Staff

Instructors

Jacqui Grennan • Dance/Caller Instruction

Jacqui Grennan will be an instructor for Contra College 2019, for the third year in a row, and is excited to be teaching intricacies of contra dancing and the Caller’s Workshop. In 2009, Jacqui started dancing and within a year began to attend dance weekends around the country and later around the world. She soon became interested in the patterns, connections and subtleties of contra dancing. She learned to call in 2013 at American Week (BACDS), called her first full night of dancing two months later, and was full-fledged into her calling career by 2014. Jacqui has taught contra dance (and ukulele!) to those who are brand new to the field and is known for her effectiveness, cheerfulness, and encouraging style of teaching. She is also a contra dance choreographer giving her insight into the connections and relationships of people during the dance that keeps everyone moving smoothly with the music. Jacqui lives in Los Angeles, CA, and has been very involved in the southern California dance community.

Alan Winston • Dance Instruction

Caller, choreographer, and community leader, Alan Winston started country dancing in 1978 and has been calling English and historical dances since 1985, contra since 2006. His clear, cheerful, and witty instruction serve dancers well at regular and gender-free dances and camps (Lark Camp, Heather & Rose Camp, BACDS Family Week and American Week) all over the West Coast, festivals on both coasts, and special venues like science fiction conventions (BayCon, Arisia, Westercon, WorldCon), Romance Writers of America conventions, and Civil War reenactments, introducing many to dancing for the first time. Alan has written popular English dances ("Movement Afoot", "New Decade Waltz)" and contra dances ("Dipping Dots"). He has taught "intro to waltz" workshops for festivals on both coasts. Long-time chair of the Bay Area Country Dance Society, Alan co-managed BACDS Fall Weekend for over a decade, and has served many years on other camp committees. It is Alan's great happiness to share the joy of community through country dance.

Jim Oakden • Music In Dance Instruction

Jim Oakden went to college on a music scholarship, but ended up in grad school as a marine biologist. However, he continued to avidly pursue music, first via Early Music, and then as a dance musician. He continues to perform with many bands in a host of genres on an absurd array of instruments. He is very dedicated to passing on his knowledge — at symposia, workshops, and dance and music camps around the world: from the East Coast (Pinewoods, etc) to Fairbanks AK to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, and many places in between. He runs community bands, camp bands, does individual and small group instruction, and has been an instructor at Lark Camp for many years. As a dance organizer, he programs the Santa Cruz contras, is the founding Artistic Director for the current BACDS American Week, and has programmed BACDS weekend events and English Week. He appears on 20 or so CDs. Plus, he loves to dance, in many different styles. Jim led the “How to Hear and Dance to Contra Music” session at Contra College in 2013 and 2016-2018, and will again offer it this year.

Musicians

Kevin Carr • Saturday Musician

Kevin Carr played his first contra dance forty years ago. Since then he has played dances, dance weekends and camps throughout North America, most often with the Hillbillies from Mars. He mostly plays fiddle, but doubles on Quebecois squeezebox, and the bagpipes of several mountainous, green, rainy culturally rich countries. He currently plays in a wide variety of groups, including Wake the Dead, Family Carr, les Tetes de Violon, Orujo, and as a solo storyteller.

Knuth and Jacoby • Sunday Musicians • Contra College Grad Dance

Photograph of Audrey Knuth and Christopher Jacoby

Audrey Knuth and Christopher Jacoby met several years ago in New England through their mutual friend Jeff Kaufman (Free Raisins) and have started playing more often now that they are both living in Oakland. Audrey makes her living primarily as a dance fiddler (both English and Contra) and plays in several bands including The Free Raisins, Wake Up Robin, and The Gaslight Tinkers. Christopher can be found playing for various kinds of dancing in the Bay and beyond on guitar, mandolin and accordion.

Organizer • Chancellor

David Buesch

David Buesch began contra dancing in 1997 in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he began to expand his involvement beyond the Saturday night dancer by attending dance weekends. His contributions to the local dance community included playing in for one of the local bands, being the sound person, becoming one of the (budding) callers, and served on the board of the Southern Nevada Old-Time Contra dancers. These experiences helped illuminate the interconnectedness of dancing from turning on the lights to being a supportive partner to all on the floor.

David moved to the Bay Area in 2011, dances and supports the Palo Alto Contra Dance community as a dance manager and Co-Manager for the 2018 and 2019 American Dance and Music Week. He enjoys dancing at the variety of venues including one-night, weekend, and week-long events. David attended Contra College in 2012 and 2013 as an experienced dancer and is a strong supporter of the philosophy of and opportunities by the college experience to enable individuals to expand their abilities and to strengthen the community. David has been Chancellor of Contra College from 2016 to present.

Bay Area Country Dance Society

Promoting Traditional English and American Music and Dance