Bill has been calling dances for over twenty-five years, starting out in New Haven, Connecticut, with the contra dance series that has been a fixture of the folk music and dance scene there for nearly thirty years. In addition to contra dances in and around the northeast, he has called at various festivals and dance camps regionally and nationally. Bill also calls several maypole dances each year in May. Somewhat accidentally, he has focussed on groups which include a lot of beginners- of all ages- and has done events at schools, parties, special occasions, and nursing homes including square dances for people in wheel-chairs! Additionally, every year he does several local maypole dances in the New Haven area. Besides calling, he plays several folk instruments- primarily penny whistle- and has danced in and played music for performing dance groups at many events and festivals in and around the northeast. Bill and his wife, Mickey Koth (the fiddler in the band Wild Notes) are Out On A Whim, which plays for family and contra dances as well as special events. Contact Bill: e-mail; phone: 203-393-3464

Bill's schedule:

2008
Friday May 16	St. Patrick's Church, Farmington, CT; 7:30-10 PM; fundraiser for vallis musicae tour - $15/$25 family
Saturday, May 17	Wedding, Columbia, CT; 1:00-3:00 PM; with Wild Notes
Friday May 23	BMAD
Friday, May 30	School dance, Greenwich, CT, 7:00-9:00 PM; with Calenda Maia
Saturday, May 31	Wedding dance, Wallingford, CT, evening; with the Professors of Bluegrass
Saturday, June 14	Private barn dance, New Pond Farm, West Redding, CT, with Wild Notes
Sunday, June 22	Dance, International Festival of Arts & Ideas Village of villages, New Haven Green, 1:40 PM, with Out On A Whim
Tuesday, June 24	Private dance, Bloomfield, CT; with Wild Notes
Saturday, June 28	Private dance, Goshen Community Care and Hospice, Goshen, CT; with Wild Notes
Saturday July 26	Mystic Contra Dance, 8:00 PM; with The Reel Thing
Sunday, September 7	Wedding dance; with Wild Notes
Friday, September 12	Country dance, Brooksvale Park, Hamden, CT; with the Fiddleheads
Saturday, September 13	Hartford Contra Dance, 8:00 PM; with Wild Notes
Saturday, October 4	Contra dance, Cornwall, CT; with Homegrown Band
Saturday, October 11	Harvest dance, Bethany, CT, 7:00 PM
Saturday, October 25	Wedding dance, Old Wethersfield, CT; evening, with Wild Notes
Saturday, December 6	Contra dance, Cornwall, CT; with Homegrown Band
Past Dances: 2008
Saturday, January 5	Berlin Contra Dance, Berlin, MA, 8:00 PM; with the Berlin Country Orchestra
Saturday, January 12	Hartford Contra Dance, 8:00 PM; with Wild Notes
Sunday, January 13	Westford family dance, Westford, MA, 3:00 PM; with Au CONTRAire!
Saturday, January 19	Northboro Contra Dance, Northboro, MA; with the Polymorphous String Band
Sunday, January 20	Berlin Family Dance, Berlin, MA, 3:00 PM; with the Berlin Country Orchestra
Saturday, February 2	Contra dance, Cornwall, CT; with Homegrown Band
Saturday, February 16	Greenfield contra dance, Greenfield, MA, 8:00 PM, band TBD
Sunday, February 17	Berlin Family Dance, Berlin, MA, 3:00 PM; with the Berlin Country Orchestra
Sunday, February 24	Contra dance fund raiser for the Hartford Contra Dance, Wethersfield, CT, 2:00-4:30 PM; with the Sunday String Band (beginner lesson at 1:30; waltz lesson at intermission)
Friday, February 29	Wedding; with Wild Notes
Saturday, March 1	Berlin Contra Dance, Berlin, MA, 8:00 PM; with the Berlin Country Orchestra
Friday, March 7	Girl scout dance, Chester, CT, 6:45-9:00 PM; with Calenda Maia
Saturday, March 8	Contra dance, Newtown Bridal Lands Association, Newtown, CT, 8:00 PM, with Wild Notes
Saturday, March 29	Private party contra dance, Greenwich, CT, 7:30 pm; with the Fiddleheads
Friday, April 4	Dance for developmentally challenged, Bristol, CT, 6:00-8:00 pm; with Sue Hill and Linda Thomas
