{"id":804,"date":"2018-07-03T14:09:00","date_gmt":"2018-07-03T21:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spijue.wpengine.com\/news\/dance-the-night-away-annual-pre-fireworks-dance-a-hit-for-everyone\/"},"modified":"2018-08-13T13:02:55","modified_gmt":"2018-08-13T20:02:55","slug":"dance-the-night-away-annual-pre-fireworks-dance-a-hit-for-everyone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/news\/dance-the-night-away-annual-pre-fireworks-dance-a-hit-for-everyone\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Dance the night away’: Annual pre-fireworks dance a hit for everyone"},"content":{"rendered":"

Odette<\/span> Edgar<\/span> has<\/span> a<\/span> good<\/span> reason<\/span> to<\/span> always<\/span> enjoy<\/span> the<\/span> annual<\/span> July<\/span> 3<\/span> “Barn<\/span> Dance.”<\/span> She<\/span> met<\/span> her<\/span> husband,<\/span> Doug,<\/span> there<\/span> 15<\/span> years<\/span> ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

“He<\/span> went<\/span> to<\/span> Folk<\/span> Fest<\/span> and<\/span> then<\/span> decided<\/span> he<\/span> wanted<\/span> to<\/span> go<\/span> the<\/span> barn<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span> dance,”<\/span> said<\/span> Edgar,<\/span> 70,<\/span> who<\/span> was<\/span> the<\/span> caller<\/span> for<\/span> this<\/span> July<\/span> 3’s<\/span> dance<\/span> at<\/span> St.<\/span> Ann’s<\/span> Parish<\/span> Hall.<\/span> “I<\/span> just<\/span> happened<\/span> to<\/span> spot<\/span> him<\/span> and<\/span> he<\/span> had<\/span> that<\/span> ‘deer<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> headlights<\/span> look.’”<\/span><\/p>\n

The<\/span> pre-fireworks<\/span> “Barn<\/span> Dance”<\/span> has<\/span> been<\/span> going<\/span> on<\/span> for<\/span> at<\/span> least<\/span> 15<\/span> years,<\/span> Edgar<\/span> said,<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> barn<\/span> dances<\/span> that<\/span> happen<\/span> throughout<\/span> the<\/span> year<\/span> started<\/span> in<\/span> 1988.<\/span> Not<\/span> only<\/span> is<\/span> the<\/span> dance<\/span> the<\/span> anniversary<\/span> of<\/span> her<\/span> meeting<\/span> Doug,<\/span> it<\/span> also<\/span> marks<\/span> their<\/span> wedding<\/span> anniversary.<\/span> Edgar<\/span> said<\/span> there<\/span> was<\/span> no<\/span> particular<\/span> reason why<\/span><\/span> the<\/span> July<\/span> 3<\/span> dance<\/span> became<\/span> a<\/span> tradition,<\/span> but<\/span> she<\/span> said<\/span> it<\/span> is<\/span> a<\/span> nice<\/span> way<\/span> to<\/span> celebrate<\/span> before<\/span> the<\/span><\/span> fireworks<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> different<\/span> atmosphere.<\/span><\/p>\n

“It<\/span> really<\/span> is<\/span> a<\/span> community<\/span> thing,”<\/span> Edgar<\/span> said.<\/span> “You<\/span> can<\/span> be<\/span> social<\/span> without<\/span> having<\/span> to<\/span> awe<\/span> people<\/span> with<\/span> party<\/span> conversation.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The<\/span> dance<\/span> is<\/span> meant<\/span> for<\/span> anyone,<\/span> experienced<\/span> contra<\/span> dancer<\/span> or<\/span> not.<\/span> Contra<\/span> dancing<\/span> is<\/span> a<\/span> folk<\/span> dance<\/span> made<\/span> up<\/span> of<\/span><\/span> long<\/span> lines<\/span> of<\/span> people<\/span><\/span>.<\/span> It<\/span> is<\/span> a<\/span> group<\/span> dance<\/span> that<\/span> can<\/span> start<\/span> out like<\/span> square<\/span> dancing<\/span> but<\/span> eventually<\/span> spreads<\/span> out<\/span>.<\/span> While<\/span> the<\/span> dance<\/span> started<\/span> with<\/span> about<\/span> 10<\/span> people<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> first<\/span> 10<\/span> minutes,<\/span> it<\/span> quickly<\/span> filled<\/span> up.<\/span> About an hour in<\/span>, the hall was packed with people on the floor and on the sidelines moving to<\/span> <\/span>live<\/span> music<\/span> performed<\/span> by<\/span> “Full<\/span> Circle,”<\/span> a<\/span> local<\/span> string<\/span> band.<\/span><\/p>\n

