Catherine Burns has been at the heart of the Ottawa contra dance scene for decades. Born in Switzerland to Canadian parents Catherine traveled the world in her youth then became the house caller for the Old Sod Folk Music Society when they started a dance in the late 90s. Since then, she’s been a steady presence in the Ottawa...

It’s amazing to see that many people just blissed out and dancing and having gotten to help them get there as a collective, as a group of people…and being like, “I helped this.” I didn’t play an instrument, but I helped them get there together with the music… ~ Luke Donforth This month Mary is...

 I think what the caller brings is probably different for each person who’s there…it’s experience, it’s confidence, it’s preparation, it’s knowing your material. But it’s all packaged and presented with your personality.  ~ Steve Zakon-Anderson In 1980, Steve walked into his first contra dance not knowing how it would change his life! He started calling...

In this episode, Mary interviews Louise Siddons about her involvement with communities in Michigan and Oklahoma, and across the pond in the UK. We'll also learn about her work developing and teaching the practice of “positional calling” for social dance, which has recently culminated in a new book, published through CDSS, called Dancing the Whole Dance: Positional Calling for...

My only job is to help people have fun. Fun, F-U-N, three letter word. That’s it! ~ Wendy Graham Wendy Graham (Durango, Colorado) is a self-proclaimed “dance maniac.” Her passion for music, song and dance caught fire in 1991 on a Danish-American Exchange (DAE) youth dance tour to Denmark. Today, Wendy leads English and American...

This episode, Mary talks with Will Mentor, who began his calling career in Fairfield, Iowa, 1995. Since then he has called dances, dance weekends, and weeklong dance camps all over the United States. Canada, and Europe. Now from Northern Vermont, Will is known for his clear teaching, upbeat wit, and relaxed stage presence. He loves to choreograph evenings with...

It’s not about perfection in the execution. It’s not about the complicated figures that we all can do. It’s not about the puzzle. It’s really about the people and how this vehicle can bring all those people together.  ~ Chrissy Fowler Chrissy Fowler grew up in the shadow of Maine’s highest mountain, Katahdin. She went...

I think my favorite gigs are those for total non-dancers because the look on their faces when they’re having such a blast, it’s just so rewarding to see people get into it. ~ Sue Rosen A leading caller of contras, squares, English country dance and family dance programs, Sue Rosen has been actively calling for...

There’s no greater love than bringing new people into a dance and having them smile and say, I love this, I want to come back. That gives me the biggest thrill and the biggest feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction and joy. ~ Chris Ricciotti Meet Chris: I fell in love with dancing as a young...

This episode, Mary talks with caller and choreographer Chris Page, who has called contras and English country dance in San Diego for about 15 years. When calling, his main concern is being serious about dancers not taking themselves too seriously. Along with Michael Dyck, he's turned his obsession with the history of contra dance choreography into something productive through...

This episode, we talk with Sue Hulsether, a dance caller, teaching artist, clogger, and musician hailing from Wisconsin. Since 2003, she has travelled from coast to coast to lead dances in dance halls, schools, barns, and community centers. Dancing with thousands of school children each year, her artist-in-residence career has risen out of the skills she gained from over...

…we’re part of creating something that’s unique and unusual where nobody’s worrying about tomorrow or feeling bad about what happened yesterday. We’re just in this experience totally together. I love that feeling. ~ Gaye Fifer Gaye Fifer is an accomplished caller from Pittsburgh, PA. An active dancer herself, Gaye understands the subtleties of making dances particularly...

In this episode Mary interviews Boston based caller Tony Parkes. Tony is an encyclopedia of square and contra dance history, full of vivid recollections of the many mentors and sources of inspiration that have made him the caller, dance leader, and person that he is today. From his beginnings as a 14-year-old stepping up to the mic at Farm...

This episode, Mary talks with Sarah VanNorstrand, who has been calling, organizing and teaching contra, square, and family/community dances for over 15 years. They trace the roots of her connection to traditional music and dance back to her teenage years in Syracuse, and she shares her thoughts about matching dance choreography to music, including what she learned working alongside...

I’m a guide and I am the linchpin in the evening…It’s a big responsibility and I love doing it! ~ Lisa Greenleaf Lisa Greenleaf has been calling for many years throughout the USA and internationally for dances, weekends, and weeklong camps. Her specialties include traditional and contemporary contras, fun squares, challenging dances of all shapes...

Welcome to From the Mic! “One night the caller wasn’t there and somebody had to call the dances and I gave it a try…” ~ Phil Jamison In the debut episode of From the Mic we meet Phil Jamison of Asheville, North Carolina. Phil is nationally-known as a dance caller, old-time musician, and flatfoot dancer. He...