Oct 31 -Nov 2 2025 Bare Necessities Annual English Country Dance Weekend in Fairfield, IA
Mary Lea & Jacqueline Schwab with Susan Kevra, Caller
English Country Dance Weekend at Morning Star Studio 51 1/2 South Court St. Fairfield IA
Oct 31 - Nov 2, 2025 in Fairfield, Iowa
Sponsored by the Fairfield Folks Arts & Dance Co-Op / FairfolkDancers
| Fri. Nov 4 | 7:30-10:30 | English Country Dancing | |
| Sat. Nov 5 | 10:00-12:00 2:00 - 4:00 | English Country Dance Workshop | |
| 8:00-11:00 | English Country Dance Ball (Elegant wear / period costumes encouraged but not required!) | ||
| Sun. Nov 6 | 10:00-12:30 | English Country Dance Workshop | |
Delicious snacks, tea and dessert offered during breaks. Schedule subject to revision.
Come enjoy our warm hospitality, delightful dancing and varied culinary, cultural and shopping opportunities. If you’ve never visited Fairfield, you’re in for a treat! You'll enjoy our incredible culinary offerings (Thai, Chinese, Indian, Mexican, Ethiopian, Gourmet Pizza, Turkish) and world-class coffee at Cafe Paradiso, all within 1-2 blocks walking distance from the dance!
IMPORTANT: For everyone's safety we will likely require negative covid tests (home tests are fine) 2 days before coming and again on the first day.
In order to ensure that we have full attendance (and can therefore afford to pay all the expenses) we are asking everyone to register in advance. So if you know you want to come, please register TODAY. Thank you!
$195. Includes full weekend and all snacks.
Note: This weekend is designed for experienced dancers and attendance is limited. We sell out every year, so PLEASE register soon!
Register by sending email to FairfolkDancers "at" gmail "dot" com and then send check payable to Jennifer Hamilton to arrive within 5 business days via snail-mail to:
FFADC PO Box 1321, Fairfield, Iowa 52556
Please include name, address, phone and email. We sold out way in advance last time and expect to do so for 2025. Your cancelled cheque is your receipt -- please do not be disappointed if you do not get an email acknowledgement. If you enquire by email you are NOT registered until we receive your check! The time/date of your email will be the tie-breaker if we sell out on the day we receive your cheque.
Our caller, Susan Kevra, joined us in 2017 and we are delighted to have her back! She is a musician, caller and dancer from Nashville, TN.
She burst onto the New England contra dance scene in the early 1990's
and has spent the last 30+ years teaching English country dancing,
contras, squares and French dancing across the country and the world.
In 2014, she, Karen Axelrod and Rachel Bell formed the band, Old
World Charm School. As an English country dance clarinetist she gains a
keen appreciation of the link between the music and the figures, which
she brings to her teaching. The music of her bandmate, Rachel Bell,
inspired her to choreograph English dances, including "Trip to
Provence" and "Sylvan Park." She is a professor of French and
American Studies at Vanderbilt University, where she also teaches a
class, "American Social History through Dance.
Cancellation / Refund Policy: If you need to cancel for any reason, we will allow you to transfer your personal registration to the next year (for one year only). Or you can send someone -- a previously unregistered dancer whom you find -- in your place to this current year's weekend and let us know about the substitution. You handle all the details and work out the payment with your friend. This applies only to the specific weekend you paid for. Other than these two options, unfortunately there are no refunds or exchanges. We simply do not have the volunteer staff to handle these complications. (If you have sent your cheque late, and the dance is full we will not cash your check.)
Location: The Morning Star Studio, 51 ½ S. Court St. Fairfield, Iowa. Exit 214 coming from the East on Route 34, then 3 miles West to Main Street, then North to Broadway, East to Court, South on Court St. Or Exit 216 coming from the West on Route 34, then North on Route 1 (Main St.) to Business 34, then 1 more block north to Broadway, East to Court, South on Court St.. Fairfield Map
LODGING
With our experience hosting over 30 dance weekends so far, we know what dancers care about and are ready to welcome you with open arms.
Here is a list of hotels, B&Bs, etc.
Unfortunately, home hospitality is available only for the band and caller -- we are a very small dance community!
There are airbnb options in Fairfield, as well as The Raj Resort, and also camping grounds 5-10 minutes from the dance. If you are interested in sharing a hotel or motel room with another dancer, you can try posting in the comments section on our facebook page .
Fairfield has an amazing amount to offer our visitors, from the largest community of Stapathya Vedic buildings in North America just north in Vedic City, to the Golden Meditation Domes at Maharishi University of Management to the greener-than-green Eco-Village with its earth-friendly designs and technologies.
General Fairfield Info: (Restaurants, shops, lodging) Fairfield Info
RESTAURANTS:
Click here for Fairfield Restaurants
