Staff
Alex and Audrey (music)
are Alex Cumming (accordion and piano) and Audrey Jaber (fiddle). Based in Brattleboro, Vermont, Alex performs songs and tunes from around the United Kingdom and America with a great depth of knowledge of the tradition. Audrey is known for her electrifying fiddle playing in The Free Raisins, The Gaslight Tinkers, Audacious and Wake Up Robin and was featured on Alex's debut solo album. Together, Alex and Audrey create a unique and engaging traditional music experience. Their collaboration blends Alex's traditional singing and rhythmic accordion playing with Audrey's lively fiddling, resulting in performances that resonate deeply with audiences. Audrey played fiddle on Alex's debut solo album, "Homecoming," released in 2024 and the duo are working on their debut duo record in 2025.
Forgery (music)
Ben Jackson (Fiddle) and Will Wheeler (Guitar, Feet) first met at the barnless barn dance at Santa Clara's Forge Garden, and have been playing contras all over the San Francisco Bay Area, and recently at the Northwest Folklife Festival. Ben, a native to the South Bay, got his start playing classical music, then branched out into old-time, celtic, musical theater, jazz, and bluegrass fiddling. Will got his musical start playing Irish music at Lark Camp, which he now directs. From there he explored a variety of traditional music styles, but found his musical love with contra dance music.
Jeremy Korr (caller)
is a popular bicoastal caller, based in Southern California most of the year and in Eastern Massachusetts during the summer. A second-generation dance leader, Jeremy has been dancing his whole life, and has been calling contras and squares since 2003 and children and family dances since 1993. Jeremy is acclaimed for his fun dances, efficient walkthroughs, precise calling, and community spirit.
Koren Wake (caller)
Originally from New England, Koren spent decades analyzing the art and flow of contra and developing a deep understanding of the dance before she finally picked up a microphone in Seattle, where she is now based. She has already shared stages with some of the hottest bands in the Pacific Northwest, and has quickly proven that's exactly where she belongs. She loves nothing more than to help dancers discover the patterns and connections of well-crafted choreography. Koren's primary goal as a caller is to combine exquisite dance selection with clear and accessible teaching in order to bring dancers of all skill levels together on the floor. Koren also plays fiddle and viol for English and contra dances.
Brian Lindsay (sound)
is an exhilarating multi-instrumentalist, singer, and sound engineer based in the Pacific Northwest. He is half of the powerhouse folk duo Countercurrent, the sweet old-time sensation Dear Crow, and one of the region's premier sound engineers for acoustic music. Brian Lindsay is an experienced and versatile sound engineer for both recordings and live sound. Brian is a dedicated and sensitive sound engineer, both for recording and live sound applications. Using a great depth of technical knowledge and experience, Brian is dedicated to giving every performance the absolute best presentation it can get, and every performer the most enjoyable experience they can have either on stage or in the studio.
Seth Gorrin (sound)
grew up in the Bay Area contra scene and has been attending Queer Contra Dance Camp for over a decade. After studying technical theatre in college he returned to the Bay Area and has been running sound at both Queer Contra Dance Camp and Circle Left ever since. He also originated the traveling skirt, which has made appearances across the United States and helped numerous dancers get excited about wearing skirts for contra dances.
Our staff provides a full weekend of contra dance, with a second track of dance and singing workshops led by the community during the day. Specifics will be announced as camp approaches, but workshop topics in the past have included waltz, consent conversations, English country dance, pop contra, traditional folk songs, playing music for contra, and much more. Sessions targeted to beginning and advanced dancers are also included.
