photos by Marty Miller		  
3rd Saturdays Sept - May
at the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church

The third Saturday of each month (September through May) a community Contra and Square dance is held at the First Parish Unitarian Universalist church in Northboro, MA. Each month The Polymorphous String Band (and friends) provide live and lively music for a variety of great New England callers.

Our next dance will be Sep. 20, 2008 featuring Jim Gregory calling.

Click on these quick links to jump to sections about:

General Info

First Parish church and parish hall The dance begins at 8:00PM and goes until 11:00 with a break halfway through the evening. Admission is $8.00 which includes refreshments served at the break. A hallmark feature of our dance is the smorgasbord of baked goods served each month with lemonade. By advance arrangement, people wishing to bring a baked good can receive a free admission - please contact Jon Weinberg if you'd like to bring something on a particular month.

Parish Hall entrance Singles and couples, new and experienced dancers are welcome. Traditionally each person asks a new partner for each dance so it doesn't matter if you come alone, as a couple, or with a group. If you've never contra danced before and want to know what is contra dancing, click here for information.

Click for Northborough, Massachusetts Forecast If the weather on the day of the dance is questionable, check this website for confirmation that the dance is being held. We'll try to make decisions on weather cancellations by 5:00 the evening of the dance, which will be posted here. For detailed current weather information click on the weather icon on the right.

Directions and map are provided below.

2008 - 2009 Season Schedule

Dance Date Featured Caller Guest Musicians, Special Events, etc.
Sep 20 Jim Gregory  
Oct 18 Christine Hale  
Nov 15 Tim VanEgmond  
Dec 20 Dan Pearl  
Jan 17 Jim Fownes tropical shirt evening
Feb 21 Bill Fischer with Mickey Koth on fiddle
Mar 21 Alice Morris with Sylvia Miskoe on accordion
Apr 18 Bob Golder  
May 16 Christine Hale annual end-of-season ice cream social

Music

Each month The Polymorphous String Band performs live and lively music. Often we're joined by other musician friends, old band members, etc. on a variety of additional instruments.

The Polys in Northboro Members of the band (left to right) are:

The band also performs at other public dances and private events throughout New England. Please visit our web page for more information about us, appearances at other area dances and performances, etc.

For booking information please contact Jon Weinberg.



Directions to the First Parish church

Mapquest map of Northboro - click for more detail...
Map to Northboro First Parish church 		From Worcester and west: take 290 east to exit 24 (Church St. Northboro).
  • Follow Church St. south towards Northboro center.
  • In 1.7 miles (beyond the sign on the left for the Northboro Village Apartments) turn left into Howard St. and immediately right into a one-way, unmarked street that runs alongside the parish hall and the back of the church. Park anywhere.

From the east: take the Mass Pike or route 2 to interstate 495.

  • From the Mass Pike take 495 north, from route 2 take 495 south.
  • Exit I495 at exit 24 (route 20 Marlboro/Northboro) and take rt. 20 west towards Northboro.
  • Go 3.8 miles to the 2nd of two close traffic lights in Northboro center (just after crossing a set of RR tracks) and turn right at the 2nd traffic light onto Church St (in front of a small plaza with a CVS drug store).
  • In a couple of blocks bear left at the fork with the church in front of you, staying on Church St.
  • Take the next right turn onto Howard St. and immediately another right into a one-way, unmarked street that runs alongside the parish hall and the back of the church. Park anywhere.

The Parish Hall entrance is between the church and the hall, and is lit up at night.


To Receive Email Notices...

If you'd like to add your name to our mailing list to receive notices about dances, weather cancellations, and other local appearances of the band or it's members contact us and we'll keep you informed of these and other upcoming events. We promise that your address will not be given out, sold into slavery, or used for any other purpose.

If you've never contra danced before...

Contra dancing is a New England tradition that is great fun and exercise. It's an enjoyable way to spend an engaging, active evening with other nice, friendly people in a non-alcoholic, non-smoking environment. Many people are discovering it as a welcome alternative to passive television/movie entertainment.

If you can walk, you can contra dance! You don't have to know anything in advance because the caller teaches each dance with a walk-through before the music starts. Dance figures are similar to those used in square dancing except the dance is performed in lines instead of squares.

New dancers are encourged to arrive early in the evening when simpler dances that demonstrate basic figures are called. Although not necessary, first-time dancers wishing more personalized introductory instruction are encouraged to arrive at 7:45.

Questions?

Check this website if the weather is questionable - we'll post any weather cancellations here by 5:00 the evening of the dance.


Other Contra Dances and Information

Here are links to other contra dances in the area:

...and here are other web pages that have pictures, information, and/or schedules of other dances in the area:

Recipes

We always try to serve homemade bread and baked goods with lemonade at the break. Here are some favorite goodies people have requested the recipes for:

Bread Pudding

Directions:
  1. Preheat over to 350
  2. Put bread and raisins in ovenproof bowl
  3. Mix remaining ingredients in order above and pour over bread and raisins, making sure that all pieces of bread are wet
  4. Bake 1 hour or until done

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x5" loaf pan
  2. Mix together all dry ingredients and set aside. Hand mix remaining ingredients in order listed. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well. Add 1/2 c water and mix
  3. Pour mix into loaf pan and bake 1 - 1 1/4 hours until done (toothpick inserted comes out clean)

Recipe for Date Cake w/Choco-Nut Topping

Jon's mother cut the recipe out of a Parade magazine sometime during the 1960's (he thinks...):

Ingredients:

Directions:
  1. Heat oven to 350. Grease well & flour 9" square pan.
  2. Pour hot water over dates & cool while mixing batter.
  3. Sift together flour, soda, salt and set aside.
  4. Combine margarine, sugar, egg, & vanilla & beat 5 mins on high speed until fluffy.
  5. On low speed alternate adding flour & date mixtures to egg mix (begin & end w/flour mix). Blend until just smooth. Mix in nuts. Pour into pan.
  6. Sprinkle choco-nut topping on batter & bake 45-60 mins or until done (toothpick inserted comes out clean). Cool before removing from pan

Baker's One Bowl Chocolate Brownie Cookies

A chocoholic's dream. One dancer told me she couldn't make it through another weekend without this recipe. It came from an ad for Baker's chocolate in Yankee magazine.

Ingredients:

Directions:
  1. Heat oven to 325 degrees
  2. Microwave: chocolates and butter in a large microwavable bowl on HIGH 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring halfway through heating time. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
  3. Stir: sugar into chocolate mixture until blended. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in nuts. (dough will be soft) Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls, 1 1/2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheet.
  4. Bake: 12 minutes or until set. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Cool 5 minutes, remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely on wire racks. Store in airtight container.
  5. Makes about 3 dozen.
The page is maintained by Jon Weinberg.
Last updated: 6/26/2008