Visiting Bands and Callers

Kevin Carr plays fiddle and pipes of various kinds and currently mostly play with family band- wife Josie Mendelsohn and son Daniel Carr. Have played with a dozen other bands over last 40 years, most notably Hillbillies from Mars. Influenced by Irish, Québécois, Old time, Scottish, Galician and French music mostly.  Hr lives in Southern Oregon.  Kcccarr@gmail.com, 541-301-5306

The Electrodes are Joe Bowbeer (5-string electric violin), Marcy Kubbs (piano) and Joe Micheals (guitar). They play an enticing mix of Celtic, Appalachian and original tunes for contradances around the Northwest. Check us out on SoundCloud, and our YouTube channel.  

The Nettles are well-known on the West Coast for their original approach to contra dance music. Playing traditional music from all over the world, The Nettles create a strong rhythmic groove under soaring improvisations. Rhythmic drive and melodic fluidity allow The Nettles to propel contra dances into the stratosphere. The Nettles are a continuing favorite at the dance pavilion at Northwest Folklife Festival in Seattle and have played at many other festivals, dance camps, radio programs and bars.

This KGB is not a spy organization, but a band from Seattle that plays for New England style contradance, English Country Dance (as MI-5), for concerts, and private functions such as wedding receptions. We write a lot of our own music, and the rest comes from all over the world: the British Isles, French Canada, the Northeastern USA, Western and Eastern Europe, South America, the rest of the USA, and places we haven't yet identified.

Woody Lane (Roseburg, OR) is an exciting, high-energy caller from southern Oregon. He calls contras, squares, triplets, circles, mixers -- simple and complex -- all fun. For more than 30 years, he has called around the PNW and across the country on extended tours and at dance camps from Alaska to Florida, at evening dances, weddings, parties, and schools. Woody is also an accomplished clogger. He often accompanies the band as a foot percussionist, spicing the music with driving rhythms. His goal is simple: give dancers an evening of joyous fun. He works closely with the musicians and strives to orchestrate the music, calling, and dancing into an evening of unforgettable magic. Woody likes the advice of the legendary caller Sandy Bradley, who said that at the end of the evening, if the dancers leave the hall smiling and wanting to come back again — they may not know your name as a caller, but you've done your job.

Washington-based Lindsey Dono is a serene and sunny caller for contra and other social dance. Passionate about the user experience, Lindsey leverages a background in cognitive science and a career in tech to continually hone teaching skills. When not at the mic, Lindsey can be found mentoring up-and-coming callers, geeking out over choreography, and practicing dance floorcraft.

Brooke Friendly (Ashland, OR) is known for her warm yet commanding personality, her clear and concise teaching, her creativity, and her sense of whimsy. She has a strong sense of what makes for a good community and she makes the learning experience fun and relaxing. A dancer for more than 40 years, Brooke co-leads a weekly English and Scottish dance, calls Contra and family dances, and has been on staff at camps, weekends, festivals, and workshops throughout North America, England, and Australia. Brooke has been the programmer for the Bay Area Country Dance English week (Hey Days) and as well as Secretary of the Country Dance and Song Society. Also a dance choreographer, she, with her husband Chris Sackett, has published six dance books (Impropriety Vols. 1-6) and produced seven CDs with the band Roguery. Most recently, Brooke has been teaching online courses for ECD callers, some privately and some through CDSS. She loves to sing, especially rounds.

Nan Evans is a beloved caller of English Country and Contra Dances from the rainy Pacific Northwest. Nan brings a commitment to the joy of dance and the magic of community to dance groups around the country. Nan is well known throughout the Northwest and beyond for clear teaching, a warm and welcoming style, and a love of dances that flow - whether highly spirited or beautifully graceful. Nan is at home with small groups in Port Townsend where she now lives or with hundreds of dancers and beginners on the floor at a crowded Northwest Folklife Festival in Seattle. Nan has been a featured caller at a number of West Coast dance weekends and weeks. She often works with her husband, Fred Nussbaum, a premier dance music cellist. When not on the stage or the dance floor, Nan is happily retired and enjoying the sea and mountains of her new home on the Olympic Peninsula. Nan can be reached at 503-709-5919 or nanswaltz@earthlink.net.  

Suzanne Girardot's enthusiastic and clear dance teaching and calling have made her a favorite on both coasts. Her infectious laugh and easy-going personality put even the very beginning dancer at ease on the dance floor. Her unique, energetic teaching style helps students gain proficiency not only in the dance style they are learning, but also basic movement skills. When she calls, she projects her love of traditional dance and music. Suzanne lives in Seattle, Washington and learned to call from Sandy Bradley in 1981 when her Balkan dance ensemble presented American dances to Eastern Europeans during a 2-month dance tour, and she had to call! Since then she has been calling square and contra dances around the Pacific Northwest. She makes regular appearances at dances around the country, particularly in the Washington, DC area. She has taught at dance camps as diverse as Monte Toyon near San Francisco, CA, Harvest Moon in Santa Barbara, CA, Camp Damp in Juneau, AK, Echo Summit near Sacramento, CA, Victoria's Revenge at Cape May, NJ, and at Dancing Bears in Anchorage, AK.

Sue Baker's idea of a great dance is where everyone-dancers, musicians and caller- has a good time. Many of her best dances were gathered while she was out on the dance floor and thought "dang, this is a great dance, I have to write it down!". Dancers say they enjoy her clear instructions, sense of humor and her selection of dances taylored for their event. Available for weddings, parties, contra dance evenings and good times.

Mary Devlin leads American (contras, squares, triplets) and English country dancing. Based in Ashland, Oregon, Mary has called for camps and evening dance parties all over the U.S., in Canada, and in Denmark. In addition to dance calling, Mary has served on the PCDC Board and as President of the Country Dance & Song Society.