Friend of the Fiddler

Ever been contra dancing? I have, just once. One woman I know says she does it for her osteoporosis, but I have to say that it was a little too rugged for my rheumatoid arthritis. Not to mention unsuited to my congenital lack of rhythm.

I do, however, like to watch:


For one thing, there is a really amusing fashion parade, with a heavy stress on peasant skirts for the ladies and headbands on the balding and/or ponytailed gents.


But mostly, it's amazing to watch a large group of people dance a long and complicated series of steps as if they were one. And they enjoy it!


Even more, though, I love to listen to the music that they dance to -- and like that which I grew up listening to in Newfoundland. (With the notable exception of ABBA -- though a couple ABBA tunes have more than a hint of traditional Swedish music, which is not unlike some music of the British Isles ... but I digress.)

These pictures are from Spring Thaw, the Toronto Dance Society's annual weekend dance. The musical talent this year was Wild Asparagus, from Vermont and Massachusetts. Our friend Becky is the fiddler, so last Saturday morning I set off up the road for a rare chance to listen to her play live.


Here she is tuning up with the woodwinds guy, David Cantieni. He played a bunch of instruments, but the most fascinating was the bombard, a small double-reed instrument from Brittany that sounded like a very excitable trumpet with a frisson of bagpipe. When David began to play the bombard in the middle of a long tune, the dancers were actually startled, and almost lost their rhythm. I was mesmerized watching him play; I don't think I've ever seen anyone put as much effort or air into an instrument. Becky told me later that "he has exceptional wind."

She's pretty exceptional on the fiddle. You often read descriptions of musicians being one with their instrument.


I don't know that I'd go that far, but Becky's fiddle does at times seem to be an extension of her, and the music just flows (or, depending on tempo, spins) out of it, organically.


That whirling dervish in front of the stage kind of tells the story -- that's the woman who dances to keep osteoporosis at bay!