Gearing Up for Great Northeastern War

The DisSonatas' major gig of the summer is the New Moon Balle, a dance held as part of a major Society for Creative Anachronism gathering in Hebron, Maine.

The gathering is called Great Northeastern War, and is in its twenty-first year. The host group is the Province of Malagentia, which is the SCA's name for southern Maine, where the DisSonatas live and perform.

Normally, there's a declaration of "war" between Malagentia and some other province or barony, usually Stonemarche (New Hampshire). The two have long been in mock contention over a few towns on the border, which are called "Giggleswick." This year it's not quite clear who's fighting whom yet, but I'm sure Malagentia will battle somebody.

Anyway, most of the DisSonatas are fans of other challenging sports, such as Renaissance dance. Our repertoire includes a great deal of dance music and we hold monthly dance practices when anyone can come and learn period dances. At the New Moon Balle, we do not teach the dances, but just play them, as musicians did when these dances were part of the world "everyone" knew -- just as "everyone" today knows who Tony Soprano is, or the words to "Oops! I Did It Again." (No, that's not Britney Spears' version, it's a wonderful recording by Richard Thompson, who called the song almost "medieval" in its structure and went on to prove it.)

We'd love to see you at War -- and if you haven't danced with us before, there's a class before the Balle to get you started! If this is your first SCA event, read the Web site thoroughly and be prepared to make some attempt at pre-17th-century garb. I also suggest not wearing anything too heavy, as Hebron in July can be HOT!

This next part is legend -- if anyone knows of a scholarly source for it, I'll be happy to cite it. Malagentia's name allegedly comes from the French explorer Samuel de Champlain who, writing in Latin, described the natives of what is now Maine as mala gentes ("bad people"). Apparently, they greeted his exploration party by going down to the beaches and mooning him.

In recognition of this semi-historical event, the provincial flag depicts a full moon on a purple background. (Or, to give its proper heraldic description: "Purpure, a moon in her complement within a laurel wreath argent.")