Celtic harps,
rare instruments and
wondrous stories
a benefit for OregonFlora

The multi-instrumentalist duo of Lisa Lynne & Aryeh Frankfurter present an afternoon of music with Celtic Harps, Swedish Nyckelharpa, Ukrainian Bandura, Bouzouki, Cittern and more. Join these international performers and recording artists in an evening benefiting OregonFlora, a program that provides resources about the plants of the state. Appetizers, silent auction, and wine raffle are featured.

OregonFlora provides information about the native and naturalized plants of our state through its website, wildflower identification app, and Flora of Oregon books. Our work promotes plant awareness, gardening with native species, and restoration to support sustainable agricultural practices.

Treehouse

• Rachael Young, piano
• Benjamin Young, whistle and guitar
• Kevin Craven, fiddle
• Shari Ame, fiddle
• Bo Leyden, mandolin, flute

TREEHOUSE is Kevin Craven and Shari Ame on twin fiddles, Ben Young on guitar, whistles and flute, Rachael Young on keyboards and Bo Leyden on mandolin and flute. As well-seasoned musicians, we will serve you up a full sound, infectious rhythms, and creative arranging. Expect delight from the first contra to the last waltz, and all this for the meager cost of two lattes!!!!! Come dance your heart out to some of your local favorites!!!! Treehouse will not disappoint!!!!!.

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 the Corvallis Contra Weekend. 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.

Beginners lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 7:30pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.

Registration opens for the
Corvallis Contra Weekend 2020
February 14-16, 2020

This event sells out quickly, so register now at the event website https://corvallisfolklore.org/ccw/

Joyride

Joyride is a Portland Oregon contra dance band known for fun, skilled play, tune sets carefully tailored to dances, and well-phrased melodies and harmonies set in a danceable groove. George Penk’s rich, compelling fiddle, Erik Weberg’s deft flute, harmonica and bombarde, Sue Songer’s heartbeat piano and Jeff Kerssen-Griep’s vital guitar and percussion provide modern and traditional tunes for dances, weekends and festivals throughout the year. This band loves creating a great experience for everyone, every time.  Come catch a lift with Joyride at home or on the road!

Deb Comly

Deb Comly was bitten by the contra bug in 1994 and took off dancing across the country. Her passion for the dance keeps her dancing, calling, teaching, organizing, and playing music in Flagstaff and across the Southwest. Known for her quick and efficient teaching, diverse programing and reassuring demeanor,  dancers are comforted to know she’ll be behind the mic!  From her beaming smile to her happy feet, Deb’s energy is contagious!

A beginner’s lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers welcome and 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 dance First and Third Saturdays of the month except for July & August. Occasional special dances. See the rest of the calendar for more info.

Special Monday Contra Dance

Faux Paws

Noah VanNorstrand, Chris Miller and
Owen Morrison have been making music together since 2010, all over North America. Ostensibly based in Brattleboro, VT – their music is a mix of fiddle tunes, bluegrass and country songs, explosive jams and tight harmonies.

George Marshall

George Marshall is one of the top contra callers in the world.  He usually calls with Wild Asparagus or Swallowtail, but occasionally graces another group’s dances.

Beginners lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 7:30pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.

Uncle Farmer

Uncle Farmer is Ben Schreiber on fiddle and Michael Sokolovsky on guitar. With an Irish and New England sound at its core, the duo is known for its original dance tunes, modern twists on old favorites, and sets mixed with pop rhythms and improvisational flair. Their performances range from sweet and nostalgic to gritty and energetic, and their sound truly fills both the room and the hearts of dancers.

Susan Petrick

Susan Petrick has been calling all over the country for more than a decade. Her gracious manner along with her clarity and confidence on stage have made her one of the most sought after callers in the Pacific Northwest.
As a dancer herself, she knows what makes dancers happy and as a caller, she is always conscious of what is happening on the dance floor. Susan brings with her a diverse collection of dances featuring many flowing and flirty contras that will please your feet and satisfy your soul!

Beginners lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 7:30pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.

Bandwidth

• Gordy Euler – fiddle, piano
• Kieth Mo – fiddle
• Carl Thor – piano, mandolin

Rich 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.

Beginners lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 7:30pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.

The Alchemists

George Penk is a well-known fiddle player across the USA, especially in the Pacific Northwest. He lives in Portland where he currently plays with the bands Joyride and Jigsaw. George collaborates with many musicians in various musical adventures, including being part of the Portland Collection project through his playing on the Portland Selection CD’s. His spirited and rich fiddle style is a delight to listen to. George is widely appreciated as a consummate dance fiddler working with callers to make sure the music is in-tune with the spirit of the dances.
Heather Pinney, also a member of Jigsaw, joins on piano and fiddle.

Steven Skolnik has been steeped in percussion for most of his life, playing professionally from jazz to classical and folk, adding taste and power to our driving and lyrical melodies.

Maia Hoffman is studying viola at the Cleveland Institute of Music and allows us to tap into her talents when we snatch her for our contra dance gigs indulging us with twin or triple fiddling.