First-time<\/span> dancers<\/span> and<\/span> friends,<\/span> Hannah<\/span> Deer<\/span> and<\/span> Ellie<\/span> Knapp,<\/span> <\/span>were<\/span><\/span> excited<\/span> to<\/span> get<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> dance<\/span> floor.<\/span><\/p>\n

“We<\/span> just<\/span> wanted<\/span> to<\/span> dance<\/span> the<\/span> night<\/span> away,”<\/span> Deer,<\/span> 15,<\/span> said.<\/span> “We<\/span> wanted<\/span> to<\/span> have<\/span> something<\/span> to<\/span> do<\/span> before<\/span> fireworks.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Knapp<\/span> said<\/span> her<\/span> group<\/span> of<\/span> friends<\/span> like<\/span> dancing<\/span> and<\/span> this<\/span> gave<\/span> them<\/span> the<\/span> opportunity<\/span> to<\/span> learn<\/span> something<\/span> new.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I<\/span> always<\/span> wanted<\/span> to<\/span> do<\/span><\/span> dancing<\/span> like<\/span> this,” <\/span>Knapp,<\/span> 15,<\/span> said. “<\/span>I<\/span> thought<\/span> it<\/span> would<\/span> be<\/span> pretty<\/span> fun<\/span> to<\/span> come to.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The<\/span> all-inclusive<\/span> nature<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> dance<\/span> makes<\/span> anyone<\/span> feel<\/span> at<\/span> home.<\/span> As<\/span> someone<\/span> who<\/span> likes<\/span> to<\/span> dance,<\/span> but<\/span> has<\/span> no<\/span> discernible<\/span> talent<\/span> for<\/span> it,<\/span> everyone<\/span> was<\/span> fine<\/span> when<\/span> I<\/span> would<\/span> miss<\/span> a<\/span> step.<\/span> If<\/span> someone<\/span> did<\/span> make<\/span> a<\/span> mistake,<\/span> it<\/span> was<\/span> met<\/span> with<\/span> a<\/span> laugh<\/span> and<\/span> instruction.<\/span> While<\/span> dancing,<\/span> everyone<\/span> constantly<\/span> changes<\/span> partners<\/span> and<\/span> meets<\/span> new<\/span> faces.<\/span> While<\/span> it<\/span> may<\/span> just<\/span> be<\/span> a<\/span> few<\/span> seconds<\/span> of<\/span> interaction,<\/span><\/span> it<\/span> allows<\/span> everyone<\/span> to<\/span> immediately<\/span> feel<\/span> comfortable<\/span> with<\/span> one<\/span> another.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

The<\/span> music<\/span> and<\/span> camaraderie<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> group<\/span> keeps<\/span><\/span> Jane<\/span> Stokes<\/span> coming<\/span> back<\/span> year<\/span> after<\/span> year.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I<\/span> have<\/span> been<\/span> doing<\/span> this<\/span> for quite<\/span> a<\/span> few<\/span> years,”<\/span> Stokes<\/span> said.<\/span> “People<\/span> are<\/span> friendly,<\/span> the<\/span> music<\/span> is<\/span> great<\/span> and<\/span> it<\/span> is<\/span> a<\/span> fun<\/span> kind<\/span> of<\/span> dancing.<\/span> The<\/span> group<\/span> is<\/span> particularly<\/span> welcoming.<\/span> Everybody<\/span> likes<\/span> to<\/span> dance<\/span> with<\/span> one<\/span> another.<\/span>”<\/span><\/p>\n

