day date start_time end_time miltime duration hall rating short verbose performers Friday 4/25/2025 7:00 PM 7:50 PM 1900 50 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) DB Israeli Dancing for All Family-friendly Israeli folk dances with simple patterns taught efficiently and cheerfully. No partners needed...you can do these! Joan & Jim Savitt Friday 4/25/2025 7:00 PM 7:50 PM 1900 50 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) DS Welcome to NEFFA ECD Start the weekend off with joyful dances to glorious tunes. Margaret Bary, Alias Friday 4/25/2025 7:00 PM 7:50 PM 1900 50 Duchess (Hotel East) GX Forty Years of New England Fiddler's Repertoire Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Randy Miller/Jack Perron's iconic source book of traditional New England Contra Dance music. We'll play many NEFR tunes that have kept New England dancing for the last 200 years! Berlin Jam Friends Friday 4/25/2025 7:00 PM 7:50 PM 1900 50 Marlborough (Hotel West) DB Intro to Contra Learn the basics (or try out the other role) through a series of short, easy contra dances. All are welcome, beginners and experienced dancers alike! Hannah Johlas, Charlie Pilzer, Zachary Mills Friday 4/25/2025 7:00 PM 7:50 PM 1900 50 Princess (Hotel East) P Waltzing Through Time The waltz originated in the late 1700s and has been an essential part of ballroom dancing ever since. We will illustrate waltzes from various eras with commentary on the historical development of the waltz. Tim Lamm, Martha Griffin Friday 4/25/2025 7:00 PM 7:50 PM 1900 50 Seminar (Hotel East) C Sound Basics In this workshop we'll explain the most common terminology used by sound engineers, and along the way get a better understanding of how sound engineering works. Nick Loy Friday 4/25/2025 7:00 PM 7:50 PM 1900 50 Sterling (Hotel West) GB Keeping our Bodies Dancing as We Age Some useful movements to incorporate into our lives so that our bodies are more comfortable and can continue to dance and make music. Suitable for all bodies of any age and ability! Anna Rain Friday 4/25/2025 7:00 PM 7:50 PM 1900 50 Trade Center Tent GB FSSGB Song Swap Everyone is welcome to join our folk singing party. The song leaders will get us started but every attendee is welcome to suggest songs that we can sing together. Folk Song Society of Greater Boston Friday 4/25/2025 7:00 PM 7:50 PM 1900 50 Trade Center West DS Contra Classics Great contras from before the year 2000! Melanie Axel-Lute, Roaring Jelly Friday 4/25/2025 7:00 PM 7:50 PM 1900 50 Westborough (Hotel West) C Fiddling Without Pain Discussion, chat, demonstration. We will discuss how to fiddle without pain. All questions encouraged. Any attendee who would like to share their particular problems will be welcome to share, so that by discussing attendees' problems we can discuss issues that may help everyone attending. Carol Kycia Friday 4/25/2025 7:30 PM 8:20 PM 1930 50 Southborough (Hotel West) E New England Topical Folk Themed songs of the Boston Molasses Flood, Spin- a mill song, The Darn Man, East Thompson Train Wreck and the Lost Shirt Sea Shanty, all with New England roots from my album "Work Can't Wait For Beauty" Jonathan Jay Babcock and Friends, Deborah Wade Friday 4/25/2025 7:30 PM 8:20 PM 1930 50 Sudbury (Hotel West) TS A Cappella Coachfest 2 Colleyospin returns to lead and coach singers in a cappella singing technique. This workshop is a chance to improve your delivery, confidence, pitch, harmonies, ornamentation and style. Colleyospin Friday 4/25/2025 8:00 PM 8:50 PM 2000 50 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) TS Beranche: Basic and Bodacious Balkan Learn the footwork and styling to dances in the Beranche uneven-five rhythm (SQQSQ). Amaze your friends by knowing how to move to these wonderful tunes. Tom Roby, No Borders Beranche Band Friday 4/25/2025 8:00 PM 8:50 PM 2000 50 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) DS Tasty Triple Minors (ECD) An enjoyable collection of triple minor longways English: great music, memorable dances. Linda Nelson, Tisane Friday 4/25/2025 8:00 PM 8:50 PM 2000 50 Duchess (Hotel East) GS Quebecois Slow Jam Montreal-based band Les Quatre Patates will lead a session of tunes from Quebec at a moderate tempo. All instruments and levels welcome! Les Quatre Patates Friday 4/25/2025 8:00 PM 8:50 PM 2000 50 Marlborough (Hotel West) TB Intro to International Folk Dance Learn some accessible international folk dances, and by way of this, learn basic principles of the dance idiom and some basic moves, which will give you the grounding to attend the many international folk dance events at the festival! Yaron Shragai, The Mad Katters Friday 4/25/2025 8:00 PM 8:50 PM 2000 50 Princess (Hotel East) E World Rhythm Journey Join us for a journey with drum rhythms drawn from around the world. We will accompany the rhythms with a variety of melodic instruments and will be joined by dancers in colorful costumes. The Drum Nomads Friday 4/25/2025 8:00 PM 8:50 PM 2000 50 Seminar (Hotel East) GB Homemade Music Homemade Music is Tidewater Troubadour Bob Zentz' signature "edu-tainment" program of singalong songs -- old and new, traditional and originals -- with unplugged folk instruments from around the world that encourage everyone to join in. Bob and Jeanne Zentz, Jeanne Zentz Friday 4/25/2025 8:00 PM 8:50 PM 2000 50 Sterling (Hotel West) GS Scottish Slow Jam Come All Ye! Jigs, Reels, Slow Airs, Strathspeys, Marches from the Scottish and Cape Breton fiddle repertoire. Barbara on fiddle and Robert on guitar will take requests and make suggestions, and keep the tempo accessible. Barbara McOwen, Robert McOwen Friday 4/25/2025 8:00 PM 8:50 PM 2000 50 Trade Center Tent GB Chorus Singaround English folk singer leading a rousing round of roisterous chorus songs Mike Gibson Friday 4/25/2025 8:00 PM 8:50 PM 2000 50 Trade Center West DS Movin' Groovin' Contras Easy goin' contra dances so you can get your groove on with the music. Donna Hunt, Joy Factor Friday 4/25/2025 8:00 PM 8:50 PM 2000 50 Westborough (Hotel West) E Ballads for the Pub Singer Ballads are songs that tell a story that are though of as long, slow, sad, and/or solo songs -- but often they are none, or only some, of these. Cate Clifford Friday 4/25/2025 8:30 PM 9:20 PM 2030 50 Southborough (Hotel West) TS Whistling Whorkshop Techniques for whistling with the lips, with special focus on dance tunes, as well as considerations for performance in general. Jonathan Danforth, Ari Erlbaum Friday 4/25/2025 8:30 PM 9:20 PM 2030 50 Sudbury (Hotel West) C Performing for Senior Audiences A discussion of the basic concepts of performing for senior audiences: getting jobs, planning presentation & repertoire, even getting paid for it! Allen Hopkins, Jan Maier Friday 4/25/2025 9:00 PM 10:20 PM 2100 80 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) NS Bulgarian Line Dances Easy Bulgarian dances with music by Bulgarian singing groups Divi Zheni (women) and Zornitsa (men), led by Tatiana Sarbinska. Divi Zheni, Zornitsa Friday 4/25/2025 9:00 PM 9:50 PM 2100 50 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) NS Afterwaltzes Wind down your busy dance day with some relaxing original waltzes by Bob Pasquarello Bob Pasquarello Friday 4/25/2025 9:00 PM 9:50 PM 2100 50 Duchess (Hotel East) GS Slow Jam: The Pulse of a Reel We love reels for their energy and drive, but how do we inject the lift that keeps dancers flying high? In this slow jam, we’ll explore some excellent reels of different types and learn how to feel the pulse and lay down the groove. David Titus, Debby Knight Friday 4/25/2025 9:00 PM 9:50 PM 2100 50 Marlborough (Hotel West) TB Intro to Casino Rueda (Cuban Dance) Casino Rueda is a called partner dance akin to a circle mixer, that originated in 1950's Cuba. Danced to salsa or timba music, Rueda is spirited, yet laid back and fun, and features frequent and creative partner changes. Lauren Ingram Friday 4/25/2025 9:00 PM 9:50 PM 2100 50 Princess (Hotel East) GS Waltz Melodies Jam Join "Three Quarter Time" an acoustic folk instrumental group playing Traditional 3/4-Time Folk Waltz Melodies. This "Open-to-all-Instruments-and-Levels" jam has been a NEFFA tradition since 2001. Play by ear or use music notation that you bring with you. Dancers and listeners are welcome. Three Quarter Time Friday 4/25/2025 9:00 PM 9:50 PM 2100 50 Seminar (Hotel East) E Heartfelt Songwriting and Insightful Storytelling Connecticut based singer-songwriter Corey Lewin weaves heartfelt, insightful songwriting with thoughtful storytelling, exploring the deepest thoughts, feelings, and little moments we all experience as human beings. Corey Lewin Friday 4/25/2025 9:00 PM 10:50 PM 2100 110 Sterling (Hotel West) Available for jamming Friday 4/25/2025 9:00 PM 10:50 PM 2100 110 Trade Center Tent GB Pub Sing We may not have a pub, but we can still raise the rafters! A traditional English-style pub sing, emphasizing chorus songs. Bring one to share, or just follow along. Jeff Keller, Mike Gibson Friday 4/25/2025 9:00 PM 9:20 PM 2100 20 Trade Center West NX Friday Contra Medley A NEFFA tradition for experienced dancers. This is a 20 minute series of no-walk through dances. It's a blast! Various Callers, Kingfisher Friday 4/25/2025 9:00 PM 9:50 PM 2100 50 Westborough (Hotel West) E Songs Old and New Step away from the bustle of the festival for quiet singing with Laurie and Micah. Come join in on old favorites, learn some new ones, or just sit and vibe. Dawn Watch Friday 4/25/2025 9:30 PM 10:20 PM 2130 50 Southborough (Hotel West) TS English Tunes Tim brings tunes from England, taught by ear within a friendly session environment. All instruments and levels of ability are welcome. Tim Cunningham Friday 4/25/2025 9:30 PM 10:20 PM 2130 50 Sudbury (Hotel West) GB Nautical Poems Adapted for Singing I'll be leading some of the nautical poems I've adapted for singing by John Masefield, Bill Adams, Burt Franklin Jenness, and Hamish Maclaren. Most of the songs have choruses or