From the Mic

Mary Wesley, CDSS
  • 5.0 (2)
  • PERFORMING ARTS
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

Host Mary Wesley takes you behind the caller's mic to explore perspectives from the people who choose to stand in that curious place between the band and a roomful of dancers. Featuring conversations with callers of American social dance forms (contras, community dances, trad squares). Why do they do it? How did they learn? What is their role, on stage and off, in shaping our dance communities?

  1. 2025-12-12

    Episode 33 - Bill Olson

    Click to view a full transcript of the episode Sound bites featured in this episode (in order of appearance): Bill calling his contra dance Weeks on the Road at the Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend in Durham, NH in 2020Bill calling the singing square dance On the Trail of the Lonesome Pine at the Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend in Durham, NH in 2020 See the From the Mic website for great bonus content, including pictures and audio, transcripts, and more. And the Country Dance and Song Society for information about Contra and English country dance across the continent

    1h 33m

  2. 2025-10-31

    Episode 32 - Lindsey Dono

    Click here for the episode transcript Sound bites featured in this episode (in order of appearance): Lindsey calling the dance “Susie's Send-Off" by Scott Higgs with music by Audrey Jaber and Alex Cumming at the Lake City Contra Dance in Seattle on April 17, 2025.  Lindsey calling the dance "Labor of Love" by Kathy Anderson with music by Pachelbel's Bazooka (Claude Ginsburg, Dave Bartley, and Anita Anderson] at the Emerald City Contra Dance at Phinney Neighborhood Center, in Seattle, Washington on February 3, 2023Other things! Lindsey's very own website. Make sure to check out:Dance choreography!Hear more wisdom from Lindsey and others in this great online workshop from CDSS: The Caller’s Toolbox: Gender-free Calling for Contra CallersCheck out a recent story from KNKX Public Radio featuring Lindsey and others from the Seattle dance community. See the From the Mic website for great bonus content, including pictures and audio, transcripts, and more. And the Country Dance and Song Society for information about Contra and English country dance across the continent

    1h 37m

  3. 2025-05-07

    Episode 31 - Ang DeCarlis

    Click here for the episode transcript Sound bites featured in this episode (in order of appearance): Ang calls the dance The Magpie and the Seal by David Zinkin with music from Sycamore (Cedar Stanistreet, Samuel Foucher, Michael Sokolovsky) at the Mt. Airy Contra DanceAng calls their dance Golden Girl with music by Gus La Casse on fiddle, and Pepin Mittelhauser on guitar and mandolin at the BIDA dance in July 2024Other things! Ang's very own website. Make sure to check out:Dance compositions, including the dream dance "Golden Girl"Dance Safety Illustrations See the From the Mic website for great bonus content, including pictures and audio, transcripts, and more. And the Country Dance and Song Society for information about Contra and English country dance across the continent

    1h 39m

  4. 2025-03-08

    Episode 30 - Jeremy Korr

    Click here to download the transcript Sound bites featured in this episode (in order of appearance): Jeremy calling the dance 16 for Gregg by Luke Donforth with music by The Syncopaths (Ryan McKasson, Ashley Hoyer, Christa Burch, and Jeff Spero) at the 2025 Fiddling Frog Dance Weekend in Pasadena, CA.Jeremy calling a square dance with music from the band Big Fun (Marty Somberg, Rob Nuhn, Myron Grant, and Lance Wagner) at the 2012 Ann Arbor Dawn Dance. See the From the Mic website for great bonus content, including pictures and audio, transcripts, and more. And the Country Dance and Song Society for information about Contra and English country dance across the continent

    1h 41m

  5. 2025-01-02

    Episode 29 - The Amidons

    See the From the Mic website for great bonus content, including pictures and audio, transcripts, and more. Click here to download the transcript directly And the Country Dance and Song Society for information about Contra and English country dance across the continent Sound bites featured in this episode (in order of appearance): Peter leads his class of 8-10 year olds in the traditional playparty game "The Noble Duke of York" to the New England Dancing Masters recording from their Rise Sally Rise CD at the July 2022 Country Dance & Song Society Ogontz Family Camp.Peter teaches "La Bastringue", a traditional French Canadian circle dance to some fourth graders in a clip from the New England Dancing Masters DVD Chimes of Dunkirk - Teaching Dance to Children.Peter and Mary Alice dance and sing the Lorraine Hammond singing game The Tree Song, which can be found in New England Dancing Masters' book and companion CD Down in the Valley - More Great Singing Games for Children.Other links Peter and Mary Alice's website - Amidon Community MusicThe New England Dancing Masters websiteBow Tie Music - many examples of NEDM dances here in this wonderful collection!Pourparler - Gathering of music and dance teachers hosted by the National Folk Organization See the From the Mic website for great bonus content, including pictures and audio, transcripts, and more. And the Country Dance and Song Society for information about Contra and English country dance across the continent