Saturday, April 5	Contra dance, Cornwall, CT; with Homegrown Band
Saturday April 12	Family country dance, USNH, Hamden, CT, potluck 6-7, dance 7-9, The fiddleheads meet ash creek string band
Saturday April 19	New Haven Contra Dance, Branford, CT; with Wild Notes
Friday, April 25	Church fundraiser dance, Greenwich, CT, 7:00-9:00 PM; with Calenda Maia
Thursday, May 1	May Pole dance at the May Day International Workers Day, New Haven, CT, 4:00 PM, with Out On A Whim
Saturday, May 3	Maypole dance, Manhattan, 12 noon-2:00 PM www.gcschool.org
Saturday, May 3	Quiet Corner Contra Dance, Hampton, CT, 8:00 PM
Sunday, May 4	Celebration of May, with May Pole dance, Out On A Whim Farm, Bethany, CT, 2:00 PM, with Out On A Whim
Saturday May 10	Mystic Contra Dance, 8:00 PM; with The Reel Thing
Past Dances: 2007
Saturday January 20	Cornwall dance, Cornwall, CT, with Homegrown Band
Sunday, January 21	Berlin Family Dance, Berlin, MA, 3:00 PM; with the Berlin Country Orchestra
Saturday January 27	Danbury Contra Dance; with Wild Notes
Saturday, February 3	Private dance, Goshen, CT with Wild Notes
Saturday February 17	New Haven Contra Dance, Branford, CT; with Get Reel
Sunday, February 18	Berlin Family Dance, Berlin, MA, 3:00 PM; with the Berlin Country Orchestra
Saturday February 24	Danbury Contra Dance; with The Reel Thing
Friday, March 2	Pittsburgh Contra Dance, Pittsburgh, PA, 8:00 PM; with the New Lost Chicken Ramblers (Rebecca McCallum, Mickey Koth, Ned Quist, Drew Beisswenger, Alec McLane)
Saturday, March 3	Contra dance, Newtown Bridal Lands Association, Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street, Newtown, CT with Wild Notes
Saturday, March 10	Hartford Contra Dance, 7:30 PM
Friday, March 16	Private dance for girl scouts, Cheshire, CT; with Calenda Maia
Saturday, March 31	Private 60th Birthday dance, New Haven CT; with Wild Notes
Thursday, April 5	TGIF party, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, New Haven CT; with Professors of Bluegrass
Saturday, April 7	Berlin Contra Dance, Berlin, MA, 8:00 PM; with the Berlin Country Orchestra
Saturday, April 14	Mystic Contra Dance, Mystic, CT, 8:00 PM; with The Reel Thing
Tuesday, May 1	May Pole dance at the May Day International Workers Day, New Haven, CT, 4:00 PM; with Out On A Whim
Saturday, May 5	Maypole dance, Manhattan, 12 noon-2:00 PM www.gcschool.org
Sunday, May 6	May Day Festival and May Pole dance, Bethany, CT, 2:00 PM; with Out On A Whim
Thursday, May 17	Camp Delaware dance, Winsted, CT, 7:30 PM; with Calenda Maia
Saturday, May 19	Dudley Farm, Guilford, CT, 1:30 pm, barn dance; with Calenda Maia
Saturday, May 19	Private dance, Berlin, MA, 7:00-9:00 PM; with the Berlin Country Orchestra
Friday, June 1	School dance, Warren, CT, 7:00 PM; with Wild Notes
Saturday, June 2	Quiet Corner Contra Dance, Chaplin, CT, 8:00 PM; with Becky Miller and Norb Spencer
Sunday, June 3	Shoreline Arts Showcase demo and dance, Guilford; with Calenda Maia
Saturday, June 9	Girl Scout jamboree dance, 9:30 AM, East Haven; with Calenda Maia
Saturday, June 16	Int'l festival arts and ideas, Village of villages, New Haven green, 1:00 pm, country dance; with Calenda Maia
Saturday, June 16	Private Barn Dance, New Pond Farm, West Redding, CT, with Wild Notes
Tuesday, June 26	Dance, St. Thomas Seminary, Bloomfield, CT, evening; with Wild Notes
Saturday, July 7	Community dance, Cornwall, CT, with Homegrown Band
Saturday, July 14	Private party; with Wild Notes
Saturday, August 11	Private party, Rhinebeck, NY, with The Reel Thing
Thursday, August 16	evening dance, private party, Guilford, CT; with Calenda Maia
Thursday, August 30	Private dance, Cornwall, CT, with Homegrown Band
Sunday, September 16	Private party, Stamford, CT, with Wild Notes
Saturday, September 22	Contra dance, Westford, MA, 8:00; with Au CONTRAire!
