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Filtered by Performer Style: English Country
Cavalcade of regional callers
A whole team of callers who are in town for the Jane Austen Ball weekend.
Colin Hume
Colin Hume is a world renowned caller and creator of contra and English dances. He has a deep knowledge of country dance, developed over decades of calling experience in his native England.
Calliope
A very experienced and versatile group of dance musicians who play for contra, English, Russian Ballroom, and Vintage dancing.
Eileen, Laurel & Meg
Joanna Reiner Wilkinson
Joanna Reiner Wilkinson has taught English dance, Scottish dance and longsword for over a decade. Her calling has taken her from Amherst to Ann Arbor, from NEFFA to Hey Days, including several sessions at Pinewoods Camp. Joanna led the Philadelphia-based Germantown Country Dancers English dance demonstration team for many years, is an avid dance gypsy,… Read more »
Rebecca McCallum & Jane Knoeck
In addition to being members of the nationally known Groovemongers, Rebecca and Jane played regularly for Rochester English dances before Rebecca moved away. They are top notch players, and we sometimes catch Rebecca for a dance when she is in town.
Alyssa, Laurie & Meg
Molly Jaynes Wilson
Molly’s vibrant and sensitive playing has been adding energy to our dances for years.
Austin, Alyssa, Ben & Chris
Leslie Phillips
Molly, Ben & Meg
Adina Gordon
Being told what to do has never been so much fun! Adina Gordon’s collection of dances is delightful. Her sense of the moment is trustworthy. She blends the feel of the band and mood of the crowd with her repertoire to produce an exhilarating dance experience. Every program is unique. It’s no wonder she’s a… Read more »
Austin, Alyssa & Chris
Currently INACTIVE.
Amity
A talented trio that plays for English Country Dancing. Currently INACTIVE.
Serendipity with Guest Violinist
Judy Greenhill
Judy Greenhill hails from Guelph, Ontario. She calls contras, English and squares.
Relative Harmony
In 2002, Rick and Judy became Relative Harmony, officially welcoming their son Jonathan to the musical team. Daughter Katie joined the melange in 2005. Relative Harmony has appeared individually and together at many southern Ontario venues, as well as many dance venues throughout the American mid-west. They have entertained at numerous social gatherings. Their instrumental music… Read more »
Gaye Fifer
Gaye Fifer (Pittsburgh, PA) hasn’t stopped dancing since she found contras in 1979. Introduced to the community in St. Louis, she has found dancing wherever she goes. Gaye learned to call contras in Charlottesville, VA and has been traveling to call and dance for the past 25 years. After 15 years of dancing, she finally realized that… Read more »
Eileen Kalfass and John Wobus
Longtime friends Eileen Kalfass and John Wobus get together to play beloved tunes with lift and joy.
Whimsy (older)
A band of experienced musicians with a rich variety of instruments and a deep love of playing English dance tunes. Currently INACTIVE.
Dan Seppeler
A Rochester caller and choreographer of English dances with a talent for finding new and delightful dances and the confidence to try difficult material.
Alyssa, Laurel & Austin
Alyssa Rodriguez is a versatile violinist who teaches at the Knack School (among other things); Laurel Sharp a very experienced player of oboe, whistles, and recorders, and Austin Wahl is studying guitar performance at Eastman at the graduate level. Currently INACTIVE.
Old World Charm School
Susan Kevra, Karen Axelrod, and Rachel Bell — known collectively as Old World Charm School — are equally at home playing contra dances, English country dances, French dances, and concerts, with Susan switching roles between caller and clarinetist/singer. In concert, the trio presents lively Quebecois songs, mesmerizing French village dance tunes, passionate waltzes, and exciting… Read more »
Alyssa, Austin & Jane
Alyssa Rodriguez is a versatile violinist who teaches at the Knack School, Austin Wahl is studying guitar performance at Eastman at the graduate level, and Jane Knoeck our most experienced local pianist, expert at making the music dancable. Currently INACTIVE.
Molly, Mark & Chris
A terrific trio that plays regularly for Rochester English dances.
Judi Rivkin
Caller Judi Rivkin has been dancing all her life. She began leading and teaching English Country Dance in the early 90’s. Weekly English country dance workshops she developed in Seattle, and continues to lead in Princeton, have been the stimulus for dancers of all experience levels to grow and expand their knowledge and repertoire. Recognized… Read more »
Elegant Echoes
Elegant Echoes plays a rich repertoire of music from the British Isles and Ireland with engaging energy and sparkling sophistication. Becky Ross (fiddle), Colleen Reed (flute) and Liz Donaldson (piano) weave together sweet harmonies and melodies with lively rhythmic punctuation. Based in the Washington, DC area, they played for dancing at the Jane Austen Society’s… Read more »
David Smukler
Caller of contra and English Country dances.
