Based in Maine, RIPTIDE is one of the most energetic contra dance bands on the scene today. They love the tunes they play, and their repertoire contains literally hundreds of traditional tunes from New England, Quebec, Ireland, Appalachia, and elsewhere. The band will feature Alden Robinson on fiddle, Owen Marshall on guitar, Baron Collins-Hill on mandolin, and the legendary Mark “Pokey” Hellenberg on percussion.
A powerhouse acoustic duo based in Olympia, WA, Alex Sturbaum & Brian Lindsay use fiddle, guitar, harmony vocals, and foot percussion to create dance music that will rock your socks. They display a musical fluency that comes from a decade of playing together at venues all across the continent. The reaction by dancers and listeners is invariably “How does so much music come from just two people?!”
Jacqui Grennan hails from Southern California and is known for her clear and caring teaching with a stage presence that is a blend of calmness and dynamism. As an avid dancer and choreographer as well as a caller, she knows what dancers want, and knows how to make it happen, seeing herself as the host of a party who wants to help everyone have a good time.
Maia McCormick is based in New York City and has called festivals, dance camps, and weekends all over the country. (In 2023, she called Queer Contra Dance Camp in California, and is thrilled to be back on the West Coast!) As a choreographer, she strives to write dances that are fresh and flow naturally; as a caller, she fosters connection and joy on the dance floor, and has been known to tell a bad pun.