Contra Dance Musician Workshop

Join us for a lively 90-minute workshop (3:00pm-4:30pm) designed for musicians of all instruments and skill levels who want to learn—or sharpen—the art of playing for contra dances. Led by the dynamic duo Raven & Goose, this session will dive into the core techniques that make a contra dance truly sing: driving rhythm, supportive harmonies, intuitive set-building, communication with callers and dancers, and the subtle musical choices that lift the energy of the room.Whether you’re brand-new to dance playing or an experienced musician looking to refine your approach, you’ll leave with tips you can use the next time you're on the stage.

Raven & Goose are a nationally touring contra duo. With fiery fiddlin' and foot stompin' piano, they play original compositions and breathe new life into traditional tunes, all delivered with a passion that will get you up and dancing!

Virtuoso violinist, Corwin Zekley was born with a fiddle in their hands and plays with an intensity yet delicacy that pulls on the heartstrings of all who hear them. Corwin has eclectic musical roots, and enchants audiences playing anything from Celtic to Jazz to Country to Metal. Corwin studied at the Berklee College of Music, has played thousands of concerts, appeared on dozens of records, and has published books and albums of their own compositions.

Grace Fellows grew up playing traditional musics on fiddle, and she synthesized her broad musical influences while studying at Calarts, and doing her masters at BIMM London. She became an accomplished pianist while performing as a singer/songwriter, and in the last years has become a powerhouse contra-pianist whose potent sense of rhythm will propel you around the dance floor.

Tickets on sale in February 2026!