Erik Weberg

I danced my first contra dance in Moscow Idaho in the Fall of 1986.  Several excursions to the dance hall were necessary for me to find the courage to actually dance, but once I, tried it caught hold quickly and I became a regular dancer. Christian Petrich encouraged me to try calling for the first time in 1990 and soon after that I started regularly attending the first Wednesday open mic in Spokane Washington. I called dances around Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho for a few years before moving west of the Cascades in 1993. I was soon asked to call dances in Portland and up the Willamette Valley. Since then I’ve been calling dances, festivals and weekends around the country from Seattle to Boston, from Fairbanks to Tuscon and most places between. I am able to enjoy this craft because of the good folks who encouraged and taught me to call dances years ago, the booking agents and local dance committees who have given me wonderful opportunities to practice in their communities, and the thousands of dancers and musicians who forgive me my mistakes and make it all worthwhile. If you’re reading this you’re probably one of them; so, thank you!

Beginners lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 7:30pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.

The Nettles

The Nettles are well-known on the West Coast for their original approach to contra dance music. Playing traditional music from all over the world, The Nettles create a strong rhythmic groove under soaring improvisations. Rhythmic drive and melodic fluidity allow The Nettles to propel contra dances into the stratosphere.

Isaac Banner

A long-time contra dancer and Seattle transplant, I’ve worked for several years to become known in the Pacific Northwest for my particular blend of humor and dance instruction. With contagious excitement, a warm cadence, and a cheerful personality, I strive to bring moments of magic into the lives of newcomers and veteran dancers alike. Contra has always held a special place in my heart and I try to share that love with every dance I visit.

Beginners lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 7:30pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.

Coriolis

Dave Hamlin – fiddle, mandolin,
Jon Neff – guitar, bass,
Victor Fiore -fiddle

Two thirds of the Steeltones and one third of Mad Robin.

Eric Curl

Eric started calling in 1996 and called in California and Colorado before moving Seattle in 2006. A mechanical engineer working for Boeing, he now enjoys calling in Washington, Oregon and British Columbia on a semi-regular basis. In his spare time, he likes to hike, snowshoe, camp, visit friends and family, play music, and of course, dance and call.

Beginners lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 7:30pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.

People’s State of The Union

The Arts Center and the Corvallis-Albany Chapter of the NAACP, along with partners in the community and organizations across the country, invite the public to #PSOTU2020. Community members from the Mid-Willamette Valley will take part in Story Circles, sharing experiences that reveal the state of our union. Neighbors are invited to share their stories about how belonging or exclusion has played a role in their communities.

In January of most years, the President delivers a State of the Union Address highlighting the past year and suggesting priorities for the coming year. In an era of this country’s history that has seen division and distrust among neighbors and within families, looking each other in the eye and sharing our stories matters even more than usual. In such moments, being able to cross political divides and remain in dialogue is a worthy challenge. Who are we? What touches our hearts and minds? What do our communities need, and what do they need to hear from us? We may know our own answers, but do we know each other?

The People’s State of the Union, initiated by the US Department of Arts and Culture (a people-powered organization), is an invitation to together host a national conversation in our own homes, schools, houses of worship, and community organizations. Between February 4 – 14, 2020, individuals and organizations across the U.S. will sign up to host Story Circles.

Story Circles are open to all community members who wish to tell their stories and listen to others. The free event will take place from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm in the main gallery of The Arts Center. After the Story Circles, participants who wish can upload their stories and images to an online platform, yielding a body of stories that can be searched and shared, inspiring new ideas and new actions. This repository of stories will also provide the source material for the Poetic Address to the Nation, collaboratively composed and performed by local authors and poets.

The Arts Center is a non-profit arts organization and gallery in the heart of downtown Corvallis. Our mission is to foster creativity and engagement with the arts to inspire personal growth and community well-being.
The Corvallis/Albany Branch of the NAACP in Oregon is part of the non-profit national organization and shares its mission to  ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.

 CFS annual Corvallis Contra Weekend

Registration opens Nov 15, 2019

Stomp Rocket

Beacoup de stomping pour le contra danse, avec Dave Langford on fiddle, Glen Loper on mandolin and banjo, and Bethany Waickman on guitar and sometimes piano. Look for us in the general New England area and elsewhere.

Joyride

Joyride is a Portland Oregon contra dance band known for fun, skilled play, tune sets carefully tailored to dances, and well-phrased melodies and harmonies set in a danceable groove. George Penk’s rich, compelling fiddle, Erik Weberg’s deft flute, harmonica and bombarde, Sue Songer’s heartbeat piano and Jeff Kerssen-Griep’s vital guitar and percussion provide modern and traditional tunes for dances, weekends and festivals throughout the year. This band loves creating a great experience for everyone, every time.  Come catch a lift with Joyride at home or on the road!

Sarah VanNorstrand

I started dancing as a teenager and was instantly hooked. I was lucky to learn in an incredibly friendly and encouraging dance community, and I soon started bringing groups of my friends. Throughout high school, we became enthusiastic dancers and started our own Contra Prom in our junior year, which has since become an annual event of the Syracuse Country Dancers. I started calling in 2006, and again, our local community of dancers and callers provided a wonderful learning environment.

