audio sample (Deliciosa Polka; more samples on each CD page)
for booking, email or call Bill at 413-442-9172
Spare Parts has performed for period events, contradances, English dances, weddings, parties, concerts, and dance camps from Alaska to Maine. Our historic dance music has been used worldwide in motion pictures (Bright Star) and theater productions as well as television programs including Mercy Street (PBS), Antiques Roadshow and numerous programs on the History Channel (even SpongeBob SquarePants!).
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 Eric Buddington, Ruthie Dornfeld, George Wilson, Naomi Morse, Frank Orsini, Mark Bagdon, Cathie Whitesides, Susan Conger and Rebecca McCallum ... and bassists Mark Murphy and Larry Unger.
2023 schedule:
February
- Friday Feb 17 through Sunday Feb 19, Saratoga Springs, NY www.flurryfestival.org/
DANCE FLURRY! schedule for Spare Parts:
Waltz 102 Saturday 10-10:45 City Center Mtg Rm 2
Mostly Waltzes Saturday 10:45-11:45 City Center Mtg Rm 2
Waltz Music Styling Saturday 3:30-4:30 Hilton Broadway 1/2
Waltz Jam Saturday 4:45-5:45 Hilton Travers
Intermediate Waltz Sunday 9:30-10:30 City Center Mtg Rm 2
Waltz Dance Sunday 10:30-11:30 City Center Mtg Rm 2
March
- Saturday, March 11, Berlin, MA https://facone.org/programs/victorian-ball.html
Victorian/Civil War Ball in the 1870 Old Town Hall, 7-10 pm
Dance workshop 4-5 pm
check website for Covid policy
April
- Sunday, April 2, Wethersfield, CT www.hcdance.org/mostly-waltz/
Hartford Mostly Waltz: waltzes, waltz mixers, and other dances (every third tune is a tango, swing, foxtrot, or other couple dance), 3-5:30 pm. No need to come as a couple, there are plenty of dance partners.
check website for Covid policy
- Saturday, April 29, Scranton, PA http://lackawannahistory.org/cwball.html
Annual Grand Civil War Ball at the historic Waverly Community House, with prompting by Susan de Guardiola, 7-10 pm
Dance lessons 1-3 pm
June
- Saturday, June 17, Lenox, MA (www.lenoxcontradance.org/)
Contradance at the Lenox Community Center, Liz and Bill with fiddler Eric Buddington and Mark Murphy on bass, caller Hannah Chamberlain, 7:30-10:30 pm (intro lesson at 7:15)
check website for Covid policy