Jenny<\/span> McBride<\/span> said<\/span> this<\/span> was<\/span> her<\/span> second<\/span> time<\/span> doing<\/span> a<\/span> contra<\/span> dance<\/span> this<\/span> year.<\/span> She<\/span> also<\/span> got<\/span> into it<\/span> because<\/span> of<\/span> Folk<\/span> Fest.<\/span><\/p>\n

“It<\/span> always<\/span> looks<\/span> like<\/span> a<\/span> lot<\/span> of<\/span> fun<\/span> and<\/span> I<\/span> figured<\/span> if<\/span> I<\/span> started<\/span> out<\/span> somewhere<\/span> smaller,<\/span> I<\/span> would<\/span> be<\/span> ready<\/span> for<\/span> Folk<\/span> Fest<\/span> next<\/span> year,”<\/span> McBride<\/span> said.<\/span> “You<\/span> need<\/span> a<\/span> little<\/span> practice.<\/span> Otherwise, you<\/span> get<\/span> totally<\/span> lost.”<\/span><\/p>\n

McBride<\/span> even<\/span> joked<\/span> that<\/span> having<\/span> done<\/span> it<\/span> before<\/span> did<\/span> not<\/span> necessarily<\/span> make<\/span> her<\/span> prepared.<\/span><\/p>\n

“We<\/span> need<\/span> a<\/span> lot<\/span> more<\/span> practice,”<\/span> McBride<\/span> said.<\/span> “You<\/span> start<\/span> over<\/span> each<\/span> time.”<\/span><\/p>\n

What<\/span> makes<\/span> the<\/span> dance<\/span> even<\/span> more<\/span> inviting<\/span> is<\/span> that<\/span> there<\/span> is<\/span> a<\/span> practice<\/span> session<\/span> before<\/span> each<\/span> dance<\/span> sequence<\/span> begins.<\/span> Edgar,<\/span> along<\/span> with<\/span> other<\/span> experience<\/span> dancers,<\/span> guide<\/span><\/span> the<\/span> newcomers<\/span> along.<\/span> Soon,<\/span> the<\/span> moves<\/span> come<\/span> together<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> sequences<\/span> mostly<\/span> go<\/span> off<\/span> without<\/span> a<\/span> glitch.<\/span><\/p>\n

Emily<\/span> Klimeck,<\/span> who<\/span> has<\/span> been<\/span> living<\/span> in<\/span> Juneau<\/span> since<\/span> 2002,<\/span> even<\/span> took<\/span> advantage<\/span> of<\/span> the dances<\/span> on<\/span> business<\/span> trips<\/span> to<\/span> Juneau<\/span> when<\/span> she<\/span> lived<\/span> in<\/span> Skagway<\/span>.<\/span> She<\/span> said<\/span> she<\/span> keeps<\/span> coming<\/span> back<\/span> for<\/span> multiple<\/span> reasons.<\/span><\/p>\n

“It<\/span> is<\/span> so<\/span> much<\/span> fun,”<\/span> Klimeck<\/span> said.<\/span> “It<\/span> is<\/span><\/span> great<\/span> exercise<\/span> and<\/span> there<\/span> are<\/span> lots<\/span> of<\/span> great<\/span> people.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u2022 Contact reporter Gregory Philson at gphilson@juneauempire.com or call at 523-2265. Follow him on Twitter at @GTPhilson.<\/b><\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Odette<\/span> Edgar<\/span> has<\/span> a<\/span> good<\/span> reason<\/span> to<\/span> always<\/span> enjoy<\/span> the<\/span> annual<\/span> July<\/span> 3<\/span> “Barn<\/span> Dance.”<\/span> She<\/span> met<\/span> her<\/span> husband,<\/span> Doug,<\/span> there<\/span> 15<\/span> years<\/span> ago.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":106,"featured_media":805,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_stopmodifiedupdate":false,"_modified_date":"","wds_primary_category":4,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[75],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":["post-804","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-local-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/804","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/106"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=804"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/804\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/805"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=804"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=804"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=804"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=804"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}