Country Dance Society,
Boston Centre
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Welcome to the
Country Dance Society, Boston Centre |
| Since 1915, the Country Dance Society, Boston Centre has been working to preserve and promote the knowledge and practice of the traditional and contemporary dancing and dance music of England and New England. The Boston Centre sponsors and produces classes, parties, workshops, and residential and special events featuring the best performers and practitioners of English and New England country dancing. Events are open to all, and most feature teaching; no experience or partner is required. |
Helene CorneliusDear Dancers and Friends - Early Friday morning, on the 3rd of May, Helene Cornelius passed away, surrounded by her loved ones. On Tuesday while on her morning walk to get the newspaper, she took a bad fall, causing significant head trauma from which she could not recover. While our sadness in sharing this news is overwhelming, we want everyone to remember that in her last days Helene had continued to do all of the things that she enjoyed most. Just days earlier she had returned from a wonderful weekend of dancing at the Lenox Assembly. On Monday, she attended her regular recorder practice session as well as her weekly Concord Chorus rehearsal. And on Tuesday, as happened every day, she headed out with her walking stick in hand to fetch the Boston Globe. Yesterday, on our last day with her, we gathered as many as twelve strong in her room (though the signs in the ICU warned that only three visitors were allowed!) and laughed and cried and shared endless Helene stories. The music of Bare Necessities helped us through the day, and in the early evening a concertina was played to soothe us all. As the music continued on the CD player and the beginnings of "Softly Good Tummas" began to play, Helene would be thrilled beyond measure to know that it was her two youngest grandchildren, Ryan and Erin, who jumped up and said, "We love this dance! Let's do it!" And so within the confines of that ICU room a cozy longways set formed, and we danced a few rounds. When the tune ended and a waltz began, the dancing continued. In spite of the poignancy and sadness of her 'dancing to the end,' it is with tremendous love and appreciation that each of Helene's children and grandchildren will remember not only her contributions to their personal growth but the tremendous joy we all found through music and dance. But now, just as we would at the end of a longways set, after we pause for a moment, we re-engage our role in the dance. It is just what Helene would have wanted us to do. With love and sadness, Karen CorneliusHannah McLimans Greg Dinauer David Cornelius Kathy Moore Lynn Cornelius Jacobs Peter Cornelius Donna Bednar Ryan Cornelius Erin Cornelius Cards of condolence may be sent to the Cornelius family at 30 High Haith Road, Arlington, MA 02476 |
To accompany the compact discs, the Boston Centre and the Country Dance and Song Society are producing a series of dance booklets. Booklets are now available through Country Song and Dance Society (CDSS). The booklets contain instructions for all the dances on the cd.
Two other books are also available. CDS BC is pleased to publish Country Dances from Colonial New York: James Alexander's Notebook, 1730. The book is by Kate Van Winkle Keller and George Fogg. 24 dances are included, with interpretations for historical performance as well as modern alternatives. Musical notation, biographical essays, and notes are included for each dance. The book also presents a glossary of figures and a short discussion of appropriate steps and period movement. This book may be purchased at from CDSS.CDS BC also has republished the old favourite Hudson Barn and Other Dances from the Boston Centre in the form of Hudson Barn II. This book contains many favourite modern dances of the Boston Centre, many of which were written by Boston Centre members. Helene Cornelius is the editor, and the book includes dance instructions and written music. All of the dances from the original edition are reprinted, and several new dances have been added as well; a list of dances is available. This book is available at the Wednesday evening CDS BC dances and from CDSS.
| < webmaster at cds-boston dot org > | Last modified on May 8, 2013 |