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Especially
for Performers
- Our
dancers
Queen City draws on average 40-60 dancers per dance,
with the usual range of ages, levels of experience, etc.
We're a typical community dance with the skilled, the
average, the beginners, and the eternal beginners.
Teaching figures is never a waste of time. We can do
Heys, Becket formations, squares. Sometimes we have been
known to pull off a Grand Square or Contra Corners.
Other performers have told us that we have a "nice
energy" in Buffalo.
- Our
venue
If you've
studied our schedule and are interested in an
available slot (those marked TBA), please don't
hesitate to drop us a line. We're always interested in
new or out-of-town callers and bands.
| Where We
Dance
Unitarian-Universalist
Church
695 Elmwood Avenue (at W. Ferry St)
Buffalo, NY
Map to the church
- Good hardwood floor
- Handsome, century-old church
- Good cross-ventilation
- No stage
- Decent piano (make forthcoming)
- Wheelchair accessible
- On-street parking only, sometimes difficult
to find
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- Set
up
Unless other plans are made, an organizer will meet you
at the church one hour in advance to open up the hall,
generally 7:00, since dances begin at 8:00. The
band and caller are located in the front of the room on
the dance floor; there is no stage. Callers: we do
have a platform available for your use if you want to
stand up above the dancers.
- Our
Dances
We start dancing at 8:00
PM. If you want to "warm up" as part of your set up, we
usually have a "Contrabasics" class running from 7:30 PM
or so until around 7:50 PM or so. (Depending on when the
beginners show up.) A warm up tune fits in well with
explanations to beginners; it is not required. Depending
on the caller, there are five to six dances in the first
half of the evening; the first half ends with two
waltzes. There's a 10 to 15 minute break, during which
the band is welcome to share refreshments with the rest
of the crowd. We try to start dancing around 9:45 PM to
9:50 PM, and there are (again depending on the caller)
four or five dances in the second half of the evening.
We try to end the evening around 11:00 PM with two more
waltzes.
- Sound
system
8 input mix board and
amplifier, 2 loudspeakers; 2 monitor speakers; 6
instrument mike stands, but no floor level mike stand;
6 pretty good quality mikes---5 instrumental and 1
caller; mic cables. If you need more, please tell us
in advance. We have a designated sound person for
set-up and tear down. If you are planning on bringing
components to use in place of ours, please let us know
because we will endeavor to have the system more or
less set up when you arrive.
- Going
out after the dance
A block north of the Unitarian Church is Spot
Coffee, with pastries, nonalcoholic beverages of
all kinds, and (if they haven't packed them up) light
sandwiches, soups, and salads.
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