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Welcome to the Northwest Folklife Festival 2018 schedule!
Contra/Square Dance Band [clear filter]
Friday, May 25
 

11:00am PDT

Seattle Collaborative Contra Band with Claire Takemori Caller
Clap! Stomp! Whoop! Dance!
Performers
SC

Seattle Collaborative Contra Band with Claire Takemori, Caller

We are a community contra dance band directed by Sarah Comer. The band creates a gateway for musicians who would like to develop and learn the necessary skills to play for dancers in a collaborative and supportive environment. If you are interested in joining, please see any of us... Read More →

Friday May 25, 2018 11:00am - 11:50am PDT
Fisher Pavilion 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Friday Opening Contra

12:00pm PDT

Dog Paw with Emily Faulkner Caller
Contradancing With The Stars
Performers
DP

Dog Paw with Emily Faulkner, Caller

Dog Paw appears nightly at their home in Spokane. Sally Jablonsky, bilingual fiddler since birth, is a wicked old time fiddler, and she plays jigs! Her dad, Eugene Jablonsky, Spokane’s go-to bassist, plays everything on bass and guitar—jazz, western swing, tango, classical, Broadway... Read More →

Friday May 25, 2018 12:00pm - 12:50pm PDT
Fisher Pavilion 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Friday Opening Contra

1:00pm PDT

Pinehurst Express with Valerie Cohen Caller
Local Contra and More!
Performers
PE

Pinehurst Express with Valerie Cohen, Caller

Traditional contra from the Pinehurst Ridge of NE Seattle.

Friday May 25, 2018 1:00pm - 1:50pm PDT
Fisher Pavilion 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Friday Opening Contra

2:00pm PDT

Halibut with Marlin Prowell Caller
Lively, New Young Contra-band
Performers
HW

Halibut with Marlin Prowell, Caller

Halibut is Abigail Hobart on fiddle and Sam Vogt on guitar and banjo. Both musicians hail from PNW cities, Bellingham and Portland respectively, and grew up playing traditional music in their local communities. Upon meeting at a music potluck in 2010, Sam gave Abigail mandolin lessons... Read More →

Friday May 25, 2018 2:00pm - 2:50pm PDT
Fisher Pavilion 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Friday Opening Contra

3:00pm PDT

Small Pleasures with LauraMe' Smith Caller
Northwest and Yankee Music
Performers
SP

Small Pleasures with LauraMe' Smith, Caller

Since 1996 Vivian Williams (longstanding scholar of NW dance music traditions, and currently Sr-Sr Fiddle Champion of the US) and Phil Katz (contra dance musician since 1979 w/ musical roots in New Hampshire), have made our goal to bring together the traditional music of the Northwest... Read More →

Friday May 25, 2018 3:00pm - 3:50pm PDT
Fisher Pavilion 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Friday Opening Contra

5:00pm PDT

Coriolis with Laurel Thomas Caller
A Force of Nature!
Performers
CW

Coriolis with Laurel Thomas, Caller

The members of Coriolis are veterans of the Portland Megaband and many other groups. Together, they have over 60 years combined experience playing for contradances.

Friday May 25, 2018 5:00pm - 5:50pm PDT
Fisher Pavilion 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Friday Evening Contra

7:00pm PDT

Red Crow with John Gallagher Caller
Groovin' Contra Dance music
Performers
RC

Red Crow with John Gallagher, Caller

Red Crow is named in honor of a Black Feet first nations chief. The band members have played together in various forms since the 1970's. We have play for fund raising events, Contra dances and Folklife. We were a band to play the Chehalis Dance Camp in British Columbia in 2011.

Friday May 25, 2018 7:00pm - 7:50pm PDT
Fisher Pavilion 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Friday Evening Contra
 
Saturday, May 26
 

12:00pm PDT

Northern Contraband with Amy Wimmer Caller
PNW Contra Dance Music
Performers
NC

Northern Contraband with Amy Wimmer, Caller

Northern Contraband has been playing for contra dances for over 8 years and has performed at Northwest Folklife 4 times now. The band is made up of experienced contra dance musicians, some members playing for dances for more than 35 years! We play high energy New England style music... Read More →

Saturday May 26, 2018 12:00pm - 12:50pm PDT
Fisher Pavilion 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Saturday Morning Contra

4:00pm PDT

The Nettles with Kelsey Hartman Caller
Funky Fresh Folkadelic Frolic!
Performers
TN

The Nettles with Kelsey Hartman, Caller

Folkadelic. The Nettles propel contra dances with powerful melodies, wild improvisation and driving rhythms. With fiddle, guitar, bass, drums, and a phat groove, The Nettles draw from Irish and international music to American oldtime and rock, putting it all through their folkadelic... Read More →

Saturday May 26, 2018 4:00pm - 4:50pm PDT
Fisher Pavilion 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Saturday Afternoon Contra

