Tacoma Contra Dance

Sunday, May 18

Peter and the Wolf Tones

Eric Curl calls for this dance

The band is three super musicians from Portland:  George Penk on fiddle, Heather Pinney on piano and fiddle, and Jesse Schafer on guitar and cello.

Eric Curl (& cat), Jesse Schaefer (guitar), Heather Pinney (fiddle), and George Penk (fiddle).

Sunday, June 23

The Hat Band

Caller to be named

The Hat Band, from Portland, is wonderfully unique.  Syd Newell on fiddle, Meg Tapley on flute, and Jon Neff on guitar play three-part harmonies in creative arrangements of traditional contra tunes, ragtime, blues, swing, and klezmer.  And how about those hats?! 

Your caller is Susan Michaels, from Vashon Island.  She is really fun as a caller, “a facilitator of joy”.  She knows the changing needs of our dance community, and is said to be the first caller to use “larks and robins” to replace the traditional “ladies and gents”.

Meg Tapley (flute),  Syd Newell (fiddle), and Jon Neff (guitar). Inset: Susan Michaels (caller).

Sunday, July 20

The Euphemists

Gwen Rousseau calls for this dance

The Euphemists are different.  Besides Alan Snyder on fiddle and Dave Goldman on piano, the band has three horns.  That’s Greg Martin on tenor sax (and whistle), Stephanie Shea on alto sax, and Kaye Blesener on trombone.  The repertoire includes Celtic, Québécois, and Old Time tunes as well as jazz riffs, ragtime rhythms, klezmer, and a Sousa march.  Your caller is Gwen Rousseau, with her good stage presence and wonderful personality.

Stephanie Shea (alto sax), Greg Martin (tenor sax), Dave Goldman (piano), Alan Snyder (fiddle), and Kaye Blesener (trombone). Inset: Gwen Rousseau (caller).

Sunday, August 17

The Contra Quartet

Elizabeth Monica calls for this dance

The Contra Quartet, from Olympia, are Jesse Partridge on fiddle, Steven Cifka on cello, Julie Bennett on percussion, and Jay Finkelstein on guitar.  Jesse Partridge is a magical fiddler with wonderful arrangements.  Steve Cifka plays a classy cello to bring a “concert” dimension to contra dance music.  Julie Bennett adds percussive beats, riffs, rolls, and grooves to enhance the dance.  And Jay Finkelstein’s rock-solid guitar holds the music together.  Your caller is Elisabeth Monica.  Join us for a powerful dance experience you won’t soon forget.

Elizabeth Monica (calling) with Julie Bennett (drums), Jesse Partridge (fiddle), Steve Cifka (cello), and Jay Finkelstein (guitar).

Sunday, September 21

Pleasantly Frantic

Joe Micheals calls for this dance

Pleasantly Frantic, from Portland, has a repertoire of Irish, Scottish, Old Time, Québécois, and other tunes with wonderful arrangements.  Erica Liebert and Ben Blechman on fiddle, Meg Tapley on flute, Landon Kuhn on electric bass, and J.P. Douglas on piano play an amazing range of music—from Mozart flute concertos to Irish jigs made for dancing.

Your caller is Joe Micheals, with his wonderful voice.  If you are new to contra dancing and want to learn from the best, be there at 3:00 for the newcomer workshop.  Joe has given the best workshop I have ever seen.  Yes, really!

London Kuhn (guitar), Meg Tapley (flute), Ben Blechman (fiddle), Erica Liebert (fiddle), and J.P. Douglas. Inset: Joe Micheals (caller).