About
The Brattleboro Dawn Dances are organized by the Brattleboro Dawn Dance Committee, a non-profit Country Dance and Song Society affiliate made up entirely of volunteers. The Dawn Dance Committee occasionally also sponsors or supports other area dance events. Dawn Dance Committee Members can be seen at the dances wearing special Committee name tags or bright red floor manager sashes; we’re the ones adjusting the fans in the windows or politely nudging dancers who seem to be falling asleep. The members of the Dawn Dance committee are:
- Louisa Engle, Treasurer
- Cedar Stanistreet, President
- Hal Kuhns
- Bre Ginty
- Rachel Lindsay
- Robin Hayden
- Anna Rosenberg
- Ashley Bies
A Quick History
Dawn Dances have been taking place in Brattleboro, VT in one form or another and at various venues for more than 35 years. Begun in 1976 as a fund-raiser for the floor at the Chelsea House in West Brattleboro, over the years Dawn Dances have taken place at the Chelsea House, the Shriners Hall, the Gibson Aiken Center, and probably a few other locations around town. Michael McKernan organized the dances for many years, and at some point the work passed to a larger Committee. There used to be Dawn Dances on other long weekends throughout the year, but we think the current schedule – dances on Memorial Day and Labor Day bookending the summer – works pretty well.
A Longer History
Check out this article by Michael McKernan about the history of late night dancing around the area.