Calendar
Submit calendar info to:
calendar@corvallisfolklore.org
The Best Cellar
Masks welcomed for everyone’s continued safety
7:30 Webster Chicago
Gospel-tinged blues and funk with some vintage Chicago, Delta and NorthMississippi blues. Chris Dunfield, Bill Veley, Brian Rhodes, and Jim Munford.
8:30 Cassandra Robertson
A muse with a message, Cassandra has the heart of a lion, and the mane to match. Accompanied by her acoustic guitar, she floors the audience like a sonic boom with captivating messages of peace, prosperity, hope and above all, inspiration. Her unique style of “acoustic conscious folk” kick starts the heart and levitates the soul; reminding us all that we CAN positively affect the world we all share, as long as we choose planet over profit and remember to be ourselves.
Best Cellar is held on the last Friday of each month of the school year.
Admission is pay-what-you-will, with a minimum of 2 dollars. Kids are free and welcome.
Coffee, tea, and gluten free cookies are fifty cents each.
Masks are encouraged but not required.
We will be in the main hall for this show. Enter from Monroe.
For more information contact Mark Weiss at mjweiss@cmug.com
Contra dance is back to the regular schedule in Corvallis! The dance will start at 7:00 PM with a newcomer’s lesson and community meetup, helpful for all dancers. Following the lesson will be dancing from 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM. No partner necessary. Dance calling and role terms will be Larks & Robins. The cost is $12 – $20 sliding scale.
Because of the Covid-19 situation:
All attendees must sign a waiver for the First Congregational UCC (our dance hall) before their first dance of the 2024-25 season. Please read the waiver here before you arrive in order to speed up the check-in process at the door.
Thank you for helping to keep our dance community safely dancing! For more information on attendance requirements and other precautions, please see our current COVID-19 policy here, to be further updated soon.
Coriolis
Coriolis joins the musical forces of Victor Fiore (fiddle), Dave Hamlin (mandolin), and Jon Neff (guitar) to spin lively tunes and drive contra dance delight. Jon and Dave played together in The Steeltones, and both are long time members of the Portland Megaband. Victor played with Eugene’s Mad Robin before moving to Portland, where he has also played with the Portland Megaband.
Noah Grunzweig
Noah Grunzweig is a master of stories and dance! It’s been a while since he’s called in Corvallis but he’s called here many times. Noah brings enthusiasm and encouragement to new and experienced dancers alike. He promotes safe dancing and a culture of consent that welcomes children and adults to contra dancing. Noah is fluent in traditional and techno contra.
Newcomers lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers encouraged)
Dance starts at 7:30pm.
Each dance is taught. No partner necessary
(it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner).
We are still seeking new volunteers to help with dances in the fall! If you are interested in volunteering this fall, please see role descriptions and tell us how you would like to help by taking our volunteer survey at:
https://bit.ly/CorvallisContraVolunteering2022
For questions regarding contra dance volunteering, please contact Shell Stowell at corvalliscontra@gmail.com
Online Song Circle
Share a song, lead a song, request a song, or listen as we go round the circle. Song Circle is free and open to all who wish to participate. Bring your own instrument, borrow one, or just sing.
The song circle is conducted on Zoom (you can download the app to your laptop, tablet or smart phone at https://zoom.us/ ). You can play or sing along with your microphone muted. If you plan to sing, please set your audio settings to
- Original Sound: on (if this is available on your Zoom version)
- Automatically adjust microphone volume: unchecked
- Suppress background noise: low
You can access the audio settings when you are in a Zoom meeting by pressing the ^ next to the microphone icon and clicking audio settings.
You can get the Zoom link by emailing Kurt at song-circle-2@CorvallisFolklore.org .
Corvallis Hoolyeh dances are back in person
2nd and 4th Thursdays from 7 pm to 9 pm.
