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9th Annual Civil War Preservation Ball
Raises $8,000 for Gettysburg Monuments
Once
again, the Civil War Preservation Ball, hosted by State Representative Harry
Readshaw, was a great success. The sell out event raised $8,000 for the
Monument Endowment Trust Fund to help repair, maintain and conserve the
monuments oat the Gettysburg National Military Park. The Preservation Balls
have now raised over $58,000 for the Trust Fund.
Over
200 people came from seven states to dance in the beautiful rotunda of the
Pennsylvania Capitol Building on March 24. The rotunda of the Pennsylvania
Capitol is the most spectacular setting for a Civil War ball. Dancers were
surrounded by stunning architecture, beautiful paintings, inspiring
sculptures, and historical artifacts. The current building was built on the
site of the old “Red Brick Capitol” that was destroyed by fire in 1897. The
old capitol saw Abraham Lincoln address the state legislature while on his
way to be inaugurated in 1861 and his body laid in state in 1865 on the
journey home to Springfield, Illinois. The new capitol was dedicated in
1906 and no expense was spared in making it a “palace of art.” Standing in
the rotunda, President Theodore Roosevelt remarked, "It is the handsomest
building I've ever seen." It was a rare opportunity and a treat to dance in
such a very special place and to help us preserve our Civil War history!
The Victorian Dance Ensemble dancers provided dance demonstrations, floor managed, and danced with guests, while Larry Keener-Farley, Rebecca Kesler and Jeff Trace called the dances. The Philadelphia Brigade Band, under the direction of Rich Cummines, provided the dance music and Mr. Lemuel’s Red Mill Serenaders played for the intermission. New this year, Boy Scout Venture Crew 53, portraying the 1st Pennsylvania Reserves Fifes and Drums, greeted the arriving guests.
Special guests included Gettysburg National Military Park Superintendant Bob Kirby, President Abraham Lincoln (Jim Getty), and General Robert E. Lee (Frank Orlando).
 Chassez d'Amour Waltz |
 GNMP Supt. Bob Kirby |
 VDEs demonstrating Lancer's Quadrille |
 Smiling dancers |
 Young folks enjoying the Ball |
 Traditional Virginia Reel |
 Circle of four in the Tempest |
 More happy dancers |
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Click on thumbnail for larger
picture.
Photos below courtesy of Kathy Fitzkee
 Civil War Ball Group Picture |
 "What a spectacular setting for a ball!" (Guest remark) |
 Beautiful ball gowns abounded |
 Spiral during opening Grand March |
 Venture Scouts Fifes & Drums greeting guests |
 Philadelphia Brigade Band |
 Dancers enjoying Chassez d'Amour |
 President Lincoln, Rep. Readshaw, and Gov. Curtin |
 VDE floor manager helping dancers |
 More young people dancing |
 Victorian Dance Ensemble |
 Soldier's Joy from the balcony |
 Philadelphia Brigade Band |
 Dancing the night away |
 Our younger dancers |
In
addition to the dancers, sponsors helped to swell the funds raised for
preservation
and to underwrite the expenses of the ball. Thanks to:
PNC Bank, Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania American Water
Company,
Gmerek Government Relations, Inc., Malady & Wooten, L.L.P.,
Buchart Horn, Inc., Basco Associates,
Cranmer Associates, Eckert Seamans, Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and
Industry, and
Bugles Across America.
Next year’s 10th Annual Civil War
Preservation Ball
will be held on Saturday, March 23, 2013.
Plan now to attend!
Reenactment Unit of the Year
The Civil War Dance Foundation was named the Civil War Trust’s 2011
Reenactment Unit of the Year.
This is the first time the award was presented to a civilian living history organization. The award is one of several presented by the Civil War Trust to individuals and groups in recognition of their outstanding commitment to preserving America’s Civil War heritage.
“We are deeply honored by this award and hope that our work will inspire others to support historic preservation,” said Annette Keener-Farley, President of the CWDF.
Since 2000, the Civil
War Dance Foundation has donated over $31,000 from its own treasury to Civil
War preservation and education projects, including $6,500 to the Civil War
Trust. It has also presented educational programs at the CWT’s Teacher
Institute and provided entertainment at the CWT’s Annual Conferences.
