The Staff
Countercurrent (Brian Lindsay and Alex Sturbaum)
Countercurrent is a powerhouse acoustic folk duo based in Olympia, Washington, featuring driving guitar, lyrical fiddle, harmony vocals, and foot percussion. Bringing the deep drive of dance music to every performance, their arrangements blend both traditional and modern influences with astounding musicianship and fluency. They have achieved nationwide acclaim for their high-energy style, which draws on deep traditional roots from Ireland and North America while incorporating new influences to create a sound that is at once unique and timeless. A repertoire of songs that includes potent contemporary anthems, trad ballads, old-time hollers, and biting political content leaves no room for boredom. Alex’s driving guitar and gifted songwriting, Brian’s lyrical fiddle and rock-solid foot percussion, and the duo’s lively interplay, tight vocal harmonies, and unstoppable groove make a Countercurrent performance an event unlike any other. Wherever they go, the question remains the same: “How does that much sound come from just two people?”
Karen Axelrod
Karen Axelrod’s piano playing combines expressiveness, energy, lyricism and power. She is equally at home with styles ranging from traditional folk melodies to passionate tangos to old world French musette waltzes to English Country dance tunes and much more. She left behind classical music over 40 years ago, and has happily settled into her musical home….somewhere between folk, classical and improvisation. Her playing is soulful yet touched with humor and whimsy.
When she is not playing concerts, Karen is one of the busiest and most sought after traditional dance musicians. Her elegant and rich piano playing and her colorful, gorgeous accordion playing are enlivened by her off-beat humor. Karen plays with a number of bands for traditional dance events as well as concerts. Her bands include Alchemy, Peregrine Road and 3rd String Trio. Based in Brattleboro, VT, she tours extensively throughout the United States, Canada and abroad at dances, festivals, concerts, camps private parties and other events.
Audrey Jaber
You know Audrey Jaber (Knuth) is performing if the room is buzzing at a higher level. Her fiddling, featured in bands including The Free Raisins, The Gaslight Tinkers, Audacious (with Larry Unger), and Wake Up Robin, has electrified dance and concert halls across the US and Europe. Hailing from Honolulu and now living in California, she cut her folk teeth in the Boston area, attending Berklee College of Music and spending years exploring the thriving New England folk scene. Audrey’s fiddle playing is rhythmically lively and spontaneous; she’s guaranteed to get you up and dancing. She specializes in English dance, New England, Celtic, and Old Time tunes\. You might also have taken a workshop with Audrey, as she’s been on staff at various camps including CDSS English week at Pinewoods, Ashokan Northern Week, BACDS American week, and Halsway Manor.
Anna Patton
Anna Patton is a clarinetest, composer, and teacher. Anna’s current projects include playing with and writing arrangements for Zara Bode’s Little Big Band, playing dance music with bands such as Elixir, Anna and the Alphabet, The Figments, Daybreak Trio, and various collaborations with pianist Karen Axelrod, and directing the Soubrette Choir. Her solo album, Isadore’s Breakfast – featuring her work on clarinet and vocals along with many of Vermont’s finest musicians – is a mix of French-influenced swing and fiddle tunes.
Adina Gordon
Adina Gordon finds an outlet for her loves of travel, music, dance and silliness by calling and dancing at festivals throughout the U.S. and Canada, creating joy and minor chaos wherever she goes. Combining a voice that makes you WANT to do what she says with a commitment to using that power for good and not evil, Adina calls contras and squares both old and new that cause spontaneous eruptions of joy on dance floors. She counts it as a job well done whenever anyone says, “I don’t really like squares, but I like your squares.”
Gaye Fifer
Gaye Fifer is an accomplished caller from Pittsburgh, PA. An active dancer herself, Gaye understands the subtleties of making dances particularly satisfying for dancers. Her instructions are clear and concise, as she is a teacher by profession. An easy smile and delightful sense of humor are part of Gaye's relaxed, pleasant style at the microphone. Gaye calls contra and English dances throughout the U.S. and Canada. She is also an enthusiastic advocate and instructor of contra-style waltz.
Leslie Barr
Leslie Barr discovered French traditional music in the 1980s and has been traveling to France to play fiddle and dance ever since. She has attended countless bals, learning the dances of France’s many regions, and, with her academic background in ethnomusicology, has explored both the roots and the revival of French musique et danse populaire. She has given workshops in dance and music and played for balfolk dances throughout the U.S.
Katie Zukof
Katie Zukof is a professional recess supervisor, elementary school Spanish teacher, caller and mother of two girls. A lifelong dancer, she resides in Bloomington, IN where she has been contra dancing and clogging since 2007 and calling since 2009. She has previously led children's art classes and mummer's plays at Terpsichore's Dance Holiday, Pinewoods Camp and Cumberland Dance Week. She is excited to be putting on her physical education hat this year to lead outdoor games!
Meg Dedolph
One of the funniest people we know, and an integral part of the Terpsichore's Holiday Planning Committee, Meg Dedolph will be playing guitar and drums for the Cosmic Otters, teaching kids' ritual dance, and co-leading the dance band workshop at camp this year. Meg is a dance caller and children’s music teacher in the Chicago area.