7:00pm PDT

Highball String Band with Tony Mates Caller
Can't Help But Dance!
Performers
HS

Highball String Band with Tony Mates, Caller

Highball String Band plays old time music that's easy on the ears and infectious for the feet. You can find them every month, fourth Sundays or thereabouts, at the Latona Pub in the Greenlake neighborhood. Alex MacLeod on fiddle, David Pearlstein on banjo, and Tom Collicott on gu... Read More →

Saturday May 26, 2018 7:00pm - 7:55pm PDT
Armory Loft 3- Dance Workshops 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Subversive Squares

8:00pm PDT

InTentCity with Jacqui Grennan Caller
Groovin' Family Dance Music
Performers
IW

InTentCity with Jacqui Grennan, Caller

September of 2016 saw the birth of InTentCity. All of the band members are siblings and the fiddler, pianist, and guitarist were classically trained at a young age. Since starting contra last year we have energized dancers all along the Pacific seaboard and in a weekend event Atlanta... Read More →

Saturday May 26, 2018 8:00pm - 8:50pm PDT
Fisher Pavilion 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Saturday Night Contra

8:05pm PDT

Woodchuck's Revenge with Susan Michaels Caller
Peppy Hillbilly Squaredance Tunes
Performers
WR

Woodchuck's Revenge with Susan Michaels, Caller

Fiddlers and life partners Jerry and Suzanne love playing driving old-time music to make people dance. Harley and Shera are a couple steeped in music, from Harley's stint with Bill Monroe and other storied players, to Shera's insatiable love for learning tunes on whatever instrument... Read More →

Saturday May 26, 2018 8:05pm - 9:00pm PDT
Armory Loft 3- Dance Workshops 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Subversive Squares
 
Sunday, May 27
 

12:10pm PDT

The Polka Guyz
Polka, Why Don'tcha!
Performers
TP

The Polka Guyz

We're an agglomeration of friends from various musical backgrounds that enjoy polka and related music.

Sunday May 27, 2018 12:10pm - 12:50pm PDT
Theatre 4 - Dance Workshops 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Polka Party

1:00pm PDT

La Famille Leger
Acadian-powered Kitchen-party Music
Performers
LF

La Famille Leger

Born of a time when family and friends would gather in the warmth of the kitchens of Québec and New Brunswick to play tunes together, La Famille Léger keeps that rich tradition vitally alive. The Légers play the dancing music of French Canada - the music handed down through generations... Read More →

Sunday May 27, 2018 1:00pm - 1:30pm PDT
Trad Stage 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Music Performance, Fête des Québécois: Presented by Festival du Bois

1:00pm PDT

Williams, Cahn, Ficcara & Levine with Noah Grunzweig Caller
Tunes We Recall
Performers
WC

Sunday May 27, 2018 1:00pm - 1:50pm PDT
Fisher Pavilion 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Sunday Afternoon Contra

2:00pm PDT

Improper with Woody Lane Caller
Sax, Violins, Oh My!
Performers
IW

Improper with Woody Lane, Caller

Eric, Melissa, and Sean have been dancing and playing for contras for a combined total of several decades. They feel very grateful for having been able to learn from some of the greats of the contra dance scene, and find great joy in being able to contribute back to the contra dance... Read More →

Sunday May 27, 2018 2:00pm - 2:50pm PDT
Fisher Pavilion 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Sunday Afternoon Contra

6:00pm PDT

La Famille Leger with Suzanne Girardot, Caller
Acadian-powered Kitchen-party Music
Performers
LF

La Famille Leger

Born of a time when family and friends would gather in the warmth of the kitchens of Québec and New Brunswick to play tunes together, La Famille Léger keeps that rich tradition vitally alive. The Légers play the dancing music of French Canada - the music handed down through generations... Read More →

Sunday May 27, 2018 6:00pm - 6:50pm PDT
Fisher Pavilion 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Sunday Sunset Contra

6:00pm PDT

Peckin' Out Dough with Joanna Stodden Caller
We Love to Play.
Performers
PO

Peckin' Out Dough with Joanna Stodden, Caller

Peckin' Out Dough formed about 2010 when Tony and Catherine and Brigid asked David Cahn to play bass with us; he said, how about fiddle? We said sure, what the heck. So then we had Emily Orling playing bass with us, but she moved away, so we asked Carmen, and he said yes. We're all... Read More →

Sunday May 27, 2018 6:00pm - 6:50pm PDT
Armory Loft 3- Dance Workshops 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Subversive Squares

7:00pm PDT

The Euphemists with Susan Petrick Caller
Big Brass from Portland
Performers
TE

The Euphemists with Susan Petrick, Caller

The Euphemists — not your ordinary contra dance band. Yes, fiddle and piano (Alan Snyder and Dave Goldman), flute and whistle (Paula Hamlin) and guitar (Jerry Nelson). Yes, Celtic, Québécois, and old-time tunes. But did you expect two saxophones and a trombone (Kaye Blesener... Read More →

