Contributors to The Letter of Dance

The following paragraphs are mini-biographies of some of the contributors to the Letter of Dance. Note that not all contributors sent biographies. Also, some of these may well be obsolete.

Bjálfi Thórdharson was born in Norway in the early 11th century. After several misadventures, he is now keeping a household on Iceland. David Greenebaum was born in the mid-to-late 20th century. After several misadventures, he is now studying Scandanavian languages and literature in California.

Ellisif Flakkari (Debatable Lands, East Kingdom) is a tenth century Viking who discovered dancing in her travels. She is a dancer and a musician; her instrument is the hammer dulcimer. Monica Cellio (7634 Westmoreland Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217; cellio@pobox.com) is a programmer at Carnegie Mellon University.

Geoffrey Matthias is a 15th Century Englishman currently residing in Italy. Matt Larsen is a computer programmer living in California. An abiding interest in the dance unites the two.

James October is a researcher for the Institute for Trans-Temporal Studies, currently doing his doctor's thesis on the proto-culture of late 20th century America, with a particular focus on the dance of the era. Mark Waks simply has a perverse sense of humor.

Joshua ibn-Eleazar ha-Shalib is a Jewish cook and minstrel attached to a noble house in the city of Qurtaba, capitol of the land of al-Andalus. Stephen Bloch is a grad student in math and computer science at UCSD.

Justin du Coeur makes his living as a publisher and bookseller, and his pocket change by tutoring dancers around the Barony of Carolingia and hiring himself out as a roving dancemaster. In his spare time, he is an autocrat, musician, cook, loudmouth philosopher, or whatever else strikes his fancy at the moment. Mark Waks is the founding publisher of The Letter of Dance, and tries to find the occasional moment for his profession as a keyboard-jock.

Rosanore of Redthorn (OL, OW, ODH, OPF) is a regent of the Royal University of the Midrealm, a former local seneschal and deputy Kingdom MoA (one never seems quite able to ever leave the seneschallate...) She is a dance mistress, musician, lexicographer, storyteller, and sometime autocrat. Susan G. Henry (258 S. Griggs, St. Paul MN 55105) is a librarian.

Shaul ben Yisrawael of Poznan', called Shoiel (AoA; Magister of the Meridies Kingdom Dance Guild Saltare (2 years); Founding Member and Principal of the Stargate Dance Guild and Mid-Summer's Knight Dancers, Anstaeorra (4 1/2 years); Former Stargate Arts and Sciences Officer; Herald of the Barony of Axemoor, Meridies) is a Polish Jew who is presently working for his Uncle Shmoiel (Samuel), who occasionally sends him on sea voyages to buy merchandise for his business. Steve Faber is a geophysicist working for the Navy (Uncle Sam).

Master Trahaearn ap Ieuan and Mistress Janelyn of Fenmere currently serve the Crown of An Tir as Baron and Baroness of Madrone, and try to squeeze in time for dancing amidst their numerous other responsibilities. Peter Durham is a software design engineer for Microsoft Corporation, and is currently working on e-mail applications. Janelle Durham has a master's degree in social work, which she is currently applying to one full-time client - their two-year-old daughter.

Mistress Rosina del Bosco Chiaro is a 15th-century Italian woman who is heartbroken that Messer Domenico da Piacanza is already married. In the meantime, she teaches dance in various cantons in Ealdormere. She invariably gets too many men, thus finding these two dances to be very useful. Vivian Stephens tortures software for a living and celtic musicians for fun.

Monna Fiammetta di Antonio di Donato Adimari lives in late fifteenth century Florence, and can't believe that anyone she knows wouldn't be able to dance Domenico's balli. Jessica Polito (polito@math.berkeley.edu), a graduate student in math at U. C. Berkeley, wishes this were the case, and is thus spreading these dances as far as she can. They both (along with her husband) teach a bi-weekly dance class in the West Kingdom, and teach at many events.

Delbert von Straßburg is a Swabian man-at-arms turned merchant, of many travels, including visits to the courts of Burgundy and Italy for dance lessons. D Elson (Del) works with computers in the defense industry.

Miklos Sandorfia is a Magyar educated in Paris in the late 12th century. Don't ask me why he's doing 16th century dances. Andrew Draskoy is a systems manager whose hobbies include music, acting, dancing, sailing schooners, and not sleeping. Email: andrew@bransle.ucs.mun.ca.

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