The FSGW Calendar can be viewed two ways:
Gospel Sings are held the second Sunday of every month at various homes. Group singing starts at 4 pm and breaks for a covered dish supper at 6 pm, with more group singing after supper until 8 pm. Everyone is welcome!
This month’s Gospel Sing will take place at the home of Bill Thompson and Ann Herzog in Washington DC. The U Street Metro Stop is nearby. Info/directions: email landcommentary@gmail.com or call 202-797-9259.
General information about Gospel Sings
Caller & Musicians:
General information about the Sunday Night Contra and Square Dance
Contra Sonic, FSGW's alternative music contra series, is the Washington region's only techno contra series! Come on out to the Back Room and contra dance to a selection of electronic, techno, pop, or club music one Tuesday every other month. Featuring by new and upcoming performers, a new sound system, and club-style lights, Contra Sonic is proud to present a dynamic form of the living contra tradition. Contra Sonic uses non-gendered role terms. All newcomers welcome!
Admission: $9, $7 for members, youth, and students
Dancing 8:00 - 10:30pm with an orientation to contra dancing at 7:30
The solstice approaches and the nights grow long. You could probably use some stories to keep up your spirits. The Grapevine is spoken word performance for adults and teens, celebrating the timeless art of the story, hosted this month by storyteller Renée Brachfeld.
Our featured tellers this month are the sublime Motoko and the amazing Mitch Capel. The show opens with up to three open-mic storytellers, followed by our featured tellers. Put your name in the hat to be one of our open-mic tellers! Traditional or true, happy or blue, tell the story that you have in you to tell within five (5) minutes(-ish). Admission is free. We ask for a $15 donation to support our featured tellers.
General information about The Grapevine (Storytelling)
Ann Fallon calls the dances while Andrea Hoag (fiddle), Colleen Reed (flute), and Liz Donaldson (piano) play.
The dance is held in the upstairs room of the Glen Echo Town Hall.
General information on our English Country Dances
Caller & Musicians: As we end the year our caller will be our local talent, Sonya Kaufman, who returns from the west coast to provide some wonderful flowing dances. The music will be provided by Eloise & Company which features the combined creative force of two of the country's most sought-after dance musicians, Beck Tracy (fiddle) and Rachel Bell (accordion). They are joined by Owen Morrison (guitar) who will help the band crank out some great dance music with their dynamic playing. There is a free beginners workshop from 7 to 7:30.
General information on the Silver Spring Contra Dance
FSGW celebrates the holidays with the tuneful playing and melodious singing of Quercus at The Lyceum in Historic Alexandria on December 13. For years David McKindley-Ward (banjo, guitar, voice) and Marty Frye (flute, fiddle) have been steeping themselves in the D.C.-Baltimore area’s lauded Irish music community, like a good pot of Barry's tea. Apart from craic of the finest quality, Marty and David seek to cultivate a musical sensitivity that does justice to the masterful touch of the old players, while being honest to their own creative instincts.
Co-sponsored by the Office of Historic Alexandria and FSGW, this is part of the Alexandria After Work concert series held in the heart of Old Town Alexandria at 6 pm on second Fridays. Take the free trolley that runs every 15 minutes from King Street Metro station! At The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington, Alexandria, Virginia. Free to FSGW members, $5 suggested donation for non-members; cash bar.
General information on Concerts
John Robinson will lead, teach and organize the request dancing.
No experience or partner necessary.
Lessons 8:30 - 9:00pm
Request dancing 9:00-10:45pm.
More information: International Folk Dancing (Greenbelt)
Storytellers and listeners are invited to the home of Bob Rovinsky in NW Washington DC, for an evening of shared tales and potluck snacks. Free. Contact Bob at robertrovinsky@rcn.com. 202-237- 1036 (home) 202-815-8707 (mobile).
