Having fun for three people at Crystal Ball
So, Heinrich and gflower told me to have fun at the SCA event they couldn't attend with me this past weekend, so I set out to have enough fun for three.
I was saved from making the trip all by my lonesome by two folks from the shire, Giovanni and Petrona, who took me along with them. We arrived extra early on Friday to help with setting up. The available volunteers were numerous and the tasks to be done were not, so after moving a few tables, unpacking a car and hanging some signs, we left for dinner and took our time about it. Especially since we met up with Francesca (also from Baile na Scolairi) at our table, who's always up for a chat.
I didn't stay with this crew at the hotel. My plans were to crash at the event site, which means setting up a sleeping bag in a classroom of the school. Ran into Thea (my former dance teacher in Jararvellir) and we had a grand old time catching up as we sewed and knitted until bedtime.
I've been to one other Crystal Ball before, and this year's version had all kinds of stuff I remembered fondly from the last one: site volunteers and band musicians were treated to free admission, the musicians were fed first both at feast and the dessert revel, laughing our way through dance classes, ladies stacked up two deep at the mirrors in the changing area fixing themselves up in some of the prettiest garb I get to see all year, children learning the steps on the dance floor, the spectacle of 25 or more sets on dancers for some of the popular dances, flirtatious looks with dance partners, elation while listening to the cheers from the dancers at the end of the band's third set, jokes with the mistresses of the ball and band. Satiated musicians are enthusiastic musicians when it comes to playing for three or four hours at the ball. It's just darned nice of the hosting barony to feed us well, and it makes me think kindly of them.
New bits at this year's ball that were outrageously fun or otherwise brought joy to my heart:
1. catching up with Christian/Orlando, which is a little novel because we used to see each other often enough that the catching up covered less of a time lapse between meetings. It's always a joy to visit w/him and play music w/him (and whatever impromptu group he's pulled together for jamming), and this time we danced one song instead of only playing in the band at the ball.
2. Caroso Ball -- if there was one last time I attended Crystal Ball, I missed it. I'm glad I didn't sit this one out. Had a blast dancing w/partners from the dance classes I took and w/new folks I just met. One of the gentlemen from the Caroso ball asked me to leave the band stage to dance the same song again during the night ball -- very flattering. Also, gossiping and doing handcrafts on the sidelines while not dancing was a nice way to meet new ladies.
3. new musical instruments!! A musician named Aaron who wanted to spend more time playing his cittern let me play his big marching drum for most of the ball and it rocked the house. It was LOUD and really got people's attention. I was happy about the compliments to my playing that poured in, but it was almost embarrassing to have all this attention for borrowed coolness. Besides, the owner of the drum actually played it more skillfully than I did. I just played it for more songs. Also, portative organ! Now that I've heard one in person, I am dreaming about owning one more than ever!
See this link for a photo of one and sound file (also features bass krummhorn and recorder): http://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/organeto.htm
4. on the road with Giovanni and Petrona -- good company for traveling to an event and back. Conversation bubbled and the mood was very upbeat.
I stayed up and danced into the middle of the fifth set of the ball, which translates to about 3 or 3:30 a.m. I woke up at 8:45 the next morning and the first thing I comprehended seeing as I stumbled down the hall to the bathroom was Thea skipping down the hall, greeting the Baron of Shattered Crystal with a cheery, "Good morning, Your Excellency!" I remarked to Thea that her bounciness this early in the morning was really distressing, then it dawned on me that she probably was STILL bouncing from all night and hadn't slept at all. I asked her if it was true and she said, "We set a new record! We danced all the way till 8:30 when the custodial crew asked us to leave so they could clean the hall!" That was only 15 minutes before I saw her. And I think the "we" she referred to included at least three other people.
Uffda.
Lest one think I had so much fun that I failed to miss the company of my favorite dance partner and my friend, I was thinking of you both, Heinrich and gflower, at many points throughout the event. Twas the perfect occasion for a "wish you were here" postcard.
I was saved from making the trip all by my lonesome by two folks from the shire, Giovanni and Petrona, who took me along with them. We arrived extra early on Friday to help with setting up. The available volunteers were numerous and the tasks to be done were not, so after moving a few tables, unpacking a car and hanging some signs, we left for dinner and took our time about it. Especially since we met up with Francesca (also from Baile na Scolairi) at our table, who's always up for a chat.
I didn't stay with this crew at the hotel. My plans were to crash at the event site, which means setting up a sleeping bag in a classroom of the school. Ran into Thea (my former dance teacher in Jararvellir) and we had a grand old time catching up as we sewed and knitted until bedtime.
I've been to one other Crystal Ball before, and this year's version had all kinds of stuff I remembered fondly from the last one: site volunteers and band musicians were treated to free admission, the musicians were fed first both at feast and the dessert revel, laughing our way through dance classes, ladies stacked up two deep at the mirrors in the changing area fixing themselves up in some of the prettiest garb I get to see all year, children learning the steps on the dance floor, the spectacle of 25 or more sets on dancers for some of the popular dances, flirtatious looks with dance partners, elation while listening to the cheers from the dancers at the end of the band's third set, jokes with the mistresses of the ball and band. Satiated musicians are enthusiastic musicians when it comes to playing for three or four hours at the ball. It's just darned nice of the hosting barony to feed us well, and it makes me think kindly of them.
New bits at this year's ball that were outrageously fun or otherwise brought joy to my heart:
1. catching up with Christian/Orlando, which is a little novel because we used to see each other often enough that the catching up covered less of a time lapse between meetings. It's always a joy to visit w/him and play music w/him (and whatever impromptu group he's pulled together for jamming), and this time we danced one song instead of only playing in the band at the ball.
2. Caroso Ball -- if there was one last time I attended Crystal Ball, I missed it. I'm glad I didn't sit this one out. Had a blast dancing w/partners from the dance classes I took and w/new folks I just met. One of the gentlemen from the Caroso ball asked me to leave the band stage to dance the same song again during the night ball -- very flattering. Also, gossiping and doing handcrafts on the sidelines while not dancing was a nice way to meet new ladies.
3. new musical instruments!! A musician named Aaron who wanted to spend more time playing his cittern let me play his big marching drum for most of the ball and it rocked the house. It was LOUD and really got people's attention. I was happy about the compliments to my playing that poured in, but it was almost embarrassing to have all this attention for borrowed coolness. Besides, the owner of the drum actually played it more skillfully than I did. I just played it for more songs. Also, portative organ! Now that I've heard one in person, I am dreaming about owning one more than ever!
See this link for a photo of one and sound file (also features bass krummhorn and recorder): http://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/organeto.htm
4. on the road with Giovanni and Petrona -- good company for traveling to an event and back. Conversation bubbled and the mood was very upbeat.
I stayed up and danced into the middle of the fifth set of the ball, which translates to about 3 or 3:30 a.m. I woke up at 8:45 the next morning and the first thing I comprehended seeing as I stumbled down the hall to the bathroom was Thea skipping down the hall, greeting the Baron of Shattered Crystal with a cheery, "Good morning, Your Excellency!" I remarked to Thea that her bounciness this early in the morning was really distressing, then it dawned on me that she probably was STILL bouncing from all night and hadn't slept at all. I asked her if it was true and she said, "We set a new record! We danced all the way till 8:30 when the custodial crew asked us to leave so they could clean the hall!" That was only 15 minutes before I saw her. And I think the "we" she referred to included at least three other people.
Uffda.
Lest one think I had so much fun that I failed to miss the company of my favorite dance partner and my friend, I was thinking of you both, Heinrich and gflower, at many points throughout the event. Twas the perfect occasion for a "wish you were here" postcard.