photo courtesy Kathryn Mae Photography

Featuring

Elixir

Andrew & Noah Van Norstrand

Frivolity

Noteworthy

with additional calling:

Sarah Van Norstrand

David Smukler

Sound by

Tony Hernandez

Elixir

We are so happy to welcome Elixir to Rochester for the Thanksgiving weekend. Their blend of superb calling, driving fiddle and guitar playing, with the rich texture and rhythmic excitement of a full horn section creates a transcendent dance experience. Elegant melodies evolve into raucous dixieland horn riffs. Lively harmonies, playful improvisations, and rock, swing and reggae-inspired rhythms weave in and out of traditional and original Irish, French Canadian and New England tunes.

If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of dancing with Elixir, you’re in for a real treat. We can’t say enough about the skill, sensitivity, playfulness, broad knowledge and dedication to great music and dancing embodied in Elixir. You can learn more at Elixir’s web site.

Nils Fredland is one of the busiest and most sought-after callers in the business. He draws on a large and varied repertoire of dances, presenting material from centuries-old “chestnuts” to cutting-edge contemporary choreography. Nils is also known for breathing new life into traditional singing squares, and in 2010 he co-authored a book on the topic with master caller Ralph Sweet.  And of course, Nils anchors the low end of the Elixir sound with his trombone.

Ethan Hazzard-Watkins performs traditional and original music with driving energy, passion and grace. His fiery, lyrical fiddling fuses elements of Irish, French Canadian and New England styles, along with influences from Swing, Blues and Classical music.

Anna Patton plays clarinet with great verve, clarity, and harmonic whim, drawing on a richly eclectic musical background of jazz, classical, traditional, and world music.

Jesse Hazzard-Watkins mixes keen musicality, skillful and accurate technical playing, and a clear and vibrant tone to create beautiful music in a variety of genres.

Owen Morrison’s fiercely rhythmic guitar playing has thrilled dancers across the country. Owen draws on his background in traditional music and his training in classical and jazz guitar to create a uniquely danceable style. In high demand as a rhythm player, he is also a master flat-picker, a solid mandolinist and an innovative composer.

Frivolity

Each of these players is at the heart of one or another of Western New York’s finest and most versatile dance bands.  Their delightful arrangements are informed by a deep understanding of English Country dance, love for a great tune and its variations, and just plain good fun.

• Jane Knoeck, Piano
• Tim Ball, Violin
• Rachel Bell, Accordion, Flute

Noteworthy

Rochester’s newest English Country Dance band is Noteworthy. We are pleased to introduce this fine ensemble to a wider audience. They will be presenting a rich sound and inspiring interpretations of English dance tunes old & new.

• Laurel Sharp, Woodwinds
• Barb Seppeler, Piano
• Kathy Zager, Cello

David Smukler

The dean of Central New York callers, David Smukler’s national reputation is well deserved, both for his delight in a good dance and for his careful studies of the best that the tradition has to offer.  This year, David will be calling our English dance program. He has a special fondness for English country dances, and his English programs also blend old favorites with new gems.

Andrew & Noah

Van Norstrand

Western New York’s Dynamic Duo join us this year. We’ve known them for years and loved their music from the start; they’ve danced with us and played for us, and now we’re so proud of them we could burst. It’s always a great dance when the boys come to play for us!

Sarah Van Norstrand

Like last year’s featured caller, Sarah Van Norstrand is also an organic farmer by trade, but when she’s not preparing food for market or blogging for the CSA, she calls, organizes and teaches contra dances, square dances, and family/community dances.

Sarah has a clear and engaging teaching style and a great repertoire of dances to share. Instantly hooked from her first contra dance as a teen, Sarah’s love of the dance and her joy in sharing it with all who will is evident and infectious. You can’t stay on the sidelines when Sarah is teaching. It’s no wonder she has become a favorite from among the rich pool of talent in Central New York.

Tony Hernandez

Tony is a full-time traveling sound engineer with over a dozen years of experience all around the country. He specializes in sound for acoustic music for dances, providing a high degree of intelligibility and acoustic clarity. Tony combines an in-depth understanding of the physics of sound production with a deep love and appreciation for music and the people who make it.

We love Tony. First because he’s just a great guy. He’s also just the best dance sound engineer there is. He’ll make sure the bands sound their best, the callers are clearly audible, and everyone is happy.