Playford-to-the-Present English Country Dance Ball
Jump to the 2024 Program of Dances!
Our Playford-to-the-Present Ball!
Well, our 2024 Playford-to-the-Present Ball has come and gone, and we had such a delightful time! We enjoyed wonderful dancing, expert calling, exquisite music, and fabulous company at our Final Review on Friday, October 18, our P2P Ball on Saturday, October 19, and at the HTDS advanced workshop on October 20. It was an amazing weekend, thanks to the generosity and hard work of so many people who made it happen:
- Our incredible talent for the weekend: Dance leader Anna Rain, musicians Audrey Jaber, Ben Jackson, and Chip Prince, and our wonderful sound engineer, Victor Garza
- Our amazing committee of volunteers, including program co-chairs Patricia Keating and Mickey Waring, registrar Aileen Poehls, program advisors James Hutson and Renée Camus, refreshments coordinator Kaye Evans, and many others on our committee who made everything run smoothly
- And of course, thanks to all of you who attended and helped make it such a magical event.
We look forward to doing it again next year! Information about our 2025 Playford-to-the-Present Ball will be coming soon. Visit our Playford-to-the-Present Ball Page, or the P2P Ball page of the SCCDC website for more details as time goes by.
A page of photos and videos from the 2024 Ball will be coming soon. (Email us at culvercityecd at gmail if you have any photos or videos you’d like to share with us.) In the meantime, check out our page of photos and videos from the Playford-to-the-Present 2023 ball here! And see photos from 2022 and more past balls too.
Playford-to-the-Present 2024
Did you miss it last year? Be sure to join us for our 2024 Playford-to-the-Present Ball! Our 2024 ball will be on the Third Saturday, October 19, 2024, at the Pasadena Masonic Temple. We’ll have our final review on Friday, October 18 at Skandia Hall. We’re delighted to welcome our dance leader all the way from Washington, D.C.: Anna Rain, accompanied by an excellent trio of musicians: Audrey Jaber, Ben Jackson, and Chip Prince! 🙂
AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT about our 2024 Playford-to-the-Present Ball: The location for our Ball on October 19 has changed! The ball will now take place at the Pasadena Masonic Temple: 200 South Euclid Avenue in Pasadena. (Huge thanks to P2P co-chair Pat Keating for her work on this issue!) Please update your calendars.
Parking information for Pasadena Masonic Temple can be found here and here.
As always, the ball is geared toward knowledgeable English country dancers. A familiarity with basic ECD figures is required; there will be no teaching of figures. At the Ball all dances, except For Those Who Know dances, will have a walk-through and will be prompted as necessary. It will be assumed that all dancers are either familiar with these particular dances or are skilled enough to pick up dances with minimal instruction. Regular and frequent attendance at your local dance series is the best way to reach that level of confidence with the dancing. Several of the dances will have complex figures that require familiarity before the day of the ball, even for very experienced dancers. (Come to our ball practices!)
We currently anticipate Covid contact tracing requirements with optional masking will be in effect. Masking and vaccines are recommended but not required. This policy change began with the CCECD May 2024 dances and we expect this policy to be in effect for the ball, assuming no significant changes in the overall Covid situation.
Live music, wonderful dances, sumptuous refreshments – all for only $50. Pre-registration is required. See our REGISTRATION FLYER. Early Bird pricing for tickets is available through August 31, at $50. Starting on September 1, the price increases to $60. You can pay for tickets by check with your printed form, or register and pay electronically through PayPal (price includes additional $2 to cover fees).
Keep an eye here or on the P2P Ball page of the SCCDC website for more details as we know them.
P2P 2024 Registration and Pricing
Registration for our 2024 P2P Ball is OPEN NOW! Click the flyer above or the button below to download and print out our flyer and registration form, OR register online.
(Note: Your registration is incomplete until your payment has been received.)
Early Bird pricing (through August 31):
Check (made out to California Dance Co-operative): $50
PayPal: $52 (to cover PayPal fees)
Pricing from September 1:
Check (made out to California Dance Co-operative): $60
PayPal: $62 (to cover PayPal fees)
Partial scholarships are available. Email patricia.a.keating <at> gmail <dot> com for more information.
