ECD CALLER

Adina Gordon finds an outlet for her loves of travel, music, dance and silliness by calling and dancing throughout the U.S. and Canada, facilitating joy and minor chaos wherever she goes. Combining a voice that makes you WANT to do what she says with a commitment to using that power for good and not evil, Adina calls dances both old and new that cause spontaneous eruptions of joy on the dance floor. She counts it as a job well done whenever anyone says, “I wasn't sure about ECD, but it's fun when you call it.”

CONTRA CALLER

Gaye Fifer is an accomplished caller from Pittsburgh, PA. An active dancer herself, Gaye understands the subtleties of making dances particularly satisfying for dancers. Her instructions are clear and concise, as she is a teacher by profession. An easy smile and delightful sense of humor are part of Gaye's relaxed, pleasant style at the microphone. Gaye calls contra and English dances throughout the U.S. and Canada. She is also an enthusiastic advocate and instructor of contra-style waltz. Gaye is currently President of the Board of CDSS.

CONTRA BAND

Countercurrent is an acoustic folk music duo based in Olympia, Washington, composed of Alex Sturbaum and Brian Lindsay. They have achieved nationwide acclaim for their high-energy style, which draws on deep traditional roots from Ireland and North America while incorporating new influences to create a sound that is at once unique and timeless. Alex’s driving guitar and gifted songwriting, Brian’s lyrical fiddle and rock-solid foot percussion, and the duo’s lively interplay, tight vocal harmonies, and unstoppable groove make a Countercurrent performance an event unlike any other. Wherever they go, the question remains the same: “How does that much sound come out of just two people?”

Countercurrent met at Oberlin College in 2009 and have been performing at concerts, festivals, and dance events ever since. As concert performers, they have played at such venues as Club Passim in Cambridge, MA, and the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley, CA. As dance musicians, they have regularly been the closing band for Northwest Folklife Festival, and have played for contra dance festivals and events all over the country.

ENGLISH BAND

Miranda (fiddle), Aaron (piano), and Carrie (flute, alto flute, piccolo) share the bubbling ebullience and nourishing grace of English Country Dance music.

Miranda delights in the freedom and interaction of moving dancers with her music. When she's not playing, she's often dancing or working as an applied linguist.

Aaron is drawn to fill dance halls with graceful, lyrical overtures as much as soft, gleeful, playful wonder. Their latest musical project involves setting spoken word poetry to original music in an award-winning album. While not playing music—or sometimes while playing music—they can be found frolicking in the pines, working as a botanist in Vermont.

Carrie is equally at home shimmering silver in an orchestra, grooving like Jethro Tull, composing and performing avant-garde new music, and puzzling goats with Old Joe Clark.

As a trio, they look forward to intertwining soaring musical lines with your feet this summer!