Sing a sea shanty, knit over a cocktail or duel a fairy in one of these quirky SGF clubs

Have you ever wanted to sing a sea shanty over a mug of beer or knit over a cocktail, while venting about the past week? Maybe line dancing with your neighbors or dressing up in medieval garb is more your thing.

Believe it or not, Springfield boasts organizations dedicated to all four activities, providing spaces for community members to participate in niche, art-centric activities that may not be widely offered. The News-Leader spoke with organizers of The Shanty Choir, Traditional Dance & Music Society, The Royal's Stitch and Bitch group and Meadowmere LARP to discuss the importance of communal activities like the ones they provide, especially as folks look to engage with new and old hobbies post-pandemic.

The Shanty Choir

"With Falway shale and Liverpool beer," sang out 12-year-old Van Vrazaitas, which was followed by an eruption of cheers from a packed house at Great Escape Beer Works on Friday night. Vrazaitas was at the brewery with his grandma and family friends for The Shanty Choir.

The Shanty Choir was founded by Shawn Vomund and Zachary Stelzer in February 2021, who shared the desire to create a communal singing group in Springfield following the feeling of isolation from the pandemic. Stelzer said they were inspired by Beer Choir, a national communal singing organization centered around Oktoberfest-style singing and drinking.

What makes Beer Choir and The Shanty Choir different are the expectations of participants. At Beer Choir events, participants are expected to read sheet music provided in hymnals, Stelzer said. At shanty choir events, participants don't need any experience reading or singing music.

At the start of each event, shanty choir participants are encouraged to scan a QR code linked to a Shanty Songbook, which includes almost 30 songs, including poplar favorites like "Haul Away Joe" and "The Wellerman." On average, events last about two hours with a 15 minute intermission, Stelzer said.

"There really no right or wrong notes," Vomund said. "There are no notes we give you to sing, but there are so many people singing, that it's surprisingly easy to hang onto something and even if you didn't, nobody would care or notice. I think it's important that everyone realizes that if you like to sing, or even if you don't like to sing, but you just like being in an environment where anytime you look up you see people smiling, I think this is a place for you."

The Shanty Choir's structure is loose. There are no members (except Vomund and Stelzer who organize the events) and there are no practices. Anyone, of any age, is welcome to sing along with the choir.

Vrazaitas may have been one of the youngest in the crowd on Friday, but that didn't stop him from singing a handful of solos throughout the night. The sixth-grader said Friday's event was his third time at The Shanty Choir and he plans on going to more, as long as his grandma takes him.

"I like singing, so Shanty Choir is the perfect place to go," he said.

This year, Vomund and Stelzer expanded The Shanty Choir to Kansas City. The two hope to continue adding new chapters in the future. When they're not singing sea shanties, Vomund is teaching band at the Fordland R-3 School District and Stelzer is teaching choir at Liberty High School.

Shanty Choir events are held monthly, typically at Great Escape Beer Works. Vomund and Stelzer encouraged folks to arrive early to save a spot, as it's often difficult to get a seat even 30 minutes before events start. The Shanty Choir posts updates about events on its Facebook Page at facebook.com/TheShantyChoir/.

Traditional Dance & Music Society

One of the oldest dancing organizations in the Ozarks is the Traditional Dance & Music Society, founded in 1991. The nonprofit is dedicated to educating folks about contra dancing and hosting regular, accessible dancing events for folks in the area.

Contra dancing is a form of folk dancing, derived from European country-style dancing from the 17th century. Though contra is similar to square dancing, it is different. While square dancing is completed in four-couple squares, contra dancing is done in lines. After completing a cycle of dances in the spot they started, couples move down the line to dance with a new set. In addition, a caller is present to prompt dancers on what steps they could complete next.

Larry Krudwig, the nonprofit's board president, has been a part of the organization since the early 2000s, but he's been dancing for even longer. Krudwig began contra dancing in middle school with his parents in Lebanon.

Aside from being a physically healthy activity, contra dancing provides a safe, inclusive space for folks to meet others while having fun, Krudwig said.

Aside from footwork, the music performed at contra dance events is just as important. Most contra dance music is rooted in Anglo-Celtic fiddle traditions. While fiddle holds most of the spotlight, contra dance bands may also include a guitar or piano, accordion, mandolin or banjo, flute or percussion instruments.

"Coming and just listening to the music is almost worth coming to the dance, and I know people who've done that," Krudwig said. "We've got people around here who are really top notch musicians in their field."

