List of our callers with brief descriptions and links to more information about them.
BURLINGTON, VT SERIES:
photo by Rachel Winslow
Wendy Gilchrist teaches English country dance on a regular basis in Plattsburgh, NY (2nd and 4th Fridays at the North Country Squares building) and Colchester, VT (1st and 3rd Fridays at Elley-Long Music Center). She is also the co-teacher for the Macomb Ball, part of the festivities for the annual Battle of Plattsburgh event. She resides in Plattsburgh.
Our first “Across the Lake” ECD weekend took place in 2003 … the Friday night dance (featuring Gene Murrow and Bare Necessities) was a 25th wedding anniversary gift to Wendy from her husband Bruce Kokernot!
Adina Gordon finds an outlet for her loves of travel, music, dance and silliness by calling and dancing throughout the US 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 contra, English and squares both old and new that cause spontaneous eruptions of joy on dance floors.
Based in Burlington, VT, Adina has called dances in 37 US states spanning all six American time zones, as well as 3 Canadian provinces and Israel. Dancers frequently remark on Adina’s energy and joy, which is both highly evident and highly contagious. She believes that when it comes to dance, If you’re laughing and smiling, you’re doing it right.
Adina’s goal is to get you dancing and get out of the way. She says more, with fewer words, to maximize dancing and minimize talking.
Website: www.adinagordon.com
Martha Kent was persuaded, somewhat reluctantly, to attend a contra dance in
college. To her surprise, it turned out to be amazing fun and she soon added
Scottish Country Dancing and English Country Dancing, and a few other styles to
her repertoire. She has led SCD and ECD for quite a few years now, is an active
member of On the Border Morris, and still loves it all. Her wish is for people to
find joy, fun and community through dancing. She lives in Essex, VT.
photo by Tom Medve
Val Medve was an avid, dyed-in-the-wool contra dancer when she started English country dancing in the mid-1980’s in Hartford, Connecticut with the performing group Reel Nutmeg. She was soon converted and has been dancing and teaching ECD ever since. Now based in the Burlington, Vermont area (since late 1989), she organizes a regular ECD series and helps run an annual ECD weekend called “Across the Lake”. Val is known for her selection of English country dances, both vintage and new. Her calling style is clear, easy to follow, and laced with good humor.
PLATTSBURGH, NY SERIES:
Wendy Gilchrist – see above
photo by Rachel Winslow
Bruce Kokernot spent years searching for a sense of community that he experienced growing up in the family tavern in the Adirondacks. In 1993 in Berea, KY, he re-discovered this sense of community through dance. Bruce went on to participate in many forms of dance: English country, contra, Scottish country, western square, round, and Morris. He learned to call English Country dance and, with his wife Wendy Gilchrist, helped start the Adirondack Country Dance series in Plattsburgh, NY and the Red Barn Dance series in Montreal.