---
events:
  - name: 37th Ralph Page Dance Event
    details: "Sponsored by the New England Folk Festival Association \n\nCome to Ralph Page Dance Weekend. As one of NEFFA’s two major sponsored events, you’ll experience a full program of exceptional music, varied traditional dancing, and lots of opportunities to be learn what makes the Ralph Page community special.\nCallers: Sue Rosen, Steve Zakon-Anderson, and Tod Whittemore!\nLive Music by: David Langford, Randy Miller, Nat Backes, Bruce Rosen, and Sam Zakon-Anderson!\nCelebrate: This year, we will celebrate the careers and achievements of Randy Miller and Sylvia Miskoe–both former recipients of the Governor’s Arts Award for their long-time contribution to the folk heritage of New England. We invite you to come and share their musical journey with us through music and dance.\nScholarship Program: This year we are also restarting the scholarship program for new and developing callers. It is an opportunity to learn about the traditional dance and participate in our Callers’ Showcase. To apply, send an email to info@ralphpage.neffa.org.\nThe Ralph Page Dance Weekend committee: Chair: Tod Whittemore. Members: Paul Lizotte (Program), Don Heinold (Publicity), Matt Burke, Justin Godin, Richard Hart, Sandy Lafleur, Gary Nielsen, Andy Taylor-Blenis\nNotes: The Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend began in 1988 to recognize the contributions that Ralph Page made to contra and New England folk dancing. Ralph Page (1903-1985) was known as “the dean of contra dance callers.” He almost single-handedly kept contra dancing alive in the United States when many had abandoned their local dances for that new invention, the television. Page was a dance organizer, band leader, caller, author, and recording artist as well as a leader of weekly dances and dance camps.\n\nPage was one of the founders of the New England Folk Festival Association and served as its president from 1960-1963. The New Hampshire Library of Traditional Music and Dance is the site to which Ralph Page donated his archives.\nThe Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend presents traditional New England contra and square dancing as Page did it, along with modern dance styles as well.\n\n\nClothing & Footwear: Just bring clean shoes to dance in to preserve the floor (no high heels please). Dress is comfortable and as you like.\nRole Terms are: “Ladies & Gents,” but dancers are welcome to choose whatever role that works for them, as has been done for many years."
    links:
      - "https://www.neffa.org/annual-ralph-page-dance-event/"
      - "https://cdss.org/event/new-england-folk-festivals-37th-ralph-page-dance-event/2025-01-10/"
      - "https://cdss.org/event/new-england-folk-festivals-37th-ralph-page-dance-event/2025-01-11/"
    start: "2025-01-10T19:30:00-05:00"
    end: "2025-01-11T22:00:00-05:00"
    country: USA
    state: MA
    city: Worcester
    styles:
      - contra
    workshop: true
    social: true
    callers:
      - Don Heinold
      - Steve Zakon-Anderson
      - Sue Rosen
      - Tod Whittemore
    price: $55-$65
    organisation: CDSS
    source: events/usa/cdss.yaml
  - name: Carolina Meltdown
    details: "Come join us for an amazing contra dance weekend featuring the bands Topspin (Owen Morrison, Anna Patton, Emily Troll, & Stefan Amidon) and Hot Coffee Breakdown (Tom Cunningham, Kate Sanders, & Luis de Leon). Our wonderful callers will be Rick Mohr and Darlene Underwood. \nHosted by the Charlotte Contra Dancers and held at beautiful YMCA Camp Thunderbird in Lake Wylie, South Carolina. Visit our website for more details."
    links:
      - "https://www.charlottecontradance.org/carolina-meltdown"
      - "https://cdss.org/event/carolina-meltdown/"
    start_date: 2025-03-21
    end_date: 2025-03-23
    country: USA
    state: SC
    city: Lake Wylie
    styles:
      - contra
    workshop: true
    social: true
    bands:
      - Hot Coffee Breakdown
      - Topspin
    callers:
      - Darlene Underwood
      - Rick Mohr
    organisation: CDSS
    source: events/usa/cdss.yaml
  - name: Acadia Festival of Traditional Music & Dance
    details: "A week-long summer festival of classes, workshops and concerts in Bar Harbor, ME, celebrating Celtic-influenced traditional music and dance."
    links:
      - "https://acadiatradfestival.org/"
      - "https://cdss.org/event/acadia-festival-of-traditional-music-dance/"
    start: "2025-06-22T14:00:00-04:00"
    end: "2025-06-28T09:00:00-04:00"
    country: USA
    state: ME
    city: Bar Harbor
    styles:
      - contra
    workshop: true
    social: true
    organisation: CDSS
    source: events/usa/cdss.yaml