If you would like a name tag, we need to receive your payment by September 29.
Please note: Refunds will only be given if the event is canceled.
Click the buttons below to pay electronically, or to contribute to our P2P Scholarship Fund:
Practice with us!
As always, this ball is for experienced English country dancers. It is assumed that all attendees are familiar with basic ECD figures. All dances (except for FTWK dances) will have a walk-through and will be prompted as necessary. Attendees dress in period or formal attire.
The FTWK (For Those Who Know) dances will only have a talk-through (no walk-through!), so be sure to learn those dances in advance, for example at our dance practices!
Join us for our Ball Practices, this year held on Sundays, September 29, at Lindberg Park Stone House, and October 6, at Woman’s Club of South Pasadena. Both practices are from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. (Visit our Upcoming Dances page for caller and band details.) We’re also holding a Final Review session at Skandia Hall on Friday night, October 18, with caller Anna Rain and musicians Audrey Jaber, Ben Jackson, and Chip Prince! The 9/29 and 10/6 practices also coincide with our annual Costume Sale: Bring costume pieces to donate to the sale, and replenish your closet by buying new (to you) costume pieces or outfits. All proceeds go to our P2P Scholarship Fund.
Of course, the best way to practice for the ball is to come to our regular CCECD dances on second and fourth Sundays. Regular dancing is not only fun, it makes you a better overall dancer. Plus, many of the dances on the ball program will be done at the dances leading up to the ball. Join us!
Make a weekend of it! In addition to our Final Review on October 18 and the ball on October 19, join Anna Rain on Sunday, October 20, for a special workshop with our friends at Historical Tea & Dance Society.
P2P 2024 Program of Dances
We’re delighted to announce the program of dances for our 2024 Playford-to-the-Present Ball!
Here they are, in alphabetical order.
All the Rage (I)
Bar a Bar (I)
Heartfelt (C)
Jacob Hall’s Jig (S)
A Jig for Joanna (S)
The Maid’s Last Wish (S-I)
Midnight Ramble (S)
New Long Room at Scarborough (S-I)
Quay to My Heart (I)
The Road Not Taken (C, FTWK)
Saint Margaret’s Hill (I-C, FTWK)
Shawberry Delight (I)
Turning of the Hour (I)
Wink (C, FTWK)
The Young Widow (S-I)
(S = Simple, I = Intermediate, C = Complex, FTWK = For Those Who Know)
A booklet containing instructions for each dance will be sent by email to all registrants. We have also curated a playlist of YouTube videos for each of the dances. View the playlist here:
(Note: The video for Heartfelt cannot be shown on this website. If you click the “Watch on YouTube” link, it will open the video on YouTube in a new tab.)
The Committee
The Playford-to-the-Present Ball is definitely a community affair. A lot of people contribute their time and effort to help bring about the event. We thank them for their tireless assistance. We especially wish to give a huge round of thanks to Sparky Sotcher, who stepped down as Administrative Co-Chair in 2022 after an incredible 17 years of service. We’re so grateful to the astounding care and energy you put in, Sparky! Thank you!
Here’s the committee for our 2024 ball.
| Administrative Chairs: Patricia Keating, Mickey Waring | Dance Booklet: James Hutson, Renée Camus, Mickey Waring, Tim Steinmeier |
| Registrar: Aileen Poehls | Name Tags: Pat Green |
| Program Advisors: James Hutson, Renée Camus | Talent Liaison: Sparky Sotcher |
| Refreshments: Kaye Evans | Costume Sale: Elyse Ashton, Robert Rickun, Gayle Steinmeier |
| Graphics: Tim Steinmeier | SCCDC Representative: Renée Camus |
| Decorations: Elyse Ashton, Robert Rickun, Alex Bradley, Tony McQuilkin, Bruce Hayes, Lumme Erilt, Renée Camus | Members at Large: Alex Bradley |
Playford-to-the-Present History
The Playford-to-the-Present Ball has a fine history of callers and musicians who have conspired to bring that special combination of sound and movement together for delightful and memorable events.