refrains to join in on. Charlie Ipcar Friday 4/25/2025 9:30 PM 10:20 PM 2130 50 Trade Center West DS May the 4-Face-4s Be with You 4-Face-4s are an underloved cousin in the contra world, but now it’s their turn to shine; come dance some delightful 4x4s and see all that this formation has to offer! Maia McCormick, Kingfisher Friday 4/25/2025 10:00 PM 11:30 PM 2200 90 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) DX ACE: Advanced Challenging English For Those Who Know English Country Dancing Well: a session of more challenging and less familiar dances, with efficient teaching for maximal dancing. Tom Roby, Pandora Friday 4/25/2025 10:00 PM 10:50 PM 2200 50 Duchess (Hotel East) GB Renaissance Music Jam Structured jam session for Renaissance music—English and French dance tunes, polyphonic vocal and instrumental pieces, and whatever else tickles our fancy! All instruments (and voices) and skill levels welcome. The Mad Katters Friday 4/25/2025 10:00 PM 11:30 PM 2200 90 Marlborough (Hotel West) TB Jookin' Blues Dance Lesson Jookin' Blues is bringing the party! Originally danced in jook joints, honky tonks, and rent parties in Black communities, these dances involve rhythmic movement in small spaces. We'll explore fun footwork, body shaping, and music awareness, to help you boogie down on the dance floor. Attendees will take turns leading and following with multiple partners. Blues Dance Boston Friday 4/25/2025 10:00 PM 10:50 PM 2200 50 Princess (Hotel East) Available for jamming Friday 4/25/2025 10:00 PM 10:50 PM 2200 50 Westborough (Hotel West) TB Rīga dimd! Latvian Folk Songs Learn to sing Latvian folk songs from the collection of “Father of the Dainas” Krišjānis Barons and other sources! Lyric sheets, translations, and pronunciation guides will be provided. EJ Barnes Friday 4/25/2025 10:30 PM 11:30 PM 2230 60 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) NS International Dancing with the CFO International dancing, mostly Balkan, with a wide range of difficulty. Cambridge Folk Orchestra Friday 4/25/2025 10:30 PM 11:30 PM 2230 60 Southborough (Hotel West) E Down In The Coal Mine Songs about coal mines and the miners that work them, both well-known and newer, will be presented, including songs by Jean Ritchie, Utah Phillips, Eric Andersen, and more. Ergo Canto Friday 4/25/2025 10:30 PM 11:30 PM 2230 60 Sudbury (Hotel West) Available for jamming Friday 4/25/2025 10:30 PM 11:30 PM 2230 60 Trade Center West DS Contemporary Classic Contras Dance to some of the favorite contras of the past several decades. Dereck Kalish, Torrent Saturday 4/26/2025 10:00 AM 10:50 AM 1000 50 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) TB Fundamentals of Traditional Turning Waltz Learn the traditional right-turning or “rotary” waltz, as done at contra dances and weddings. We teach the basic turning step in a natural way but emphasize good technique, which lets the step travel easily around the room. Tim Lamm, Diane Gonzales, Barbara Dyskant Saturday 4/26/2025 10:00 AM 10:50 AM 1000 50 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) NS Bulgarian & More Dance Party Zdravets plays and sings village-style music for dancing, "mostly from Bulgaria," using traditional Bulgarian folk instruments and vocal styles. Zdravets Saturday 4/26/2025 10:00 AM 10:50 AM 1000 50 Duchess (Hotel East) C Accordion Autopsy Accordions are fascinating machines. We’ll take one apart together and look at the reed blocks, the leather valves that control how sound passes through the reeds, the register selection mechanism, and the bass mechanism. Morgan Liu-Packard Saturday 4/26/2025 10:00 AM 10:50 AM 1000 50 Marlborough (Hotel West) DB Intro to Contra and Contra Refresher! Whether you’re brand new, want to brush up on your basic contra skills, want to learn a new dance role, or share your love of contra with new dancers, this session is for you! Alexandra Deis-Lauby, JumpStart Saturday 4/26/2025 10:00 AM 10:50 AM 1000 50 Princess (Hotel East) DF Family Barn Dance Fun dances for everyone, from the child dancing with a parent as one person, to dancers whose grandchildren have left home. Jacob Bloom, Isabel Oliart & Sammy Wetstein Saturday 4/26/2025 10:00 AM 10:50 AM 1000 50 Ritual Dance (Outside Trade Center) Muddy River Morris, Marlboro Morris M, Midnight Capers Morris & Sword Saturday 4/26/2025 10:00 AM 10:50 AM 1000 50 Seminar (Hotel East) GS Your Best Voice: Mic Technique Elevate your calling or spoken word performance. Learn correct microphone technique and related sound system controls. Master hands-on skills for optimal vocal quality and impress your future audiences! Don Veino Saturday 4/26/2025 10:00 AM 10:50 AM 1000 50 Sterling (Hotel West) TS Rehearsal for The English Country Dance Open Band This is an opportunity to prepare for the repertoire we'll use in the "The Hey's the Thing" ECD dance session. The English Country Dance Open Band Saturday 4/26/2025 10:00 AM 10:50 AM 1000 50 Sudbury (Hotel West) GB Beginner Bluegrass Jam Join us for an all-skill-level bluegrass jam! I'll kick things off by explaining how a typical bluegrass jam is structured and lead a few songs that are easy to harmonize with and play along to. Jonah Spear Saturday 4/26/2025 10:00 AM 10:50 AM 1000 50 Trade Center Tent TB Shape Note Workshop Join us to learn and practice shape note singing. This step by step approach will have you singing the rich and powerful 4-part harmonies that brought generations of communities together and is still widely popular today. Glen Wright, Susan Mampre & Anayis (A.J.) Wright Saturday 4/26/2025 10:00 AM 10:50 AM 1000 50 Trade Center West NS Zwiefachers — E Z to Hard Z Zwiefacher couple dances originated in Bavaria. Each “Z” has a rhythmic pattern that changes, to which dancers do waltz and pivot footwork. We’ll include Z’s ranging from easy to challenging. Ret Turner, The Mother Zwiefacher Orchestra Saturday 4/26/2025 10:00 AM 10:50 AM 1000 50 Westborough (Hotel West) GF Camp Songs Child at heart, or actual child, come share your favorites in one of the few remaining "oral traditions"- camp songs! Heidi Slaney, Jess Accetta Saturday 4/26/2025 10:30 AM 11:20 AM 1030 50 Southborough (Hotel West) P Safety in Action Panel for Dance Orgs Please join a moderated panel discussion for dance organizations and dance community leaders about dance safety and how it's more effectively and easily put into action. Dance Etiquette Panelists Saturday 4/26/2025 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 1100 50 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) TS Ringing Russian Dances Regaled Enjoy exciting and challenging dances of Russia. Each dance is accompanied by the beautiful and thrilling (live!) choral music from the region. Music provided by the Bjelalitsa Chorus, directed by Julia Poirier. Murray and Randi Spiegel, Bjelalitsa Chorus Saturday 4/26/2025 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 1100 50 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) DS Scottish Country Dancing Fun Scottish figures and great tunes Howard Lasnik, Terry Traub's Scottish Dance Band Saturday 4/26/2025 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 1100 50 Duchess (Hotel East) TB Intro To Hand Drumming Workshop In this workshop, even complete beginners can learn to make a good sound with a hand drum and then learn to play common rhythms from a variety of cultural sources. Drums will be available to borrow. Dave Curry Saturday 4/26/2025 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 1100 50 Marlborough (Hotel West) TB English Country Dance: A Gentle Introduction Enjoy learning English country dance basics in context through fun, varied, accessible dances, some designed for this purpose. Alan Winston; Marnen, Carol, & Len Saturday 4/26/2025 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 1100 50 Princess (Hotel East) TF Frolic with Family and Friends International dances for everybody from everywhere! Marcie Van Cleave Saturday 4/26/2025 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 1100 50 Ritual Dance (Outside Trade Center) Charles River Rapper, Pokingbrook Morris, Marlboro Minnies Morris & Sword Saturday 4/26/2025 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 1100 50 Seminar (Hotel East) E Music from the Republic of Georgia Folk music, cavalry songs, work songs, love songs, hymns, and liturgical chants from the Republic of Georgia. Iveria Saturday 4/26/2025 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 1100 50 Sterling (Hotel West) GB Klezmer Jam Klezmer jam session with audience participation and music leadership Klezmer Jam Band Saturday 4/26/2025 11:00 AM 11:20 AM 1100 20 Sudbury (Hotel West) (set chairs) Saturday 4/26/2025 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 1100 50 Trade Center Tent GS Sacred Harp Singing Join us for shape-note singing from the Sacred Harp, in the traditional "hollow square." Norumbega Harmony Saturday 4/26/2025 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 1100 50 Trade Center West DS Daylight Contras Bright and cheery contra dances to welcome in the spring! Michael Karcher, Festival Orchestra Saturday 4/26/2025 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 1100 50 Westborough (Hotel West) GF Incredible Critter Songs I'll be leading songs I have composed about Chipmunks, Raccoons, Elephants, Vultures, Bluejays, and other critters domestic and wild. All songs have choruses or refrains to join in on. Charlie Ipcar Saturday 4/26/2025 11:30 AM 12:20 PM 1130 50 Southborough (Hotel West) GS Mostly Swedish Jam We will be hosting a jam of our favorite Scandi tunes. We'll have a tune book available for those new to the tunes. SAC Spelmanslag Saturday 4/26/2025 11:30 AM 12:20 PM 1130 50 Sudbury (Hotel West) TB Introduction to English Handbell Ringing The Connecticut Handbell Musicians will perform a short, easy piece of handbell music, followed by a "hands-on" workshop. Participants will learn basic ringing techniques and be able to perform as a group