Introduction to Ethnomusicology,Brown University, Spring 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Fieldwork: Contra Dance Society
I will be conducting research on the Contra and Folk Dance Society here at Brown. It consists of both students and people throughout New England. Here's a link to their description page. http://students.brown.edu/Body_and_Sole/contra.htm
Not to suggest a direction for your research, but one thing that instantly comes to mind for me, even from this short description, is that there is probably an interesting blend of people in this group, ranging from long-term local residents (some of whom may have discovered contradancing at Brown) and students who had never heard of it before, and are discovering it for the first time. What I mean is that this may be a really interesting case of musical involvement in long-term community building.
Though I live in New Orleans now, I grew up in Massachusetts and always wished I had learned to contra dance. I went to several barn dances & contra dances at festivals with friends, but I always sat on the sidelines fascinated. Now that I left New England, the regret definitely shines through.
Anyway hi there - I found your blog on Barbara's ethno blog list. I'm going to link to you so I can keep up with your work. How are you enjoying Brown's program so far?
Not to suggest a direction for your research, but one thing that instantly comes to mind for me, even from this short description, is that there is probably an interesting blend of people in this group, ranging from long-term local residents (some of whom may have discovered contradancing at Brown) and students who had never heard of it before, and are discovering it for the first time. What I mean is that this may be a really interesting case of musical involvement in long-term community building.
ReplyDeleteThough I live in New Orleans now, I grew up in Massachusetts and always wished I had learned to contra dance. I went to several barn dances & contra dances at festivals with friends, but I always sat on the sidelines fascinated. Now that I left New England, the regret definitely shines through.
ReplyDeleteAnyway hi there - I found your blog on Barbara's ethno blog list. I'm going to link to you so I can keep up with your work. How are you enjoying Brown's program so far?