Festival Planning Committee

Meet our Festival Planning Committee! Each year, a volunteer committee of roughly 30 individuals works with Festival Managers to produce a welcoming event of traditional dance, music, instruction and entertainment for all ages.

Some positions involve organizing and supervising a volunteer crew before or during the festival, and others involve solo work to be completed before and/or during the festival weekend. The committee meets monthly from September to April (sometimes hybrid, sometimes only on zoom), and Planning Committee members receive free admission to the festival and lodging on site.

There are no current vacancies on the Planning Committee, but we welcome interest as positions do periodically open up. If you’re interested in learning more about committee work or joining in a future year, please contact flurryfestad@flurryfestival.org.

The 2024 Festival Planning Committee

Festival Staff:

Jonathan Greene, Program Curator
(5 years on the committee)
I hire presenters, put together the festival schedule as well as co-coordinate housing for all out-of-town performers and sound personnel.
programcurator@flurryfestival.org

Kathleen Crayne, Marketing Manager
(1st year on the committee)
My mission is to promote this beloved and longstanding festival by welcoming back annual attendees and introducing our diverse programming to new dancers and friends. I manage our social media campaigns, oversee Flurry Festival sponsorships, and coordinate with Street Teams to build relationships with other dance communities.
marketing@flurryfestival.org

Adam Goodman, Technical Manager
(around 13 years on the committee)
I hire sound pros and coordinate with the Program Curator to secure the needed venues. I coordinate and help with setup, and help troubleshoot issues during the festival.
flurryfesttd@flurryfestival.org

Noel Kropf, Acting Finance Manager
(2 years on the committee)
I lead the Finance Team AKA Cash Crew which handles seed cash, income and payments during the Festival, and bank deposits, accounting reconciliation, refunds and reimbursements afterwards. I help program the Zettle system for accepting credit cards and digital payments. I help develop the Festival budget. 
Finance@flurryfestival.org

Shira Love, Administrative Manager
(2nd year on the committee)
I manage the administrative aspects of running the festival, including coordination with venues, food vendors, insurance, and staff housing. I oversee the Planning Committee and coordinate meetings and communications among the managers and committee members. I also maintain the festival website and send informational emails to our mailing list.
flurryfestad@flurryfestival.org

Sue Mead, Administrative Assistant, Festival Information
(23 years on the committee)
As Festival Information, I answer phone/email questions throughout the year, from attendees and general public regarding a variety of things related to attending the Flurry. Aid committee staff and Managers where needed (help with database, schedule, performer applications, website, etc), and work closely with the Program Curator.
info@flurryfestival.org

Volunteer Planning Committee Members:

Advance Tickets

Jared Whalen, Advance Tickets
(4 years on the committee)
I coordinate and process advance ticket sales and wristband pickup at the festival, and am an all around transaction problem solver and festival greeter.
advancetickets@flurryfestival.org

Database Maintenance

Jim Mead, Online Database Manager
(20+ years on the committee)
I designed, programmed, and maintain the Flurry database and its related web site.

Festival & Performer Sales

Janet Palmer, Co-Chair Festival/Performer Sales
(26 year on the committee)
I oversee all facets of Festival Sales for the sale of performer and festival merchandise and pitch in where needed.
janet@flurryfestival.org

Mo Hart, Festival Sales Co-Chair
(9 years on the committee)
I manage the volunteers running the Festival Sales booth including programming the cash registers, training the clerks and sales assistants prior to festival, overseeing operations of the booth during the festival and addressing any problems that arise.

Ann Pearce, Fest. Sales Register/Inventory

Nancy Jenks, Sales Table Set-Up/Tear-Down
(7 years on the committee)
I set up the sales table, inventory Flurry merchandise for sale, and display all merchandise for sale. I put it away at night, bring it out in the morning, and inventory and pack it up for storage at the end.

Alice Smolinsky, Festival Sales Scheduler
(10 years on the committee)
I’m the point of contact for the volunteers and create the volunteer schedule.

Flooring

Tristen Wood, Crew Chief

Info Table & Snowflakes

Ceci Hayes, Info Table/Volunteer Check-In and Snowflake Scheduler
(7 years on the committee)
I organize the Info Table binders (Info, Volunteer Schedules, Snowflake Schedule), and update the list of “Where to eat within 5 block walk of the Flurry.”