by the end of the session. Connecticut Handbell Musicians Saturday 4/26/2025 12:00 PM 12:50 PM 1200 50 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) TB Traditional Georgian Dance Workshop Professional Georgian dancers Tako and Ilia will lead a class in dances from the Georgian tradition. It is not necessary to have a dance background or to know about Georgian culture. Dancing Crane Georgian Cultural Center Saturday 4/26/2025 12:00 PM 12:50 PM 1200 50 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) DS Learn the ECD Medley Dances Learn all of the dances for this year's English dance medley! Includes tips for expeditious recoveries. No obligation to participate in the actual medley. Joanna Reiner Wilkinson; Tom Roby; Mills, Mills, Coakley Stowe, Rain Saturday 4/26/2025 12:00 PM 12:50 PM 1200 50 Duchess (Hotel East) GS Contra Tune Slow Jam Dave and Chris will lead a slow jam session of favorite traditional tunes commonly played for New England style Contra Dancing. All instruments and levels welcome. No written music; all tunes will be played by ear. Chris Carpenter, Dave Miller Saturday 4/26/2025 12:00 PM 12:50 PM 1200 50 Marlborough (Hotel West) NS Balkan Brass Dance Party Balkan Brass band playing songs for traditional folk dances from Serbia, Macedonia, and Bulgaria Conical Cacophony Saturday 4/26/2025 12:00 PM 12:20 PM 1200 20 Princess (Hotel East) (set chairs) Saturday 4/26/2025 12:00 PM 12:50 PM 1200 50 Ritual Dance (Outside Trade Center) TB Morris for All An introduction to Cotswold Morris dancing, open to everyone from those who’ve never tried it to experts looking for an opportunity to hop into a morris set. Sam Overbeck, Mystic Valley Morris Saturday 4/26/2025 12:00 PM 12:50 PM 1200 50 Seminar (Hotel East) P Chanteys from the Colcord Collection A hundred years ago, Joanna Colcord published her seminal collection ROLL AND GO: Songs of American Sailormen. Come learn about Joanna's exciting life from her birth at sea and childhood under sail to her importance as a source for Stan Hugill and other collectors. And yes, we'll sing some of her chanteys! Lynn Noel Saturday 4/26/2025 12:00 PM 12:50 PM 1200 50 Sterling (Hotel West) GF Family Camp Fun Favorite camp games, crankies, songs, and dances for families. Box and String Saturday 4/26/2025 12:00 PM 12:50 PM 1200 50 Trade Center Tent E World Music Concert Boston Harmony, a multigenerational community choir, will perform a variety of music including American shape-note songs and traditional songs from Corsica, Caucasus Georgia, the Balkans, and South Africa. Boston Harmony Saturday 4/26/2025 12:00 PM 12:50 PM 1200 50 Trade Center West DS Contra Medley Prep Let's go over figures most likely to be in the Contra Medley! This is a great refresher for anyone feeling a wee bit nervous about jumping into the no-walk through medley. Lisa Greenleaf; Sidman, Walters, & Eid-Reiner Saturday 4/26/2025 12:00 PM 12:50 PM 1200 50 Westborough (Hotel West) GF Sing/Play Fun: Song Circle Jam Get together to sing, play and jam with others - song circle style, slanted folkie but - song choice is up to the players; families welcome Maury Stauffer, Stefanie Stauffer Saturday 4/26/2025 12:30 PM 1:20 PM 1230 50 Princess (Hotel East) GB SCD Musician Primer We will play standard Scottish tunes, including jigs, reels, hornpipes, marches, and strathspeys, in sets suitable for Scottish Country Dance (SCD). We aim to play at a slow to moderate tempo and discuss some concerns unique to SCD music. Alias Saturday 4/26/2025 12:30 PM 1:20 PM 1230 50 Southborough (Hotel West) E Renaissance Seeds, Stems, and Perennials A concert exploring the intersection and influence of the music of the English Renaissance lutenist songwriters of the late 16th and early 17th centuries and the renaissance of personal songwriting in the English-speaking world in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Renaissance Jukebox Saturday 4/26/2025 12:30 PM 1:20 PM 1230 50 Sudbury (Hotel West) TS Handbell Ringing Read Along Somewhat more advanced than our "introductory" bell workshop, this will involve reading music, limited to whole, half and quarter notes, some simple rhythmic patterns, bell notation and performing as a group. Connecticut Handbell Musicians Saturday 4/26/2025 1:00 PM 1:50 PM 1300 50 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) DS Greek Participatory Dance Traditional Greek dance walk throughs including island and mainland dances. Boston Lykeion Ellinidon Saturday 4/26/2025 1:00 PM 1:20 PM 1300 20 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) NX English Country Dance Medley English country dances called in succession, no teaching! Dancers are expected to know all of the usual calls and be able to respond quickly. Tom Roby; Joanna Reiner Wilkinson; Mills, Mills, Coakley Stowe, Rain Saturday 4/26/2025 1:00 PM 1:50 PM 1300 50 Duchess (Hotel East) TS Fiddle Tunes from "Down East:" New Brunswick, Canada We will learn tunes in the free-wheeling, notey style from New Brunswick, Canada. With a focus on bowing and ornamentation, this workshop is geared for players who learn by ear. Becky Miller Saturday 4/26/2025 1:00 PM 1:50 PM 1300 50 Marlborough (Hotel West) TB Intro to International Dance Learn the basics of Balkan and other international folk dance styles. Enjoy efficient, cheerful teaching and fabulous live music! Janet Yeracaris, Shining Moon Saturday 4/26/2025 1:00 PM 1:50 PM 1300 50 Ritual Dance (Outside Trade Center) Renegade Morris, Ring O' Bells Morris, And Sometimes Y Saturday 4/26/2025 1:00 PM 1:50 PM 1300 50 Seminar (Hotel East) E Balkan Song "Mama wants me to marry the judge. I don't want to marry the judge. I want to marry that sweet guy Ali" ... Come find out what happens! Gogofski Saturday 4/26/2025 1:00 PM 1:50 PM 1300 50 Sterling (Hotel West) TF Family Morris Dance Workshop Suitable for all ages, come learn a basic Morris dance or two and enjoy the world of Morris dancing as a family. Alice Cumming, Laurel Swift Saturday 4/26/2025 1:00 PM 1:50 PM 1300 50 Trade Center Tent GB Rounds Singing Group participation of singing rounds. The Rounds Galore & More Singers Saturday 4/26/2025 1:00 PM 1:50 PM 1300 50 Trade Center West DS Triple Minor Contras Contras where you take hands-six from the top. Chris Page, Not Enough Fiddles Saturday 4/26/2025 1:00 PM 1:50 PM 1300 50 Westborough (Hotel West) GF Family Singalong Family friendly singalong of traditional folk songs led by Green Mountain Radish Revival. GMRR is Merry Trudeau and Jason Baker. Green Mountain Radish Revival Saturday 4/26/2025 1:30 PM 2:20 PM 1330 50 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) DB Festejo: Afro-Peruvian Dance Learn to dance Festejo! A lively, high-energy Afro-Peruvian dance, known for its footwork and energetic hip movements, typically accompanied by a guitar, cajón (a box drum), and other Latin percussion. Jennifer McHone Villalobos Saturday 4/26/2025 1:30 PM 2:20 PM 1330 50 Princess (Hotel East) E Folk Music from Eastern Europe, Georgia, and the Balkans SSA arrangements of vocal folk music from Ukraine, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Belarus, Lithuania, and more. Yale Slavic Chorus Saturday 4/26/2025 1:30 PM 2:20 PM 1330 50 Southborough (Hotel West) GS A All Day Jam An intermediate level jam focused on A and A Modal old time tunes. For fiddles, cross tune to AEAE, banjos in A or A Modal (aEADE). Bring a tune if you are comfortable leading it. Long Lost String Band Saturday 4/26/2025 1:30 PM 2:20 PM 1330 50 Sudbury (Hotel West) TB How to Play the Bones Introductory, moderate, and advanced technique on how to play the bones. Basic instruction, various techniques and styles of different music. No experience necessary. Steve Brown & Friends Saturday 4/26/2025 2:00 PM 2:50 PM 1400 50 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) DB Gavottes from Bretagne (Brittany) We will explore some gavottes, popular dances from Brittany. These include long and short chain, and couple dances. The steps are simple with a variety of formations. Fabien Goulay, Lisa Tamres, Box and String Trio Saturday 4/26/2025 2:00 PM 2:50 PM 1400 50 Duchess (Hotel East) TS Ukulele Off the Page Have you been an ukulele player who is always asking, "Where's the songsheet?" This is your chance to get off the page! There will be no handouts, and this will help players practice hearing chord changes and playing along. Ken Mattsson Saturday 4/26/2025 2:00 PM 2:50 PM 1400 50 Marlborough (Hotel West) DF Family Scottish Country Dancing Scottish Country Dancing is energetic and entertaining. This event is designed to introduce people of any age to this engaging dance tradition. Karen Sollins, Tabbies' Delight Saturday 4/26/2025 2:00 PM 2:50 PM 1400 50 Ritual Dance (Outside Trade Center) Firebird, Ha'Penny Morris, Hart's Brook Garland Saturday 4/26/2025 2:00 PM 2:50 PM 1400 50 Seminar (Hotel East) E Ki Ho'alu: Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Slack key guitar is a style of guitar playing developed by the people of Hawaii. Come listen to the mellow sounds of the islands. Fred Wersan Saturday 4/26/2025 2:00 PM 2:50 PM 1400 50 Trade Center Tent E Queer Maritime Music In historical record and the modern community, queerness is threaded through sea songs from Sweet Mary Starbuck to the Handsome Cabin Boy. Learn about sailors, singers, and the queer sea. The Ranzo Boys Saturday 4/26/2025 2:00 PM 2:05 PM 1400 5 Trade Center West (set chairs) Saturday 4/26/2025 2:00 PM 2:50 PM 1400 50 Westborough (Hotel West) GF Folk Family Singalong Join us for a fun and uplifting family-friendly sing-along featuring timeless favorites from Pete Seeger, Holly Near, and Raffi. Come raise your voice in joy and unity as we celebrate the power of music together. Bobbi Macdonald Saturday 4/26/2025 2:15 PM 4:05 PM 1415 110 Trade Center West E Dance Performance Iskwelahang Pilipino; Iskwelahang Pilipino; Samburis -- Lithuanian Folk Dance Group of Boston; Mladost Folk Ensemble; Krakowiak Polish Dancers of Boston, Inc.; Wayside