Tim Ball & Jane Knoeck
Fabulous musicians and always in demand, Tim Ball (Arise & Go, Center Street, Tempest) and Jane Knoeck (The Groovemongers, Riverbend, Sister Haggis) are busy with their regional and national schedules. It’s a rare treat to have them on stage together!
Jane, Mark & Roberta
Experienced and talented musicians all!
Dan Blim
Dan is a new-to-Rochester caller (as well as a superb dancer) with over a decade of experience, most recently as a staff caller at the CDSS dance week at Camp Cavell this past summer.
Colleen Liggett
A longtime member of our dance community, Colleen initiated live music at our dances, arranging music and organizing the first bands when the English dance series began in the 1980s. Colleen currently books our performers and has more recently turned her considerable enthusiasm towards calling. In addition to calling for us, she and her husband,… Read more »
Susan Kevra
Susan Kevra burst onto the contra dance scene in the early 1990s in New England and honed her craft at her monthly dance series in Greenfield, MA for ten years. She now makes her home in Nashville, Tennessee, where she calls and organizes English, contra and square dances. She also travels to call at dance… Read more »
Lisa Brown
Lisa is dedicated to bringing the joys of English country dance to all by specializing in teaching newcomers to dance. She directs our demonstration team, the Meryton Assembly Dancers, and is also known for her encyclopedic knowledge of Regency Era clothing and history. During the Pandemic, Lisa created English Country Dance bingo, Early Music Bingo,… Read more »
Katy Heine
Ithaca-based caller Katy Heine has been leading contras and community dances in the Finger Lakes region and beyond for more than 30 years. She’s known for her clear teaching style and for her large repertoire of fun and flowing dances. Whether the hall’s full of experienced dancers or first-timers, they’re sure to have a great… Read more »
Bob Nicholson
Bob is a veteran caller from Syracuse. He’s totally focussed on fun, accessible dances. His dance repertoire is deep and his memory is amazing. A versatile caller, Bob handles both Contra and English Country dances with ease, and events from advanced to weddings to introductory workshops.
Richard Sauvain
Rochester English dance caller and dance organizer.
Pamela Goddard
Ithaca caller and singer Pamela Goddard has an engaging, confident and witty style. Her clear and patient teaching make her popular with our dancers.
Carmen Giunta
Hailing from Syracuse, Carmen is popular with our dance group for his patient teaching manner and his interesting and varied choice of dances.
Peregrine Road
RACHEL BELL (accordion) has been gracing the stages of contra dance halls, concert venues and bal folk dances for many years. Pair Rachel up with pianist KAREN AXELROD, widely known for her lyrical and powerful English Country Dance playing, and you get Peregrine Road. These two seasoned musicians provide an exhilarating dance experience infused with… Read more »
Arugula
Dependably enjoyable Rochester regular, Arugula plays for both Contra and English Country dances.
Serendipity
Pianist, music teacher and choral director, Barb Seppeler, fell hard for the beauty of the English Country Dancer repertoire, and she has made it her own with deep understanding and delicacy. Laurie Giroux – Gillman, a fellow music teacher and extraordinary flute player, is the other half of this delightful ensemble. Barb and Laurie have… Read more »
Crooked Sixpence
This Ithaca-based high-octane trio specializes in music for contradance and English dance. We will get you out of your seat and up on your feet!
Sister Haggis
Western NY duo Eileen and Jane, are familiar to Rochesterians but also well known traveling musicians who play all over the country. Here they get together as good friends to play the tunes they love and give us a great time. We’ve known Eileen, daughter of long-time Syracuse caller Bob Nicholson, since she was a lass…. Read more »
Eloise & Co.
Eloise & Co. features the combined creative force of two of the country’s most sought-after dance musicians, Becky Tracy and Rachel Bell. These two, sometimes playing as a duo and other times joined by various guest guitarists including Owen Morrison, Owen Marshall, and Andrew VanNorstrand, crank out dance music with unbridled energy and soaring beauty…. Read more »
Tempest
Dynamic music from Tim Ball on fiddle, Chuck Abell on guitar, and Eric Metzgar on percussion. A variation of this band is “Tempest with Horns” which ramps up the already full sound with amazing brass instrumentalists.
Sarah VanNorstrand
Sarah VanNorstrand has been calling, organizing and teaching contra, square, and family/community dances for seven years, and more recently has been expanding into calling English dances. She has a clear and engaging teaching style and a great repertoire of dances to share. Instantly hooked from her first contra dance as a teen, Sarah’s love of dance… Read more »