audio sample (Josefin's Waltz, with Donny MacLean; more samples on each cd page)
for booking, email or call Bill at 413-442-9172
Spare Parts has performed for dance camps, concerts, period events and social dances from Alaska to Maine. Bill Matthiesen on piano and Liz Stell on flute combine with one or more "spare parts du jour." Some of our favorite "spare parts" include fiddlers Frank Orsini, Eric Buddington, Ruthie Dornfeld, Mark Bagdon, Eden MacAdam-Somer, Anne Hooper, Lissa Schneckenburger, Jane Rothfield, Cathie Whitesides, Donny MacLean, Susan Conger, Dave Langford, Hanneke Cassel, George Wilson, Rebecca McCallum, Britany Orlebeke and Matt Glaser ... cornetist Peter Ecklund ... and bassists Corey DiMario, Carol Hamm and Larry Unger.
(Liz and Bill with Frank Orsini in Bennington, VT; photo: Ted Crane)2007 performing schedule for Spare Parts:
return to 2008 schedule
January 2007
- Saturday, Jan. 6, New York City
Ragtime dance party (private); duo Liz and Bill
- Saturday, Jan. 20, West Point, NY (for information: gonzalez-blanco@ieee.org)
Civil War Ball and dinner at historic Hotel Thayer on the campus of the U.S. Military Academy
ball begins at 6:30; dinner at 7 pm (Civil War-era dress required)
February 2007
- Saturday, Feb. 3, Bill Miller's Restaurant, Branford CT
(for information: Terry at 203-453-9900 or Carl & Annie at 806-526-3618)
Grand Midwinter Civil War Ball cosponsored by Terry & Jim Historical Dance with the 7th Tennessee Infantry and 16th Iowa; Frank Orsini on violin, precepting by Terry Brettman and Jim Strein
- Friday, Feb. 9, Albany, NY (www.eighthstep.com)
Special 8th Step contradance with fiddler Frank Orsini and caller Peter Stix
7:30-8 couples dancing; more couples dances halfway through the evening
- Saturday, Feb. 10, Williamstown, MA (information: Elizabeth Smith, 413-458-4309)
A Winter Smorgasbord to celebrate the finale of the campaign for Caretaker Farm, 6-8 pm
- Friday Feb. 16 through Sunday Feb. 18, Saratoga Springs, NY (www.danceflurry.org)
DANCE FLURRY!
Spare Parts will be playing tangos, milongas, tango vals and ragtime throughout the weekend
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Sunday, Feb. 25, Medford, MA (www.geocities.com/bostonwaltz/)
Mostly Waltz for Boston at Springstep, a mix of waltzes and other couples dances, with Lissa Schneckenburger on violin, 3-5:30 pm (basic waltz lesson 2:15-3)
March 2007
- Saturday, Mar. 3, Holliston, MA (www.vintagedancers.org/events.html)
Returning Heroes Ball: Civil War ball sponsored by the Commonwealth Vintage Dancers, with Frank Orsini on violin (Civil War-era dress required)
- Saturday, Mar. 17, Nahant, MA (www.vintagedancers.org/events.html)
1890s ball sponsored by the Commonwealth Vintage Dancers, with Eric Buddington on violin
April 2007
- Saturday April 21, Scranton, PA (www.ScrantonCivilWarDay.com)
Grand Civil War Ball sponsored by the Delaney Delacy Guard, Sons of Veterans Reserve and the Lackawanna Historical Society. Note: this event sold out the last two years, so advance registration is highly recommended
1-3 pm: vintage dance workshop (no prior experience necessary)
8 pm ball (period dress and dress blues greatly admired but not required)
- Sunday April 22, Scranton, PA (www.ScrantonCivilWarDay.com)
Vintage Fashion Show and Tea 1-3 pm: elegant tea luncheon plus fashion show with live music by Spare Parts
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Saturday and Sunday, April 28-29, Cape May, NJ (www.capemaymac.org/)
Victorian Dance Weekend in Cape May's beautiful Victorian setting, with Mark Bagdon on violin and teaching by Susan de Guardiola
May 2007
- Saturday, May 5, Melrose, MA (www.vintagedancers.org/events.html)
Ragtime ball sponsored by the Commonwealth Vintage Dancers, with Eric Buddington on violin
- Sunday, May 6, East Greenbush, NY (info: rstearns@nycapp.rr.com)
Ice Cream Sunday English country dance with Eric Buddington on violin and calling by Judi Rivkin, 1-5 pm at the Masonic Temple, 710 Columbia Tpk.
- Saturday, May 19, New Haven, CT (www.elegantarts.org)
1907 Centennial Ball featuring waltzes and two-steps, sponsored by The Elegant Arts Society, with Eric Buddington on violin and precepting by Susan de Guardiola, preceeded by afternoon workshop on early ragtime dances; Sunday events include games and tea
June 2007
- Saturday, June 16, Lenox, MA (www.lenoxcontradance.org/)
Contradance at the Lenox Community Center 8-11:30 pm, with Jane Rothfield on violin and Alan Carr on bass
- Saturday, June 30, Montpelier, VT (www.contracopia.net/sites/montpelier/)
Contradance with fiddler Frank Orsini and calling by John McIntire
July 2007
- Wednesday, July 4, Old Chatham, NY
Strawberry Shortcake Breakfast with live music, activities for kids, and reading of the Declaration of Independence, with Mark Bagdon on violin
- Saturday, July 14, Nahant, MA (www.vintagedancers.org/events.html)
1860s Ball sponsored by the Nahant Historical Society
August 2007
- Friday, Aug. 10, Albany, NY (www.eighthstep.com)
8th Step contradance with fiddler Colin McCoy and caller Jon Greene
- Saturday, Aug. 11, Williamstown, MA
private wedding
- Mon.-Wed., Aug. 20-22, Pomfret, CT
Recording session: Spare Parts goes into the studio with Eric Buddington to record our new CD!