Inn Steppers; Legends Georgian Dance; Germantown Country Dancers; Samskrithi; Chhandika Institute of Kathak Dance, Boston Saturday 4/26/2025 2:30 PM 3:20 PM 1430 50 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) DS Stylish Groove Contras Come dance with us to contras that get you movin' and groovin'! We'll explore ways to be stylish, with fairly accessible choreography great for nearly all dancers! Julian Blechner, Cojiro Saturday 4/26/2025 2:30 PM 3:20 PM 1430 50 Princess (Hotel East) GS Balkan Kefana Singalong Come sing along (or just enjoy listening) to "old city songs" and/or dance songs from Macedonia and surrounding areas, evoking the pleasure of singing with old friends at a celebration, or in the village tavern or coffeehouse. Balkan Kefana Saturday 4/26/2025 2:30 PM 3:20 PM 1430 50 Southborough (Hotel West) C Evolution: New Ways & Old Ways Discuss creative ideas from newer organizers and time-honored themes from those who cherish the past. We'll share varied perspectives, add our own thoughts, and consider best practices for the future. Scott Higgs, Lisa Greenleaf Saturday 4/26/2025 2:30 PM 2:50 PM 1430 20 Sterling (Hotel West) (set chairs) Saturday 4/26/2025 2:30 PM 3:20 PM 1430 50 Sudbury (Hotel West) TX Gershwin for Guitar If you've ever wanted to play Gershwin songs on a guitar, but were intimidated by all those weird chords in a piano score, here’s a chance to learn a tune or two, and learn how to create your own arrangements of these classic (and challenging!) songs. Richard Yospin Saturday 4/26/2025 3:00 PM 3:50 PM 1500 50 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) TB Dance Like a Resian: Italian Dance Learn dances from the Resia valley in Northeast Italy. Celest DiPietropaolo, Marie DiCocco Saturday 4/26/2025 3:00 PM 3:50 PM 1500 50 Duchess (Hotel East) GS David Kaynor Tunes Participatory Jam David Kaynor, caller and fiddler from Montague, MA, wrote dozens and dozens of tunes. Reels, Jigs, Waltzes and other styles. Let's play some together. Roundtuit Saturday 4/26/2025 3:00 PM 3:50 PM 1500 50 Marlborough (Hotel West) DF All Ages Barn Dance Easy dance sequences for dancers of any experience level. We'll get you moving to the music and smiling in no time! Don Veino, Calliope Saturday 4/26/2025 3:00 PM 3:50 PM 1500 50 Ritual Dance (Outside Trade Center) Half Moon Sword, On The Border Morris, Ladies of the Rolling Pin Saturday 4/26/2025 3:00 PM 3:50 PM 1500 50 Seminar (Hotel East) E Snark and Sentiment Join Becky and Nicole for a concert of a cappella traditional and trad-adjacent songs that involve snappy comebacks, revenge, swooning, dreaming, and great harmonies, with plenty of sing-along opportunities too. Becky & Nicole Saturday 4/26/2025 3:00 PM 3:50 PM 1500 50 Sterling (Hotel West) E Father and Daughter Bird Songs On a Wing and a Song – After our NEFFA debut last year of celestial songs, we are returning with a selection of fine-feathered bird songs. Jackson Gillman, JillianEstelle Gillman Saturday 4/26/2025 3:00 PM 3:50 PM 1500 50 Trade Center Tent GB Connecticut Sea Music Festival Chantey Sing Festival members will host a rousing chantey sing, inviting attendees to join in and lead a maritime song. Connecticut Sea Music Festival Singers Saturday 4/26/2025 3:00 PM 3:50 PM 1500 50 Westborough (Hotel West) GF Kids Contra Jam A jam session aimed at kids, but everyone is welcome. We will be playing easy tunes from the modern contra dance repertoire. Tunes and chords at lilywise.com/kidsjam Bring your instrument! Jeff Kaufman, Lily Wise Saturday 4/26/2025 3:30 PM 4:20 PM 1530 50 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) DS Transitional "Classic" Contras Wonderful and seminal contra dances from the 1970's and 80's that have stood the test of time. Steve Zakon-Anderson, Sugar River Band Saturday 4/26/2025 3:30 PM 4:20 PM 1530 50 Princess (Hotel East) E Music of the Balkans, Roma, Middle East, & Mediterranean Songs from the Balkans, Roma, Middle East, Mediterranean and more with dance performances and audience participation! Music featuring vocals, violin, lute, guitar, bass, drums and percussion. Experience eastern melodies, world rhythms, mesmerizing solos, and beautiful dancers. Meraki Caravan Saturday 4/26/2025 3:30 PM 4:20 PM 1530 50 Southborough (Hotel West) GB Songs of Survival and Resilience What music got you through the days of Covid-19 and other trauma in your life? This session is meant to inspire and acknowledge your resilience. Let your voice be heard! Joel Landy Saturday 4/26/2025 3:30 PM 4:20 PM 1530 50 Sudbury (Hotel West) TS Melodic Clawhammer Banjo Workshop Focusing on the skills that go into playing note-for-note authentic versions of Celtic & Appalachian fiddle tunes - drop-& double-thumbing on all strings in every combination, alternate-string pull-offs, syncopation, how to get around the neck, etc. Ken Perlman Saturday 4/26/2025 4:00 PM 4:50 PM 1600 50 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) NS Ajde! A Macedonian Dance Party All-woman band Niva play and sing Macedonian tunes in the traditional style, for your dancing pleasure. Niva Saturday 4/26/2025 4:00 PM 4:50 PM 1600 50 Duchess (Hotel East) GS Argentine Tango Jam We will lead Argentine tango tunes. We will provide sheet music for concert pitch, Bb, and bass clef instruments. Orquesta Tipica Mermelada Saturday 4/26/2025 4:00 PM 4:50 PM 1600 50 Marlborough (Hotel West) TB Quebecois Stepdancing An introduction to the basics of French Canadian step dancing (la gigue). Cindy Larock, Deux Bijoux Saturday 4/26/2025 4:00 PM 4:50 PM 1600 50 Ritual Dance (Outside Trade Center) Jack in the Green Morris, Great Meadows Morris and Sword, Mystic Valley Morris Saturday 4/26/2025 4:00 PM 4:50 PM 1600 50 Seminar (Hotel East) E Django, Jazz, and Bluegrazz A mix of bluegrass and gypsy jazz with some tight vocal harmonies and instrumental selections- we play swing, blues, bluegrass, and the music of Django Reinhardt. Blue Jersey Band Saturday 4/26/2025 4:00 PM 4:50 PM 1600 50 Sterling (Hotel West) DB Seated Square Dance Just like conventional squares, except you are seated. Great fun for all ages, but may be particularly fun for people with mobility issues or who cannot participate in other dances. Fred Wersan, Assabet Ramblers Saturday 4/26/2025 4:00 PM 4:50 PM 1600 50 Trade Center Tent G Irish Session Music Open Celtic session for fiddle, mandolin, accordion, flute/whistle, banjo, and Uileann pipes The Groton Session Players Saturday 4/26/2025 4:00 PM 4:50 PM 1600 50 Westborough (Hotel West) GS Traditional French Tunes for Balfolk Learn the melody and accompaniment for a few traditional French dance tunes, and jam with us. All instruments, intermediate and up. Cynthia Thomas, Jim Fownes Saturday 4/26/2025 4:15 PM 4:20 PM 1615 5 Trade Center West (set chairs) Saturday 4/26/2025 4:30 PM 4:50 PM 1630 20 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) DB Forget Me Nots: Classic Couple Dances Learn the dances that were done between contra sets all over New England such as the Salty Dog Rag, Gay Gordons, and Road to the Isles. Then dance them at the following Waltzes and Beyond session! Andy Taylor-Blenis, Calliope Saturday 4/26/2025 4:30 PM 5:20 PM 1630 50 Princess (Hotel East) GS Irish Session Irish tunes and convivial conversation... What could be better? Sean Smith, Corey Walters Saturday 4/26/2025 4:30 PM 5:20 PM 1630 50 Southborough (Hotel West) TS Balkan Singing Workshop Learn some Balkan warm ups, songs, vocal technique, and stage presence. Tatiana Sarbinska Saturday 4/26/2025 4:30 PM 5:20 PM 1630 50 Sudbury (Hotel West) GB Uke Jam You can play a song, or sing along/listen to a song played on the ukulele. You can also play along, but songs will not be taught. This is a jam. All ukulele players are welcome. Uke Jammers Saturday 4/26/2025 4:30 PM 4:50 PM 1630 20 Trade Center West NX Saturday Contra Medley A NEFFA tradition for experienced dancers. This is a 20 minute series of no-walk through dances. It's a blast! Various Callers, Live Wire Saturday 4/26/2025 5:00 PM 5:50 PM 1700 50 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) TS Tricky Balkan Dances Learn some more difficult Balkan dances, presented in a very accessible format. Ed Abelson, Balkan Fields Saturday 4/26/2025 5:00 PM 5:50 PM 1700 50 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) NS Waltzes and Beyond Lots of waltzes, but also schottische, polka, maybe a tango, *plus* the beloved "break standards" taught at the preceding workshop: Gay Gordon's, Road to the Isles, & Salty Dog Rag. Calliope Saturday 4/26/2025 5:00 PM 5:50 PM 1700 50 Duchess (Hotel East) E Old-Time Music Concert A toe tapping good time with old-time fiddle, banjo and song! The Lazy Kate's Saturday 4/26/2025 5:00 PM 5:50 PM 1700 50 Marlborough (Hotel West) DS Singing Squares Traditional squares to singing calls in the old New England style Ben Sachs-Hamilton, Free Association Saturday 4/26/2025 5:00 PM 5:50 PM 1700 50 Ritual Dance (Outside Trade Center) DS Pickup Morris All morris dancers welcome, with or without team or kit. Pickup Morris Saturday 4/26/2025 5:00 PM 5:50 PM 1700 50 Seminar (Hotel East) E Ginger Sea Neath the Celtic Moon This year we are supporting our new book/recording project, Ginger Sea Neath the Celtic Moon which received a New York State Council on the Arts grant. The songs are about the impact of the Atlantic Ocean on Ireland and beyond and we may do a selected reading from the story. Harbortown Saturday 4/26/2025 5:00 PM 5:50 PM 1700 50 Sterling (Hotel West) TS Harmony I and Harmony II Learn the basics of harmony singing, and get a chance to practice. If you already took this last year or earlier in the weekend, come to the second one for further tips, tricks and practice. Kim Wallach, Heidi Slaney Saturday 4/26/2025 5:00 PM 5:50 PM 1700 50 Trade Center Tent GB NEFFA Funny Song Swap Hour Funny songs, silly songs, and other songs to make you laugh. Audience participation is encouraged. Joel Landy Saturday 4/26/2025 5:00 PM 5:50 PM 