I regularly call at our Syracuse dance, as well as dances and dance weekends across the country.

Depending on the event, my repertoire includes a wide variety of contra dances as well as squares and party dances. I enjoy working with everyone from first-time dancers to decades-long contra veterans. Above all, my goal as a caller is to make sure the dancers are having a wonderful time connecting with the music and each other. I love dancing, community, and music and I always try to communicate that enthusiasm in my calling.

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.

Special Sunday Contra Dance

Stomp Rocket

Beacoup de stomping pour le contra danse, avec Dave Langford on fiddle, Glen Loper on mandolin and banjo, and Bethany Waickman on guitar and sometimes piano. Look for us in the general New England area and elsewhere.

Joyride

Joyride is a Portland Oregon contra dance band known for fun, skilled play, tune sets carefully tailored to dances, and well-phrased melodies and harmonies set in a danceable groove. George Penk’s rich, compelling fiddle, Erik Weberg’s deft flute, harmonica and bombarde, Sue Songer’s heartbeat piano and Jeff Kerssen-Griep’s vital guitar and percussion provide modern and traditional tunes for dances, weekends and festivals throughout the year. This band loves creating a great experience for everyone, every time.  Come catch a lift with Joyride at home or on the road!

Sarah VanNorstrand

I started dancing as a teenager and was instantly hooked. I was lucky to learn in an incredibly friendly and encouraging dance community, and I soon started bringing groups of my friends. Throughout high school, we became enthusiastic dancers and started our own Contra Prom in our junior year, which has since become an annual event of the Syracuse Country Dancers. I started calling in 2006, and again, our local community of dancers and callers provided a wonderful learning environment.

I regularly call at our Syracuse dance, as well as dances and dance weekends across the country.

Depending on the event, my repertoire includes a wide variety of contra dances as well as squares and party dances. I enjoy working with everyone from first-time dancers to decades-long contra veterans. Above all, my goal as a caller is to make sure the dancers are having a wonderful time connecting with the music and each other. I love dancing, community, and music and I always try to communicate that enthusiasm in my calling.

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.

Celtic Harps, Rare Instruments & Wondrous Stories
with Lisa Lynne & Aryeh Frankfurter

Workshop: Intro to Swedish music for all instruments:

Lisa Lynne & Aryeh Frankfurter are a multi-instrumentalist duo with Celtic Harps, Swedish Nyckelharpa, Ukrainian Bandura, Bouzouki, Cittern and more. They hail from Oregon and tour extensively, have performed with some of the biggest names in folk and acoustic music and have sold well over a million albums combined. Audiences are spellbound and enchanted with their unique show of breathtaking music both Traditional and original, with wondrous stories and humor entwined.

Lisa Lynne is a multi-instrumentalist and performer who has gained worldwide recognition for her original music featuring her Celtic Harp. She is widely acclaimed for composing memorable and heartwarming melodies on the Windham Hiill/Sony music labels that have repeatedly placed in the Top 10 & Top 20 on the Billboard New age music charts. Lisa tours year round performing at large US festivals and performing art centers. Her work in Therapeutic music has gained recognition from NBC, CNN, Fox News Atlanta and numerous newspaper and magazine articles including Wall Street Journal. Lisa’s music is heard throughout the award winning PBS special “Alone in the Wilderness,” amongst many other soundtracks for commercial television and independent films. She performs regularly as a solo artist, with Aryeh Frankfurter, Patrick Ball and the Windham Hill tours. She was recently named one of the 50 most inspiring women by Los Angeles Magazine. https://www.LisaLynne.com

Aryeh Frankfurter is a renowned Celtic harper and multi- instrumentalist who went from virtuosic progressive rock violin to intricate Swedish folk and Celtic Music. He began with Classical violin at the age of three, and studied music throughout his life. He has 17 albums to his credit, works on film and television scores as composer and arranger, and continues to teach himself to play a variety of instruments most recently the rarely seen Swedish Nyckelharpa. He earned his masters in philosophy as he was becoming one of the most successful street performers in the US. He is a full time musician and producer whose uncommon approach to the Celtic harp and folk harp repertoire, his critically acclaimed albums have earned him high regard as an artist of extraordinary talents and abilities. www.Lionharp.com

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED

Cascade Crossing

Sarah Goss – Bass, whistle, oboe
Rich Goss – guitar, percussion
Lori Prime – Fiddle
Carl Thor – piano, dulcimer, mando

Cascade Crossing has been active since 2006, and they have played up and down the west coast from Juneau to San Diego. They have a reputation for intense creativity, and a habit of energizing dance crowds. Cascade Crossing includes Lori Prime (fiddle), Sarah Goss (whistle, oboe), Rich Goss (guitar, percussion), and Carl Thor (piano). Wherever they play, Cascade Crossing lights up the dance hall with an exciting palette of musical colors and textures, from hard-driving reels to smooth, mysterious jigs and romantic waltzes.

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 the Corvallis Contra Weekend. 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.

Beginners lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 7:30pm

Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary (it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner)

First and Third Saturdays of the month except July, August. Occasional special dances.