Calendar

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.

Libby Roderick

an internationally acclaimed singer/songwriter, poet, activist, teacher and lifelong Alaskan. The surprising power and depth of her music and the humor and spontaneity of her performances have attracted large and enthusiastic audiences across the continent and fans all over the world. Her six recordings have received extensive airplay on Earth and, in 2003, NASA played her song “Dig Down Deep” on the planet Mars as encouragement to the robot “Spirit.” Libby is an exhilarating and witty artist who offers a remarkable blend of passionate music, wry humor and incisive commentary on social and personal issues.

Cassandra Robertson

a muse with a message, 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.

Libby Roderick has composed a bunch of new socially-engaged music and got a big grant to tour it, so Spring Creek is hosting a concert by her in collaboration with the Corvallis Folklore Society.

The challenge of the Spring Creek Project is to bring together the practical wisdom of the environmental sciences, the clarity of philosophical analysis, and the creative, expressive power of the written word to find new ways to understand and re-imagine our relation to the natural world.

The Euphemists

Dave Goldman — piano
Alan Snyder — fiddle
Paula Hamlin — winds
Kaye Blesener — trombone
Jerry Nelson — guitarpercussion

Enjoy contradancing but miss that Big Band sound? Then you’ll love the Euphemists, a band whose motto is “All fiddle tunes get better with horn riffs!” Over the past few years, various pairings of these Portland musicians have said, “We should form a band!” Finally, inspired by the recent immigration of fiddler Alan Snyder from warmer climes, The Euphemists congealed in 2011. The band features a brass front line of Paula Hamlin, Kaye Blesener, and Jerry Nelson, while Jerry’s several guitars share backup rhythmic duties with the keyboard of Dave Goldman.

Eric Curl calling

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 7:30pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 8:00pm

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

~POTLUCK: 6pm; Hosts: Greg & Maria, 3316 SE Hathaway Drive; phone: 831-325-7627.

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

First and Third Sundays

The first Sunday of the month will be dedicated to Balkan dances and the third to Israeli.

The Nettles

Laura Brophy – fiddle;
Kevin Johnsrude – guitars;
Michael Proctor – bass;
Brian Bucolo – percussion;

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.

Kelsey Hartman

Since I am a “contraholic,” I can often be found any given weekend dancing or calling a contra dance. My inspiration for calling comes from Frannie Marr, who got me thinking that there was life in contra off the dance floor, and Nils Fredland, whose callers’ workshop at American Week (BACDS) in 2012 spurred me down the caller’s path.

Beginners lesson starts at 7:30pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 8:00pm

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.

First and Third Sundays

The first Sunday of the month will be dedicated to Balkan dances and the third to Israeli.

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.

Special Sunday Contra Dance

 The Syncopaths

From dance floors to concert halls, the Syncopaths bring a fresh, contemporary spin to music and songs rooted in the Scottish, Irish, and American folk traditions. Evolving beyond their contra dance origins, they are creating a “chamber folk” sound characterized by the compelling, rhythmic interplay of fiddle and mandolin, rich vocals, and unexpected colors and rhythms from the piano and bodhrán. The exuberant joy they derive from the music and each other is palpable and contagious.

“Though they may not have the international acclaim of the likes of Solas or the Chieftains, make no mistake, the Syncopaths are nothing short of a Celtic supergroup.” — Irish Herald, July 2011

At the heart of the band’s sound are the twin engines of Ryan McKasson’s dynamic, Scottish-based fiddling and the understated-but-monster picking of mandolinist Ashley Broder. Jeff Spero provides wonderfully inventive and surprising piano accompaniment, anchored by the driving power of Christa Burch’s non-traditional bodhrán. Christa also lends her singular voice — warm, supple, expressive, and intimate — to the band’s songs. All in all, the Syncopaths are equally at home with pulsing, high-energy dance tunes and beautiful, contemplative songs. They ably stretch melodic boundaries while keeping a steady, compelling, danceable beat.

“The energy, joy, and spontaneity…rolls right off the stage. The combination will make you feel like you’re firewalking.” — Portland Country Dance Community Footnotes, May 2006

The Syncopaths tour nationally, and have released two CDs, Five Gears (2010) and Rough Around the Edges (2005).

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.

All members are welcome to attend.  Please contact Jason for more information (there’s limited space).

Countercurrent

From Seattle:

• Brian Lindsay – fiddle
• Alex Sturbaum – guitar

Countercurrent is a contra dance and folk music band in western Washington, featuring driving guitar, foot percussion, lyrical fiddle, and harmony vocals.

Michael Karcher

From New York via Seattle.

Beginners lesson starts at 7:30pm (experienced dancers welcome) dance starts at 8:00pm

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.

First and Third Sundays

The first Sunday of the month will be dedicated to Balkan dances and the third to Israeli.

Hoolyeh and Friends 10th Annual Folk Dance Party

Anyone who likes to folk dance is welcome!

Bring snacks, treats, refreshments, drinks and stories.
Bring your memories to share!
Costumes are encouraged and besides, they are fun!

Hambo Workshop
with John Scott

Hambo is not a dance you can learn in  5 minutes.  It takes instruction, time and practice.

• This class is for beginners, or anyone who wants tips & practice opportunity with coaching.
• No partner is needed!
• The May 6th evening contra dance will feature several live HAMBOS to practice your skills!