The Traditional Dance & Music Society meets every first and third Saturday at Kings Way United Methodist Church from 7-10 p.m. Kings Way is located at 2401 S. Lone Pine Ave. The first 30 minutes of each gathering are reserved for newcomers to learn contra dancing basics.

Entry is $7 for adults, $5 for students and $5 for members. Traditional Dance & Music Society memberships are $24 annually. Memberships may be paid in person at gatherings.

Stitch and Bitch

Abbey Waterworth, Addie Wikowsky and Magda Hayton sit around a table, knitting and crocheting needles in hand, cocktails nearby. They show off their latest garment projects, sweaters and beanies, all at various stages of completion.

The three women are a part of The Royal's loosely-organized bimonthly group, Stitch and Bitch. Twice a month folks are welcome to bring their textile projects to the bar to work on projects, chat with others and sip on an alcoholic (or non-alcoholic) beverage.

Springfield resident Nigel Lee established Stitch and Bitch at The Royal in 2021 due to a lack of knitting groups for folks their age in Springfield. Now 33, Lee taught themselves how to knit around 12 or 13 from a how-to book and YouTube videos.

"When you think about knitting, it can almost come off as an old person thing or a very formal thing or that it's kind of prim and proper," Lee said. "We didn't want to make it feel like that. We want people to be comfortable with themselves, not to feel too censored."

Lee said the group's name, "Stitch and Bitch," is not unique to Springfield. Rather, "Stitch 'n Bitch" has been used by social knitting groups dating back to World War II. It became popularly used in the early 2000's with the release of Debbie Stoller's book, "Stitch 'n Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook," which touches on the history of social knitting groups and includes an array of knitting techniques and patterns.

Waterworth attended the second Stitch and Bitch meeting back in 2021 and has been attending regularly since, even stepping into more of a managerial role of the group. She said when she first started, she mostly knew how to knit hats and scarves, but now she is knitting colorwork sweaters, just from being around others who practice.

"I learned by just watching YouTube and reading books, so being around people who use the language and know so much more than you, it was huge for me," Waterworth said. "It's really easy to sit in your room and do your thing, but when you do have that community, it just opens up worlds of awesome possibility."

The Royal's group is open to all textile artists, including knitting, crocheting, cross-stitching and embroidering. Lee said they've even had a painter, who incorporated beads into her work, join the group.

Stitch and Bitch meets every first and third Wednesday at The Royal from 6-8:30 p.m. The Royal is located at 1427 E. Cherry St. Suite B. The group stays connected via a Facebook Messenger group chat. To join the chat, message the group via it's Instagram @aroyalstitch.

The Stitch and Bitch group is hosting its first yarn swap on Wednesday, April 19 from 6-8 p.m. at The Royal. Folks are welcome to bring any type of unused textiles — not just yarn— to trade.

Meadowmere LARP

Springfield includes several live action role playing and reenactment organizations, including Meadowmere LARP. The collaborative storytelling group is focused around a fantasy and medieval narrative members roleplay in.

Established in 2018, Meadowmere members participate in a uniquely-created world with its own culture, characters and map. Members participate in an overarching story that spans over entire seasons (March through November) but also shorter stories that occur during single-day events.

There are different types of LARPing, including narrative-based and combat-based. Meadowmere is narrative-based, but members may still participate in combat, with fake weapons, during events.

Five game masters manage Meadowmere; they established the organization's world and dictate the twists and turns of future story developments. Game Master Ryan Carnett said Meadowmere's narrative is currently centered around a French Revolution-style event involving neighboring noble houses. Members must navigate this plot point the game masters have created.

Meadowmere's community includes a "kitchen sink" of different characters, Game Master Jeffrey Markus said, including a blue-skinned orc, a dwarf, elves, fairies, demons and pirates. Between 40-50 members typically participate in a day event.

For Meadowmere's game masters, creating a safe, inclusive space is important. Sashes are available for members that indicate their comfortability, like whether or not they wish to participate in combats.

"One of the players we work with is ex-military and talks about how therapeutic our game is," Markus said. "Most of our players like to feel comfortable in their space, and we try to make sure our space is a comfortable environment for anyone."

Meadowmere hosts six game days, two weekend-long camping trips and eight to nine socials during its season season.

Admission for Meadowmere LARP events varies per event. Day events are $10 and weekend camping trips may range between $35-45. Social events are free. Seasonal passes are also available for reduced rates. To get involved, Markus encouraged folks to join the Citizens of Meadowmere Facebook Group at facebook.com/groups/meadowmerelarp/.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Looking for a new hobby? Four niche clubs to check out in Springfield