We’ve been dancing for 50 years! Please come celebrate with us!
Saturday, July 9, 2022, from 4pm to 10pm
Mike’s Dance Barn, 2277 Indiana State Road 46, Nashville, IN 47448
Mike’s Dance Barn is a beautiful summertime venue with a large wooden dance floor, air conditioning, and a large parking lot, 15 miles east of Bloomington and 4 miles west of Nashville, Indiana.
Come hang out and enjoy dancing, music, and reminiscing with old friends. We are excited to bring together dancers, musicians, and callers from the last 5 decades of our Wednesday night dance. Groups of musicians and callers will trade off throughout the afternoon and evening. You are welcome to bring a pop-up tent and chairs for outdoor visiting and jamming in the parking lot.
Note: EVERYONE MUST SEND IN OR BRING PROOF OF COVID VACCINATION *AND* ONE BOOSTER – (if not yet eligible for booster, then full primary vaccination) – we cannot let you in without this proof, and we will be sad to send you away when you have come so far. See more details below. Masks will be required on the dance floor.
EARLY-BIRD REGISTRATION DEADLINE SATURDAY, JULY 2 (online or by mail)
1) Register
- Online: Register here (must include proof of vaccination; see details above)
- Paper registration available at Wednesday dance or download and print the paper registration form here. Bring completed paper registration to Wednesday dance or mail (postmarked by July 2) to BOTMDG, PO Box 3238, Bloomington, IN 47402-3238 (must include proof of vaccination; see details above).
2) Send a photo or scan of your proof of vaccination and booster to anniversary@bloomingtoncontra.org (preferred), or bring proof to the dance.
3) Pay registration fee here.
Early-Bird Registration Fees
General (over 12 years old): $15
Ages 5–12: $8
Under 5: Free
Walk-In Registration Fees
(Must bring proof of vaccination including booster if eligible, please see details above – we do NOT want to send you away when you have come so far to dance with us.)
General (over 12 years old): $20
Ages 5–12: $10
Under 5: Free
COVID POLICIES: PLEASE READ!
Masking: will be required for everyone on the dance floor at all times (whether dancing, standing, calling, or anything else). Masking is optional off the dance floor. Bandannas do not count as masks. (Mask policy subject to potential tightening depending on COVID situation in July.)
Vaccination: At time of registration, we need proof of the following:
Full primary series of vaccine plus a booster (if ineligible for booster because of age or timing of primary series, please let us know, and provide proof of full primary series regardless).
If registering online or by early-bird mail, send a photo of your vaccination card showing the above vaccinations and your name, or a vaccination certificate from your state.
Walk-ins can bring your Covid card, a photocopy, a photo on your phone, or a vaccination certificate from your state.
We really don’t want to have to turn you away, so please bring your proof of vaccination.
Individual Cancellation Policy: Please stay home if you test positive, feel ill, and/or may have been exposed to Covid. If you have already registered but need to stay home for these reasons, please contact us for a refund at anniversary@bloomingtoncontra.org.
Unlikely Cancellation of the Dance: We have all learned to live with uncertainty over the last couple of years. In the unlikely event we have to cancel the entire event due to COVID, we regret we will not be able to refund registration fees. We have worked hard to make the fees as low as possible
INFORMAL FRIDAY HANGOUT
You are also welcome to join us for an informal gathering on Friday, July 8, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Rev. Ernie Butler Park, 812 West 9th Street, Bloomington, IN 47404. Pizza while it lasts, BYOB, bring a dish to share, and bring your instruments & chairs to join in on music jams!
This can also be a chance for musicians to figure out band configurations for the following day.
50th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION SCHEDULE AND INFO
- 4 pm – Check-in & Walk-in registration begin
- 6 sets of music between 4 and 10 p.m.
- Brad Leftwich of the Humdingers, with Linda Higginbotham, Sam Bartlett, Abby Ladin – all from Bloomington
- Hawk Hubbard – from Florida and David Molk – from California – formerly with the ‘70s Dry and Dusty Stringband
- Rick Martin of the Troublesome Creek Stringband – from Virginia
- Paul Tyler of the Volo Bogtrotters Stringband – from Chicago
- Frank Hall – from Ireland & Bob Herring – from Virginia, Fiddlers – with Teri Klassen of Bloomington on guitar – all formerly with the ‘70s -‘80s Easy Street Band
- OPEN MIC led by Tamara Loewenthal will be the third set: 6-7 p.m. – all musicians are welcome to join on stage!
- Snacks provided by BOTMDG / Please bring your own water bottle to fill from dispenser
- Mike’s Dance Barn pub-style food and drinks available for sale:
- $7–$9 — Sandwich/Fries Combo options: Hamburgers, Fish, Chicken, Tenderloin, BBQ
- $3 — Bowl of Mike’s “Kick Butt” Beans – Veg or Meat options
- $2–$5 — Soft drinks, fruit-flavored waters, domestic & imported beer & wine
- 9:45 pm – Final waltz
- 10:00 pm – Music and dancing end
Informal Bloomington gatherings may happen Saturday night (following the 50th anniversary celebration) and Sunday afternoon. Watch for more information closer to the time.
OTHER MUSICIANS
These folks will also be available play music for the event.
* Sam Bartlett, Abby Ladin, Teri Klassen, Tamara Loewenthal, Eric Schedler, Rob Fischman, Andy K
CALLERS
* Bill Meek of Chicago
* Roger Diggle of Wisconsin
* Paul Tyler of Chicago
* Tamara Loewenthal of Bloomington
* OTHERS CALLING: Mary Beth Roska, Mark Richardson, Katie Zukof, Bill Baus, Kyla Wargel, Tammy Berhman, Mercury McGill, Patrick Blackstone – all from Bloomington.
Others from near and far are also welcome. Let us know if you’re interested!!
Preliminary positive responses to attend the 50th from far-flung dance group veterans include caller and musician Frank Hall of Ireland and caller Dillon Bustin of Massachusetts (if health permits); caller Bill Meek and caller/fiddler Paul Tyler of Chicago; caller Roger Diggle of Wisconsin; Dry and Dusty String Band’s Hawk Hubbard of Florida and David Molk of California; and Easy Street String Band’s Bob Herring of Virginia. Veteran callers and musicians still in Bloomington include the Humdingers string band and so many more!
HELP US TO HONOR FORMER BOTMDG MEMBERS WHO ARE DECEASED
Please contact: Diane Jung, jung@iu.edu, 812-325-
If you’re interested in calling and/or playing and we have not yet been in touch, please contact Tamara Loewenthal at tamaradancer@gmail.com and/or Diane Jung at jung@iu.edu.
GET INVOLVED
Please let us know if you would like to help (including loading and unloading sound tech, keeping the dance hall and food tables cleared, sweeping in between dance slots, helping with initial setup, check-in, helping to close down and clean up). There are also work scholarships available if you need help with the registration fees. Please contact Diane Jung at jung@iu.edu, 812-325-3654 (by Saturday, July 2, 2022, to be eligible for work scholarships).
NEED A PLACE TO STAY?
If you would like to stay overnight with one of our BOTMDG members, please let us know as soon as possible. We will accommodate as many of you as we can (no guarantees). Please contact Nan McKinley at fiddlernan@gmail.com. If you’re a local Bloomington resident and are able to host visitors overnight, please also reach out to Nan.