General information on Story Swaps
Hometown favorites with international acclaim, Irish music duo Lilt celebrate ten years of music and their recently released album "X" with a special concert at Seekers Church in Takoma, DC, on December 14. Said to have "real fizz, platinum quality" by Irish Music Magazine, "X" reflects Tina Eck and Keith Carr's "terrific rapport" and "great insight into how to connect musically" (Daniel Neely Irish Echo). Playing the traditional dance music from Ireland: jigs and reels, polkas and hornpipes, the occasional slow air or vocal number, Lilt loves and tries to capture the essentials of Irish traditional music: boundless energy, wildness and melancholy. Learn more about Lilt at https://www.liltirishmusic.com/. $15 members, $20 nonmembers.
For more information see the Song Circles page.
This monthly family-friendly song circle is about the joy of singing, not about talent. Come for informal group singing or just to listen, but do come to enjoy delightful songs! Words will be provided; no need to read music.
Wendy Lanxner will be a song leader and guitar accompanist. Other song leaders and instrumental accompanists welcome.
Special guests Bob Green (caller) and Martha Edwards (fiddle) join us from Missouri, accompanied by our own Paul Oorts (accordion and mandolin) and Melissa Running (piano).
Linda Mansdorf will lead, teach and organize the request dancing.
Caller & Musicians: George Paul, piano, and Martha Edwards, fiddle
Christmas Holiday - no dance
Caller & Musicians: Steve Zakon-Anderson with Polaris; the darlings of the New England Dance set, come for a hot preview of the new Year's Eve dance!
The Grand March begins at 8:00 pm. The dance will go until 12:15 am.
Registration and details on the New Year's Eve Contra Dance Ball page.
caller and musicians TBD
New Year Holiday - no dance
Bands: Nova and Eloise & Co.
Instructor: Jeremy Carter-Gordon
For full information and to register, go to:
https://bal-dc.org/
Co-sponsored by FSGW
On Tuesday, January 7, 2020, the FSGW Board will meet from 8pm to 10pm at Glen Echo Park in classroom 201.
Board meetings are open to members. If you have agenda items you wish to have considered, please contact the FSGW President at: president@fsgw.org
At last the holidays are over and you have the long, long, winter nights to yourself. Good time to get out and hear some stories! The Grapevine is spoken word performance for adults and teens, celebrating the timeless art of the story, hosted this month by storyteller Noa Baum.
Our featured tellers this month are the white hot flame that is Minton Sparks and the amusingly toasty Tim Livengood. The show opens with up to three open-mic storytellers, followed by our featured tellers. Put your name in the hat to be one of our open-mic tellers! Traditional or true, happy or blue, tell the story that you have in you to tell within five (5) minutes(-ish). Admission is free. We ask for a $15 donation to support our featured tellers.
Greek Folk Dance lessons with Olga Vonikaki
Join us for an evening of beautiful Greek music and dancing with Karpouzi Trio, playing music on traditional instruments from the Greek mainland and islands, and Asia Minor.
Dances will be taught using recorded music, followed by live music with Karpouzi Trio for dancing during the remainder of the evening.
Admission $12 - Seniors and Students half price
Lessons: 8:30 - 9:00pm
Dancing with live music: 9:10 -10:45pm.
Caller & Musicians: Carrie Rose - flute, Owen Morrison - guitar, David Knight - fiddle
Caller & Musicians: Alex Sturbaum - guitar, and Brian Lindsay - fiddle
Ben Hole will lead, teach and organize the request dancing.
Larry Weinerwill lead an
Oldies but Goodies Night
all request evening featuring recorded music international folk dance favorites - many easy dances to just follow along -
Request dancing 8:30-10:45pm.
Indigo is Jared Kirkpatrick from Jwalk (fiddle, piano) and Mo Brachfeld (fiddle, foot percussion).
February is upon us and the season is a season for stories! The Grapevine is spoken word performance for adults and teens, celebrating the timeless art of the story, hosted this month by storyteller Renée Brachfeld.
