NEFFA 2015

NEFFA is a weekend-long folk festival I go to each year.  I've written about it before; this post is a bit scattered, as I'm hitting what tickled my fancy this year.

I earned my tickets nearly a year ago, for altering the Curtains of Doom.  Look!  I got to see them in action.  I admit, I checked the hems on several of them to find my handiwork.  The six I worked on were just a few of the many acoustical drapes in the dance halls.

We kicked off the weekend with English country dancing, some contra dancing, then onto the contra medley.  We finished up Friday night with a cannoli.  Yummy!  Gotta keep your energy up from all that dancing.  The cannoli were new this year, but the cakes are something we look forward to every year.  I only got one slice - they had sold out by the time I returned on Sunday afternoon.  Sadness.  There's "real" food, too - but can you tell I go for the sweets?

Lots of traditional music at the contra dances, but not all of it.  We danced to the Super Mario Bros theme, followed by Angry Birds.  Later it was Monty Python songs (theme, Lumberjack, Bright Side of Life?).  These next two drove me nuts, because I knew I had heard them before, but couldn't place them.

A sign of the times that we're dancing to internet memes?  I was amused when I didn't know Angry Birds, but many of the people my age did.  (I'll blame that on my lack of a smart phone.)

Sunday morning I briefly watched the Family Contra Dance (sorry, I have no video of this - the kids were cute!).  I was so impressed with the caller as she herded six to eight little kids and their adult partners.  My favorite bit was when she told them to do a set (it's a small step to the right, then a step to the left).  A few of the adults knew what she was calling, but the kids just stood there, until the caller told them to jump up and down.  Brilliant!  Suddenly a row of mostly four-year-olds were enthusiastically jumping up and down.  Talk about beginner's bounce.

I wore my Pebble+ (it's a pedometer) for the weekend.  Wow.  Clocked over 13 hours of moving and racked up at least 20 miles of walking (most of that barefoot).  No wonder I was a bit achy Sunday night.

Whew!  Along with the English and contras, I tried out Ceilidh dancing and the Caribbean Contras & Quadrilles.  I got a chance to relax while watching some Zwiefachers and waltzing.  And the only way to end NEFFA is with the Merry Go Round!  It's a crazy square dance where the caller goes out of his way to confuse the dancers.  Our square was under the Hulk (you can catch a glimpse of the Hulk when the camera pans right).  I had a terrific partner and a great square. 

I love when the caller says to swing someone you've never swung before (4:39), and the two guys look at each other and start swinging.  Ha!

I dragged myself home after that.  What a great weekend!  I look forward to doing it all again next year.