1700 50 Trade Center West DS Spring Fever Contras Fun contras to celebrate the new season. Sue Rosen, The Orphans Saturday 4/26/2025 5:00 PM 5:50 PM 1700 50 Westborough (Hotel West) P Scots Revolt! Alistair Hulett's "Red Clydeside" A rare opportunity to hear Alistair Hulett's arresting 9 ballad cycle telling the story of early 20th century Glasgow-centered anti-war/human rights struggle. Anne Kazlauskas, Ishmael Stefanov-Wagner Saturday 4/26/2025 5:30 PM 6:20 PM 1730 50 Princess (Hotel East) GB Sing Together Song Swap Come swap songs where the whole room can join in: pub songs, chanteys, call-and-response, simple catchy choruses, and more! Bring one to share, or just sing along. Annaleah, Emma, & Maia Saturday 4/26/2025 5:30 PM 6:20 PM 1730 50 Southborough (Hotel West) C Core English Dance Repertoire in the 21st Century English dancers, callers, musicians come together to discuss the relevance of the idea of a core repertoire in the modern era. What can dancers or musicians who've been doing it a while be expected to know? What's falling out of general knowledge that should stay in? Alan will facilitate a discussion. Alan Winston Saturday 4/26/2025 5:30 PM 6:20 PM 1730 50 Sudbury (Hotel West) GS McQuillen Tune Slow Jam Dave and Chris will lead a slow jam of favorite tunes composed by Bob McQuillen, a New England piano and accordion player who inspired many of us. Music will be provided, but playing by ear is encouraged. All instruments and levels welcome. Chris Carpenter, Dave Miller Saturday 4/26/2025 6:00 PM 6:50 PM 1800 50 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) NS Dance Party! Balkan and Beyond Dance to some of our favorite tunes, old and new. Shining Moon Saturday 4/26/2025 6:00 PM 6:50 PM 1800 50 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) DS Crossover Scottish Social Come find out what Scottish, English, and contra dancing have in common from the Scottish Country Dance perspective! Explore figures common to multiple forms in a fun and engaging Scottish Country Dance social setting. Dances will be taught using non-gendered terminology. Marc Hartstein, Torrent Saturday 4/26/2025 6:00 PM 6:50 PM 1800 50 Duchess (Hotel East) GS Midnight Droolers Old Time Slow Jam Join us for a real slow jam where groovy old time tunes will be played for a long time - we give you plenty of time to learn the tune *and* play with bowings and rhythm. Fiddles, banjo, guitar, bass, others welcome. The Midnight Droolers, Hannah Purdy Saturday 4/26/2025 6:00 PM 6:50 PM 1800 50 Marlborough (Hotel West) TB Intro to American Tango Tango originated in Argentina around 1900 and quickly spread to Europe and America. This vintage form of American tango is easy to learn and it’s fun to do! We teach the basic steps and a handful of useful variations that you can do to various types of tango music. Tim Lamm, Diane Gonzales, Pandora Saturday 4/26/2025 6:00 PM 6:50 PM 1800 50 Ritual Dance (Outside Trade Center) DS Balfolk Sampler Curious about balfolk? Come learn some of the more commonly done balfolk dances. Balfolk includes couple dances, line, and circle dances. Lynn Baumeister, Lisa Tamres, Box and String Trio Saturday 4/26/2025 6:00 PM 6:50 PM 1800 50 Seminar (Hotel East) E Child Ballads! Singing our favorite ballads collected by Francis James Child, born 200 years ago this year. Expect ghosts of scorned lovers, curse breaking, and a high body count. The Ranzo Boys Saturday 4/26/2025 6:00 PM 6:50 PM 1800 50 Sterling (Hotel West) GS English Country Dance Tune Jam From 1651 to the present, ECD tunes delight us with their variety. Let’s play melodies from the spritely to the sumptuous. Requests welcome! If you have them, bring Barnes books and music stands to share. Mills, Mills, Coakley Stowe, Rain Saturday 4/26/2025 6:00 PM 6:50 PM 1800 50 Trade Center Tent E Music of Scotland and Cape Breton Scottish and Cape Breton tunes arranged by Neil Pearlman bring a unique sound while keeping to tradition. Our big fiddle sound is enhanced by flute, whistle, guitars, mandolins, cellos, accordions and more. Boston Scottish Fiddle Orchestra Saturday 4/26/2025 6:00 PM 7:20 PM 1800 80 Trade Center West DS Rum & Onions Contras Contra dance to the music of the creative and BIG band Rum & Onions! Darlene Underwood, Rum & Onions Saturday 4/26/2025 6:00 PM 6:50 PM 1800 50 Westborough (Hotel West) TB Harmony Song Workshop Come and sing English traditional folk songs in harmony and learn how to create your own spontaneous harmonies! This workshop will include a range of approaches to harmony, it will be taught by ear with words and notation available for those who want them. Laurel Swift Saturday 4/26/2025 6:30 PM 7:20 PM 1830 50 Princess (Hotel East) GB Beatles Singalong Join us as we sing songs by The Beatles. Rocking Horse People Saturday 4/26/2025 6:30 PM 7:20 PM 1830 50 Southborough (Hotel West) C Start and Grow a Dance Series Join fellow dance organizers in a mutually beneficial exchange of joys, challenges, ideas, solutions and innovations as they relate to STARTING, BUILDING or EXPANDING dance communities. Rob Matson Saturday 4/26/2025 6:30 PM 7:20 PM 1830 50 Sudbury (Hotel West) GS Crunchy Harmony Session Bring your songs with the tastiest harmonization opportunities, and we'll all sing them together. Big meaty choruses? Of course! Duetting on the verse? Go for it! Wallowing not required. Ian McGullam, Julian Nowogrodzki Saturday 4/26/2025 7:00 PM 7:50 PM 1900 50 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) NS Balkan Joy! Dynamic, compelling vocals and instrumentals for favorite, well-loved Balkan dances. Join the party! Balkan Fields Saturday 4/26/2025 7:00 PM 7:50 PM 1900 50 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) DS The Hey's the Thing (ECD) English country dances involving a variety of heys. ECD musicians are welcome to sit in with the Open Band; rehearsal at 10am in Sterling for those who will. Barbara Finney, The English Country Dance Open Band, Clara Stefanov-Wagner Saturday 4/26/2025 7:00 PM 7:50 PM 1900 50 Duchess (Hotel East) TS Playing Changes: Introduction to Improvisation Many styles of music allow for improvisation and there are many different approaches to spontaneous melody-making. We’ll dig into one approach to improvisation which forms the basis of jazz improvisation, but applies to any music rooted in Western harmony. Morgan Liu-Packard Saturday 4/26/2025 7:00 PM 8:20 PM 1900 80 Marlborough (Hotel West) NS Swedish Couple Dancing A session of Swedish couple turning dances -- regional polskas along with hambo, schottis, waltz, and more. lydia ievins Saturday 4/26/2025 7:00 PM 7:50 PM 1900 50 Seminar (Hotel East) E Native American Style Flute John Gass and Brenda Fingold weave the gorgeous tones of the Native American Style Flute with guitar, voice, and percussion to create a blend of soothing songs and contemporary Native American Flute music. Montana Spark Saturday 4/26/2025 7:00 PM 7:50 PM 1900 50 Sterling (Hotel West) E Strange and Lovely Ballads Heather Lee sings some of her favorite traditional ballads with friends. The songs are old, and we’ve added some lyrical instrumental solos. Instruments include hammered dulcimer, violin, viola, flute and piano. Secret Library Band Saturday 4/26/2025 7:00 PM 7:50 PM 1900 50 Trade Center Tent GS Songs with Boisterous Shouting! MACINTYRE!!!! Get ready to stamp your feet, clap your hands, and raise the rafters with boisterous song! Call-backs encouraged, as well as silly hand gestures and anything else that you and your friends do to make a song special. Participatory singing to the MAX! Red Kovatch Saturday 4/26/2025 7:00 PM 7:50 PM 1900 50 Westborough (Hotel West) GF Lullabies Sweet and soothing songs to help settle children after a long and stimulating day. Especially for children who have been at the festival all day - come in your pajamas and bring a pillow and something to cuddle. Kim Wallach Saturday 4/26/2025 7:30 PM 8:20 PM 1930 50 Princess (Hotel East) E Ottoman Turkish Makam Music 17-18th Century Ottoman Court music NEVA Saturday 4/26/2025 7:30 PM 8:20 PM 1930 50 Southborough (Hotel West) E All Over the Place When Miriam and Sean play together, just about anything goes: Irish, Scottish, English country dance, klezmer, Scandinavian, Brazilian Choro, Balkan, American/old-timey, contradance... even funk and soul. With flute and strings, they share their joy of music. Sean Smith, Miriam Ben-Ur Saturday 4/26/2025 7:30 PM 8:20 PM 1930 50 Sudbury (Hotel West) TS Fisher's Hornpipe from Black Fiddler, Frank Patterson This is a beautiful, funky and very recognizable version of Fisher’s and provides a rare window into what African Americans played for themselves as well as for local dances. Patterson’s fiddling is notable for its driving rhythm and astounding melodic patterns and ornamentation. Cathy Mason Saturday 4/26/2025 7:30 PM 8:20 PM 1930 50 Trade Center West DS Thank You, Dan Pearl (Contras) A contra dance tribute to caller and Neffa organizer extraordinaire, Dan Pearl. Various Callers, Dogtown Saturday 4/26/2025 8:00 PM 8:50 PM 2000 50 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) TS Balkan Dances to Beautiful Balkan Voices Lovely dances done to exquisite Balkan music (much of which is a cappella) which just takes your breath away. Sue Rose, Krasivi Perli Saturday 4/26/2025 8:00 PM 8:50 PM 2000 50 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) DS ECD Delights Favorites from the ECD repertoire, including some modern dances with excellent tunes. Sam Weiler, The Pegasus Collective Saturday 4/26/2025 8:00 PM 8:50 PM 2000 50 Duchess (Hotel East) GS Manouche Jam Session In the tradition of Django Reinhardt a participatory jam session led by a small group of musicians familiar with the style. Django Jazz Saturday 4/26/2025 8:00 PM 8:50 PM 2000 50 Seminar (Hotel East) E Bygone Ballads We'll be singing songs found in New England prior to 1945 and sharing the associated lore. Many of these have roots in Northern Ireland. Castlebay Saturday 4/26/2025 8:00 