Hoolyeh Folk Dance
COVID-19 Policy
Updated 2023-06-13
These policies are created by an informal Hoolyeh Live Dance Committee and are approved by the Corvallis Folklore Society. They are intended to keep our community and dancers as safe, healthy, and happy as possible.
Folk dancing involves physical exertion and close contact with many people and is therefore associated with greater risk of viral transmission than other common activities. To protect our community as much as possible, Hoolyeh folk dances will have the following precautions in place until further notice, which meet and may exceed mandated COVID-19 safety guidelines.
Please note: People at higher risk of severe illness from the COVID-19 virus, or who are in regular contact with someone at higher risk, including young children and other unvaccinated people, should not attend folk dancing at this time.
All attendees are required to:
- Provide an email address for contact tracing if needed (gathered at dancing).
- Be mindful of others’ variable comfort levels, especially with respect to personal space and level of touch.
- Feel comfortable wearing a mask if that is their personal choice.
- Stay home if you experience any illness symptoms.
Additional precautions will include:
- An attendance capacity of 20-25 dancers
- Unscented hand sanitizer available at the dance
- Ventilation (open doors and windows)
- Attendees should wash hands regularly
- Letting Dana know if you have experienced any COVID-19 symptoms after the dance or in the following week
Current fees are $5 per person if not CFS member, $4 for CFS member, 18 and under $2.
Corvallis Contra Weekend
click here for more details
Because of the Covid-19 situation:
All attendees must sign a waiver for the First Congregational UCC (our dance hall) before their first dance of the 2024-25 season. Please read the waiver here before you arrive in order to speed up the check-in process at the door.
Thank you for helping to keep our dance community safely dancing! For more information on attendance requirements and other precautions, please see our current COVID-19 policy here, to be further updated soon.
Nova
Nova is a neo-trad trio hailing from New England featuring Kathleen Fownes on fiddle, Everest Witman on guitar and mandolin, and Guillaume Sparrow-Pepin on accordion and piano. Nova draws from both traditional repertoire and original compositions to create high energy music for concerts and dancing.
Nova first made a name for themselves on the New England contra dance scene. Since their inception in 2014, they have played for events across the United States and Canada and in 2015, they released their debut album, Little Sky.
Inspired by time spent abroad in countries such as Ireland, Scotland, France, and the Netherlands, the trio has incorporated the sound of contemporary European folk music into their repertoire. This European connection has made Nova a driving force in the emerging bal folk scene in the United States. In 2019, they released their second album Chasing the Sunset. Recorded at Studio Trad in Belgium, the album is a culmination of Nova’s original dance-oriented, driving sound and these new influences.
During a pandemic-induced hiatus, the band members took a few years to work on individual projects, but now Nova is back on the scene playing for festivals, contra dances, and bal folk events.
Root System
Root System is a new collaboration featuring Audrey Jaber (fiddle) and Amy Englesberg (keyboard/accordion), members of Free Raisins and Wake Up Robin, alongside Anna Patton (clarinet) from Elixir. Root System melds traditional folk with contemporary flair, delivering a dance and musical experience that is sure to keep you on your feet.
Will Mentor
Will Mentor is a contra and square dance caller from Northern Vermont known for his clear teaching, upbeat wit, and relaxed stage presence. He loves to choreograph evenings with a variety of dances and tempos that at times surprise and always delight, all the while keeping intact his guiding principle as a caller: “It’s about the dancers!”
Lindsey Dono
Massachusetts transplant Lindsey Dono is rapidly establishing herself as a Northwest mainstay. With her serene teaching, meticulous programming, and sunny demeanor, Lindsey transforms absolute beginners into confident regulars. Known for her creativity on the dance floor, Lindsey incorporates knowledge of waltz, swing, and blues to lead a variety of workshops, including the ever-requested “advanced contra flourishes.” By day, Lindsey is a devoted research scientist.
Newcomers lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers encouraged)
Dance starts at 7:30pm.
Each dance is taught. No partner necessary
(it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner).