In addition, the Civil War Dance Foundation has helped to raise over $125,000 for various Civil War preservation projects, historic sites and museums. Its two biggest annual events support preservation at the Gettysburg Battlefield. For the last eight years, it has conducted the Civil War Preservation Ball in the rotunda of the Pennsylvania Capitol Building in Harrisburg, Pa., and raised over $45,000 for the Gettysburg Monuments Endowment Trust Fund. Since 2005, the National Civil War Ball on Remembrance Day in Gettysburg, Pa., has raised another $25,000 for Gettysburg National Military Park.
Keener-Farley said, “Musicians are often partners in our preservation efforts and we could not conduct fundraising balls and demonstrations without the excellent music and dedication of musicians such as the Philadelphia Brigade Band and the Susquehanna Travellers.”
The Civil War Trust, formerly the Civil War Preservation Trust, is the nation’s foremost Civil War preservation organization, with over 55,000 members. The Civil War Trust has worked to save and preserve more than 30,000 acres of battlefield land at 110 battlefields in 20 different states.
CWDF President Annette Keener-Farley
is congratulated by Ed Bearss at the
Civil War Trust’s Annual Conference in
Chantilly, Virginia. Always a good sport
in the cause of preservation,
Ed has danced
with the Victorian Dance Ensemble during an
audience participation dance at the Landon
House, site of General J.E.B. Stuart’s
“Sabers and Roses Ball” in 1862.
The Victorian Dance
Ensemble had previously received awards from:
Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor Citation for promoting history and culture
Pennsylvania House of Representatives Citation for supporting historic
preservation
Harpers Ferry National Historic Site Volunteer Award
Camp Curtin Historical Society Award of Merit
2011 PRESERVATION & EDUCATION DONATIONS
The Civil War Dance Foundation and its performing troupe, the Victorian Dance Ensemble, is pleased to announce that in November 2011 it donated $4,000 to four organizations for Civil War preservation and education programs. Each year, our dancers select organizations and causes to help support preservation and education efforts. We are very pleased to make donations to these worthy organizations to help them preserve our history. We encourage everyone to support events that make a substantial donation to preservation.
With this year’s donations, the total has now reached over $35,000 since the group began making donations in 2001. For a complete list of our past donations, see http://www.civilwardance.org/history.htm. Additionally, the CWDF’s balls and dance demonstrations have helped other organizations raise over $125,000 for preservation and education.
$1,000
- The Civil War Trust, based in Washington, D.C., is the largest non-profit organization
devoted to the preservation of our nation's endangered Civil War
battlefields. It has saved over 30,000 acres in twenty states. The Trust
also promotes educational programs and heritage tourism initiatives to
inform the public of the war's history. In June, the CWT launched “Campaign
150: Our Time, Our Legacy” to preserve an additional 20,000 acres during
the sesquicentennial of the Civil War. Website
www.CivilWar.org.
$1,000 - The Central Virginia Battlefields Trust of
Fredericksburg, Virginia, is dedicated to preserving the battlefields of
Fredericksburg (right), Chancellorsville, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania and
Cold Harbor. In the last fifteen years, this organization has preserved
over 800 acres by outright purchase or easements. Website
www.cvbt.org.
$1,000 - The Lincoln Home National Historic Site in
Springfield, Illinois, was the residence of Abraham Lincoln and his family
from 1844 to 1861. It is maintained by the National Park Service as a
memorial to the 16th President. Website
http://www.nps.gov/liho/index.htm.
$1,000 - The National Museum of Civil War Medicine in
Frederick, Maryland, is a center for the preservation and research of the
legacy of Civil War medical innovation. It also operates the Pry House
Field Hospital (right) on the Antietam Battlefield. Website
http://www.civilwarmed.org/.
The Second
Annual
Sesquicentennial Soiree
The George
Washington Ball
A Benefit for the Old Court House Civil War Museum, Winchester, Virginia
The
Victorian Dance Ensemble returned to Winchester, Virginia, on February 25,
2012, for the Second Annual George Washington Ball. The event honored the
Father of Our Country, who was revered by both the North and the South
during the Civil War. The ball benefited the Winchester Old Court House
Civil War Museum and was supported by Lee’s Lieutenants and the Federal
Generals Corps. As a result of their participation, we had numerous guests
in blue and gray. The opposing generals and their ladies danced together
for the worthy cause of preservation. We were even graced with the
attendance of Queen Victoria (Joy Melcher), who danced with several rustic
Americans, including the VDE’s own John Kesler (right). Like last year, the
event was sold out, with over 120 guests crowding in the beautiful ballroom
of the George Washington Hotel but no one seemed to mind and smiles and
laughter abounded throughout the evening. The 2nd South Carolina String
Band (lower left), with some guest musicians from the Home Front band,
provided the music while our VDE members served as floor managers.
