a note from dan zanes when "rocket ship beach" came out and we started playing more shows, not only were people singing along, but when we played "rock island line" or "all around the kitchen" they were flying out onto the dance floor. nothing felt better than seeing grown-ups, kids and babies dancing with each other. the message was sent. there was no turning back. a show didn't seem complete without a dance party finale.

it was clear that the next offering for the all ages underground had to be something people could use for their own dance parties at home. with friends like father goose, the sandy girls, rosanne cash, barbara brousal, loudon wainwright lll, donald saaf, the rubi theater company and sandra bernhard, making this kind of rollicking record seemed like a natural good time.

the reports coming back seem to indicate that if the spirit is right a dance party can happen anywhere, any time.

what is family dance? hello lovers of trains, guitars, ferris wheels, thrift shops, fiddle tunes, rhyming songs, days at the beach, human beatboxers, animal sounds, drum sounds, drum sets, sing-alongs, ackee, and everything else that might go into a rollicking dance party.

all around the kitchen cock-a-doodle-doodle-do. it's a crazy sound that echoes through the neighborhood as we waltz across a dusty parlor floor, walk the dog through the bedroom, do the bump out in the yard, the swim up on the stoop, and the mashed potato out in the autumn leaves. it's a throw down at the hoe down. we're insisting on some twisting. there's a sidewalk jamboree, walk and wobble your knees. skip, flip, slip and slide, reach and wave the clouds goodbye. we dance because it's a chance. a chance to be a tiptoeing wombat, a howling thunderstorm, a link in the chain, a splinter of winter sunlight, a swooping airplane, or a laughing palm tree. and we can do it together. anywhere, anyhow. there's a dance party whenever we say so. well, how about now?

about the cd packaging the sixteen page cd package is made of 100% recycled chlorine-free papaer and was printed with soy based inks.