Modern English Country Dance
(not just for historians anymore!)
Ric Goldman

Many folks are familiar with English Country Dance (ECD) in some form, whether it’s the high-energy stage or street shows of Renaissance Faires, the more formal elegant dances done at Regency events or parties, the outtakes and samples from Jane Austen movies, a Fezziwig dance party scene from A Christmas Carol, or perhaps as part of socializing at a Dickens Faire. But ECD is living folk tradition that’s still in full flower, with new dances and choreographic contributions happening to this very day. Dances range from elegant to playful to rowdy and from easy to difficult, with a wide range of mood, meter, and music. These modern style of ECD focuses more on geography than on footwork, and you can enjoy it if you know right from left and can follow directions. In this workshop we’ll experience these 20th and 21st century compositions, with a focus on fun and frolic.

Ric Goldman has called English Country, Contra, and International Folk dances in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the U.K., taking particular glee in sharing his excitement of these dance styles with as many people as possible. Based in northern California, Ric regularly calls for Bay Area Country Dance Society events, as well as teaching various workshops for adults and children in these and other forms of dance include Victorian, Irish Set, Appalachian Running Sets, and Welsh Border Morris. He is a member of the Country Dance & Song Society and the National Folk Organization.