From the Mic is a podcast about North American social dance calling
Through conversations with callers across the continent host Mary Wesley will explore the world of square, contra, and community dance callers. Why do they do it? How did they learn? What is their role, on stage and off, in shaping our dance communities? What can they tell us about the particular corner of the dance world that they know, and love, the best?
Each episode we’ll hear from a different caller, but they all have something in common – a spark, a desire to lead, to share joy, to invite movement, to stand in that special place between the band and a room full of dancers (or people who don’t yet know that they’re dancers), and from the mic say “find a partner, let’s dance!”
FTM Episode 28 – David Kaynor!
When I joined the Grange, it really did become a bridge to people with really, really different social and political views and values—really different lifestyles. And it’s not that I wanted to become like them, but I wanted to like them. ~ David Kaynor A conversation with David In this special episode of From the...
From the Mic Episode 27 – Diane Silver
I love that moment when I can stop calling—when I can pull back, pull back, pull back, and ultimately you’re not calling anymore. And the dancers are just dancing to the music. ~ Diane Silver Hailing from Asheville, NC, Diane Silver has been a die-hard contra dancer, swing dancer, and flat-footer for nearly 30 years....
From the Mic Episode 26 – George Marshall
My philosophy as a caller is that I would like to be the enzyme in the reaction between the music and the dancers—help them interact with each other, like the glue that keeps them together. ~ George Marshall George Marshall discovered square and contra dancing in the early seventies while volunteering with a summer trail...
From the Mic Episode 25 – Maia McCormick
Calling feels like a puzzle to solve and a skill to build, and something that can be constantly honed. I’m never going to be done developing as a caller. ~Maia McCormick Maia McCormick is a contradance caller and choreographer based in New York City, and has gigged at festivals, weekends, and dance camps from coast...
From the Mic Episode 24 – Rick Mohr
Rick Mohr's calling and choreography have delighted dancers for decades, from local barn dances to dance weeks and weekends across North America. Many of Rick's contra dances are coast-to-coast favorites, which he attributes to persistence in reworking an idea (for days or years) until any imperfections are smoothed out. In the wider world of traditional music and dance Rick...
From the Mic Episode 23 – Cis Hinkle
I tell new people out on the floor, “If you’re having a good time, that’s fine, it isn’t all about doing it right.” And I finally heard what I said, and I realized that it might apply to me, too! ~ Cis Hinkle Cis Hinkle has delighted contra and square dancers since 1985 with her...