The Story of My Summer Trips to Tennessee

I was invited to be part of a dance panel consisting of a variety of percussive dance forms at The Equinox Folk Festival in Northridge (L.A.) in September, 2011.  There was an Irish dancer, a Flamenco dancer, a Son Jarocho dancer and myself.  Afterwards I was jamming with the L.A. Old Time musicians and I noticed a thin man standing at a small distance eyeing me intensely.  He stood there staring me down for quite a long time (who is that man?!), and when the jam took a break he came over and said "I like the way you dance, would you like to come up on stage with us?"  Turns out he was Thomas Maupin, the headline guest artist.  I did, of course, and two days later met them in Shell Beach for their next concert. Needless to say I was elated!  His grandson Daniel Rothwell, who plays banjo, was a teenager at the time and we exchanged email addresses.  About once a month thereafter I would get an email from Daniel, "my granddaddy is still talking about you, he wants you to come out to Tennessee and enter the competitions".   By the third one I realized it was an invitation not to be refused... despite my never having been interested in competitions and my qualms about staying with people I hardly knew, who were certainly not organic vegans!And the rest, as they say, is history....I've been going every July since for the Smithville Jamboree in Smithville, Uncle Dave Macon Days Festival in Murfreesboro, and Bluegrass Along The Harpeth in Franklin, Tennessee.   I've won first places, second places, third places in flatfooting and buck dance competitions in various years. I won first place in buck dance in 2014 and 2015 at Uncle Dave Macon's, which they deem the national championship (although the nation doesn't know much about it).  I also have the privilege of accompanying Thomas and Daniel as guest artists to Old Time Week at Swannanoa Gathering, a music and dance camp held at Warren Wilson College outside of Asheville, North Carolina.Thomas, his wife Beulah, and their family have become very important people in my life. I have made friends in their music community and I am welcomed, even though I'm "that girl from California", a foreigner.  Thomas (a self described country boy) is the most humble, caring, ethical, intelligent, extraordinarily supportive of younger dancers, and talented person I have ever met.  I am so grateful for that chance encounter in L.A. (who woulda thunk, of all places!)This summer I also finally made it back to The Appalachian String Band Music Festival in Clifftop, West Virginia (often referred to simply as "Clifftop").  It is the largest entirely Old Time festival and is a central gathering event for the worldwide Old Time community.  I was first there in 1993 and have been trying each summer since but there was always a conflict.  Needless to say I had a great time, won second place in the competition, and will definitely be a regular from now on!One last thing:  Thomas Maupin was just given a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Award for 2017 along with 9 others. It is the highest honor this country gives to folk artists. You can watch the performances here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQyQDvhlymE&feature=shareThomas is at 1:38:39.  All the other performers are also amazing, and I highly recommend watching the whole thing, even in bits and pieces.Here are some other links: http://www.pbs.org/video/npt-specials-bare-feet-mickela-mallozzi-music-city/   Thomas and Daniel come on at 18:57 minutes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyDFpeTMJ1c&feature=youtu.behttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4uhBk6wI_8The First Place Winning 30 seconds:https://www.facebook.com/ruth.alpert.1/videos/10211446914903428/