PM 8:50 PM 2000 50 Sterling (Hotel West) E Hook Up, Cuddle Up, Make Up, and Break Up... From the American songbook and elsewhere, tunes about love and relationships: the good, the bad and the rest. Bernadette Colley and Richard Yospin accompany themselves on guitars, mandolin, keyboard and clarinet. (www.colleyospin.com) Colleyospin Saturday 4/26/2025 8:00 PM 9:50 PM 2000 110 Trade Center Tent GB Pub Sing A relaxed pub sing atmosphere! Bring a song with a chorus, or just yourself and a willingness to sing along Jack in the Green Morris Saturday 4/26/2025 8:00 PM 8:50 PM 2000 50 Westborough (Hotel West) GS Joyful Rounds Join us in sharing joy and harmony through graceful, flowing rounds. We'll teach and lead songs like This Pretty Planet, Sing All Ye Joyful, and Now I Walk in Beauty. Devik Wyman, Martha Ware Saturday 4/26/2025 8:30 PM 9:20 PM 2030 50 Marlborough (Hotel West) DB Yiddish Set & Couple Dances Dance some set and couple dances from the Ashkenazi Jewish tradition! Dances such as the Sher, Patch Tantz, set "Bulgar", Mitzvah Tantz, and perhaps others. All dances will be taught and prompted. The Ad Hoc Klezmer Joy & Merriment Band Saturday 4/26/2025 8:30 PM 9:20 PM 2030 50 Princess (Hotel East) E String Theory & Shenanigans A mixture of slightly skewed original songs and rockin’ arrangements of jigs, reels, and other melodies from the British Isles and beyond. einstein's little homunculus Saturday 4/26/2025 8:30 PM 9:20 PM 2030 50 Southborough (Hotel West) GB Supernatural Songs and Stories Come share your song or story about sirens, selkies, or other supernatural specters. Heidi Slaney, Jess Accetta Saturday 4/26/2025 8:30 PM 9:20 PM 2030 50 Sudbury (Hotel West) E The Lost Art of Recitation Recitation (Think “Casey At the Bat”.) was legitimate stage entertainment in the days of vaudeville and English Music Hall. In the right hands, it is still a powerful medium. Mike Agranoff Saturday 4/26/2025 8:30 PM 9:20 PM 2030 50 Trade Center West DS Zippy Contras Boost your endorphins, and your heart rate, with high-energy contras that keep you moving! Ben Sachs-Hamilton, The Moving Violations Saturday 4/26/2025 9:00 PM 10:05 PM 2100 65 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) DB Fusion Dance Fusion is a partner dance trend done to a variety of music that borrows elements from many forms (blues, contact improv, ecstatic, swing, tango, etc.) and spans several aesthetics. Lesson at the beginning. Boston Fusion Dance Community Saturday 4/26/2025 9:00 PM 10:05 PM 2100 65 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) NS Balkan Dance cocekberancheusestdevtorka and more Gogofski Saturday 4/26/2025 9:00 PM 9:50 PM 2100 50 Duchess (Hotel East) TB Tunewriting I will demonstrate how I make up tunes, take questions, and then lead the group in making up tunes on the spot. Larry Unger Saturday 4/26/2025 9:00 PM 9:50 PM 2100 50 Seminar (Hotel East) P Good-nights': Broadside Ballads for Public Executions Using an Appalachian broadside ballad that chronicles a true crime committed in North Carolina, explore the history and basics of broadside ballads, "good-nights", and the society they were sung in. Cate Clifford Saturday 4/26/2025 9:00 PM 9:50 PM 2100 50 Sterling (Hotel West) GS Favorite Old Time Tunes Slow Jam Join us for a jam of favorite Old Time Appalachian and New England tunes played at a slow to moderate "back porch" tempo. All skill levels welcome.... 'Soldier's Joy', ''St Anne's Reel', 'Spotted Pony' and many others... Berlin Jam Friends Saturday 4/26/2025 9:00 PM 9:50 PM 2100 50 Westborough (Hotel West) E Storytelling for Grown-Ups Stories traditional and stories personal, usually a theme. Helen Engelhardt Saturday 4/26/2025 9:30 PM 10:20 PM 2130 50 Marlborough (Hotel West) NX Røros Norwegian Dance Party We play dance tunes from the Røros region of Norway for your dancing pleasure - vals, reinlander, hoppvals (polka), and of course Rørospols. Røroslaget Saturday 4/26/2025 9:30 PM 10:20 PM 2130 50 Princess (Hotel East) GB Honky Tonk Singalong Sing honky tonk country songs with Planet Banjo country band. Songs from artists like Hank Williams, Merle Haggard and Patsy Cline. All words are provided. Planet Banjo Saturday 4/26/2025 9:30 PM 10:20 PM 2130 50 Southborough (Hotel West) GS Crazy Balkan Rhythms Jam: Beranche and Beyond! Play and/or sing Balkan music in 9, 11, 12, 13, 22, mixed meters and beyond! There will be a core group of folks to follow; paper/digital music/lyrics provided. Some minimal instruction on rhythm/lyrics. Crazy Balkan Rhythms Posse Saturday 4/26/2025 9:30 PM 10:50 PM 2130 80 Sudbury (Hotel West) GS Well, That Didn't End Well: Tragic Trad Ballads If you have a tragic traditional ballad, bring it! We will be sharing the sad and tragic story songs of long ago that still haunt us today. Expect adult themes, bloodshed, death, and unhappy endings. Lynn Feingold Saturday 4/26/2025 9:30 PM 10:20 PM 2130 50 Trade Center West DS Contra Dances of Inspiration Inspirations can come from many sources: a dance figure, person, place, event, etc. Let's enjoy some great inspired dances! Don Veino, Bow and Reed Saturday 4/26/2025 10:00 PM 11:30 PM 2200 90 Duchess (Hotel East) GB Forebitter or Worse Sing-around shanty session and songs of the sea. Mike Gibson Saturday 4/26/2025 10:00 PM 10:50 PM 2200 50 Seminar (Hotel East) E Mostly Harmless Acoustic Mayhem The Insolent Willies play an unconventional blend of folk, blues and roots-rock. The Insolent Willies Saturday 4/26/2025 10:00 PM 10:50 PM 2200 50 Sterling (Hotel West) Available for jamming Saturday 4/26/2025 10:00 PM 10:50 PM 2200 50 Westborough (Hotel West) Available for jamming Saturday 4/26/2025 10:15 PM 11:30 PM 2215 75 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) NS Jug Band Blues and Swing Dance Come dance your heart out to Outrageous Fortune's rootsy jug band stylings of classic '20s and '30s blues and jazz. Stationary listeners are also welcome! Outrageous Fortune Saturday 4/26/2025 10:15 PM 11:30 PM 2215 75 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) NS Lively International Dancing Dance up a storm in styles Balkan and beyond, played by up-and-coming young musicians from the local international dance community! The Dark-Eyed Devojki Saturday 4/26/2025 10:30 PM 11:30 PM 2230 60 Marlborough (Hotel West) DS Late-Night Cool-Down English Dancing Mellow, playful English country dancing to relax before leaving. Favorites and new material. For those already familiar with basic English figures - not a class. Alan Winston, The Mad Katters Saturday 4/26/2025 10:30 PM 11:30 PM 2230 60 Princess (Hotel East) GS Balfolk Jam Come play and share your favorite Balfolk tunes. Box and String Trio Saturday 4/26/2025 10:30 PM 11:30 PM 2230 60 Southborough (Hotel West) Available for jamming Saturday 4/26/2025 10:30 PM 11:30 PM 2230 60 Trade Center West DS Go With the Flow Contras Contras for all levels that focus on figures that flow and will make you feel like you're gliding on ice! Alexandra Deis-Lauby, einstein's little homunculus Sunday 4/27/2025 10:00 AM 10:50 AM 1000 50 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) NS Israeli Oldies Dance Party Dance favorite old (oldies) Israeli dances from 1948-1980. No teaching. Andrea Gwosdow, Israeli Oldies Dance Band Sunday 4/27/2025 10:00 AM 10:50 AM 1000 50 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) DS Rise and Shine Contras Simple, fun contras to help you ease into the day Carl Levine, Zarkadelphia Sunday 4/27/2025 10:00 AM 10:50 AM 1000 50 Duchess (Hotel East) GB Irish Slow Session Traditional Irish tunes at slow and moderate tempos, by ear (the traditional way), starting with more common session tunes. Tunes include jigs, reels, waltzes, hornpipes, polkas, slip jigs, and more. Tabbies' Delight Sunday 4/27/2025 10:00 AM 10:50 AM 1000 50 Marlborough (Hotel West) TB Intro to English Country Dance Learn the basic steps and figures of English Country Dance while dancing to beautiful music. Sue Rosen, Bruce Rosen, Clara Stefanov-Wagner Sunday 4/27/2025 10:00 AM 10:50 AM 1000 50 Princess (Hotel East) DF Family Folk Dance Fun and easy community dancing for families! Partner, circle, and longways dances for all ages. Imogen Mills; Rose, Rebecca, & Mary Cay Sunday 4/27/2025 10:00 AM 10:50 AM 1000 50 Seminar (Hotel East) E Living on the Downhill Side Richard Gehrts has mined a rich vein of traditional material from diverse sources, artfully arranged, as well as a bevy of original compositions that are thought provoking, contentious, humorous and beautiful, performed on guitars, banjo and autoharp. Richard Gehrts Sunday 4/27/2025 10:00 AM 10:50 AM 1000 50 Sterling (Hotel West) P Songcatchers of Northern New England At least five songcatchers (mostly women) were active in New England from 1890 through 1945. We will present their stories and methods. Castlebay Sunday 4/27/2025 10:00 AM 10:50 AM 1000 50 Trade Center Tent GB Old Time Gospel Sing Bring your voices to an Old Time Gospel Sing where we'll sing songs and hymns from the old time tradition, including songs sung by the Carter Family, EC & Orna Ball, and others. Dallal & Henry Sunday 4/27/2025 10:00 AM 10:50 AM 1000 50 Trade Center West DS Festive Yet Tasteful ECD A stylish blend of English country dances: from elegant to energetic, playful to thoughtful, flowing to frolicking! Joanna Reiner Wilkinson, Mulberry Garden Sunday 4/27/2025 10:00 AM 10:50 AM 1000 50 Westborough (Hotel West) GF Sing Me a Story Join early childhood music specialist Nancy Hershatter as we explore songs with stories inside, and stories which have become songs. Sing, dance, play and laugh along. Nancy Hershatter Sunday 4/27/2025 10:30 AM 11:20 AM 1030 50 Southborough (Hotel West) GB Power Harmonies Come and plan to lift your voices! As Power Harmonies, Lynn Noel and Ken Mattsson sing with depth, power, and passionate attention to the spirit in the song. Their duo sound can be described as "ballroom dancing for the voice." Ken Mattsson, Lynn Noel Sunday 4/27/2025 10:30 AM 