PHYLLA MAE FALL FEST 2008

Our featured caller, Nils Fredland, is in great demand because of his cheerful manner, skillful teaching and calling, delicious voice, and thoughtful community spirit.

	Firetruck, is the "Ethan/Anna" duo, combined with the talents of various energetic backup players. Our weekend's version consists of Ethan Hazard-Watkins on fiddle, Anna Patton on clarinet, and Karen Axelrod on piano. Expect music that is infectious, imaginative, interactive, playful and energetic.

Ethan is also the Country Dance and Song Society's "Wandering Youth Guru," a role focused on developing a new generation of dance interest, talent and leadership. If you are interested in questions related to getting younger dancers, musicians and callers to be a bigger part of your dance community, come connect with Ethan about that during the weekend.

	Contranella is familiar to New York upstate dancers, but we've seen less of them since the Bellers' move to Baltimore. The band combines the talents of Megan Beller, Charley Beller and John Wobus. They play skillfully and creatively, including many of their own tunes and clever use of multiple traditions in a rock-solid, dance-friendly sound.

Firetruck and Contranella have very different sounds, but they also have a lot in common. Both are trios that include young musicians, intense talent and creativity, and an ability to play brilliantly for both contra and English country dancing. To use these talents well, we've scheduled the last part of Saturday to include a full three hours each of both English and contra dance!