[SCA-Dance] New Dance activities this year at Pennsic

[Judith]

Hail, and well met! 
      We have some new ideas in the works for Pennsic dance this year, some
very exciting and new things. 
    I have been collaborating with Master Duncan, leader of Wolgemut, about
ways to main stream and spice up the social dance scene, and to increase our
own fun, and here are the ideas that we have developed so far: 

1.) A Dance Fling, one hour every day in the market place, with ringer
dancers alternately performing dances (as performance pieces), and leading
inclusive dances to include the spectators.  During this time, we would
distribute flyers advertising the various dance activities that are
scheduled for the war.  This is intended to be fun for us, and to increase
general public awareness of social dance at Pennsic. 

2.) Midnight Madness Dance procession, during which we process from one
market place to another dressed in classical costumes (the same ones we will
have for the Pennsic ball).  We will process, then perform a dance, and then
do a couple of line dances of some sort or another to include the audience.
This will all be framed by the idea that we are priests and priestesses of
the muse Terpsichore, paying hommage to her by practicing her art and
sharing it with others.  A very renaissance idea.  The procession will
hopefully attract people to join in.  The ultimate goal will be the Barn,
where Wolgemut will conduct its now traditional Brawl Fest, and we will
dance until we can longer tolerate the concrete of the floor.  Master Duncan
would like to include other musicians in the Brawl Fest, like happened last
year when the loud band joined in.   

3.) Egg Sale.  Yes, you read correctly.  I have found a 15th c. German poem
that details a wedding dance.  At this revel, the people request dances by
offering the piper payment in the form of eggs (They held up their hands and
cried "One Egg for this tune," or "Two Eggs if you play this instead).  So,
I had the idea, to make the Brawl Fest more medieval, we would sell gilded
eggs (plastic or hardboiled, I have not yet decided); part of the proceeds
would go to Wolgemut, part of them would go towards funding something
Pennsic Dance related.  Not sure what yet, but we can decide that in time.
The eggs would be sold throughout the week preceding Midnight Madness, and
then people can properly request dances at the Brawl Fest by crying out what
dance they wish and how many eggs they are willing to pay. 

So, those are the updates.  Questions, comments, ideas? 

Next up, we need volunteers; I could do all this alone, but I would rather
collaborate. 

1.) We need people to volunteer to be performance ringers at both the
Midnight madness procession, and the daily dance flings.  This means coming
together at Pennsic early in the war and rehearsing, etc. 

2.) We need people who just want to don classical costume and process around
at midnight madness. 

3.) I need someone to draw up flyers (after the schedule has been settled)
that promote pennsic social dance, and the various scheduled activities. 

4.)I need help gilding eggs. 

So, I hope to receive volunteers and ideas! 

keep dancing... 

Judith