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 the online database, The Caller’s Box. There are lots of fascinating tidbits for callers and choreographers alike in this one. Check it out!

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 10 years as an elementary music teacher. Her influence and repertoire is wide, with dancers ranging from preschoolers to octogenarians and she calls squares, contras, circle dances, longways whole-set dances, and play parties.

…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 and Wilderness Camp to call Golden Slippers, to writing the foundational contra dance calling text which has helped so many callers find their way to the stage, to his most recent publication, in which, to use his words, he “gives away the farm” sharing his square dance repertoire and know-how…Tony Parkes is a gift to us all!

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 contra dance super-band Great Bear. Sarah also speaks to the many ways she works as a caller to facilitate a welcoming and fulfilling experience for everyone on the dance floor.

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…