We are still seeking new volunteers to help with dances in the fall! If you are interested in volunteering this fall, please see role descriptions and tell us how you would like to help by taking our volunteer survey at:
https://bit.ly/CorvallisContraVolunteering2022
For questions regarding contra dance volunteering, please contact Shell Stowell at corvalliscontra@gmail.com
Sunday Corvallis Contra Weekend Closing Dance
2 bands, 2 callers
open to everyone
Contra dance is back to the regular schedule in Corvallis! The dance will start at 7:00 PM with a newcomer’s lesson and community meetup, helpful for all dancers. Following the lesson will be dancing from 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM. No partner necessary. Dance calling and role terms will be Larks & Robins. The cost is $12 – $20 sliding scale.
Because of the Covid-19 situation:
All attendees must sign a waiver for the First Congregational UCC (our dance hall) before their first dance of the 2024-25 season. Please read the waiver here before you arrive in order to speed up the check-in process at the door.
Thank you for helping to keep our dance community safely dancing! For more information on attendance requirements and other precautions, please see our current COVID-19 policy here, to be further updated soon.
Nova
Nova is a neo-trad trio hailing from New England featuring Kathleen Fownes on fiddle, Everest Witman on guitar and mandolin, and Guillaume Sparrow-Pepin on accordion and piano. Nova draws from both traditional repertoire and original compositions to create high energy music for concerts and dancing.
Nova first made a name for themselves on the New England contra dance scene. Since their inception in 2014, they have played for events across the United States and Canada and in 2015, they released their debut album, Little Sky.
Inspired by time spent abroad in countries such as Ireland, Scotland, France, and the Netherlands, the trio has incorporated the sound of contemporary European folk music into their repertoire. This European connection has made Nova a driving force in the emerging bal folk scene in the United States. In 2019, they released their second album Chasing the Sunset. Recorded at Studio Trad in Belgium, the album is a culmination of Nova’s original dance-oriented, driving sound and these new influences.
During a pandemic-induced hiatus, the band members took a few years to work on individual projects, but now Nova is back on the scene playing for festivals, contra dances, and bal folk events.
Root System
Root System is a new collaboration featuring Audrey Jaber (fiddle) and Amy Englesberg (keyboard/accordion), members of Free Raisins and Wake Up Robin, alongside Anna Patton (clarinet) from Elixir. Root System melds traditional folk with contemporary flair, delivering a dance and musical experience that is sure to keep you on your feet.
Will Mentor
Will Mentor is a contra and square dance caller from Northern Vermont known for his clear teaching, upbeat wit, and relaxed stage presence. He loves to choreograph evenings with a variety of dances and tempos that at times surprise and always delight, all the while keeping intact his guiding principle as a caller: “It’s about the dancers!”
Lindsey Dono
Massachusetts transplant Lindsey Dono is rapidly establishing herself as a Northwest mainstay. With her serene teaching, meticulous programming, and sunny demeanor, Lindsey transforms absolute beginners into confident regulars. Known for her creativity on the dance floor, Lindsey incorporates knowledge of waltz, swing, and blues to lead a variety of workshops, including the ever-requested “advanced contra flourishes.” By day, Lindsey is a devoted research scientist.
Newcomers lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers encouraged)
Dance starts at 7:30pm.
Each dance is taught. No partner necessary
(it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner).
We are still seeking new volunteers to help with dances in the fall! If you are interested in volunteering this fall, please see role descriptions and tell us how you would like to help by taking our volunteer survey at:
https://bit.ly/CorvallisContraVolunteering2022
For questions regarding contra dance volunteering, please contact Shell Stowell at corvalliscontra@gmail.com
Online Song Circle
Share a song, lead a song, request a song, or listen as we go round the circle. Song Circle is free and open to all who wish to participate. Bring your own instrument, borrow one, or just sing.