11:20 AM 1030 50 Sudbury (Hotel West) E Unusual Instrument Concert Concert featuring tiny harmonicas and fiddles; jaw harps; harp-guitar, marxophone and marxolin, plus fiddle and guitar. Larry Unger, Julie Metcalf Sunday 4/27/2025 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 1100 50 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) DS Croatian Dance Favorites Join us on the floor for your favorite exciting kolos and drmes'. Pajdashi Sunday 4/27/2025 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 1100 50 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) DS Contra Chestnuts Petronella, Rory O'More, Money Musk, and others - dance the classic dances that newer contras are based on. Jacob Bloom; Rose, Rebecca, & Mary Cay Sunday 4/27/2025 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 1100 50 Duchess (Hotel East) GS Modern Contra Tunes Slow Jam Many wonderfully danceable tunes have been composed during the first quarter century of our young millennium! This is a slow jam session for some tunes that have the potential to join a next generation of classics. Steve Bittenson, Len Bittenson Sunday 4/27/2025 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 1100 50 Marlborough (Hotel West) DB Intro to Contra Learn the basics or try a role you haven't danced before. Beginners and experienced dancers all welcome! Sue Gola, Sugar River Band Sunday 4/27/2025 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 1100 50 Princess (Hotel East) DF Morris Dance For Families Come enjoy the world of Morris dancing as a family while learning a basic traditional dance. Suitable for all ages. Laurel Swift Sunday 4/27/2025 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 1100 50 Ritual Dance (Outside Trade Center) WhistlePig Morris Dancers, Harbour Steel, Nobska Lights Sunday 4/27/2025 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 1100 50 Seminar (Hotel East) E Guitar/Uke/Vocal Concert! Grammy winning guitarist Mark Hanson and Young Audiences' 2009 national artist of the year Greta Pedersen provide a lively concert of fun and funny songs -- folk, jazz standards and originals, featuring duo vocals and sparkling guitar solos. Mark Hanson, Greta Pedersen Sunday 4/27/2025 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 1100 50 Sterling (Hotel West) GB Singing Greek Folk Songs Sing along with some well-loved traditional Greek folk songs. Lyrics, translation, and teaching provided. Boston Lykeion Ellinidon Sunday 4/27/2025 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 1100 50 Trade Center Tent GS West Gallery Music Sing and play music from rural English churches, from the time of Thomas Hardy, Jane Austen, and King George III. For all voices and melodic instruments. The West Gallery Quire Sunday 4/27/2025 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 1100 50 Trade Center West DS Sparkling ECD, New and Old A refreshing assortment of English Country Dance, including well-loved classics and a few bubbly new concoctions. Anna Rain, Cedar Waxwing Sunday 4/27/2025 11:00 AM 11:50 AM 1100 50 Westborough (Hotel West) GF Fun and Interactive Songs for Children Enjoy singing songs, promoting kindness and love, that include lots of hugs, sign language, and instruments for a fun-filled parade. Fran Friedman Sunday 4/27/2025 11:30 AM 12:20 PM 1130 50 Southborough (Hotel West) E Eclectic A Cappella A performance of an eclectic collection of a cappella music. Crooked Mowth Sunday 4/27/2025 11:30 AM 12:20 PM 1130 50 Sudbury (Hotel West) TB How to Play the Irish Bodhran A demonstration of handling technique and exploration of Irish music rhythms. We'll consider session etiquette, play some tunes with the fiddler, explore ornamentation. Bring a bodhran or a substitute. Jeanne Hansberry Sunday 4/27/2025 12:00 PM 12:50 PM 1200 50 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) TS Contra Flourishes! Learn a series of flourishes that build upon one another, and how you can start creating your own flourishes on the fly. Participants should be comfortable with basic flourishes like a twirl at the end of a swing. Alyssa Adkins, Isabel Oliart & Sammy Wetstein Sunday 4/27/2025 12:00 PM 12:50 PM 1200 50 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) DS English and Contra A selection of English and Contra dances that illuminate connections and contrasts between the two forms, how they are connected by history and how they still interweave. Harris Lapiroff, Tabbies' Delight Sunday 4/27/2025 12:00 PM 12:50 PM 1200 50 Duchess (Hotel East) GS Hypnotic Old-Time Jam Moderately-paced Old-Time Jam. Improve your jamming skills and lock in with other musicians for a rollicking good old time! The Dead Sea Squirrels Sunday 4/27/2025 12:00 PM 12:50 PM 1200 50 Marlborough (Hotel West) TB Intro to Balkan Dancing Intro to Balkan Dancing featuring live music with the NEFFArious Goats. Dance to Balkan rhythms showcasing the magnificent Gadja (Macedonian bagpipe).. Sue Rose, NEFFArious Goats Sunday 4/27/2025 12:00 PM 12:50 PM 1200 50 Princess (Hotel East) GF Singing Games for Children Songs, fingerplays, dances for children (and young-at-heart adults)! Alexandra Deis-Lauby, Margaret Bary Sunday 4/27/2025 12:00 PM 12:50 PM 1200 50 Ritual Dance (Outside Trade Center) Seriously Sharp Rapper, Hop Brook Morris, Johnny Jump Ups Sunday 4/27/2025 12:00 PM 12:50 PM 1200 50 Seminar (Hotel East) P NEFFA Annual Meeting Learn more about how NEFFA (the organization) works! Meet new and old members of the Board! Learn what volunteer opportunities are available NEFFA Board Sunday 4/27/2025 12:00 PM 12:50 PM 1200 50 Sterling (Hotel West) GS Bretagne Jam (Music from Brittany) We'll play dance tunes from Bretagne including Hanter Dro, Andro, Laridee, Ridee, Gavottes, Avant Deux, and more. Notation will be provided, learning by ear is encouraged. Fabien Goulay Sunday 4/27/2025 12:00 PM 12:50 PM 1200 50 Trade Center Tent GB Sing-a-Round Round Sing Join other singers as we sing rounds and canons. Anyone present may request or teach a round. Devik Wyman, Martha Ware Sunday 4/27/2025 12:00 PM 12:50 PM 1200 50 Westborough (Hotel West) EF Book in the Song, Song in the Book A calmer session for kids (and adults!); we will read and sing from children’s books adapted from traditional songs with prizewinning illustrations. Ariel Weinberg Sunday 4/27/2025 12:15 PM 1:05 PM 1215 50 Trade Center West Dance Performance Country Dance Society, Boston Centre; The Just Keep Dancing; Boston Scottish Country Dancers; Origins Folkloric Dance Company; Bolly Beatzz by Priya Sunday 4/27/2025 12:30 PM 1:20 PM 1230 50 Southborough (Hotel West) E Birds of Passage We sing songs old and new that celebrate events from the seasonal migrations of birds and animals, to a changing climate, to the inevitable human experiences of love and loss, joys and sorrows. George & Kathy Stephens Sunday 4/27/2025 12:30 PM 1:20 PM 1230 50 Sudbury (Hotel West) GS Shenandoah Harmony Singing Shape-note singing from the Shenandoah Harmony. Loaner books available. Myles Dakan Sunday 4/27/2025 1:00 PM 1:50 PM 1300 50 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) TB Scottish Country Dancing for Beginners Scottish country dancing is a fun activity enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds in Scotland and across the world. Come try out easy dances to great tunes. We will teach from the basics and help you enjoy the fun of dancing. Flights of Fancy Sunday 4/27/2025 1:00 PM 1:50 PM 1300 50 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) TS International Dances in "Challenging Times" Beautiful music and dances from the Balkans and beyond in unusual meters! Jeanne Clifford, Rakiya Sunday 4/27/2025 1:00 PM 1:50 PM 1300 50 Duchess (Hotel East) E Banjo and Hardingfele Mountain Music An exploration of the joint sound of 5-string banjo and 9-string Norwegian hardingfele, through the performance of "old-time" tunes from the mountain regions of Appalachia and Telemark. Hardingbanjofele Sunday 4/27/2025 1:00 PM 1:50 PM 1300 50 Marlborough (Hotel West) DF Milk and Cookies (Family Dance) Circle, square and line dances for the very young, very old, and all in between. No partner necessary - if you want to dance as a couple with both of your kids, great! Penelope Weinberger, Dandelion Sunday 4/27/2025 1:00 PM 1:20 PM 1300 20 Princess (Hotel East) (set chairs) Sunday 4/27/2025 1:00 PM 1:50 PM 1300 50 Ritual Dance (Outside Trade Center) Mystic Garland Dancers, Still River Sword Sunday 4/27/2025 1:00 PM 1:50 PM 1300 50 Seminar (Hotel East) E Anglo-Celtic Songs & Tunes Join Druid's Flask for a menagerie of tunes and songs from Ireland, Scotland, and beyond! Druid's Flask Sunday 4/27/2025 1:00 PM 1:50 PM 1300 50 Sterling (Hotel West) E Clarinet Marmalade and Other Ragtime Delicacies Join Turkey Hill Ragtime Orchestra for a musical picnic. We play vintage orchestrations of rags and popular songs of the 1890's - 1920's. Toe-tapping fun for the whole family! Turkey Hill Ragtime Orchestra Sunday 4/27/2025 1:00 PM 1:50 PM 1300 50 Trade Center Tent GB Jug Band Jam! Calling all kazoo hummers (guitar, banjo, and uke players and singers too!) Jam on some jazzy, bluesy songs from the 1920’s and 30’s, lyrics and chords (and washboards!) provided! The Jug Nuts Sunday 4/27/2025 1:00 PM 1:50 PM 1300 50 Westborough (Hotel West) GF Folk Song Singalong We will present a program of classic folk tunes with a few originals, accompanied on guitar, harmonica, and banjo. Singing along is encouraged. Howie & Mel Sunday 4/27/2025 1:30 PM 2:20 PM 1330 50 Princess (Hotel East) E Iberia Georgian Songs from Children The Dancing Crane Georgian Cultural Center presents a concert of Georgian songs by the Iberia Children's Song Group led by Eka Chichua. Iberia Georgian Children's Group Sunday 4/27/2025 1:30 PM 2:20 PM 1330 50 Southborough (Hotel West) TB Harmony Singing Strategies for All Do you want to confidently sing in harmony at jams, gatherings, or maybe just with a friend? Join us as we play around with drones, rhythms, and