Ann Percival is a pianist, guitarist, dancer, singer, erstwhile social worker, and artist. Ann’s dancing days started when her Norwegian grandparents took her dancing at the Sons of Norway hall in Brooklyn. At Girl Scout Camp she discovered that she loved singing. She has in recent years found special enjoyment teaching visual arts and crafts. Ann is a founding member of Wild Asparagus, The O-Tones, and Dear Ella. She is an exceptional dance musician for contras,
Catherine Miller holds a degree in violin performance from the University of Iowa. She has been a member of the University of Iowa Baroque Chamber Orchestra, the University of Iowa Steel Drum Band, the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra, and the Cape Ann Symphony Orchestra in Gloucester, and has performed in many other groups including the Boston Landmarks Orchestra, the Handel Society of Dartmouth, the New England Philharmonic, and Symphony New Hampshire. An interest in folk music and dancing led her to start playing fiddle for various folk dances with the Barn Owl Band and Cecil’s Harp in Iowa in 2005.
Lily Kruskal Leahy grew up attending Family Week at Pinewoods, starting at age 4! The skills she learned there resulted in a lifelong love of music, dance, and community. She has been teaching longsword, morris dancing, and other traditional dances and songs to children for the last 20 years at CDSS Family Camps, and for various other organizations. She also had the privilege of being Program Director for Family Week at Ogontz for 3 years.
Joanna Reiner Wilkinson has taught English dance for over two decades. In addition to being one of the leaders of the Philadelphia-based Germantown Country Dancers, her calling has taken her from Amherst to Ann Arbor, from NEFFA to Hey Days, from St. Croix to Vancouver, and other points abroad, including many sessions at Pinewoods Camp. While known for her clear calling and instruction, Joanna loves teaching workshops for ECD callers, and workshops that explore ECD technique,
Laurel Swift is a fiddler, singer, dancer, and an inspiring instigator of creative new projects and performances rooted in the folk arts. Laurel performs on double bass and clogs with her band Gadarene and plays fiddle with ceilidh band The Gloworms.
Laurel has choreographed and devised national touring dance productions for Morris Offspring, co-created and performed Under Her Skin with Debs Newbold, advised theatre and film companies on using folk music and dance material,
Patrick Swanson began his career in London as an actor at the Arts Theatre. In 1969, he toured Europe with La MaMa Plexus and subsequently got his world theater education from Ellen Stewart at La MaMa E.T.C. in New York. His numerous directing projects include opera, ensemble, music theater and circus. He was a founding stage director of Circus Flora and is currently Artistic Director of Revels. Patrick taught acting and improvisation at the London Academy of Dramatic Art,
Karen Axelrod left the world of classical music over 40 years ago, and has found her home in the folk world. She is highly regarded for her creative piano playing at English, American and Scottish dance events around the US (including Pinewoods Dance Camps, Ogontz, Buffalo Gap, Berea Christmas Country Dance Week, The John C. Campbell Folk School, and BACDS events) and abroad. Her improvisational playing is lyrical yet touched with humor and whimsy.
Julia Friend sings pub songs, sea shanties, ballads, and more. She loves the power and vulnerability of the human voice. She performs here and there but is happiest swapping songs and blending harmonies in community. She co-authored CDSS’s folk singing starter kit, helped launch Youth Traditional Song Weekend, and cheers for singing in all its genres. She lives in Brattleboro VT, where she hums incessantly and plays melodeon for Morris dancing.
Dance, Music, & Song Camps