Kickin’ Devil Dancers

Hogtown Zydeco – 9/11/09

A month ago, I tried to decide…heads? feet? legs? Tonight, I’ll have another chance to catch the dancers flying around that crazy space.

Tampa Contra

Walk Through 9/4/09  - Study for a Painting

September Turtle Calendar

September 4 – Friday – Contra Dance at Pinellas Park 7:30-11:00 PM – Tampa Friends of Old Time Dance - Flying Turtles with Jane Ewing Calling

September 11 – Friday – Kickin Devil Cafe,  NE 27th St, Gainesville 7 – 11 PM – Cajun/Zydeco Turtle Band – Come out and Dance!

September 12 – Saturday – Trenton Community Farmers Market - 10 AM – 2 PM – Sustainable Ag Workshop – Flying Turtles Set after Class

September 19 – Saturday – Contra Dance at the Live Oak Coliseum – 4 PM – 7 PM Flying Turtles with Jan Pierce Calling

September 20 – Sunday – O’Leno Old Time Dance in the Dance Hall on the Santa Fe, O’Leno State Park, 4PM – 7 PM, Flying Turtles with Eric Harris Calling

September 26 – Saturday – Contra Dance in Ft White at Ft White Middle School, 6 PM – 9 PM, Flying Turtles with Andy Kane Calling

July Turtle Calendar

Here’s what we have scheduled so far for the month of July:

July 3 – Historic Trenton Train Depot 4-6 PM (performance)

July 11 – Historic Trenton Train Depot 1-3 PM (performance)

July 11 – Tampa Friends of Old-Time Dance (Pinellas Park), Eric Harris calling 8 – 11 PM (beginners instruction at 7:30)

July 17 – Historic Trenton Train Depot 4-6 PM (performance)

July 18 – Gainesville Old Time Dance Society aka The GODS (Thelma Boltin Center, Gainesville)  8 – 11 PM (beginners instruction at 7:30)

July 31 – Historic Trenton Train Depot 4-6 PM (performance)

June Dances

I’ve been bad. Haven’t even posted our dances for the month. And, the month is just about over.

We started the month off playing at the Trenton Community Farmers Market, then we played the Melbourne dance, and Brian Kushner from Delray Beach called. There was sort of an old home week thing goin on…Merle and Cliff came up, as well as Brian, and we had a very nice dance. Except for the fact that we managed to leave a 50ft speaker cord behind, everything was lovely.

Last week, we played at a place called Camp Weed out near Live Oak. Yep. Camp Weed. A hundred and twenty giddy teenagers, Jan Pierce calling, and the wild turtle band. I have to say, that was one of the most unusual dances we’ve ever played. The kids were so totally lost at the beginning of the evening, but by the end, they were rockin. They said very nice things about their first contra dance. One kid said that the dance was the most fun he’d ever had at camp. On the way home from that dance, Tom’s back went out, where it went, we aren’t sure, but it hasn’t come back yet.

Last night, we played in Tampa…and caller Andy Kane drove. That was wonderful. Our truck is the apple of my eye, but, face it, it rides like a truck. Imagine that. But with the out back of Tom, we needed all the help we could get. The local chiropractor has been seeing more of Tom than anyone else. Anyway, another blast from the past walked in the door of the Rhapsody Ballroom…a woman we met at our Slow Jam in Boca Raton way back when.

Dr Patricia

Before we left…after packing everything up and counting the cords twice, I dug out my camera and snagged a picture. Look at this post-punk princess! How gorgeous! She makes black dancing sneaks look cool!

Ah, Steve – We Have this Effect on some Dancers

The rest of the month, we’ll be splitting time between the studio and the garden…and if you want to see us you’ll have to come to the farmers markets…either Trenton or Tioga. Or the chiropractor’s office.

June Turtle Calendar

June 5 – Historic Trenton Train Depot 4-6 (performance)

June 12 - Historic Trenton Train Depot 4-6 (performance)

June 13 – 4-H Vegetable Judging before Farmers Market at the Historic Trenton Train Depot – performance 11-12

June 19 – Melbourne Contra Dance, Brian Kushner calling

June 23 – Camp Weed, Live Oak, Jan Pierce calling

June 27 – Tampa Friends of Old-Time Dance, Andy Kane calling, Rhapsody Ballroom 8 – 11

May 3 with the GODS

A Great Crowd of Dancers

Sunday afternoon dances are not usually packed. But, this dance, well, this dance came close. Everyone seemed to be stoked. The dancers, the band and….the caller…who happened to be…

Andy Kane

I don’t know about you, but I am convinced that Andy is Italian. Look at those hands go! Watching him call is like watching a conductor…uh, call?

Ok, so that’s a lie…he doesn’t wave his hands around while he calls. Much. But he has a heck of a good time…and so do the dancers…and so does the band. We make a great team, that’s what I think. Start with a room full of dancers, add Andy and his mix of dances, and throw in our cross tuned groove…well…it’s good. That’s what it is.

Derby Day Maidens at the Cocoa Dance

Dion, Linda, Stephanie, and Sharon Being Gawdjus Goofballs

Ah, the Cocoa Dance. A mighty fine dance. Joey Norton drove over from St Pete to call the Kentucky Derby Day (May 2) Dance. Did a fine job, at that. Sharon, of the blue dress, sat in with us on fiddle and banjo. I was having too much fun to get any more pictures.

Vernals

Saturday Morning Workshop at Vernals

On April 4, we played much closer to home – at O’Leno State Park. The annual spring weekend, Vernals, is still goin’ on, after all these years.

April in Tampa…

Before the Dance, Beginner’s Instruction with Kirsten

Eric Harris called for the Turtles on this sultry night.