Our featured tellers this month are the hilarious and musical duo Spark & Rhonda and Rachel Ann Harding, a believer in fairy tales for all ages. The show opens with up to three open-mic storytellers, followed by our featured tellers. Put your name in the hat to be one of our open-mic tellers! Traditional or true, happy or blue, tell the story that you have in you to tell within five (5) minutes(-ish). Admission is free. We ask for a $15 donation to support our featured tellers.
Luk Na Glavata – what kind of a name is that? Well, it’s a long story (you can ask us sometime!), but suffice it to say that we’re named in honor of a Macedonian musician and dancer who was our esteemed friend and sometimes mentor, Pece Atanasovski.
Dances will be taught using recorded music, followed by live music with Luk Na Glavata for dancing during the remainder of the evening.
Lessons: 8:30 - 9:15pm
Dancing with live music: 9:20 -10:45pm.
The nights grow shorter and the days grow longer, but there's always time for a good story. The Grapevine is spoken word performance for adults and teens, celebrating the timeless art of the story, hosted this month by storyteller Tim Livengood.
Our featured tellers this month are the enchanting Rachel Dunstan Muller and the spectacular Renée Brachfeld. The show opens with up to three open-mic storytellers, followed by our featured tellers. Put your name in the hat to be one of our open-mic tellers! Traditional or true, happy or blue, tell the story that you have in you to tell within five (5) minutes(-ish). Admission is free. We ask for a $15 donation to support our featured tellers.
Join us for the #dance Weekend. What's trending?
TBD - Here is the 2019 schedule!
FRIDAY: 8:30 to 11:30 PM dance in the fabulous, famous, Glen Echo Spanish Ballroom.
The showers of April are upon us, and there's nothing better to do while sheltering from the rain but to listen to a great story. The Grapevine is spoken word performance for adults and teens, celebrating the timeless art of the story, hosted this month by storyteller Renée Brachfeld.
Our featured tellers this month are Cooper Braun, formerly of Boulder, and Suzie Afridi, formerly of Jericho. The show opens with up to three open-mic storytellers, followed by our featured tellers. Put your name in the hat to be one of our open-mic tellers! Traditional or true, happy or blue, tell the story that you have in you to tell within five (5) minutes(-ish). Admission is free. We ask for a $15 donation to support our featured tellers.
Please visit the 2020 Washington Spring Ball (34th) page for details (music, program, cost, etc.)
The days grow long, the air is warm but still gentle, the nights are... just right. A perfect time to hear some stories! The Grapevine is spoken word performance for adults and teens, celebrating the timeless art of the story, hosted this month by storyteller Tim Livengood.
Our featured tellers this month are the absolutely unbelievable Kevin Kling and the entirely credible Noa Baum. The show opens with up to three open-mic storytellers, followed by our featured tellers. Put your name in the hat to be one of our open-mic tellers! Traditional or true, happy or blue, tell the story that you have in you to tell within five (5) minutes(-ish). Admission is free. We ask for a $15 donation to support our featured tellers.
The 40th Washington Folk Festival will be full, as usual, of fabulous musicians, storytellers, and artisans, plus plenty of time to dance! All sorts of American music styles as well as International genres. It's always an amazing event, and FREE. Family friendly. Rain or shine.
The last day of the storytelling season is upon us, and the best possible way to mark the occasion is by hearing some great stories. The Grapevine is spoken word performance for adults and teens, celebrating the timeless art of the story, hosted this month by storyteller Noa Baum.
Our featured tellers this month are the hilarious Willa Brigham and a founding mother of the modern storytelling Renaissance, Barbara Freeman. The show opens with up to three open-mic storytellers, followed by our featured tellers. Put your name in the hat to be one of our open-mic tellers! Traditional or true, happy or blue, tell the story that you have in you to tell within five (5) minutes(-ish). Admission is free. We ask for a $15 donation to support our featured tellers.