Click thumbnail to see larger picture
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2011 National Civil War Ball
The Official Ball of Remembrance Day
Over
three hundred and fifty guests danced the night away at the 18th Annual
National Civil War Ball, the official ball of Remembrance Day, in Gettysburg
on November 19, 2011. Sponsored by the Sons of Union Veterans, the event raised
over $4,000 for preservation and maintenance at the Gettysburg National
Military Park. The ball is the oldest, biggest and best dance on Remembrance
Day. Its primary purpose is to have fun with friends, but it has also become
a major Civil War preservation fundraiser. While other balls on Saturday evening
just put money into promoters’ pockets, this ball has raised more than
$64,000 for the Park.
The Philadelphia Brigade Band, under the direction of Richard Cummines, provided the music ranging from lively reels to romantic waltzes. The Victorian Dance Ensemble demonstrated and taught the dances throughout the evening and assisted any couples having difficulties. Larry Keener-Farley served as dance master, assisted by Rebecca Kesler and Jeffrey Trace.
Guests literally came from around the country to attend the ball. Members of Civil War hereditary groups, both Union and Confederate, military and civilian reenactors as well as supporters of Civil War preservation joined in the festivities. (Photo above, right to left) SUV Commander-in-Chief Donald Palmer and his wife, Kimberly, led the Grand March. They was joined by Anne Jaster, National President of the Auxiliary of the SUV, accompanied by David Sosnowski; they were followed by Ron Teague (Maj. Gen. John Reynolds) with the Federal Generals Corps, Rosie Thoburn (Capt. Sally Tompkins) with Lee’s Lieutenants, Chris Godart (Lt. Gen. Richard Ewell) with Lee’s Lieutenants, and Denise Winter with the Dixie Rose Relief Society. This year’s ball also attracted a large number of new younger dancers, which bodes well not only for this special event but also for reenacting in general.
This year's ball will be on November 17, 2012.
Plan to attend and join us in dancing for preservation!
PLEASE
NOTE
There is a new contact for tickets for the ball:
To purchase tickets, make check out to “SVR Remembrance Day Ball” and mail
to:
Brig. Gen. Henry E. Shaw, Jr., 27 Griswold Street, Delaware, OH
43015-1716.
Telephone: 740-369-3722. Email:
hshaw@columbus.rr.com.
Include your email and send a self-addressed and stamped envelope with your
ticket order.
Click thumbnail to see ball flyer
2011 Civil War Lady Ball
The Gettysburg Hotel was filled with music and smiles as the VDE led the dancing at the Civil War Lady Ball on Friday, November 18, 2011, the day before Remembrance Day. The beautiful sounds of the Philadelphia Brigade Band (below right) echoed in the halls and under the leadership of our Dance Master for the evening, Jeff Trace (below left), the dancers whirled and twirled about the dance floor under the watchful eyes of our floor managers. Our friendly and experienced floor managers guided our guests through all the moves and made a favorable impression on all at the ball. Many dancers said it was the best ball they had ever attended and particularly mentioned that the floor managers were knowledgeable and gracious. A wonderful time was had by all. During the evening, Heather & Raquelle Sheen of the South Carolina "Joyful Harps" (below center) serenaded the ball attendees with their heavenly tunes.
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This year's ball will be on November 16, 2012.
Civil War Trust Launches Major Preservation Effort
To mark the sesquicentennial anniversary of the American Civil War and create a lasting legacy of that commemoration, the Civil War Trust announced an ambitious national campaign that will permanently protect 20,000 acres of battlefield land over the next five years. The Trust, which has already protected more than 30,000 acres in 20 states, recognizes that the war’s 150th anniversary offers an unprecedented opportunity to encourage public support for a large-scale preservation initiative.
