CANTON -- A talk and presentation by Phil Jamison titled, "Hoedowns, Reels and Frolics: Roots and Branches of Southern Appalachian Dance" will be held Thursday, June 22, from 6-7:30 p.m., at The TAUNY Center, 53 Main St.

This special presentation, which will include a demonstration of Appalachian flatfoot dancing, will explore the roots of these Southern dances and challenge some of the common misconceptions and myths that have long been associated with these Appalachian traditions.

Afterwards, guests are invited to head over to The Buccaneer Lounge (downstairs at the Cascade Inn) for live music with the Northern Southern Old-time Society, with Phil Jamison as a special guest.

Phil Jamison is nationally known as a dance caller, old-time musician, and flatfoot dancer. A native of New York State and a lifelong seasonal resident of Cranberry Lake, his involvement in traditional music and dance date back to the 1970s, when he was living in the North Country, performing music, and calling square dances with the St. Regis String Band.

Over the last thirty years, Jamison has done extensive research in the area of Appalachian dance, and his recently-published book "Hoedowns, Reels, and Frolics: Roots and Branches of Southern Appalachian Dance" (University of Illinois Press, 2015) tells the story behind the square dances, step dances, reels, and other forms of dance practiced in southern Appalachia.

More information is available at tauny.org.