- Thursday, Aug. 30, Concord, MA (www.neffa.org/Thurs.html)
Contradance at the Scout House, Spare Parts with Eric Buddington on violin and Alan Bradbury on bass; calling by Bob Golder
September 2007
- Saturday, Sept. 8, Portland, OR (www.bairey.net/folkdance/)
Contradance; Liz and Bill are joined by Jon Singleton on violin and Kay Atwood on accordion, with calling by Don Lennartson.
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Thursday, Sept. 13, Seattle, WA (seattledance.org/contra/lake.city.community.center.html)
Lake City contradance with fiddler Ruthie Dornfeld
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Friday, Sept. 14, Seattle, WA (www.tangoseattle.com/)
Waltz Night at Sonny Newman's Dance Hall with waltzes and other romantic couples dances; Cathie Whitesides on fiddle. Couples dance workshop at 7:30 pm followed by dancing from 8:30 to 11:30
- Saturday, Sept. 17, Tacoma, WA (www.tacomacontradance.org)
Septemberfest: annual September bash with Cathie Whitesides featuring contradance plus workshop plus dessert potluck
6:30 couples dance workshop
7:45 contras for newcomers
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Fri. Sept. 28 through Sun. Sept. 30, Silver Bay, NY (www.danceflurry.org/hmtd.silverbay/html)
Adirondack Dance Weekend on beautiful Lake George featuring contras, English dances, and swing. Spare Parts plays English dances with Eric Buddington
October 2007
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Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 6-7, Cape May, NJ (www.capemaymac.org/)
Victorian Dance Weekend in Cape May's beautiful Victorian setting, with Eden MacAdam-Somer on violin and Larry Unger on bass; teaching by Marc Casslar
- Saturday, Oct. 13, Nahant, MA (www.vintagedancers.org/events)
1890s ball sponsored by the Commonwealth Vintage Dancers, with Anne Hooper on violin
- Saturday, Oct. 20, New Haven, CT (www.elegantarts.org)
Fifth annual Regency Assembly: formal Jane Austen-era ball sponsored by The Elegant Arts Society, with Eric Buddington on violin and precepting by Susan de Guardiola, 7:30-11 pm
preceeded by afternoon workshops on Regency dances (cost is included in price of ball) - Saturday, Oct. 28, Ballston Spa, NY (www.www.danceflurry.org/new/saratogacontraprint/)
Special Saratoga contra featuring chestnuts with Frank Orsini on violin and calling by David Smukler
5-6:45 Old Chestnuts Contra followed by potluck dinner
8-11 pm contra featuring old and new dances (beginners' instruction 15 min. before each dance session)
November 2007
- Saturday, Nov. 10, Jamaica Plain, MA (www.lcfd.org/jp/)
Gender-Free Harvest Ball, "An Evening of Golden Memories" with Frank Orsini on violin and calling by Chris Ricciotti; period, vintage, or festive attire encouraged but NOT required
elegant potluck supper 5-7 pm and dessert break 9:15-9:45 pm;
waltzes from 7:00-7:30, followed by chestnuts and other dances until 11 pm
- Sunday, Nov. 11, East Hartford, CT (www.hcdance.org/)
Mostly Waltz with Frank Orsini on violin: an afternoon of waltzes and other couples dances
3-6 pm; free beginner workshop at 2 pm
- Saturday, Nov. 17, Glens Falls, NY (www.www.danceflurry.org/new/glensfalls.html/)
Glens Falls contradance with caller Ridge Kennedy and Mark Bagdon on violin
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Friday, Nov. 30, Albany, NY (www.www.danceflurry.org/new/eighth_step.html/)
Eighth Step contradance with fiddler Jane Rothfield and calling by Peter Stix and William Brearley;
special couples dance session at 7:30
December 2007
- Saturday, Dec. 1, Altamont, NY (www.oldsongs.org/dances)
Old Songs contradance with fiddler Mark Bagdon and caller Ted Crane
potluck supper 6:30 p.m.; beginner workshop 7:30 p.m.; dance starts at 8 p.m.
- Friday, Dec. 7, Cooperstown, NY (mysite.verizon.net/elbugel/#centralny)
Otsego Dance Society contradance with fiddler Mark Bagdon and caller Bob Nicholson
- Friday, Dec. 14, New Haven, CT (www.lse.org/waltz/)
Elm City Waltz: an evening of waltzes and other couple dances
Spare Parts with fiddler Eric Buddington; lesson at 8:30 followed by dancing from 9-11:30
- Saturday, Dec. 15, Lenox, MA (www.lenoxcontradance.org/)
Special holiday contradance
5-7 early dance session with Bottom of the Bucket and caller Fiona DeRis
7-8 potluck supper
8-11 Spare Parts with fiddler Eric Buddington and caller Jim Fownes
- Sunday, Dec. 16, Concord, MA (info: 781-272-0396 or caldance@gis.net)
32nd Annual Concord Christmas Cotillion featuring classic contras, quadrilles (formal squares) and couple dances, all in an 1890s atmosphere, with dancing master Tony Parkes and music by Spare Parts with fiddlers Eric Buddington and Frank Orsini, and Cal Howard on bass
reception and hors d'oeuvres at 6:15; dancing from 6:45 to 10:30 (period, formal or festive attire requested)