Instrument Check

Emily O’Donnell, Crew Chief
(6 years on the committee)
Instrument Check is a coat check for instruments! Both Flurry performers and Flurry attendees alike can safely stash their instruments with us, so they can go forth to dance and enjoy the Flurry without worrying about their sweet baby instrument/s.
InstrumentCheck@flurryfestival.org

On-Site Tickets

Rich Futyma, On-Site Ticket Sales Co-Chair
(about 33 years on the committee)
Before the festival, I estimate the number of the wristband tickets needed and the colors to be used for the various sessions, and place an order for them. Along with my co-chair, Julia Pitkin-Shantz, I recruit volunteers for the on-site sales team, and create a schedule for them. We also share responsibility for instructing and supervising the team during the festival.
onsitetickets@flurryfestival.org

Julia Pitkin-Shantz, On-Site Ticket Sales Co-Chair

Performer Check-In

Christine Texiera, Crew Chief
(Second year on the committee)
I run lead for the performer check-in table.

Performer Hospitality

Annie Haller
(about 20 years on the committee)
I arrange for the housing of traveling performers and sound professionals in lodging donated by the industry and in the homes of local residents; coordinate with Discover Saratoga in soliciting lodging donations annually; seek out local hosts for homestays; arrange for our lodging partners to have their hotel information posted on the Flurry website; and communicate with lodging sponsors/hosts and performers/sound pros regarding the lodging arrangements pertaining to them.

Program Ads

Deb Meehan, Program Book/Sheet Ads
(5 years on the committee)
I solicit businesses, nonprofits and performers to purchase ad space in the program book. Collect the ads for the program designer.
ads@flurryfestival.org

John Nathan, Program Ads Sales

Quilts

Laura Perrault, Festival Quilts

(co-quilting by Karyn Dornemann)

Raffle Tickets

Jennifer Werfelman, Raffle Ticket Sales
(10 years on the committee)
I organize the volunteers who sell raffle tickets for the wonderful quilts and the coveted Hilton Room and Festival Passes.

Runners

Chris Parker, Crew Chief

Setup/Cleanup

Craig Palmer, SetUp/CleanUp Co-Chair
(decades on the committee)
The role of the SetUp CleanUp Coordinator involves actively dovetailing one’s “people and social” skills with an engineer’s awareness and “hands-on” skills in making things work. Then, with positive, focused coordination, I work with the service providers, site managers and staff, volunteers and Festival Staff to facilitate the timely assembly/placement of equipment and materials vital to the creation of a successful, world-class, Flurry Festival.

Jonathan Greene, SetUp/CleanUp Co-Chair
I work with Craig on everything set-up/clean-up for the festival.

Signs

Shanya Bentley, Crew Chief

Site Services

Tristen Wood, Site Services Co-Chair

Alice Smolinsky, Site Services Co-Chair
I update materials annually, manage volunteers and create their schedule, and coordinate any other pre-festival needs.

Sponsorships

John Nathan, Sponsor Outreach

Vendors

Sue Lecuyer, Craft Vendor Coordinator
(first year on committee)
I will be inviting and organizing craft vendors who will appeal to the Flurry community.
vendor@flurryfestival.org

Sue Mead, Training and Support

Volunteer Check-In / Nametags

Annie Haller, Crew Chief

Volunteers/Lost & Found

Harvey Raufman, Volunteer Coordinator, Lost & Found Crew Chief
(DFO/Festival organizer from the start)
I oversee the volunteer structure and coordinate volunteer assignments with crew chiefs. I also run the Lost & Found crew.
volunteer@flurryfestival.org
lostFound@flurryfestival.org

Workshop Rooms

Jason Grodsky, Co-Chair

Cindy Grodsky, Co-Chair

Youth Development

Beverly Lazar-Davis, Youth Outreach

Festival Support:

Paul Rosenberg, Founder

Peter Davis, Past Curator

Josh Snitkoff, Past Technical Manager

The 2023 Festival Planning Committee at the pre-festival walkthrough.