Welcome to the home of "Country Dance Caller" Patricia Campbell, who is based in western Connecticut. Together with The Reel Thing, a group which specializes in live, costumed, authentic 18th century colonial dances and concerts, traditional dance workshops for children and adults, and family or community "barn" dances, Patricia can provide an exciting experience for your group, at any dancing level. Check out what people are saying about Patricia Campbell and the Reel Thing's workshops, dances and performances.

Exciting news!

Patricia Campbell is now included in the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism's directory of performing artists! Qualifying organizations may apply for an Arts Presentation Grant to help fund Patricia's presentation for their organization. Visit the Commission's Arts Presentation grant web site for more information, and to apply for funding.

Patricia is also listed through the New England Foundation for the Arts Matchbook site. She is a New England States Touring eligible artist, and organizations may visit NEST grant information to find out how they may apply for funding support for Patricia's presentations.

Patricia Campbell is a dance leader and consultant with experience calling dances for families, schools, libraries and other community organizations. She also specializes in authentic 18th century dance and music for historical societies and re-enactment events. Her repertoire includes New England contradance, Colonial/18th century dance, square and folk dances. Participants experience the fun and joy of traditional dance through Patricia's lively and clear guidance.

Patricia is a member of The Country Dance and Song Society of America. She performs at the annual NOMAD (NOrtheast Music, Art and Dance) Festival and has served on the NOMAD program committee for many years. In her life outside music and dance, Patricia has been, among other things, a Special Education teacher and a business manager. She now runs PGC Communications, a consulting and desktop publishing business and lives in Newtown with her musician husband and their musical, dancing son, who has added his pentatonic flute and ukulele to his dad's collection of instruments.

If you are interested in more information about Patricia and The Reel Thing, would like to be on our mailing list, or would like to book us for your event, e-mail us. Whether you are considering a community dance, barn dance, a costumed ball, a workshop, classes or a residency through your school, library, religious organization, parks and recreation or continuing education department, Patricia and The Reel Thing will work with you to provide a memorable event. CLC member schools and libraries can check our CLC listing for member benefits.

Workshops and Dances Offered

Check Patricia's calendar for a listing of upcoming events at which she will be calling.

Click here for more detailed background and benefits of traditional dancing for children.

Dances

Traditional dance with live music for school, church and community groups (libraries, Scouts, senior citizen centers). Available as workshops, classes, residencies, barn dances, birthdays and balls, and for everything from fund raisers and celebrations to library and historical society presentations. We tailor each program to meet the needs of the group.

Country (or Barn) Dance - New England Country dancing (also known as contras & squares) has been danced in New England town halls and communities for over 200 years. The caller does a walk-through for each dance before the music starts, and prompts ("calls") the dance while the music is playing.

Colonial/18th Century Dance - Experience a piece of history!
As danced in George Washington's time. Available in authentic period clothing. Walk-throughs and prompts for each dance (see Country/Barn Dance).

About the dance band

Our band is made up of experienced, professional musicians who have a passion for folk music, dancing and performing.

Bill Campbell is our guitarist. In addition to his many years of experience, Bill also teaches beginner guitar. His musical career began in the '60's with formal instruction from the Rudi Lionetti Studio in Stamford, and he has been performing ever since. His other musical passions include the harmonica and bodhran (Irish drum), and singing with the Newtown Choral Society. Bill collects any instruments he sees and hangs them on the wall or makes them living room art. He actually plays some of them. His collection now includes multiple harmonicas, violins, guitars, banjo, bodhran, stringed pennywhistle, nose flutes, tambourine and mountain dulcimer, along with his wife's grand piano.

Fran Hendrickson has been a dance musician since 1977. She enjoys playing tunes for Colonial Social Dancing and Traditional Dancing on either piano or accordion, and has recorded with Connecticut groups Jackson Pike Skifflers and Spring Fever. Working with her husband Chip, they formed the Hendrickson Group in 1988 focusing on research and publication of 18th-century dance, music and song from primary sources. Fran has recorded several albums of 18th-century dance music to accompany the choreography in Chip's books. The Hendricksons taught and performed up and down the East Coast, for Loyalist Days in Saint John, N.B., and in France. Their specialty is the Minuet. As the Coordinator of the Danbury Senior Center, Fran organized and produced a 15 piece band called The Cellmates (because the senior center is in the Old Jail historic building), which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2004. Fran conceived, organized and managed the NOMAD Festival for its first nine years, fulfilling a dream to bring an all volunteer, participatory event to life, to share with others and to carry on the various folk traditions to the next generation.

Julie Sorcek, who plays flute, piccolo and saxophone for The Reel Thing, has over 40 years experience as a musician. In addition to experience playing with high school and college symphonic bands, Julie has performed with the Danbury Community Orchestra, with various groups at the NOMAD(NOrtheast Music and Dance) Festival in Newtown, CT, and as a soloist at the First Congregational Church of Bethel, CT. She has been a guest musician with the contra dance bands Out on a Whim, Jane's Gang and Groovemama. Julie also is a member of the folk groups Fairfield Crossing and Chicks 'n Sync. Her repertoire includes classical, folk, jazz, Celtic, bluegrass, Colonial and contra dance music.

Gwen Glasser plays fiddle, guitar and piano. She has been teaching music locally for twenty years. Although rooted in classical training, her love for alternative styles of playing has led to a growing passion for Celtic, International Folk genres and contradance music.

Other Music and Dance Links

NEFFA is the venerable New England Folk Festival held for more than 50 years annually in Natick, Massachusetts.

Visit Ted Crane's Dance Database for music and dance information throughout the United States.

The Hendrickson Group is an excellent source for 18th-century American music and dance information.

Another place to visit is De Lancey's Brigade, a wonderful 18th century re-enactors' group.