    1h 27m

  6. 2024-11-08

    Episode 28 - David Kaynor

    See the From the Mic website for great bonus content, including pictures and audio, transcripts, and more. Click here to download the transcript directly And the Country Dance and Song Society for information about Contra and English country dance across the continent More about the GrangesThe Montague Grange is no longer active as a Grange, but the Grange Hall, now know as the Montague Common Hall, is still an active community hub now lovingly maintained by the Friends of the Montague Common Hall, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. They host social dances and music in the space along with many other events. The organization is currently fundraising for future improvements to the building.The Guiding Star Grange in Greenfield, MA celebrated 150 years in 2023! The Grange membership, which still includes many dancers and musicians connected to the contra dance community, has worked to broaden the mission of the Grange to encompass many facets of community enrichment (including dance!)The Capitol City Grange in Montpelier, VT is also still active as a Grange and still hosts regular contra dances on first, third, and fifth Saturdays of each month, along with many other community events and activities.More about DavidDavid's obituary, June 1, 2021Before David's passing in 2021 The Country Dance and Song Society (CDSS) presented him with a Lifetime Achievement Award. The presentation happened over zoom and the recording is still available.With help from many, many contributors, Sue Songer has assembled a wonderful book about David called "David Kaynor: Living Music and Dance," which also includes many of his musical compositions as well as writings about dance and dance calling.Midnight in Montague - Betsy Branch and David recorded a wonderful album INSIDE the Montague Grange Hall called "Midnight in Montague." Betsy is working on getting the album up on Bandcamp and also having it reprinted for purchase on CD. Stay tuned here for more info.Thanks to Vermont FolklifeWe extend a special thanks to Vermont Folklife, a statewide cultural research and education nonprofit that loaned Mary the equipment to make this recording with David and then placed a copy of the recording in their Archive so the file wouldn't become lost in the ether of Mary's personal, digital files. (Fun fact: Mary now serves as the Director of Education and Media at Vermont Folklife!) See the From the Mic website for great bonus content, including pictures and audio, transcripts, and more. And the Country Dance and Song Society for information about Contra and English country dance across the continent

    1h 11m

  7. 2024-09-30

    Episode 27 - Diane Silver

    See the From the Mic website for great bonus content, including pictures and audio, transcripts, and more. Click here to download the transcript directly And the Country Dance and Song Society for information about Contra and English country dance across the continent Sound bites featured in this episode (in order of appearance): Diane calls the dance Roll Around by Cary Ravitz with music by Steamshovel with the Chattahoochee Country Dancers in Atlanta in 2014Diane calls the dance Silver Anniversary by Jim Kitch with music by Steamshovel with the Chattahoochee Country Dancers in Atlanta in 2014Other links: Diane's website!Dance Safety guidelines from Asheville's Old Farmer's BallDiane shows up in this great local news segment on contra dancing in North Carolina See the From the Mic website for great bonus content, including pictures and audio, transcripts, and more. And the Country Dance and Song Society for information about Contra and English country dance across the continent

    1h 44m

  8. 2024-08-08

    Episode 26 - George Marshall

    See the From the Mic website for great bonus content, including pictures and audio, transcripts, and more. Click here to download the transcript directly And the Country Dance and Song Society for information about Contra and English country dance across the continent Show Notes Sound bites featured in this episode (in order of appearance): Clip of George calling the dance Worth the Wait by Dana Parkinson at the Glen Echo Contra Dance in 2012 with music by SwallowtailClip of George calling the dance Salute to Larry Jennings by Ted Sannella and Russell Owen at the Greenfield, MA contra dance in 2011 with music by Wild Asparagus See the From the Mic website for great bonus content, including pictures and audio, transcripts, and more. And the Country Dance and Song Society for information about Contra and English country dance across the continent

    1h 38m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Host Mary Wesley takes you behind the caller's mic to explore perspectives from the people who choose to stand in that curious place between the band and a roomful of dancers. Featuring conversations with callers of American social dance forms (contras, community dances, trad squares). Why do they do it? How did they learn? What is their role, on stage and off, in shaping our dance communities?

Information

  • Creator
    Mary Wesley, CDSS
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    From the Mic

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