Emily Abel

Emily 'Rainbowface' Abel began her dance journey timidly in 2009 when a couple of friends dragged her out to River Falls Lodge, a rugged little dance hall in rural South Carolina. After a few hours of holding hands and making intense eye contact with complete strangers, who quickly became anonymous friends and companions on the dance floor, Emily was hooked, and continued to go dancing thereafter.    

Fast forward eight years or so - this shy kid who didn't know her right foot from her left has not only learned how to contra dance - she has learned how to teach other people how to contra dance, and to help them feel welcome and invited to participate in an age-old tradition of social dance.        

       
Emily's calling style is characterized by clear, direct instruction brightened by eager enthusiasm and tempered by patience. She strives to put together varied and interesting programs, changing them as needed to suit the experience level of the dancers and the creative musings of the band. Stylistically, she is well known for 'singing' her calls, matching the tone and rhythm of the tunes. She has called all over the Eastern and Midwestern United States, for dance weekends and for regular weekly/monthly dances, often attended by large numbers of inexperienced dancers.

       
She hopes to travel to even more places, to grow and learn more about how to proliferate the evolving tradition of social dance, and to make that tradition available as an enjoyable pastime to more and more dancers nationwide through calling. Calling will be the energetic and charismatic Emily Abel!