The song circle is conducted on Zoom (you can download the app to your laptop, tablet or smart phone at https://zoom.us/ ). You can play or sing along with your microphone muted. If you plan to sing, please set your audio settings to
- Original Sound: on (if this is available on your Zoom version)
- Automatically adjust microphone volume: unchecked
- Suppress background noise: low
You can access the audio settings when you are in a Zoom meeting by pressing the ^ next to the microphone icon and clicking audio settings.
You can get the Zoom link by emailing Kurt at song-circle-2@CorvallisFolklore.org .
Corvallis Hoolyeh dances are back in person
2nd and 4th Thursdays from 7 pm to 9 pm.
Hoolyeh Folk Dance
COVID-19 Policy
Updated 2023-06-13
These policies are created by an informal Hoolyeh Live Dance Committee and are approved by the Corvallis Folklore Society. They are intended to keep our community and dancers as safe, healthy, and happy as possible.
Folk dancing involves physical exertion and close contact with many people and is therefore associated with greater risk of viral transmission than other common activities. To protect our community as much as possible, Hoolyeh folk dances will have the following precautions in place until further notice, which meet and may exceed mandated COVID-19 safety guidelines.
Please note: People at higher risk of severe illness from the COVID-19 virus, or who are in regular contact with someone at higher risk, including young children and other unvaccinated people, should not attend folk dancing at this time.
All attendees are required to:
- Provide an email address for contact tracing if needed (gathered at dancing).
- Be mindful of others’ variable comfort levels, especially with respect to personal space and level of touch.
- Feel comfortable wearing a mask if that is their personal choice.
- Stay home if you experience any illness symptoms.
Additional precautions will include:
- An attendance capacity of 20-25 dancers
- Unscented hand sanitizer available at the dance
- Ventilation (open doors and windows)
- Attendees should wash hands regularly
- Letting Dana know if you have experienced any COVID-19 symptoms after the dance or in the following week
Current fees are $5 per person if not CFS member, $4 for CFS member, 18 and under $2.
The Best Cellar
Masks welcomed for everyone’s continued safety
7:30 Johanna Beekman
Johanna Beekman is one of a kind. Whether she’s leading a kirtan, performing original music at a concert or festival, or guiding students through a Lullaby Yoga session, she warms hearts with her soulful music and her soaring spirit. Her velvety voice, her creative interpretations of music from various world traditions, her gorgeous original songs, and her open-hearted presence come together to create unforgettable musical experiences.
Johanna’s songwriting knows no stylistic boundaries. Her catalog includes heart-opening folk-pop songs, gospel hymns, a cappella anthems, classic soul songs, and jazz-infused love ballads. And these songs haven’t gone unnoticed. One of them, Free to Decide (Breathe), has been performed by several choirs and a cappella groups across the United States and Canada.
Johanna will be joined by pianist/vocalist Lauren Servias, cellist/vocalist Sabina Monn, and percussionist/father George Beekman.
8:30 Dave Plaehn and Jeff Hino
The best Blues duo this side of the Mississippi delta.
Best Cellar is held on the last Friday of each month of the school year.
Admission is pay-what-you-will, with a minimum of 2 dollars. Kids are free and welcome.
Coffee, tea, and gluten free cookies are fifty cents each.
Masks are encouraged but not required.
We will be in the main hall for this show. Enter from Monroe.
For more information contact Mark Weiss at mjweiss@cmug.com
Tommy and Saundra O’Sullivan
Muddy Creek Concerts, in partnership with Culture Ireland, is proud to present an evening of traditional and modern Irish music with Tommy and Saundra O’Sullivan at the Heritage Hall Community Center in Monroe, Oregon, seventeen miles south of Corvallis. Acclaimed as “one of the great contemporary folk voices of Ireland”, Tommy and Saundra O’Sullivan own and operate O’Sullivan’s Courthouse Pub in Dingle, Ireland, which is a music mecca in a music-oriented town on Ireland’s west coast.