Campaign 150: Our Time, Our Legacy kicked
off on June 30, with an event held at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at
Gettysburg, a key landmark of the Civil War’s bloodiest battle, which
occurred 148 years ago. The project was announced by Civil War Trust
chairman Henry Simpson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Battle Cry of
Freedom James McPherson and the organization’s newest Trustee, country
music superstar Trace Adkins. Members of the Civil War Dance Foundation,
the CWT’s Reenactment Unit of the Year, attended the press conference to
show their support of this important preservation project.
For more information, visit
www.civilwar.org.
Larry Keener-Farley, GNMP Supt. Bob Kirby, Annette Keener-Farley, Trace
Adkins,
Dianne Witmer, CWT Chmn. Henry Simpson, and Jeff Witmer.
2011 Manassas 150th Anniversary Commemoration
Hot . . . Hotter . . . Hottest! We have all been to hot events but the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of First Manassas had to be the warmest in quite some time. Temperatures were in the 100s and the heat index even higher. The Civil War Dance Foundation participated in the Historic Manassas commemoration that was held throughout the town at various historic sites and museums.
During
the day on Thursday, Friday and Saturday we held dance classes in a nice air
conditioned school gym (below right) near the Civil War encampment and
sutler area. Reenactors and spectators joined us for some basic instruction
in 19th century dancing or maybe it was just to get into a cool place. We
had great fun as many children tried the dancing and everyone seemed to
enjoy helping the little ones through the formations.
In the evenings, we shifted over to the Loy E. Harris Pavilion in the center of Manassas. The Olde Towne Brass (below left) and the Camptown Shakers provided excellent live music for our dance instruction and demonstrations on Thursday and Friday. On Saturday evening, we conducted the first part of the Blue and Gray Ball, a fundraiser for the historic sites in Manassas. Again, the Olde Towne Brass played. Our good friend, Patrick Gorman (Gen. John Bell Hood in Gettysburg and Gods and Generals) served as the master of ceremonies. He had danced with us several times at Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation balls so he was familiar with our dances. Patrick graciously led the Grand March with our own Ana Strickland (above in white dress) and later danced with numerous ladies during the German Waltz. (Photo above by Jeanine Lindberg)
Click thumbnail to see larger picture.
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2011 Ken Burns’
American Journeys Civil War Tour
Three hundred guests came to Washington, D.C., from around the country to join in Ken Burns’ first American Journeys Civil War Tour conducted by Tauck Tours. Beginning on May 22, the five day event featured in-depth, small-group sightseeing programs and private evening gala events.
Tours during the day included the Lincoln’s Cottage, Ford’s Theatre, Arlington House, Library of Congress, Frederick Douglass House, African American Civil War Memorial & Museum, and the Manassas Battlefield.
The opening welcome event featured a lecture by noted Civil War historian and Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer at the National Building Museum. Formerly the Pension Office Building, designed by Civil War Quartermaster General Montgomery Meigs, the huge space has been the site of several Presidential Inaugural Balls. Fittingly, the Victorian Dance Ensemble and Federal City Brass Band provided the entertainment in that spectacular historic setting (above).
Later in the week, Ken Burns spoke at the National
Archives and the 2nd South Carolina String Band entertained at the closing
reception at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait
Gallery, site of President Lincoln’s second inaugural ball.
Plans are already being made by Tauck Tours to conduct
the tour again next year.
Click
thumbnail to see larger picture.
Special thanks to Brian
Stacey for some of the pictures.
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VDE dancers entertaining |
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This tour will be repeated on in May and October 2012.
For more information, visit:
http://www.tauck.com/tours/usa-tours/southern-usa-travel/ken-burns-civil-war-kv-2012.aspx
Abraham Lincoln: Music and Dance of His Time
On February
4, 2011, and February 12, 2012,
we had the honor of performing in
“Abraham Lincoln: Music and Dance of
His Time”
The 2011 performance was at the Majestic Theater in
Gettysburg, Pa.
The 2012 performance was at Frederick Community College in Frederick, Md.
The next performance is scheduled for September 2013 in
Gettysburg, Pa.
The first part of the program included music by the Spires Brass Band and a selection of songs by Roosevelt Credit (2011 performance), Robert Cantrell (2012 performance), Jeff Fahnestock and Kathleen Sasnett, accompanied by Scott Crowne on the piano. Then the Victorian Dance Ensemble paraded onto the stage and demonstrated dances of the period to the music of the Susquehanna Travellers. Jeff Fahnestock kindly narrated our program while Larry Keener-Farley and Jeff Trace called the dances. During our time in the spotlight, we demonstrated Soldier’s Joy, Money Musk Reel, Lancer’s Quadrille, Spanish Waltz, Tempest and German Waltz. After the intermission, we returned for a performance of “For the People” under the direction of composer Dr. John William “Buzz” Jones (see below). For these presentation, James Getty narrated as President Abraham Lincoln. During the “President’s Ball” movement of the piece, we performed the Lincoln Quadrille.
