Old Time Square Dance
Central Virginia
Photo Courtesy of Artist
Get moving with a Virginian caller, musicians, and dancers, and find other local lovers of square dancing. This special double set — featuring picking by Take Two and dance calling by Hannah Johnson — is presented by the Virginia Folklore Society and RVA Squares. Bring your dancin' shoes!
Take Two is a mandolin-driven old time string band from around Charlottesville, Virginia. Growing up playing together and drawing from the complex musical stylings of the legendary group Mando Mafia, the band inherited old time music through the oral tradition of parents, grandparents, and the wider community of Central Virginia's string band musicians. Throughout the 2010s they regularly played the late-night dance at the Rockbridge Mountain Music and Dance festival in Buena Vista, Virginia, and won first place in the neo-traditional band competition at the Appalachian String Band Festival in Clifftop, West Virginia in 2018. Band members include Ben Purdue (mandolin), Scott Friend (mandolin), Colby Pegg-Joplin (fiddle and mandolin), Ian Friend (guitar), and Ryan Marley Grant (bass).
Hannah Johnson is a farmer, musician, and square dance caller from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. She got interested in old time music as a teenager attending fiddlers' conventions in the region, and promptly took up the fiddle, banjo, and guitar, learning from local old timers and musicians near and far. Her passion for music and long time love of dancing led Hannah to start calling square dances. She attributes much of her calling style and repertoire of figures to a friendship and Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship with Ellen and Eugene Ratcliffe, from Monterey, VA, who grew up dancing and calling in the region and are still the driving force behind the local dance scene. Though she still lives in her same old home town and remains dedicated to her local traditions, Hannah has traveled the world playing in old time bands, swapping tunes, dances, and songs along the way.
The Virginia Folklore Society (VFS) is a membership organization for those interested in folklore in Virginia to connect, learn, create, and share their work. Visit virginiafolkloresociety.org to become a member, or explore VFS’ community events, curated online resources, and publication opportunities.
RVA Squares is an all-volunteer community group that builds connections through music, dance, and fellowship. We host a monthly, beginner-friendly square dance where participants can dance, play music, call, or teach. Find them on Instagram @rvasquaredance.
