JOIN ALLONS DANSER
Current Allons Danser Committee
Peter Schiano, treasurer
Terry Spross, booking, marketing and publicity
Lisa Wildman, volunteer coordinator and dance instructor
Kathy Gallagher, logistics
Terry Spross is the webmaster of AllonsDanser.org
Allons Danser Committee, as of 2023
Terry Spross, bookings & publicity
Peter Schiano, treasurer
Kathy Gallagher, logistics and special projects
Lisa Wildman
Howard Carson & Terry Spross are webmasters of AllonsDanser.org
About Allons Danser
2013
Our goal for 2013 was to reach at least 150 members. Tax deductible membership starts at $25 to be a voting member of Allons Danser. Please join by mailing in the Allons Danser Membership/Donation Form or by joining at the front desk at a dance.
The committee and our many other volunteers continue to work hard to put on frequent events where the community can come together, dance to great music, and support the bands who travel to make it possible. We want to be able to call an event like the terrific recent Andre Thierry gig a success when the band and dancers have a great time, even if the gate receipts don’t cover all the costs. Please support Allons Danser through membership, and most especially by joining us at the dances.
2012
The new organization grew out of a gathering of 29 dancers who attended a community meeting at the TK Club on June 14, 2012. The group selected a committee to organize the transition to being volunteer-run. Ginny and Fran, who retired from the operation of dances, although not from their love of Louisiana music and dancing, pledged to work with the team so there would be continuity in booking bands and hosting dances.
In 2012, Allons Danser made the transition to become a committee of the non-profit Philadelphia Area Traditional Music and Dance (PATMAD). At that time, we asked for membership contributions to establish a reserve (which PATMAD required). Over 100 members responded with generous donations, providing a secure base to guarantee we could honor our obligations even if we had poor attendance for some dances.
The committee pledged to translate this support into courage to book the best bands we could, and to strive to dance more often. We’ve enjoyed a great year of dancing, with more frequent events, without raising ticket prices. Dancers from other towns frequently remark that Philly is lucky to have a strong Cajun/Zydeco community. If you feel like a part of that community, please support it through membership.
To accept Allons Danser, PATMAD required us to maintain a contingency fund of at least $4,000 to cover known expenses (insurance, equipment rental) as well as any unexpected expenses. Through generous support of those who enjoy this style of music and dancing, we created this fund. So many dancers became members that the goal was reached easily, establishing a strong foundation for the future of Cajun, Creole and Zydeco music in the Delaware Valley!
How did Allons Danser get started?
Kathleen Pearle and John Cameron, fans of Louisiana music who moved from that state to Pennsylvania, started organizing Cajun and Zydeco dances in the Philadelphia area in 1989. For many years the group whose efforts made Allons Danser happen included Kathleen, Donna Stasiorowski, Ginny Disque, and Fran Berbette. More recently, Ginny and Fran took the lead in organizing. Effective Sept. 11, 2012, they retired from Allons Danser as the organization became part of PATMAD (Philadelphia Area Traditional Music and Dance), a member-operated, non-profit group that supports and promotes music and dancing in our area.