Connecting donors directly with folk artists and leaders impacted by natural disasters
Dozens of people and groups in our dance and music communities have lost income, property, event spaces, and much more as a result of the California wildfires, Hurricane Helene, and other natural disasters.
Let’s show these folks our love! Click on a link below to send some kindness, business, or funds to the callers, musicians, singers, sound technicians, participants, and local groups who make our lives so sweet.
Listings appear in random order for fairness’s sake.
The Historical Tea & Dance Society
Pasadena (Altadena), CA
Who we are:
The Historical Tea & Dance Society (HTDS) is a 501c3 educational non-profit run solely by volunteers. We do what we do for the love of historical and English Country dancing and making creative dance events affordable for all. During the pandemic, we hosted a weekly zoom chat, “5 Things Inside the Dancing Mind of…” We host historical and modern English country dance classes, community dances, workshops, and balls.Read more
What we need:
HTDS lost many things as a result of the Eaton Fire coming through Altadena. Below is a rough list of items.- A substantial collection of dance books, including modern popular choreographers as well as some historical books, such as an original Cecil Sharp volume, Maggot Pie, etc. (There is a partial library list; however, it had at least doubled in size since that list was created.)
- A giant collection of CDs—likely close to 300, as I was actively collecting everything I could get my hands on during the pandemic from English, Contra, and historical sources.
- Our Jackery power source for outdoor public events.
- 12 large round tablecloths for tea time at events
- 9 long rectangle tablecloths (used same as above)
- 4 hard drives that contained all our 15 years of artwork and photo files and our original “5 Things Inside the Dancing Mind of…” files with hundreds of hours of intimate interview rehearsals with folks chatting casually. (I’m still searching, but I’m heart broken that it appears these never got backed up to a more secure spot! All the final programs are hosted on the CDSS website and YouTube; however, the rehearsals which, again, were casual sessions chatting about many different topics, were not.)
Thankfully, we had not yet removed our sound system from our hall storage spot to our garage yet! (Our stalling for a few days saved the system!)
Fiddling Frog Contra Dance Weekend
Pasadena, CA
We are thrilled to host our upcoming Fiddling Frog contra dance weekend in beautiful Pasadena, CA, proudly sponsored by the Southern California Community Dance Coalition (SCCDC). While our dance hall and its immediate neighborhood have been spared from the recent Southern California fires, many surrounding neighborhoods in Pasadena and Altadena have experienced devastating impacts.
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Our hearts go out to those in our dance community who have faced evacuations, lost homes, or suffered significant smoke and fire damage. To support our fellow dancers during these challenging times, we’re offering complimentary admission to the dance weekend for those directly affected.
Unfortunately, the fires have also led to cancellations and lower attendance, leaving us financially stretched as we look ahead to 2025. With your help, we can keep the joy of contra dancing alive and thriving in our community.
How You Can Help
If you’re able, please consider making a donation to SCCDC.org. Contributions can be made via PayPal, Zelle, or by check through our event website. Any additional funds raised will go toward sponsoring dancers at our local events, ensuring everyone has the chance to experience the magic of dance.
Thank you for your generosity, compassion, and love for our dance community. Together, we can rebuild and celebrate the resilience that brings us all together on the dance floor.