sounds of all types in a quest to get everyone singing. The Junebug Sandals Sunday 4/27/2025 1:30 PM 2:20 PM 1330 50 Sudbury (Hotel West) E Harmony, History, and Huzzah! Enjoy a Renfaire-inspired a cappella performance by The Cropper Lads. The Cropper Lads Sunday 4/27/2025 1:30 PM 1:50 PM 1330 20 Trade Center West NX Sunday Contra Medley A Neffa tradition for experienced dancers. This is a 20 minute series of no-walk through dances. It's a blast! Various Callers, Chimney Swift Sunday 4/27/2025 2:00 PM 2:50 PM 1400 50 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) TB Ragtime Couple Dances Experience the couple dances of the ragtime era (1911-1914) including the one-step, foxtrot, tango and blues. Though these dances are from a particular period they are wonderful for music of any time period. Martha Griffin Sunday 4/27/2025 2:00 PM 2:50 PM 1400 50 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) DB East Hungarian Line Dances Simple, fun village dances from the far reaches of the Hungarian diaspora, in Moldavia (Moldva Csángó). Efficient teaching for maximal dancing. Marjorie Nugent, Tom Roby, Csango Bazonga! Sunday 4/27/2025 2:00 PM 2:50 PM 1400 50 Duchess (Hotel East) GS Singing the American Revolution Sing shape-note music from the time of the American Revolution, from our tunebook, "The Norumbega Harmony." Norumbega Harmony Sunday 4/27/2025 2:00 PM 2:50 PM 1400 50 Marlborough (Hotel West) DF Community Dance Party Fun and accessible dances for all ages. Margaret Bary, Tabbies' Delight Sunday 4/27/2025 2:00 PM 3:50 PM 1400 110 Ritual Dance (Outside Trade Center) Juggler Meadow Morris Men, No Apologies Rapper Sunday 4/27/2025 2:00 PM 2:50 PM 1400 50 Seminar (Hotel East) E Clawhammer Banjo Concert Fiddle tunes from Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton, and the American South expertly arranged for clawhammer banjo with as much nuance and authenticity as possible. Ken Perlman Sunday 4/27/2025 2:00 PM 2:35 PM 1400 35 Sterling (Hotel West) TB Writing The Songs of Our Ancestors Songwriting interpolations in folk music, is about how songwriters incorporate pre-existing melodies or lyrics into a new composition to create something new and unique. This can be a powerful tool for songwriters writing genre-based songs. Vincent Cross Sunday 4/27/2025 2:00 PM 2:50 PM 1400 50 Trade Center Tent E Chanteys and Songs of the Sea A concert of sea music with group participation highly recommended. Join us as we sing through the great age of sail. Three Sheets to the Wind Sunday 4/27/2025 2:00 PM 2:50 PM 1400 50 Trade Center West DS Breaking the Chain Contras Contra dances with creative and unusual chains. Qwill Duvall, Chimney Swift Sunday 4/27/2025 2:00 PM 2:50 PM 1400 50 Westborough (Hotel West) GB Sing Along With Evy Bring your voices. This is especially for those who like to sing. There will be plenty of opportunities to sing along. Evy Mayer, Allen Hopkins Sunday 4/27/2025 2:30 PM 3:20 PM 1430 50 Princess (Hotel East) E Hammered Dulcimer Round Robin This is a group of 4 experienced hammered dulcimer players who will present a variety of music styles on the dulcimer. Will also include demonstration/ discussion of playing back up, playing for events (concerts, weddings..), and playing for dances. Hammered Dulcimer Consortium Sunday 4/27/2025 2:30 PM 3:20 PM 1430 50 Southborough (Hotel West) GB Remembrance of John Roberts John Roberts (5 May 1944 - 2 February 2025) left us a rich legacy of songs, tunes, and friendship. We are ten times less by one. Let's sing for John and share the songs he gave us. Lynn Noel, Debra Cowan Sunday 4/27/2025 2:30 PM 3:20 PM 1430 50 Sudbury (Hotel West) GB Lilting Jam: Singing the Tunes Do you like instrumental music but really want to sing it on nonsense syllables? Always wanted to use your voice like a fiddle? Come sing with us - feel free to have a tune in mind that you'd like to teach. Beginners welcome. Becca Mandel, Emma Azelborn Sunday 4/27/2025 2:45 PM 3:50 PM 1445 65 Sterling (Hotel West) E Peace and Protest, Love and Longing HeartSoulVoice, with voice, harp, and fiddle, will present an hour of world-music influenced original songs and tunes on the themes of peace building, protest, love, and longing. Come listen to music that validates, inspires, and calms. HeartSoulVoice Ensemble Sunday 4/27/2025 3:00 PM 4:05 PM 1500 65 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) NS International Dancing International dancing, mostly Balkan, with music by Sladka. Sladka Sunday 4/27/2025 3:00 PM 3:50 PM 1500 50 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) NS WaltzTime We'll play for waltzing with no dance instruction. Larry Unger & Friends Sunday 4/27/2025 3:00 PM 3:50 PM 1500 50 Duchess (Hotel East) GS Romanian Jam/Teach Play Romanian music. Sheet music provided, and some instruction. Ralph Iverson Sunday 4/27/2025 3:00 PM 3:50 PM 1500 50 Marlborough (Hotel West) TB Beginning Appalachian Flatfooting Learn the basic motions and steps of Flatfooting and Buck Dancing. The session is taught using the Appalachian Step Percussion Services system. Everyone will be a happy flatfooter by the end! James Keenan, Rebecca Stout, The Dixie Butterhounds Sunday 4/27/2025 3:00 PM 3:50 PM 1500 50 Seminar (Hotel East) E More Songs from All Over The group will perform songs that we have learned from the International dance repertoire that are both interesting and beautiful. Our performance will also include some non-dance songs from Eastern Europe and beyond. The All Girl Band Sunday 4/27/2025 3:00 PM 3:50 PM 1500 50 Trade Center Tent GB Bluegrass Slow Jam Bluegrass slow jam for all instruments and abilities. We'll play some familiar favorites with 2-3 chords in the open keys of G, D and A. Jay Johnson Sunday 4/27/2025 3:00 PM 3:50 PM 1500 50 Trade Center West DS Hey There Contras! Terrific dances that feature fun hey choreography. Ricochets and Dolphins may appear! Bev Bernbaum, Les Quatre Patates Sunday 4/27/2025 3:00 PM 3:50 PM 1500 50 Westborough (Hotel West) TF Clap It, Tap It: Global Rhythm Games Learn to play clapping and rhythm games from different countries including the US. Geared to ages 7 through adult in partners and small groups. Debby Szajnberg Sunday 4/27/2025 3:30 PM 3:50 PM 1530 20 Princess (Hotel East) (set chairs) Sunday 4/27/2025 3:30 PM 4:20 PM 1530 50 Southborough (Hotel West) GS Northern New England and French Canadian Jam A Jam, for any instrument, focussing on Northern New England and French Canadian dance tunes. Henry Chapin Sunday 4/27/2025 3:30 PM 4:20 PM 1530 50 Sudbury (Hotel West) GS Songs About Birds We will lead a participatory singing session featuring traditional and folk songs about birds of all kinds. We’ll share duo performance of some of their favorites and open up the space to bird song suggestions from attendees. Julia Gallogly, Sara Mamlet Sunday 4/27/2025 4:00 PM 5:30 PM 1600 90 Ballroom CDE (Hotel East) DS Brattleboro Ball Classics (ECD) The Brattleboro Ball in Brattleboro, Vermont had an amazing multi-decade run. This session is a look back at some of the classic dances that were featured for many years. And yes, we WILL end our NEFFA session with Sellenger's Round, the traditional last dance of every Brattleboro Ball! Val Medve, Amsonia Sunday 4/27/2025 4:00 PM 5:30 PM 1600 90 Duchess (Hotel East) GB Closing Sing-Around Finish up the festival with a full-throated sing-around; instruments welcome, choruses preferred but not required, come one, come all! Allen has led NEFFA closing sing-arounds since 1995! Allen Hopkins Sunday 4/27/2025 4:00 PM 4:50 PM 1600 50 Marlborough (Hotel West) NX Scandi-American Dance Honoring Nils Lundin We will play dance music primarily from the repertoire of Massachusetts accordionist Nils Lundin (1921-2014) who is known for his American Wooden Shoe polka and his Saturday night dances at SAC Park in Shrewsbury, MA. We will play a selection of hambos, schottisches, snoas, waltzes, polkas, polketts, and a tango. SAC Spelmanslag Sunday 4/27/2025 4:00 PM 4:50 PM 1600 50 Princess (Hotel East) DF Family Folk Dance Come enjoy dances from all over the world! Learn basic dance movements while moving to international music. All individuals and families are welcome! Andy Taylor-Blenis Sunday 4/27/2025 4:00 PM 4:50 PM 1600 50 Seminar (Hotel East) E New Folk Songs for Fiddle, Voice, and Feet Writing new songs in the folk tradition, Laurel seeks to fill some of the vital historical gaps in the English folk song repertoire while consoling her climate grief and sharing her main loves (nature, folk arts and ice cream). Laurel Swift Sunday 4/27/2025 4:00 PM 4:50 PM 1600 50 Sterling (Hotel West) E Only By Singing Songs are my way in to knowing what I'm thinking or feeling, give me comfort and allow me to communicate what would otherwise remain silent. I'll sing my current favorites, and talk a little about the process of writing and choosing songs. Kim Wallach Sunday 4/27/2025 4:00 PM 5:30 PM 1600 90 Trade Center Tent GS Protest Song Share Bring an original or classic protest song to share. Sing on your own or invite us to sing with you :) Facilitated by Nora Borealis Maynard, experienced NVDA song & chant leader, leader of WholeTone Music Academy's Queer Protest Choir for 2 seasons (2017, 2019) in Somerville. Nora Maynard Sunday 4/27/2025 4:00 PM 5:30 PM 1600 90 Trade Center West DS Festival Orchestra Contras and Sqs -- Merry Go Round at 4:35! A traditional way of ending the Festival with satisfying contras and the traditional Merry Go Round Square. Lisa Greenleaf, Sue Gola, Festival Orchestra Sunday 4/27/2025 4:00 PM 4:50 PM 1600 50 Westborough (Hotel West) GB You Won’t Believe Your Ears! Songs about events that are wild AND true! Drunken seagulls attacking beach-goers, death by garden decorations, and more. Bring a song to share about some wacky event that actually happened and tell us all about it! Red Kovatch Sunday 4/27/2025 4:15 PM 5:30 PM 1615 75 Ballroom AB (Hotel East) NS Balkan Dance Balkan dancing with music by Rakiya. Rakiya