Saturday, September 29	Chorus Angelicus contra dance, Litchfield, CT, evening
Saturday, October 6	Wedding, Fishkill, NY, 4:00-7:00 PM; with Homegrown Band
Saturday, October 6	Contra dance, Hamden, CT, 10:00 PM, New Haven Morris and Sword Reunion
Saturday, October 13	Mystic Contra Dance, Mystic, CT, 8:00 PM; with Wild Goose Nation
Saturday, October 20	Private party, Goshen, CT; with Wild Notes
Sunday, October 21	Harvest barn dance, Guilford, CT, 4:00-5:30 PM; with Calenda Maia
Sunday, October 21	Contra dance, Falls Village, CT, 7:30, free and open to the public; location TBA
Tuesday, October 23	Dance, Mansfield Middle School, Mansfield, CT, 7:00-8:30 PM
Saturday, November 3- Sunday, November 4	NOMAD: CT's festival of traditional music and dance, New Haven, CT
Saturday, November 3	Falls Village contra dance, Isabella Freedman Retreat Center; 8:00 PM; with Homegrown Band
Saturday, November 10	Private party, Hamden, CT, 7:00, with Calenda Maia
Sunday, November 11	Private barn dance, New Pond Farm, West Redding, CT, 4:00; with Wild Notes
Saturday, November 17	Church family dance, Stratford, CT, 7:00; with local band
Saturday, December 8	Worcester Contra Dance, Worcester, MA; with Get Reel
Past Dances: 2006
Friday, January 6	Long Island contra dance, Plainview, NY; with the Lissa Schneckenburger, Corey DiMario
Saturday, January 7	Long Island contra dance, Water Mill, NY; with the Lissa Schneckenburger & Friends
Sunday January 22	Family Dance, Berlin, MA; with the Berlin Country Orchestra
Saturday January 28	Danbury Contra Dance; with Wild Notes
Saturday February 18	New Haven Contra Dance, Branford, CT; with Wild Notes
Saturday March 4	Quiet Corner Contra Dance, Chaplin, CT; with Dogtown
Saturday March 11	Newtown Bridle Lands Association's Annual Contra Dance, Newtown, CT; with Wild Notes
Friday, March 17	Family dance, Bethany (CT) Congregational Church
Saturday April 8	Hartford Contra Dance, Wethersfield, CT; with Dogtown
Sunday, April 9	Westford family dance, Westford, MA
Saturday April 15	Northboro Contra Dance, Northboro, MA; with The Polymorphous String Band
Friday, April 28	Long Island contra dance, Smithtown, NY
Monday, May 1	May Pole Dance at the May Day Celebration, New Haven (CT) green; with Out On A Whim
Sunday, May 7	A Celebration of May, Bethany, CT with Out On A Whim
Saturday, May 13	Private contra dance, Rutland, MA, 3:00-6:00 PM; with the Berlin Country Orchestra
Saturday,  May 13	Mystic Contra Dance, Mystic, CT, 8:00 PM; with The Reel Thing
Wednesday, May 17	Private dance, Plainfield, CT, with Out On A Whim
Saturday, June 3	Long Island contra dance, Watermill, NY; with Out On A Whim
Saturday, June 10	Country dance on the green, 3:00-4:00, Village of Villages, International Festival of Arts & Ideas, New Haven; with Out On A Whim
Sunday, June 11	Country dance on the green, 3:00-4:00, Village of Villages, International Festival of Arts & Ideas, New Haven; with Out On A Whim
Thursday, June 15	Private dance, Guilford Day Care Center; with Out On A Whim
Saturday, June 17	Private dance, Wallingford, CT; with some of the Wild Notes
Saturday, July 1	Private party, East Haven, CT, with Out On A Whim
Saturday, July 8	CT Hospice Fireworks show, Branford, CT; with Wild Notes
Saturday, July 15	Private party, West Hartford, CT; with Wild Notes
Thursday August 17	Guilford Daycare Center, Guilford, CT
Saturday, September 9	Private party/contra dance, Watermill, NY