Sunday May 27, 2018 7:00pm - 7:50pm PDT
Fisher Pavilion 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Sunday Sunset Contra

7:00pm PDT

Atlas Stringband with Alex MacLeod Caller
Extra Strength Stringband Music
Performers
AS

Atlas Stringband with Alex MacLeod, Caller

Atlas Stringband has been playing together in the Northwest for dances and shows since about 2005. While there have been some roster changes over the years, the core principle of playing rocking old-time southern music has stayed consistent. Atlas is equally comfortable playing for... Read More →

Sunday May 27, 2018 7:00pm - 7:55pm PDT
Armory Loft 3- Dance Workshops 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Subversive Squares
 
Monday, May 28
 

12:00pm PDT

The Mad Robins with Michael Karcher Caller
Acappella Contra Dance Octet
Performers
TM

The Mad Robins with Michael Karcher, Caller

Flocking together around Bellingham's own Abigail Hobart, The Mad Robins are the region's premier acappella contra group. Formed from several of the region's talented musical minds, with backgrounds in folk music, contra accompaniment, chantey and maritime traditions, shape-note... Read More →

Monday May 28, 2018 12:00pm - 12:50pm PDT
Fisher Pavilion 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Monday Morning Contra

1:00pm PDT

Rhythm Rollers with Charlie Fenton Caller
Whitesides, Andres & Reid
Performers
RR

Rhythm Rollers with Charlie Fenton, Caller

The Rhythm Rollers play old-time contra dance music.

Monday May 28, 2018 1:00pm - 1:50pm PDT
Fisher Pavilion 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Monday Morning Contra

5:00pm PDT

"Los Flacos" with Sherry Nevins Caller
Spicy South-of-the-border Contradance!
Performers
QF

"Los Flacos" with Sherry Nevins, Caller

Juan Serbulo, born in Oaxaca, Mexico, brings musical flavor from Tehuantepec, rich with boleros, tropical dance music, and traditional rhythms. He also plays gypsy jazz. Tim Wetmiller has studied the music of Juan Reynoso and other great violinists of the Tierra Caliente in Mexico's... Read More →

Monday May 28, 2018 5:00pm - 5:50pm PDT
Fisher Pavilion 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Monday Closing Contra

6:00pm PDT

Riff Raff with Isaac Banner Caller
Unrestricted, Unleashed, Uninhibited
Performers
RR

Riff Raff with Isaac Banner, Caller

Riff Raff is a motley assemblage of Olympia musicians. The band has been playing together in various configurations for over 20 years at the Olympia contra dances, and throughout the Pacific Northwest. The current lineup consists of band founder Lindon Toney, fiddler Jesse Partridge... Read More →

Monday May 28, 2018 6:00pm - 6:50pm PDT
Fisher Pavilion 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Monday Closing Contra

8:00pm PDT

Hot Cider with Susan Michaels Caller
Energetic Contra Groove!
Performers
HC

Hot Cider with Susan Michaels, Caller

Hot Cider dabbles in a bit of everything with a musical foundation in Northwest fiddle repertoire. You'll hear Scottish, Irish, Scandinavian, French Canadian, New England, even Brazilian influences. While known for driving rhythms & fiddle harmonies, the band's love for experimentation... Read More →

Monday May 28, 2018 8:00pm - 8:50pm PDT
Fisher Pavilion 305 Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98109
  Participatory Dance, Monday Closing Contra
 
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Friday, May 25
Saturday, May 26
Sunday, May 27
Monday, May 28
  • Community Jam
  • Cooking Demonstration
  • Dance Performance
  • Dance Workshop
  • Film
  • Music & Dance Showcase
  • Music Performance
  • Music Workshop
  • Panel Discussion
  • Participatory Dance
  • Participatory Music
  • Participatory Singing
  • Performance Dance
  • Storytelling/Spoken Word
  • Workshop
    • Armory Court Stage
    Armory Loft 3- Dance Workshops
    Armory Loft 4- Music Workshops
    Back Porch Stage
    Bagley Wright Theatre Sponsored by KUOW
    Boeing Green
    Broad Street Lawn
    Center Theatre
    Cornish Courtyard
    Cornish Playhouse
    Discovery Zone Stage: Sponsored by Parentmap
    Exhibition Hall Sponsored by Seattle Globalist
    Fisher Green Stage: Sponsored by KBCS 91.3FM
    Fisher Pavilion
    Folklife Café
    Fountain Lawn Stage: Sponsored by Western WA Toyota Dealers
    KEXP Gathering Space: Sponsored by KEXP 90.3FM
    McCaw Hall
    McCaw Promenade
    Mural Amphitheater: Sponsored by Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
    Narrative and Cultural Cuisine Stage: Sponsored by Uber Eats
    Open-Air Dance Stage
    Rhythm Tent
    SIFF Film Center
    Theatre 4 - Dance Workshops
    Trad Stage
    Vera Project/Gallery Sponsored by CityArts