Spring Breakdown

Thanks to everyone who made Spring Breakdown 2009 a success! We hope you had even half as much fun as we did!

Plans are underway for Spring Breakdown 2010, so mark your calendar for March 12–14, 2010, and check back often for details as they become available.

We are very excited to announce that Bob McQuillen and Old New England will provide the music, and Susan Kevra will be calling. It promises to be another great contra-dance weekend in mid-Missouri.

 

Spring Breakdown 2009

The Band

The Great Bear Trio is an exciting and energetic family band from Fulton, NY. Since the spring of 2000, these three talented musicians have been performing their unique blend of Celtic, French-Canadian, Scandinavian and Appalachian music at concerts, festivals, schools and dance halls across the Northeast.

Photo of the band Great Bear Trio.Great Bear Trio plays for a contra dance on New Years Eve in Rochester, NY. Source: Bob Berch, photo posted on FlickR.

The Caller

Nils Fredland has been making music, leading dances, and bringing people together for 20 years. Nils is known for his technical skill, disarming friendliness, comfortable stage presence, and soothing voice.

The Ballroom

The place is beautiful Kimball ballroom in Lela Raney Woods hall on Stephens College campus, near downtown Columbia, Missouri.

Kimball Ballroom has been renovated to its original 1930s splendor with fabulous hardwood floors and the original chandeliers.

Workshops

Workshops included a Callers' Workshop on Friday and Zydeco dance (or band workshop), complicated contras, medleys and couples dances on Saturday.

The Schedule

Callers' Workshop—Friday 11:00 am–4:00 pm (lunch 1:00 pm– 2:00 pm)

Evening Dances—8:00 pm–11:30 pm, Friday and Saturday

Saturday Workshops—10:30 am–noon, 1:30 pm–3:00 pm, 3:30 pm–5:00 pm

Sunday Brunch—10:30–noon

Sunday dances—Open dance to CDs, 11:30–12:30; Farewell dance, 12:30 pm–2:30 pm

Past Events

Spring Breakdown Dance Weekends

Spring Breakdown 2008 was held in the beautiful Kimball ballroom in Lela Raney Woods hall on Stephens College campus.

MMTD hosts a dance weekend each year during spring break (usually the fourth weekend of March). We bring in nationally known bands and callers for this extravaganza and invite dance gypsies from across the country to join us.

Past bands and callers have included:

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Community Dancing

We enjoy sharing our love of old-time music and dance. Members of our dance community regularly help organize dances for civic or church groups, scout groups, wedding parties, fall festivals, fiddle contests, and school events. We also enjoy throwing spontaneous parties at some of our regular dances.

To view this slideshow of community events and general frivolity, click the arrows to go forward or back.

This is a slideshow of Mid-Missouri Traditional Dancers.
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Family Dance

Join the Mid-Missouri Traditional Dancers and Lee Elementary School. in Columbia, Missouri, at monthly family dances for children, parents, and grandparents.

A caller will lead families through easy-to-learn traditional dances like the ones their great-grandparents did back on the farm in the old barn. Fun for all ages. Local musicians provided live music for these toe-tapping events:

Sunday afternoons at 2:00, at Lee Elementary School, 1208 Locust St , Columbia, Missouri.

Questions or comments? Contact Jim Thaxter.

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Photo of Great Bear Trio band.
Music for Spring Breakdown 2009 was provided by Great Bear Trio, with Kim VanNorstrand and her sons Andrew and Noah VanNorstrand, one of the most exciting and talked about contra dance bands in the nation.

 

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