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The Eastern Echo Monday, July 28, 2025 | Print Archive
The Eastern Echo

Ball to be held at the Red Barn

Christ the King Church will partner with Ann Arbor Community of Traditional Music and Dance to host an English Country Ball Nov. 16 at 7 p.m.

Held in the “Red Barn” hall on the Domino Farms complex in northeast Ann Arbor, the biannual event draws in hundreds of people of varying ages (though the average is between 16-18 years). Light refreshments such as punch, cookies and veggies will be served throughout the evening, and the cost is $4 for students and $6 for adults.

English country is a unique genre of dancing. It shares similarities to square dancing, ballroom dancing and line dancing, with most of the dances dating back to the 1700s. Even with the historical background, the dances are anything but stuffy, going back and forth from fast-paced energetic to elegant and leisurely.

All of the steps are walked-through beforehand and called out during the dances, so even with no experience, dancers can learn and follow along. Partners are a good idea, but not necessary, as the dances are as much about socializing and meeting people as they are about dancing.

The ball’s real showstopper is the music, which is played live by the AACTMAD musicians who are highly skilled in fiddle, mandolin and other traditional instruments. While they primarily play the English folk songs accompanying the dances, they also play lively swing and waltz tunes at the end of the evening. Even if you don’t want to dance, it’s of great value to just listen to the music.

Finally, it is a ball, with all the old-fashioned finery the name implies. Despite the word “country” being in the name, this is not American/western country—this is “Ye Olde England” country, so think elegance with a touch of whimsy.

While the crowd is not typically extremely formal, evening wear (long gowns, party dresses, suit jackets and ties) is the standard, with some people even wearing “Pride and Prejudice” style dresses.
The crowd is well mixed, so regardless of what you wear, there will likely be someone dressed similar to you. This is a fun opportunity to wear gloves, costume jewelry, vests or even boots with your fancy attire.