Saturday, September 30	Dance, West Rock Park Day, Common Ground High School, New Haven, CT
Sunday, October 8	Private barn dance, Guilford CT, 5:30 PM
Saturday, October 14	Private barn dance, Goshen CT, with Wild Notes
Sunday, October 15	Contra dance, New England Chapter of the Music Library Association Fall Meeting, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT, with The NEMLA pick-up band
Tuesday, October 24	Dance, Mansfield Middle School, 7:00 PM
Saturday, November 3- Sunday, November 4	NOMAD
Saturday, November 11	Hartford Contra Dance, 7:30 PM; with Wild Notes
Saturday, November 18	Private dance, Redding, CT, with Wild Notes
Saturday, November 25	Private dance, Woodbridge, CT with Wild Notes
Saturday, December 2	Berlin Contra Dance, Berlin, MA, 8:00 PM; with the Berlin Country Orchestra
Sunday, December 3	Family dance, Westford, MA, 3:00-5:00 PM; with Au CONTRAire!
Past Dances: 2005
Saturday, February 5	Quiet Corner Contra Dance (Chaplin, CT); with Rambling Pitchfork
Saturday, February 11	New London contra dance; with the Can Kickers
Saturday, February 26	Danbury Contra Dance; with Wild Notes
Sunday, February 27	Family Dance, Berlin, MA; with the Berlin Country Orchestra
Thursday, March 31	Private party, Bolton, MA
Saturday, April 2	First Saturday Contra Dance, Berlin, MA
Saturday April 9	Hartford Contra Dance, Wethersfield, CT; with Step It Up!
Wednesday April 13	Contra dance at East Granby Middle School; with Pegasus
Saturday April 16	New Haven Contra Dance, Branford, CT; with Wild Notes
Saturday April 30	Newtown Bridle Lands Association's Annual Contra Dance, Newtown, CT; with Wild Notes
Sunday May 1, 4PM	May Pole Dance at the May Day Celebration, New Haven green
Saturday May 7	Quiet Corner Contra Dance, Chaplin, CT; with The Polymorphous String Band
Sunday May 8	Maypole dance, Bethany, CT, with Out On A Whim
Monday May 9	Nursing home dance, Kent, CT, with Danny Gardella
Thursday May 12	Contra dance, Winsted High School, with Pegasus
Saturday May 28	Contra dance (private), Norfolk, CT; with Wild Notes
Saturday June 11	Contra dance, Berlin, MA; with the Berlin Country Orchestra
Saturday June 18	Contra dance (private), Trinity Retreat Center, West Cornwall, CT; with Wild Notes
Sunday June 26	Block party and dance, Cambridge, MA; with Mickey Koth and the Berlin Country Orchestra
Thursday July 14	Contra dance (private), Stonington, CT; with Wild Notes
Saturday July 23	Contra dance (private), Rhinebeck, NY; with Wild Notes
Saturday August 6	Contra dance at the Podunk Bluegrass Music Festival, East Hartford, CT; with Wild Notes
Saturday August 20	Contra dance (private), Bantam, CT; with Out On A Whim
Saturday October 8	Hartford Contra Dance, Wethersfield, CT; with Wild Notes
Saturday October 15	Contra dance (private), Goshen, CT with Out On A Whim
Friday October 21	Contra dance New England Chapter of the Music Library Association meeting, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY
Saturday October 22	Contra dance (private), Monroe, CT; with Wild Notes
Fri. November 4- Sun. November 6	NOMAD (NOrtheast Music and Dance festival), New Haven, CT
Sunday November 20	Barn dance, Guilford, CT, with Out On A Whim
Saturday December 3	Contra dance, Berlin, MA; with the Berlin Country Orchestra
Saturday December 10	Mystic Contra dance, Mystic, CT; with Out On A Whim

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