FolkFire Articles
September/October 1994
First Board Elected to FolkFire
FolkFire held their first elections on June 19 during the
break at the Childgrove contra dance. Elections were open to all members
of the folk community. A total of 21 votes were cast and the results
were as follows:
Martha Edwards, 21 votes; Larry Gaines, 18 votes; Deborah
Hyland, 20 votes; Dan Klarmann, 18 votes; Andrew Limanni, 12 votes;
and Mindy Mechanic, 19 votes.
In addition, several people received write-in votes, several
of whom agreed to volunteer some time with FolkFire. They are: Donna
Eckberg, Connie Mueller and Jeanette Soleil. Anyone else wishing to
volunteer with distribution, typing the mailing list, writing articles,
selling ads, or just offering new ideas can call 776-2763.
Yet Another Contra Wedding!
Karen Jackson and Dan Klarmann invite all dancers and other
friends to help share in their wedding celebration with a contra which
follows their nuptials on September 3, 1994.
Dance at the fabulous Mahler Ballroom, 4915 Washington
in the Central West End, from 8:00-11:00 p.m. to music by The Allen
Street String Band of Springfield, Illinois and calling by Kath Tallichet
of Louisville, and Jeanette Soleil and Andrew Limanni of St. Louis.
Snacks and non-alcoholic drinks will be served. Call (314) 771-2920
for more information.
S.C.A. Dancers Step Way Back
by Deborah Hyland
His lordship, Edouard d'Aubigny, Companion of the Torse,
Companion of the Golden Swan, Companion of the Calon Lily and Companion
of the Calon Cross can't even remember his own name, or at least not
all of his titles. Ed Ransden, his real name, is a lot easier to remember,
but Ransden often prefers his medieval alter ego.
According to Ransden, who coordinates the medieval/renaissance
dances for a local branch of the Society for Creative Anachronism
(SCA), members can create any non- historical persona from between
the fall of Rome and 1600. Within the SCA, members tend to use their
SCA name, to such an extent that even people who have danced together
every week for years may not know each other's modern name.
At an SCA event, members become knights, damsels, ladies,
beggars, Gypsies, or merchants. In their "mundane" life, they may
be doctors, nurses, chemical engineers, pilots, teachers or students,
perhaps even truck drivers.
Academic medievalists may turn up their noses at the SCA,
sniffing about wrongheaded ideas, yet there is a lot to be said for
a group of people willing to independently research & recreate so
many aspects of an historical period. The SCA reproduces all the feasts,
the fights and the festivities, including dancing.
Within the SCA, the fighting is by far more popular, yet
there are separate balls, such as the Crystal Ball held yearly in
Illinois. Even there, however, there is a little fighting, just to
placate the ruffians. The music is the beautiful lilting music of
the middle ages and early Renaissance; lutes, harps & flutes are some
of the more common instruments.
The dances themselves are fairly simple, with easily learned
footwork. Embellishments can be added if so desired.
See the listings of both medieval/renaissance groups and numbers
to call for more information on their upcoming events.