Country Dance*New York to Host 'Jane Austen Dance' Series, Begin. 9/3

Beginning Tuesday, September 3rd, Country Dance*New York will present its new season of weekly English country dancing - at the Church of the Village at 201 West 13th Street near Seventh Avenue, Manhattan.

This first fall English country dance (ECD) (think of the dance scenes in Jane Austen films and books, and music by Mozart, Handel, or Corelli) will be held September 3rd from 7:30pm to 10pm, with a beginners' session teaching basic terminology and movements from 7pm to 7:30pm. The highly regarded musicians Chip Prince (piano), Naomi Morse (violin) and Lise Brown (flute) will provide lush, live music blending a simple and elegant presentation of the tunes with improvisational fireworks. The popular caller, Tom Amesse, will walk everyone through the patterns of each dance. Beginners are welcome.

English country dancing is choreographed community dancing, with repertoire ranging from court dances of the 1600s and 1700s to dances composed in the 20th and 21st centuries. English country dance is a participatory art form, welcoming to novices and experienced dancers alike. At the start of each dance, dancers invite one another to be partners. After centuries of development, it is hard to categorize and can vary from elegant to energetic, from playful to solemn, and from stately to boisterous.

Admission to each dance is $15 general public, and $12 for full-time students with ID. For more information visit the Country*Dance New York website www.cdny.org or call The Dancephone at 212.459.4080. Attendees are asked to bring a separate pair of clean, soft-soled shoes for dancing.

Traveling to the Church of the Villlage, 201 West 13th Street, near Seventh Avenue via subway: Take the 1, 2, or 3 train to 14th Street.

Photo: Jeffrey Bary