Wintergreen 2027
January 29-31, 2027
Urban Contra Dance Weekend in Bozeman, MT!
The Musicians
We’re trying something very different this year.
Instead of hiring a couple of bands we’ve retained a cloud of brilliant musicians, who will form into a variety of ensembles as the event goes on. You’ll see them in many combinations and permutations, with an ever-changing repertoire and solid rapport. Come see the magic happen in ways you’ll see nowhere else!
Audrey Jaber and Alex Cumming
Alex Cumming & Audrey Jaber are a dynamic duo in the traditional folk music scene, known for their captivating performances and deep-rooted passion for folk traditions.
Together, Alex and Audrey create a unique and engaging traditional music experience. Their collaboration blends Alex’s traditional singing and rhythmic accordion playing with Audrey’s lively fiddling, resulting in performances that resonate deeply with audiences. Audrey played fiddle on Alex’s debut solo album, “Homecoming,” released in 2024 and the duo will soon be releasing their debut duo record, The Light We Keep.
Their partnership is celebrated for its ability to connect with audiences through passionate and authentic performances, making them a beloved duo in the traditional folk music community.
Max Newman
Max plays traditional music, particularly the fiddle music of New England, where he lives. He plays guitar, mandolin, and few other things. His melodic and accompaniment style is informed by the fiddle styles of the Northeast, Irish music, and old-time. He’s known as a sensitive and adaptable “sideman”. Exploring connections of music and dance is one of his deep interests.
He’s traveled across the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom–to large festivals and dance weekends, tiny New England grange halls, in the dusty Nevada desert, for the President of Ireland, and many a night with friends by a wood stove in the chilly north of Alaska. His playing has even been profiled in Flatpicking Guitar Magazine.
His primary projects are: Stringrays, Red Case Band, and Stove Dragon though you may know him from many other cutting edge collaborations.
Julie Metcalf
Julie Metcalf, fiddler and violist, can often be spotted at contra and English dances in the Boston area, either on stage playing fiddle or on the dance floor.
Coming from a family of musicians, she was encouraged to make music from an early age; Julie picked up the violin for the first time when she was 4 years old and has been playing ever since. Julie holds a degree in Violin Performance from Berklee College of Music.
Julie currently performs with her 8-piece band, The New Grown-Ups, blending traditional folk, country, blues, celtic, old-time, originals, and bluegrass, with joy! She has played many styles of music, from Celtic chamber music to Mariachi, and old-time fiddle tunes are her very favorite. She loves connecting with people through music and dance.
Stewart Kenney
Stuart Kenney is a renowned and beloved pillar of American contra dance music. His musical upright bass playing picks up a dance floor, while his Northern banjo style showers listeners with flowing, singable grooves. Stuart can be found most often with his groups Stringrays, Red Case Band, Drive Train, and teaching at music camps throughout the summer.
In addition to New England contra dance, Stuart’s long career has been steeped in several traditional music genres, among them Cajun, Old-Time, and Quebecois music. He cut his teeth with the legendary Cajun musician Dewey Balfa, won both Trad Band and Neo-Trad Band at the Clifftop old-time music festival contest,and co-founded Raz-de-Marée / Tidal Wave, whose album Marche du St-Laurent was a finalist for Traditional Instrumental Album of the Year at the 2011 Canadian Folk Music Awards.
Dependable, driving groove and warm personality have made Stuart an important element of many successful contra dance bands. Ushered in with 13 years in the group Wild Asparagus, his career includes going on to co-found a number of respected dance bands, including Airdance, The Sevens, The Greenfield Dance Band, and the Stringrays. His musical home is at the Guiding Star Grange in Greenfield, Massachusetts, where he plays and hosts the TopHill dance series.
The Callers
Mary Wesley
Raised in the cradle of Vermont’s Green Mountains, Mary Wesley found her way to a Burlington contra dance in the fall of 2005 and was immediately hooked. She was later happy to learn that the tradition is in her DNA – she is the granddaughter of two square dance callers!
It wasn’t long before she took to the mic herself. She started calling in 2008 and keeps a full schedule, which includes gigs up and down both coasts. Mary loves to share her infectious joy for traditional dancing with dancers of all ages and she has something to offer every crowd. After unearthing her grandparents’ collection of dance records she was inspired to start practicing patter and add some squares to her arsenal. She calls family and community dances with great joy and finds “chestnuts” absolutely irresistible.
After taking a course with Ralph Sweet and Nils Fredland at Pinewoods in 2011, Mary has also been working on building her repertoire of singing squares. Her calls are sure to make dancers smile and sing along.
Mary is proud to be a founding member of the Mad Robin Callers Collective – an innovative consortium of dance callers who work together to provide peer support and create opportunities for callers of all experience levels. She helped found Burlington’s “On the Border Morris,” Vermont’s only Border side, and served as their Fore-woman for five years.
When not calling, Mary works for the Vermont Folklife Center and is an amateur documentarian, oral historian and radio producer.
Craig Wolfe
Craig discovered contra dancing in 2009, and it quickly became one of his favorite activities and communities. He started calling three years later and hasn’t looked back! Craig is a mainstay in the Pacific Northwest, calling at every NW Folklife since 2016. Known for clear voice, adaptable style, and well thought-out teaching, Craig keeps the atmosphere fun and light while offering carefully selected challenges.
Sound
Sound by Pete Sellin and Evette Allison. This veteran team has been keeping live music sounding good for many years and, as dancers themselves, know what works in a hall.
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