Videos of our 2011 performance have been posted on YouTube:
Civil War Dance, Part I – Soldier’s Joy, Money Musk
Reel, Lancer’s Quadrille
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSt4MjsgTq4
Civil War Dance, Part II – Spanish Waltz, Tempest,
German Waltz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78c9cUzSPP0
Civil War Dance, Part III – “For the People” oratorio,
Lincoln Quadrille
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOo38GBNA68
LINCOLN ORATORIO
“For the People,” a new oratorio, premiered at the Majestic Theater in Gettysburg as part of the Gettysburg Address Dedication Day events on November 19, 2009.
VDE dancers performing the Lincoln Quadrille
on the stage of the Majestic Theatre
Photo courtesy of Gettysburg College
To
see a video of the dancing, click on http://www.buzzjones.net/audio.htm
and click on "President's Ball"
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZ-ro1Tm-XQ
and go to 39:20 mark
The
oratorio was commissioned by the Pennsylvania Lincoln Bicentennial
Commission and was composed by Dr. John William Jones, Professor at the
Sunderman Conservatory of Music at Gettysburg College. The musical tribute
to Abraham Lincoln featured guest narrator Stephen Lang, who has become
known for work both on stage and in films, including the movies
Gettysburg, Gods and Generals, and the recently released
Avatar.
Oratorio composer
Dr John Jones (left) and narrator Stephen Lang (right)
with ladies of the Ensemble
Kathleen Sasnett, soprano, Jeffrey Fahnestock, tenor, and Roosevelt Credit,
bass-baritone, performed the arias and recitative pieces of the oratorio.
Music was provided by the Spires Brass Band and the Sunderman Conservatory
Woodwind Octet. The
Victorian Dance Ensemble, the performing troupe of the Civil War Dance
Foundation, performed the “Lincoln Quadrille” for the President’s Ball
movement of the piece.
The Oratorio has been combined with other music and dance to create the program "Abraham Lincoln: Music and Dance of His Time" which was performed in 2011 and 2012, with another performance scheduled for 2013.
Following the oratorio, Jeff Shaara presented the award for the best fiction Civil War book of the year to Nick Taylor for his novel, The Disagreement. The evening concluded with the 48th Annual Robert Fortenbaugh Memorial Lecture by Michael Burlingame speaking on "Abraham Lincoln: New Information, Fresh Perspectives."
For other pictures of Dedication Day see http://www.palincoln.org/photo-gallery/
The Civil War Dance Foundation is a
Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation, recognized by the
U.S. Internal Revenue
Service as a Section 501(c)(3) not for profit charity.
The Foundation is also registered with the Pennsylvania Department of State,
Bureau of Charitable Organizations.
All contributions to the Foundation are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
The organization's exempt purpose is to promote and advance educational, cultural, preservation, commemoration and performing arts programs related to the Civil War and Victorian eras.
Civil War Dance Foundation
2 Westminster Blvd.
Camp Hill, PA 17011
Telephone 717-732-5330
Email: CivilWarDance@verizon.net
Last updated May 22, 2012
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Civil War Dance Foundation © 2010 | All Rights Reserved Web Design By: EKDesigns.com |
We
just returned from performing for the opening night of Ken Burns’ American
Journeys Civil War Tour conducted by Tauck Tours at National Building Museum
in Washington. Our dance demonstration followed Harold Holzer’s
presentation on Abraham Lincoln. Music was provided by the Federal City
Brass Band. This museum was originally the Pension Office that was built
after the Civil War by Gen. Montgomery Meigs. Dominated by 75 foot tall
Corinthian columns, it is one of the most impressive public spaces in our
nation’s capital. We concluded our demonstration with two audience
participation dances that were well-received by the guests, who eagerly
joined in the dancing. The evening closed with the band playing Tenting
Tonight and Bandmaster Jari Villanueva explaining the history of Taps
and playing those haunting 24 notes.