A dessert potluck will be featured before the concert and during the concert intermission, so bring some goodies to share! We will also supply bottled water and soda- feel free to bring any other libations.
Concert Details
Date: Friday, Feb 28, 2025
Location: Heritage Hall Community Center (old United Methodist Church), 648 Orchard Street, Monroe, OR
Directions: In Monroe, turn west off of Hwy 99W onto Orchard Street at the south end of town. The Community Center is on the left between 6th and 7th Streets
Times: 5:00 pm- Dessert Potluck Starts (and continues through intermission)
5:30 pm- Door To Concert Hall Opens
6:00 pm- Concert Starts
Approx. 8:00-8:30 pm- Concert Ends
A voluntary donation of $25-30 per person is suggested, with $5 going to Heritage Hall and the rest to the artists. Donations will be collected at the door.
To reserve a seat or seats for the show, go to our Reservation Page: O’Sullivan Reservation Form
Additional concert and artist information is at: T&S Concert Page
Note: Concert attendance is limited to 90 people, so if you have to cancel your reservation, contact Pete Angwin ASAP at muddycreekconcert@gmail.com or by phone or text at (530) 227-8212. Non-cancelled no-shows make it difficult to host concerts in the future!
Contra dance is back to the regular schedule in Corvallis! The dance will start at 7:00 PM with a newcomer’s lesson and community meetup, helpful for all dancers. Following the lesson will be dancing from 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM. No partner necessary. Dance calling and role terms will be Larks & Robins. The cost is $12 – $20 sliding scale.
Because of the Covid-19 situation:
All attendees must sign a waiver for the First Congregational UCC (our dance hall) before their first dance of the 2024-25 season. Please read the waiver here before you arrive in order to speed up the check-in process at the door.
Thank you for helping to keep our dance community safely dancing! For more information on attendance requirements and other precautions, please see our current COVID-19 policy here, to be further updated soon.
The Nettles
The Nettles play improvisational music based on traditional tunes. Playing hard, they’re a Celtic jam band that makes audiences move and groove. Playing soft, they’re a lyrical folk-jazz group.
The Nettles blend traditional Irish and American music with modern spices. Laura Brophy’s fiddle forms strong melodies punctuated by soaring improvisation and intertwined with Kevin Nettle’s muscular guitar. The Nettles are propelled by the purring but powerful rhythm engine of Michael Proctor on bass and Tracy Daugherty on drums.
The Nettles play for festivals, dances, bars, and weddings on the West Coast. Their music retains the vital energy of its roots, but The Nettles’ unique interpretations add to The Tradition with every performance. The Nettles joke that “We never play the same tune once.”
Shell Stowell
Shell Stowell started contra dancing in 2015, and has been dancing up and down the West coast ever since. Driven by her passion for the dance, music, and community, Shell now plays the fiddle and helps to organize contra dances in Corvallis, and has been calling since 2019. As a dancer, Shell is known for her enthusiasm on and off the dance floor. As a caller, she incorporates her love of teaching, organizing, and music to strive for clear, energetic instruction and variety in her programming. Shell also emphasizes safe, inclusive dance etiquette that promotes positive communication between dancers.
Dance starts at 7:30pm.
Each dance is taught. No partner necessary
(it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner).
We are still seeking new volunteers to help with dances in the fall! If you are interested in volunteering this fall, please see role descriptions and tell us how you would like to help by taking our volunteer survey at:
https://bit.ly/CorvallisContraVolunteering2022
For questions regarding contra dance volunteering, please contact Shell Stowell at corvalliscontra@gmail.com
Online Song Circle
Share a song, lead a song, request a song, or listen as we go round the circle. Song Circle is free and open to all who wish to participate. Bring your own instrument, borrow one, or just sing.
