our wonderful local band, Broadside Kinetic. We hope that with additional time to recover, even for folks who may not know they are infected, we can reduce the spread in our community.
COVID outbreaks are on the rise, and have impacted dance events both locally and across the country. The PATMAD Board will continue to make the health and safety of our dance community a priority, and will carefully assess this increased risk as we move forward.
Finally, please plan on attending next week's dance on August 1st, featuring Sam Rotenberg coordinating local callers and our fabulous pick up band SPUDS. The wearing of masks will continue to be optional, but highly recommended. (The board subsequently decided that masks will be required for this dance.)
Sincerely,
Dave Rupp on behalf of the PATMAD Board
Masks Will Be Optional, Starting June 6 May 2024
After a careful review of the results of the community survey sent out earlier this month, and relying on the available data from the CDC and local counties regarding COVID transmission and hospitalizations, the board has decided that, starting on June 6, the Thursday Contra will become fully mask-optional.
Masks will continue to be welcome. This policy is subject to change. The board will continue to monitor COVID data, and we may update this policy in the future to ensure a safe and healthy contra community.
The board understands that there is a broad spectrum of feelings surrounding the subject of masking. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please do not hesitate to connect with us by emailing .
We hope to see you at the dance.
New COVID Alert Email List May 2024
We will continue to alert our community should a positive COVID case be reported at or after a dance. Starting on June 6, COVID alerts will be email-only and will be sent to a dedicated opt-in email list separate from our regular publicity list.
At the first three dances in June, our managers will have the latest waiver list on hand so anybody who wishes to join the COVID alerts list can simply check their name. After that, regular dancers and newcomers alike can update their email preferences (publicity, alerts, volunteer opportunities) at any time by stopping at the admission table.
Birthday Celebration on 3.14 with Pie! March 2024
On March 14th, Lisa Hyatt Cooper, Maggie Mongeau, Phil Baumgarten, Phil Maynard and Chris Deephouse are celebrating a combined 350 years of life on earth by sponsoring the dance. Admission is free; tips for the performers are optional. Come join us!
 |
The PATMAD Board is now encouraging people to bring snacks on mask optional nights, starting in March. Let's celebrate Pi Day by bringing a pie! |  |
January 18 is Tie-Dye Night! January 2024
Come wearing your favorite fun colors, and dance to the music of SPUDS, Philadelphia's phabulous open contradance band! Why? Just because!
PATMAD Board Election Results October 2023
We welcome our new board members Cristian Clothier, Oliver Lyons, and Ella Williams, and welcome back Ian Brehm, Kirsten Erwin, and Dave Rupp who were reelected, all by acclamation on October 12.
Thanks to the Nominating Committee, Dave Rupp, Sue Gola, Ian Brehm and Cecelia Tannous-Taylor, who reached out to people interested in helping to carry on the exciting work of our growing dance community. Community members are also welcome to serve on one of our many committees.
Masks are Optional 2nd and 4th Thursdays, starting September 14August 2023
As we return to weekly dancing, the PATMAD Board voted to change the current masking policy so that the dances on the second and fourth Thursdays will be mask-optional, starting September 14. We recognize that many of our dancers do not want to wear masks. We also recognize that there are a substantial number of our community who are more vulnerable to respiratory diseases and who feel safer when all dancers are masked. The majority of you who responded to our survey said that you will dance with us regardless of the masking policy, and we thank you for that endorsement. The PATMAD Board will review the masking policy at end of October. Let us all respect each other's decisions, and hope for low COVID numbers and good health to all. Let’s dance!
Role Terms Vote Results July 2023
Larks and Robins will be the role terms for all Thursday contra dances, starting in August 2023. The PATMAD board made this change in response to the vote of 101 PATMAD members during June. (Read more)
Ridge Kennedy Demonstrates Symmetrical Swings March 2023
As more dancers take an interest in dancing different roles in contra and square dancing, three universal handholds may be helpful when swinging. Ridge Kennedy takes the time with helpful partners to demonstrate them at the Thursday Night Contra Dance in Philadelphia. Thanks to Jan Alter for the video. (2‑minute YouTube video)
Survey on Increasing Attendance November 2022
Responses from the Fall 2022 survey are available. We discussed them, as well as other suggestions for increasing Thursday Contra attendance, at the community meeting on November 17.
Safety at PATMAD Events January 2016
Philadelphia Area Traditional Music and Dance needs the cooperation of all attendees to ensure all social interaction and physical contact is safe, appropriate, and welcome. If anyone is doing something that hurts or makes you feel uncomfortable or embarrassed, don't hesitate to let him/her know. Quite often, the offender does not realize he/she is making someone uncomfortable. If the inappropriate behavior continues, or if you do not feel comfortable confronting the person, report the matter to any board member or to the event manager.
The board has adopted the Policy and Procedure for Dealing with Complaints of Inappropriate Behavior.