Contras, Squares, Swing, Waltz, and more!

Lisa Greenleaf Lisa Greenleaf treats dancers across the country to her high spirited, witty calling and is known for precise walk-throughs of zesty and flowing dances. Lisa's playful style makes everyone feel welcome. Her wide knowledge of traditional and modern dances (both contras and squares) and her community-building attitude put her in high demand at camps around the country. Lisa will also be teaching the callers’ workshop.

George Marshall George Marshall is one of the best-known contra dance callers these days. George's specialty is teaching and calling the New England-style contra dances he has collected throughout the country. He is renowned for his knack of matching music to dance and for his smooth, concise teaching and presentation. Also a talented musician, he plays concertina and bodhran and has recorded on eight albums. As a couples-dance teacher, his repertoire includes Lindy/swing, Scandinavian, Cajun and Zydeco. Besides contras and squares, George will be teaching swing, waltzes and other couple dances.

Bands

Tidal Wave Sabin Jacques Accordian Éric Favreau Fiddle Rachel Aucoin Piano Stuart Kenney Bass, Banjo

TIDAL WAVE reveals a deeply rooted music, authentic and heartfelt. Relying primarily on a traditional repertoire, their music is contagiously energetic and sensitive. They propel dancers and audiences into a world of liveliness. Since Sabin Jacques began playing the accordion at age 14, his reputation grew non-stop: his multiple and diverse musical engagements made him a versatile and accomplished artist. Éric Favreau has spent a great deal of time playing with other fiddlers, learning their repertoire and studying their varied styles, and has garnered a profound understanding and vast knowledge of Québécois traditional music. After a frankly classical training including two Masters degrees (2001 and 2003), two first prizes at the Canadian Music Competition (1997 and 1998) and a solo performance of Beethoven's second with the Orchestre Symphonique de la Montérégie (1997), Rachel Aucoin specialises today in folk music accompaniment. One of the most in demand upright bass, and five-string banjo players on the US contradance circuit, Stuart Kenney's regional musical interests sweep from Southwest Louisiana to Acadia. Stuart began playing 5-string banjo at age 12, and upright bass at age 18.

Stringrays Rodney Miller Fiddle Max Newman Guitar Stuart Kenney Bass

Rodney Miller was designated a "Master Fiddler" in 1983 by the National Endowment for the Arts. He is widely considered to be the foremost exponent of New England style fiddling, a uniquely American blend of French Canadian and Celtic influences. Over the past 35 years, he has toured the U.S., British Isles, Australia and Denmark, performed and taught at hundreds of music and dance festivals, and recorded ten or more fiddle albums. He currently tours as the fiddle pillar of several bands, including the Stringrays, the Rodney Miller Band, and Airdance. Born and raised in Alaska, Max Newman has been surrounded by traditional music and dance from an early age, often playing alongside his dad for local contra dances and enjoying Irish music sessions. Now living in the Northeast, he plays with Boston-based dance bands Nor’easter and Agnostic Fiddle Insurgency as well as the Stringrays. He enjoys bringing his dynamic and varied guitar and mandolin playing to a variety of situations and is especially interest in the craft of playing for dancers. Stuart Kenney lives for music, so much so that he is playing in two bands at camp this year, both Tidal Wave and the Stringrays!

The Avant Gardeners Laura Light Fiddle and Vocals George Paul Piano, Accordian, Composition Jim Oakden Mandolin, Clarinet, Recorders, and more instruments than will fit in one vehicle!

The Avant Gardeners are the creative collaboration of Virginia fiddler, singer, and composer Laura Light and Alaskan wild man George Paul. Laura brings traditional American fiddle styles and swing influenced improvisation to the eclectic compositions of both Laura and George, all driven by George’s electric and groove oriented keyboard wizardry. A nationally touring band with the full complement of Gardeners, as a duo George and Laura are always in demand for dances and workshops, coast to coast. George has been dubbed the king of contra funk as well as the energizer bunny of dance camps. Both love performing but are equally excited about including and encouraging musicians in their growth and explorations.

Jim Oakden has gone through a succession of musical stages, from early music to traditional. He's been a staff musician at many West Coast camps including Fall Weekend, both by himself and as part of the GUPpies, and is currently active as a musician for English country dances, contras, Irish and Cape Breton sessions and dances from Brittany.

Jim not only is a world-class dance and folk musician, he is also Program Director of this year's camp.

Music Workshops

Michelle Levy Michelle Levy has been performing on and exploring the possibilities of the violin/viola for over 20 years. She currently performs with the Boston Camerata and regularly plays for English & contra dances on the west coast (Roguery, The Whoots, Tritonic), including Playford Balls, English Week Dance & Music Camp, Fall Frolick, and Spring Fever. This is her second year at AmWeek. As a fiddle/violin instructor, Michelle is on the faculty of the Bay Area Academy of Music, and is trained in the Orff Shulwerk approach to teaching music as well as the Mark O’Connor Method. She teaches all ages from 3½ and up, nurturing creative string players with solid technique.

Photography Workshop

Doug Plummer Doug Plummer is a busy free lance photographer and filmmaker based in Seattle. His personal passion project for the last 30 years has been to document the American contra dance scene. He is the publisher of the Contradance Calendar, which seeks to display the diversity of dance communities across the country. As a teacher he helps photographers understand how to find the compelling image by becoming more sensitive to their own emotional response to the moment. He loves working with beginners.

Sound

Marty Brenneis Marty Brenneis, a valued “gizmo guy,” was a rock-n-roll sound engineer in a former life. It wasn’t long after he started contra dancing that he began twiddling the knobs on the soundboards for dances … and he hasn’t stopped yet.