CDSS News

CDSS News Issues

The CDSS News is published quarterly, with one issue per year only online. Below are articles and other material from the most recent issues. We hope you find it informative, thought-provoking, and entertaining. Please contact us if you have comments or questions.

To submit letters, articles, dances, tunes and songs for possible publication, send to news@cdss.org. Information about advertising is here. To receive the CDSS News in print as a benefit of CDSS membership, join here.

All material in the CDSS News is copyrighted by CDSS, the individual author or the original publication and may not be reproduced—other than for personal use—without permission. Views expressed represent those of the authors and not necessarily of CDSS.

Web Extras:

Text: Dance Your Way Through History (Glen’s course description)

Photos: Glen and Judi through the years

Videos:

Video Extra #1 — Judi singing lead on her song Michigan Snow Shanty, with Just Friends, 1993

From Glen: “This video is one is of Just Friends (Lori Cleland, Judi Morningstar, Rosemary Kornacki and Cecelia Webster), performing Judi's ‘Michigan Snow Shanty’ at a concert on December 11, 1993. (Judi is singing lead.) The titles and credits in the video give the whole story.”
http://youtu.be/DYzEK6oeY8Q

Video Extra #2 — Dancers and the Ruffwater Stringband, Lovett Hall, October 2001

From Glen: “This video segment goes with the Ruffwater photo in the article.”
http://youtu.be/kFCS1lUAYpc

Video Extra #3 — Special dance at Lovett Hall, October 2012: Glen calling his dance, Starry Night Delight, to Ruffwater’s playing a medley (including Judi’s tune March of St. Timothy)

From Glen: “It's the October 28, 2012 special dance at Lovett Hall in The Henry Ford, Dearborn, for the 75th Anniversary of the dedication of this remarkable dance hall. Henry and Clara were there when it was dedicated on October 26, 1937, along with their son Edsel and his wife Eleanor. Edsel did the formal dedication of the Education Building, and announced that the magnificent dance hall on the second floor would be called Lovett Hall, in honor of his father's unequaled dance master Benjamin B. Lovett and his wife Charlotte. For this anniversary dance, yours truly called the first half along with the Ruffwater Stringband. We were piped in by the renowned Cawthon Brothers (Martin and Tyge) of Dearborn. The dance selected in this video is the first dance of the day, Starry Night Delight (written by yurs truly), with Ruffwater's medley of tunes being Silver and Gold Two-Step, March of St. Timothy (written by Judi Morningstar) and Ice House (a tune from Laurie Fisher). For the second half of the dance, the talented young caller Danika Murray and the fantastic band FiddleFire put the icing on the cake. We were honored that Doug Plummer was there with his 2013 Contra Dance Calendars, and taking photos for possible use in the 2014 Contra Dance Calendar. Rumor has it that Lovett Hall will be included in the 2014 publication.”
http://youtu.be/P3m6SA8eSp4

Video Extra #4 — Glen calling, at a Bayside Travelers Contra and Square Dance, Traverse City, MI, 2013

From Glen: “Well, here's a video of me calling in a casual setting, the Bayside Travelers Contra & Square Dance in Traverse City, Michigan. Aunt Lu & the Oakland County Allstars, an ensemble from Ruffwater, is playing the tunes: Brad Battey Jr on fiddle, Sharon Robinson on dulcimer, and Judi Morningstar on keyboard. The dancing crowd is about 50/50 new and seasoned dancers. Gilbert Lake Lodge is the setting. Michigan Dance Heritage helped fund the dancers ‘dream floor’ for this lodge about 10 years ago."
http://youtu.be/iWFjd5KA2ao