Calendar

Calendar

Submit calendar info to:

calendar@corvallisfolklore.org

 

Dec
12
Thu
Hoolyeh Folk Dancing @ Unitarian Fellowship
Dec 12 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Corvallis Hoolyeh dances are back in person

2nd and 4th Thursdays from 7 pm to 9 pm.

Hoolyeh DanceHoolyeh 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:

  1. Provide an email address for contact tracing if needed (gathered at dancing).
  2. Be mindful of others’ variable comfort levels, especially with respect to personal space and level of touch.
  3. Feel comfortable wearing a mask if that is their personal choice.
  4. 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.

Dec
21
Sat
Contra Dance – The Overtones with Laurel Thomas @ Ashbrook Independent School Gym
Dec 21 @ 7:30 pm – 10:30 pm

NOTE: New location for December 2024:

Ashbrook Independent School Gym
4045 SW Research Way, Corvallis

Ashbrook School mapEnter the building through the main entrance, then walk straight through the long lobby to the gym doors in the far corner.

 

 

Contra dance is returning to a regular schedule in Corvallis this fall! 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 OvertonesThe Overtones

The Overtones is a Corvallis-based band whose sound was born in the rivers and woods of the lush Willamette Valley. Its musical versatility ranges from Irish to Quebecois, Old Time to funky modern tunes, and features Shari Ame kicking a serious backbeat on fiddle, Evelyn Idzerda wading deeply into rhythm and rhyme on piano, Bo Leydon rocking octave mando and wooden flute, Marjorie Sandor coaxing luscious new chords from DADGAD guitar and harmonium, and Tracy Daugherty keeping it steady on bodhran and cajon. Together, the Overtones whip up a danceable storm!

Laurel ThomasLaurel Thomas

Laurel Thomas started calling contra dances in 2008. Since then, she has called at dances all over the Pacific Northwest, and has made several appearances on the East Coast. Dancers appreciate her clear teaching, articulate calling and her ability to choose fun, lively dances that have good flow. Her carefully crafted programs build skill level throughout the evening and aim to satisfy a mixed level crowd of beginning and experienced dancers.

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

 

Dec
22
Sun
Online Song Circle @ Online
Dec 22 @ 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

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 .

Dec
26
Thu
Hoolyeh Folk Dancing @ Unitarian Fellowship
Dec 26 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Corvallis Hoolyeh dances are back in person

2nd and 4th Thursdays from 7 pm to 9 pm.

Hoolyeh DanceHoolyeh 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:

  1. Provide an email address for contact tracing if needed (gathered at dancing).
  2. Be mindful of others’ variable comfort levels, especially with respect to personal space and level of touch.
  3. Feel comfortable wearing a mask if that is their personal choice.
  4. 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.

Jan
4
Sat
Contra Dance – Loose Flagstone with Shell Stowell @ Gatton Hall, First Congregational Church
Jan 4 @ 7:30 pm – 10:30 pm

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.

Loose FlagstoneLoose Flagstone

Loose Flagstone celebrates its fifth year as a Corvallis Celtic quartet drawing from Irish, Scottish, and American musical influences both traditional and contemporary. Their contra repertoire explores a rich mix of Celtic jigs and reels, rousing old-time tunes and New England dance music. Loose Flagstone features Jennifer Parke on fiddle, Leslie Glassmire on silver flute, Tracy Daugherty on bodhran, and Marjorie Sandor on DADGAD guitar.

Shell StowallShell 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.

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

 

Jan
9
Thu
Hoolyeh Folk Dancing @ Unitarian Fellowship
Jan 9 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Corvallis Hoolyeh dances are back in person

2nd and 4th Thursdays from 7 pm to 9 pm.

Hoolyeh DanceHoolyeh 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:

  1. Provide an email address for contact tracing if needed (gathered at dancing).
  2. Be mindful of others’ variable comfort levels, especially with respect to personal space and level of touch.
  3. Feel comfortable wearing a mask if that is their personal choice.
  4. 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.

Jan
12
Sun
Online Song Circle @ Online
Jan 12 @ 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

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 .

Jan
18
Sat
Contra Dance – The Hat Band with Rich Goss @ Gatton Hall, First Congregational Church
Jan 18 @ 7:30 pm – 10:30 pm

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.

Hat BandThe Hat Band

Featuring Jon Neff on guitar, Syd Newell on fiddle, and Meg Tapley on flute, The Hat Band plays for contradances throughout Portland and the Pacific Northwest. Dancers love their diversity (traditional, rags, blues, swing, klezmer), their three-part harmonies, and their unique chemistry. Jon, Syd, and Meg also play in The Portland Megaband and various other local bands.

Rich GossRich Goss

Most weekends, and sometimes on weekdays, I can be found in a dance hall somewhere calling, playing, doing sound, or contra dancing. I also play percussion once or twice a year with The Portland Megaband, a 75-80 member contra orchestra!!

The Pacific NW is such a terrific place to live! It’s great for calling and playing opportunities. In addition to established contra dances, I also enjoy calling for parties, weddings and community dances.

I’ve called dances from coast to coast for events ranging from large to small, novice to experienced, in a driveway to very large dance halls. My goal is to call fun accessible dances with clear concise teaching, always with a good-natured, easy-going style.

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

 

Jan
23
Thu
Hoolyeh Folk Dancing @ Unitarian Fellowship
Jan 23 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Corvallis Hoolyeh dances are back in person

2nd and 4th Thursdays from 7 pm to 9 pm.

Hoolyeh DanceHoolyeh 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:

  1. Provide an email address for contact tracing if needed (gathered at dancing).
  2. Be mindful of others’ variable comfort levels, especially with respect to personal space and level of touch.
  3. Feel comfortable wearing a mask if that is their personal choice.
  4. 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.

Jan
26
Sun
Online Song Circle @ Online
Jan 26 @ 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

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 .

Feb
1
Sat
Contra Dance – Coriolis with Noah Grunzweig @ Gatton Hall, First Congregational Church
Feb 1 @ 7:30 pm – 10:30 pm

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.

CoriolisCoriolis

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

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

 

Feb
9
Sun
Online Song Circle @ Online
Feb 9 @ 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

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 .

Feb
13
Thu
Hoolyeh Folk Dancing @ Unitarian Fellowship
Feb 13 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Corvallis Hoolyeh dances are back in person

2nd and 4th Thursdays from 7 pm to 9 pm.

Hoolyeh DanceHoolyeh 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:

  1. Provide an email address for contact tracing if needed (gathered at dancing).
  2. Be mindful of others’ variable comfort levels, especially with respect to personal space and level of touch.
  3. Feel comfortable wearing a mask if that is their personal choice.
  4. 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.

Feb
14
Fri
Corvallis Contra Weekend – Nova & Root System with Will Mentor & Lindsey Dono @ Gatton Hall, First Congregational Church
Feb 14 – Feb 16 all-day

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 SystemRoot 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 MentorWill 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 DonoLindsey 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

 

Feb
16
Sun
Contra Dance – Nova & Root System with Will Mentor & Lindsey Dono @ Gatton Hall, First Congregational Church
Feb 16 @ 7:30 pm – 10:30 pm

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 SystemRoot 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 MentorWill 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 DonoLindsey 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