Georgy-Alabam Square Dance Weekend
January 17-19, 2020 at Cheaha State Park
with
Michael Ismerio, Ben Nelson, Scott Russell, the Red Mountain Yellowhammers, the Mountain Yanny String Band, and Max Godfrey, Maggie Hall and Friends
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Come spend a cozy winter weekend of hot old timey dancing in the foothills of the Southern Appalachian mountains, near the Georgia-Alabama state line.
Georgy-Alabam 2020 presents Michael Ismerio, Ben Nelson, and Scott Russell calling southern squares and big sets and music by hard driving old time bands from Alabama and Georgia — Red Mountain Yellowhammers, Mountain Yanny String Band, and Max Godfrey, Maggie Hall and Friends. To whet your appetite, take a look at these videos from the past. Location
We’ll dance in the historic 1930s ballroom at the Bald Rock Lodge in Cheaha State Park (the highest point in Alabama), 25 miles south of Anniston, Alabama.
Tuition and Registration
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Travel
Because we hold Georgy-Alabam atop a mountain in January, the possibility exists that a winter storm will cause postponement or cancellation (it has happened once). If you purchase airline tickets then consider refundable tickets or travel insurance that will cover this possibility.
Lodging
You must choose and pay for your own lodging at Cheaha State Park's motel rooms, cabins, chalets, and campsites or at offsite motels, etc (we don't recommend staying off site, you won't like minimum one hour up and down travel time to/from the dancing).
Before December 1st reserve your lodging at Cheaha under group number 2350 (the Georgy-Alabam square dance group). After December 1st your use of the group number offers no benefit as the park releases those rooms to the general public. So if you wait that long you could fail to get indoor lodging at the park other than floor space at the lodge (we don't limit that, at least we haven't so far).
Now pay attention: The people making the lodging reservations at Cheaha don't always give your options re the group number. Before December 1st try to register under the group number first. Usually this approach works fine. But, If they tell you they have no room, try not using it. If you didn't use the group number at first and they tell you they have no rooms, then try using it (we know, clear as mud - just try using/not using the group number until you make double dog sure that they have no room!). If you have registered for Georgy-Alabam but cannot find lodging and need to cancel, let us know (see the registration form for contact info).
For folks on a tight budget: for $20 you can reserve floor space and showers in the lodge for the weekend when you register.
Before December 1st reserve your lodging at Cheaha under group number 2350 (the Georgy-Alabam square dance group). After December 1st your use of the group number offers no benefit as the park releases those rooms to the general public. So if you wait that long you could fail to get indoor lodging at the park other than floor space at the lodge (we don't limit that, at least we haven't so far).
Now pay attention: The people making the lodging reservations at Cheaha don't always give your options re the group number. Before December 1st try to register under the group number first. Usually this approach works fine. But, If they tell you they have no room, try not using it. If you didn't use the group number at first and they tell you they have no rooms, then try using it (we know, clear as mud - just try using/not using the group number until you make double dog sure that they have no room!). If you have registered for Georgy-Alabam but cannot find lodging and need to cancel, let us know (see the registration form for contact info).
For folks on a tight budget: for $20 you can reserve floor space and showers in the lodge for the weekend when you register.
This Year's Callers and Bands
Michael Ismerio
Since 2004 Michael has called dances all over the country including the The Appalachian String Band Music Festival, Clifftop, WV, The Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, Port Townsend, WA, The Chicago Barn Dance, Chicago, IL, The Berkeley Old Time Music Convention, Berkeley, CA, The Portland Old Time Music Gathering, Portland, OR, The Nimble Fingers Bluegrass and Old Time Workshop, Sorrento, BC, and participated in six of the Dare To Be Square callers conferences around the country. He has helped motivate people to square dance as far away as Mexico, Canada, and has made two trips to China to call dances
Ben Nelson
Ben has called for about ten years and has done so at the Austin String Band Festival, the Rockbridge Music & Dance Festival, Augusta Heritage Center, the Swannanoa Gathering and myriad house dances/parties. He loves moments when something either goes terribly wrong - or wonderfully right - on the dance floor, and everyone responds with smiles and laughs.
Scott Russell
Scott possesses a trove of great old-time dances and teaches them with great humor and clarity. As a founder of Georgy-Alabam he served as a crucial part of all our good times.
The Red Mountain Yellowhammers
Georgy-Alabam’s host band plays distinctively raucous, exuberant square dance music that results from over 30 years of playing together. They love to dance and if they could do it and play at the same time, you'd find them in a square with you as they played.
Mountain Yanny String Band
Headed by fiddler Charlie Hunter, the talented millennials of the Yannies play old-time music made for high-spirited square dancing.
Max Godfrey, Maggie Hall and Friends
A high-energy old-time American music based in Atlanta, Georgia. They perform a wide range of southern musical genres, from dance tunes and ballads, to spirituals, work songs, and blues.
Michael Ismerio
Since 2004 Michael has called dances all over the country including the The Appalachian String Band Music Festival, Clifftop, WV, The Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, Port Townsend, WA, The Chicago Barn Dance, Chicago, IL, The Berkeley Old Time Music Convention, Berkeley, CA, The Portland Old Time Music Gathering, Portland, OR, The Nimble Fingers Bluegrass and Old Time Workshop, Sorrento, BC, and participated in six of the Dare To Be Square callers conferences around the country. He has helped motivate people to square dance as far away as Mexico, Canada, and has made two trips to China to call dances
Ben Nelson
Ben has called for about ten years and has done so at the Austin String Band Festival, the Rockbridge Music & Dance Festival, Augusta Heritage Center, the Swannanoa Gathering and myriad house dances/parties. He loves moments when something either goes terribly wrong - or wonderfully right - on the dance floor, and everyone responds with smiles and laughs.
Scott Russell
Scott possesses a trove of great old-time dances and teaches them with great humor and clarity. As a founder of Georgy-Alabam he served as a crucial part of all our good times.
The Red Mountain Yellowhammers
Georgy-Alabam’s host band plays distinctively raucous, exuberant square dance music that results from over 30 years of playing together. They love to dance and if they could do it and play at the same time, you'd find them in a square with you as they played.
Mountain Yanny String Band
Headed by fiddler Charlie Hunter, the talented millennials of the Yannies play old-time music made for high-spirited square dancing.
Max Godfrey, Maggie Hall and Friends
A high-energy old-time American music based in Atlanta, Georgia. They perform a wide range of southern musical genres, from dance tunes and ballads, to spirituals, work songs, and blues.
Scholarships
Georgy-Alabam has a limited number of scholarships available. The scholarships cover registration and communal floor space in the lodge where we dance. The communal space includes a few beds (though mostly floor space) along with bathrooms and showers. The scholarships also include Sat. and Sun. breakfasts plus a Sat. night potluck. You provide your other meals (you can use the lodge kitchen for food prep).
If interested, send an email to georgyalabam@gmail.com. and tell us a little bit about your dance and music background and why you would like to come to Georgy-Alabam. The Georgy-Alabam committee will review our information and let you know their decision.
We welcome your interest!
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Georgy-Alabam has a limited number of scholarships available. The scholarships cover registration and communal floor space in the lodge where we dance. The communal space includes a few beds (though mostly floor space) along with bathrooms and showers. The scholarships also include Sat. and Sun. breakfasts plus a Sat. night potluck. You provide your other meals (you can use the lodge kitchen for food prep).
If interested, send an email to georgyalabam@gmail.com. and tell us a little bit about your dance and music background and why you would like to come to Georgy-Alabam. The Georgy-Alabam committee will review our information and let you know their decision.
We welcome your interest!
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