The song circle is conducted on Zoom (you can download the app to your laptop, tablet or smart phone at https://zoom.us/ ). You can play or sing along with your microphone muted. If you plan to sing, please set your audio settings to
- Original Sound: on (if this is available on your Zoom version)
- Automatically adjust microphone volume: unchecked
- Suppress background noise: low
You can access the audio settings when you are in a Zoom meeting by pressing the ^ next to the microphone icon and clicking audio settings.
You can get the Zoom link by emailing Kurt at song-circle-2@CorvallisFolklore.org .
Corvallis Hoolyeh dances are back in person
2nd and 4th Thursdays from 7 pm to 9 pm.
Hoolyeh Folk Dance
COVID-19 Policy
Updated 2023-06-13
These policies are created by an informal Hoolyeh Live Dance Committee and are approved by the Corvallis Folklore Society. They are intended to keep our community and dancers as safe, healthy, and happy as possible.
Folk dancing involves physical exertion and close contact with many people and is therefore associated with greater risk of viral transmission than other common activities. To protect our community as much as possible, Hoolyeh folk dances will have the following precautions in place until further notice, which meet and may exceed mandated COVID-19 safety guidelines.
Please note: People at higher risk of severe illness from the COVID-19 virus, or who are in regular contact with someone at higher risk, including young children and other unvaccinated people, should not attend folk dancing at this time.
All attendees are required to:
- Provide an email address for contact tracing if needed (gathered at dancing).
- Be mindful of others’ variable comfort levels, especially with respect to personal space and level of touch.
- Feel comfortable wearing a mask if that is their personal choice.
- Stay home if you experience any illness symptoms.
Additional precautions will include:
- An attendance capacity of 20-25 dancers
- Unscented hand sanitizer available at the dance
- Ventilation (open doors and windows)
- Attendees should wash hands regularly
- Letting Dana know if you have experienced any COVID-19 symptoms after the dance or in the following week
Current fees are $5 per person if not CFS member, $4 for CFS member, 18 and under $2.
Contra dance is back to the regular schedule in Corvallis! The dance will start at 7:00 PM with a newcomer’s lesson and community meetup, helpful for all dancers. Following the lesson will be dancing from 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM. No partner necessary. Dance calling and role terms will be Larks & Robins. The cost is $12 – $20 sliding scale.
Because of the Covid-19 situation:
All attendees must sign a waiver for the First Congregational UCC (our dance hall) before their first dance of the 2024-25 season. Please read the waiver here before you arrive in order to speed up the check-in process at the door.
Thank you for helping to keep our dance community safely dancing! For more information on attendance requirements and other precautions, please see our current COVID-19 policy here, to be further updated soon.
The Underdogs
The Underdogs is a brand new band bringing together experienced dance musicians from Corvallis, Portland and Vancouver. With Bo Leyden on Irish flute and octave mandolin, Gordy Euhler on piano, Shari Ame on fiddle and Jesse Schafer on cello, the Underdogs fill the dance hall with a playful and adventuresome variety of tunes, deep grooves and rich harmonies.
Kelly Tabor
Kelly Tabor is a caller and organizer from Portland, Oregon. She enjoys dances that play with elasticity of momentum and works to incorporate them at an accessible level.
dance I visit.
Dance starts at 7:30pm.
Each dance is taught. No partner necessary
(it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner).
We are still seeking new volunteers to help with dances in the fall! If you are interested in volunteering this fall, please see role descriptions and tell us how you would like to help by taking our volunteer survey at:
https://bit.ly/CorvallisContraVolunteering2022
For questions regarding contra dance volunteering, please contact Shell Stowell at corvalliscontra@gmail.com
Square Dance in Monroe!
Join us for the fun of square dancing! Beginners are welcome – all dances are taught. Listeners are welcome, too.
Live music by
Humbug Mountain
Aryeh Frankfurter on the fiddle,
Steve Odor on clawhammer banjo,
Lisa Lynne on guitar
Calling by Melissa Takush
4pm – Gather and Dance
6pm – Optional Potluck (bring a dish)
Benefits the south Benton food Pantry