Dance Party Referrals

A few Notes from People I Have Worked With ...

My wife has dreamed of holding a dance with family and friends for several years. We had attended folk dances over a decade ago but we're generally inexperienced, so we wanted to hire a caller to lead us (and our 50 friends) through some social dances that would be enjoyable and not too challenging.

After some internet research and a few phone calls, I stumbled upon Ridge Kennedy and I was beyond thrilled to have done so.

Ridge was genuine and trustworthy from the moment we first spoke. He explained that he has led many of these dances and gave me some options that supported my vision for the evening. I was completely put at ease knowing that my wife's big dance was in the hands of a professional.

Ridge was reliable, communicated clearly, arrived early, brought all of the equipment he needed, and left us with one of the greatest memories of a birthday well spent.

We couldn't have asked for a better evening and we couldn't have pulled it off without Ridge. I would highly recommend Ridge to anybody looking to hold a dance, and we look forward to booking with him again!

Jeff Bergeland
Philadelphia, PA

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Hi Ridge,

Just a few comments about last Saturday's event which you ran. Nothing but glowing reports from neighbors, including neighbors who couldn't make it but heard about the event from others who did.

I thought your choice of music was splendid, and very diverse. Being a former music teacher, I feel my opinion is worth something! The steps were easy to do and everyone had a great time!

All in all, a very entertaining afternoon.

I would not hesitate to recommend you to others, and I hope we can plan for another similar event next year!

Sincerely,

Nathan Kaplan
New York City

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It's always been on my bucket list to hold a Fezziwig Christmas party, and this year I was able to do that thanks in large part to Ridge Kennedy. After reaching out to a few dance callers that I found on the internet, it was clear that Ridge understood exactly what I was looking to accomplish. We wanted to dance in my garage as if it was Fezziwig's warehouse, and he helped make that happen. Ridge showed up promptly on time to set up his equipment, and when the dancing was ready to begin, he knew exactly how to read the crowd. The steps he called were simple enough for everyone to learn, and when he sensed the eagerness of the crowd, he made the dance slightly more challenging.

Everyone had a fantastic time, and we all ended the evening with some wonderful memories, and equally entertaining video clips. I'm looking forward to our next contra-dance party!

Chris

Chris Pye
Bedminster, NJ

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Dear Ridge,

I was just thinking of the wedding reception you helped us with last August, and I wanted to write and thank you again for all the help you gave us planning everything out. And I don't think I ever thanked you for the wonderful surprise of the books you sent! You are so kind, and really it was too much generosity. Honestly, you made the reception we had hoped for possible. You did an amazing job coordinating all the musicians and dances together. I really appreciate it.

I intended to save your address from the package to send you a "real" note, but I seem to have lost it. Nevertheless, if you ever need a recommendation from us, just ask. The dancing is a very happy memory for us.

Thanks again,

Sarah Murphy

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Ridge, you provided a wonderful evening of country dancing for all ages at our graduation celebration.

Through circle dances, promenades, line dances and 'peeling the banana' you had us changing partners and getting to know each other.

So much laughter and so much fun.

Very grateful,

Chris Marlow
Fiber Craft Studio
Chestnut Ridge, NY

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Our student council wanted to organize a family dance event but didn’t know where to start. Ridge was referred to us by a local contra dance club, and we were so blessed to have Ridge help us. The communication prior to the event was helpful. Ridge provided suggestions in terms of the type of dance, schedule, and tips on organizing a dance event.

On the day of the event, Ridge showed up early with his own sound system to set up. What a great relief that we didn’t have to hire another person to man the sound system and the equipment.

Ridge is knowledgeable of the contra dance, but he customized the music and varied different types of dances for our group which consists of parents, teenagers, and children. With one hundred attendees (which was a big surprise to us), Ridge was able to provide clear instructions to make people engage. Even my 13-year-old boy felt surprised that Ridge could handle a group of energetic but shy students. My son who was originally unwilling to dance also enjoyed some group dances that night.

It was a memorable night for the families, and Ridge’s music and dance were the most important elements of this success.

Chenwen

ChenwenBelle Huang
Newtown, PA

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Ridge organized the dancing and introduced the wedding party for our wedding last month. His creativity and flexibility ensured that our special day was a joyful and festive experience! Our guests were a diverse crowd: many different ages, with some enthusiastic dancers and some complete newbies. Ridge's inclusive ideas made sure that everyone could and did participate! After the wedding, several of our friends told us that ours was the most fun wedding they'd ever participated in. We're positive that Ridge's dance coordination was a major factor in that!

Peter & Alexandra Moody
Somerville, NJ