If you’d like to see a list of all the dances done at our past Playford-to-the-Present balls, check out our List of Ball Programs.
- 2023: Dance Master – Alan Winston. Music by Anna Patton, Audrey Jaber, and Jeffrey Spero.
- 2022: Dance Master – Val Medve. Music by Persons of Quality (Jon Berger, Jim Oakden, Rebecca King)
- 2021: Dance Masters – James Hutson and Renée Camus. Music by Force For Nature (Audrey Knuth, Ashley Hoyer, Jeffrey Spero).
- 2020: Our Special Virtual Event celebrating 20 years of Playford-to-the-Present – Caller Judee Pronovost. Music by Linda Kodaira (violin) and Bill Marks (guitar); additional music from Jeffrey Spero (piano).
- 2019: Dance Master – Joanna Reiner. Music by Shira Kammen (violin), Jim Oakden (various), and Jeffrey Spero (keyboard).
- 2018: Dance Master – Bruce Hamilton. Music by Sweetwater (Bonnie Insull, Audrey Knuth, Ryan Sandburg).
- 2017: Dance Master – Graham Christian. Music by Offbeats and guest (Ashley Broder, Ben Schreiber, Jeffrey Spero, plus Bonnie Insull).
- 2016: Dance Master – Brad Foster. Music by StringFire (James MacQueen, Annie Rodier, Patti Cobb, Erik Ievins).
- 2015: Dance Master – James Hutson. Music by Flutatious (Miranda Arana, Bonnie Insull, Christa Burch, Jeffrey Spero).
- 2014: Dance Mistress – Kalia Kliban. Music by Persons of Quality (Jon Berger, Rebecca King, Jim Oakden).
- 2013: Dance Leader – Chris Page. Music by Bonfire (Bonnie Insull, Frank Hoppe, Richard Scher).
- 2012: Dance Master – Ric Goldman. Music by The Syncopaths (Jeffrey Spero, Ryan McKasson, Ashley Broder, Christa Burch).
- 2011: Dance Leader – James Hutson. Music by The Funky Fandango String Quartet (Jon Berger, Erik Ievins, Shira Kammen, Michelle Levy).
- 2010: Dance Leaders – Kris Davey, Chris Page, Tom Wilson. Hostess – Judee Pronovost. Music by The English Roses (Mary Ann Sereth, Walter Sereth, Robert Winoker).
- 2009: Dance Mistress – Annie Laskey. Music by The English Roses (Mary Ann Sereth, Walter Sereth, Guinevere Sanger, Mike Earls).
- 2008: Dance Leader – Mary Devlin. Music by Cuckoo’s Nest (Frank Hoppe, Kurt McInnis, Ken Shaw, Jeffrey Spero).
- 2007: Dance Masters – James Hutson, Judee Pronovost, Ben Rotenberg. Music by Bonfire (Bonnie Insull, Richard Scher, Jon Berger).
- 2006: Dance Master – Giovanni De Amici. Music by Interfolk Goes Baroque (Kriss Larson, Bonnie Insull, Mary Ann Sereth, Carter Dewberry).
- 2005: Dance Master – Gary Shapiro. Music by Interfolk (Kriss Larson, Jim Garner, Mary Ann Sereth, Bob Brooks).
- 2004: Dance Master – Ben Rotenberg. Music by Festivity (Mary Ann Sereth , Bonnie Insull, Steve Maranto, Carter Dewberry).
- 2003: Dance Mistress – Annie Laskey. Music by Bob Brooks, Jim Garner, Kriss Larson, Mary Ann Sereth.
- 2002: Dance Master – Giovanni De Amici. Music by Jeffrey Spero, Linda Kodaira, David James.
- 2001: Dance Master – James Hutson. Music by Frank Hoppe, Ken Shaw, Jeffrey Spero.
Playford-to-the-Present Photos
Visit the following pages for pictures from our past Playford-to-the-Present balls.
Playford-to-the-Present 2023 – NEW!
Playford-to-the-Present 2020 (coming soon!)
Playford-to-the-Present 2001 – Our First Ball!
View our List of Ball Programs