Updated March 20, 2023
Callers:
Gaye Fifer has been calling contra for more than 25 years, is a passionate teacher of waltz, and an advocate of Dutch Crossing. AND she calls English Country Dance with the gentle but firm approach that served her during her 30-year career as an elementary school teacher.
Melissa Running is a skilled writer of dances and composer of tunes, and is particularly adept at introducing contra dancers to the joys of English Country Dance. She has a clear instructional style and an ever-expanding repertoire of fascinating dances.
Joanna Reiner Wilkinson has called all over the country and beyond (including St. Croix and Vancouver) and is particularly well known to Pinewoods attendees. She is a much sought after caller in no small part because her walk throughs are exemplary and her prompts are short, helpful, and perfectly timed.
Musicians:
An English Trifle is proud to feature NINE splendid musicians:
Susan Brandt on flute
Tina Chancey on violin, viola and viola da gamba
Bruce Edwards on bassoon and concertina
Ralph Gordon on cello
Jonathan Jensen on keyboard, ocarina and penny whistle
Paul Oorts on mandolin, banjo and more
Kendall Rogers on keyboard, accordion and more, and
Becky Ross, and Miranda Weinberg on violin
We schedule the musicians so that each workshop has a different combination of instruments — trios and quartets during the day, and quintets in the evening. (From time to time, particularly on Monday, we dancers have looked up to discover that all of the musicians have decided to “sit in!!” It’s absolutely splendid.)
