The Talent

Bands

Stomp Rocket (New England)

Beacoup de stomping pour le contra danse, avec Dave Langford on fiddle, Glen Loper on mandolin and banjo, and Bethany Waickman on guitar and sometimes piano. Look for us in the general New England area and elsewhere.

Joyride (Portland, OR)

Joyride is a Portland Oregon contra dance band known for fun, skilled play, tune sets carefully tailored to dances, and well-phrased melodies and harmonies set in a danceable groove. Joyride is:

• George Penk – fiddle
• Erik Weberg – flute, harmonica, bombarde
• Sue Songer – piano, fiddle
• Jeff Kerssen-Griep – guitar, djembe

Callers

Lindsey Dono (Tacoma, WA)

Lindsey Dono delights in sharing her love of dance with an ever-expanding network of contra family. Known for serene and sunny instruction, Lindsey transforms newcomers into avid regulars while keeping veterans piqued with sophisticated programming. A dancer for more than twenty years, Lindsey incorporates knowledge of waltz, lindy hop, blues, jazz, and ballet to lead a variety of workshops.

Sarah VanNorstrand (New York)

Sarah has been calling for contra dances since 2006 and dancing since she was a teenager. She regularly calls at the Syracuse dance, as well as dances and dance weekends across the country. Sarah's repertoire includes a wide variety of contra dances as well as squares and party dances. She enjoys working with everyone from first-time dancers to decades-long contra veterans. Above all, her goal as a caller is to make sure the dancers are having as much fun as the caller! "I love dancing, community, and music and I always try to communicate that enthusiasm in my calling."

Sound

Alan Roberts (Seattle, WA)

Alan is a fiddle player (plays with Southwest Passage) and dancer in addition to being an excellent sound man. He is aware of the nuances that make us all happy, and is able to provide a great experience for the callers, band members and dancers.