From the Mic

Episode 8 - Chris Ricciotti

Episode Summary

We’re back with an interview with none other than the “Queen Mum” of gender-free contra dancing, Chris Ricciotti! Chris has a long resume as a dancer, dance teacher, caller, and organizer and he’s been one of the pillars of the gender-free dance community. In 1987, he started what would eventually become a network of contra, square, English and folk dances for the gay, lesbian, bi, and trans community around New England and the US. Chris still teaches contra and square dancing, English, Scottish country dancing, Scandanavian turning couple dances, International Folk dances and vintage couple and set dances from the 1860s through the 1920's. He also plays melodeon for contra and English dances as well as morris dancing!

Episode Notes

See the From the Mic website for great bonus content, including pictures and audio, transcripts, and more. Click here to download the transcript directly.

And the Country Dance and Song Society for information about Contra and English country dance across the continent.

Sound bites featured in this episode (in order of appearance):

• Chris calling at the 2008 San Francisco Bay Queer Contra Dance Camp with music by the band Bag ‘o Tricks.
• Chris calling the dance Dance All Night by Rick Mohr at the Concord Scout House in 2008 with music by the band Apple Crisp.
• Chris calling the dance Butterfly Kiss by Bob Isaacs at the 2012 NEFFA festival with music by the band Jet Stream.
• Chris calling the dance Joel's in the Kitchen by Sue Rosen at the 2011 Lavender Country Folk Dancers Dance Camp to the music of Lady Gaga.

More about Chris

• So much! Chris has pretty much written a book on Gender-Free Dancing. You can also read his history of the JP Contra Dance here.
• In 2018 the Harvard Crimson picked up a great story about the Boston Gender-Free Contra Dancers
• Did you know Chris was nominated as a "Local Hero" during the CDSS Centennial celebration?
• Chris has been deeply involved with the Lavender Country and Folk Dancers (LCFD) over the years
  • In 202 he gave an online talk sharing the history of the organization as part of "Out of the Archives," a history project documenting LGBTQ Boston.
• Can you hear me now? Did you hear that Chris started a telephone museum in Rockland, MA? Read all about it!
• There are a lot of fun archival dance videos on Chris's YouTube channel