MUSICIANS AND DANCE LEADERS | CRAFT LEADERS | CHILDREN’S PROGRAM STAFF | BEREA CCDS STAFF
MUSICIANS AND SESSION LEADERS
DANA AND BRYCE CARLBERG – This generation of Carlbergs, Dana and Bryce, began dancing as children and currently reside in Berea, Kentucky. Over the past 25 years they have honed their skills in Morris and rapper sword and started teaching about a decade ago. Their experience includes performing on various teams worldwide and participating in and judging DART (Dance America Rapper Tournament). Although this marks their first year as staff at Christmas School, they have a longstanding history of attending CCDS and other dance camps; they look forward to carrying on these traditions
JACOB CHEN – Jacob is a public school music educator, composer, dancer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist based in Norman, Oklahoma. Growing up playing piano at the age of six, he developed an affinity towards learning various instruments and eventually started playing for contra and English dances. His passion for participatory music and dance has led him to be a presenter for workshops, sessions, dance camps and dance weekends around the country. His warmth and community-driven ambitions keep folks engaged in gatherings and sessions. Jacob’s contagious enthusiasm for sharing music and dance create authentic connections between participants while respecting the musical traditions he has absorbed. When he’s not in the classroom or playing music, Jacob enjoys writing tunes playing board games, baking various breads, and scouting the next piece of colorful fabric to wear.
SUSAN ENGLISH – At home in Wooster, Ohio, Susan calls monthly contra dances, old-time squares, and English country dances. She leads dances for weddings, camps, homeschool, Civil War and Jane Austen balls. Susan has led workshops and called dances across the Midwest, as far east as the New England Folk Festival, as far west (or east?) as China. With her late husband, Bill Alkire, she co-developed the intergenerational program at Tecpsichore’s Holiday and widely performed “Minuet to Macarena: The History of Couple Dances in 20 minutes.” Susan currently serves on the board of the Country Dance and Song Society.
ERIK ERHARDT -Erik calls contra and English, instructs couples dance, and organizes dance in New Mexico, traveling widely for dancing and community building. In his engaging and entertaining manner, Erik’s teaching is encouraging, clear, and detailed giving all an opportunity to gain a sense of mastery at each person’s level while having something to gain for everyone.
JENNIFER ROSE ESCOBAR – Jennifer Rose Escobar grew up singing and dancing with her family and friends in Berea, Kentucky, and was performing as soon as she could talk. Throughout elementary and high school, she organized and was involved in performing folk dance groups and by the time she was a junior in high school she was teaching dance at three different elementary and middle schools. While earning a degree in Voice at Berea College, Jennifer sang in the Berea College Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, and performed with the Berea College Country Dancers, both as a dancer and musician, often singing between dance numbers and sometimes playing as part of the band. Her performances with the Dancers took her to Japan, Denmark, and Italy, as well as throughout the United States. Since graduation from Berea College in 1992 Jennifer has recorded 11 solo folk albums (look for her on music platforms as Jennifer Rose) and widened her performance experience to include educational and entertaining solo concerts across the United States and Europe. Jennifer maintained a busy schedule of concert tours, teacher development seminars, appearances in musical productions, and educational residencies in schools for over 25 years, before settling down a bit in 2010 to be more available to her parents as they age. Not one to sit idle, Jennifer has used her time and home to become more involved in her local community, beginning in 2011 to work as an instructor for the Berea College Country Dancers, and taking over the directorship of the Berea Festival Dancers in 2015, for whom she has since led tours to Denmark, China, and California. She and her father, Bill Ramsay, former Dean of Labor at Berea College, established Happiness Hills & Retreat Center on 80 acres in the Red Lick Valley near Berea, where Jennifer now lives with her family: local artist, Alfredo Escobar, their daughters, Lydia and Isabel, and various animals. Jennifer’s most recent accomplishment is graduation from the Academy of Practical Homeopathy and opening a homeopathic consulting practice at Happiness Hills.
BRAD FOSTER – Brad has been dancing and teaching English country, contras and squares plus morris and sword for over 50 years. He loves to share the joy of dance and has taught throughout the US, Canada, and Europe, including at Berea, Pinewoods, Mendocino/Hey Days, John C. Campbell Folk School, Augusta, and many more. He is a founder of the Bay Area Country Dance Society as well as co-founder of their Mendocino English and American Dance Weeks, and is Director Emeritus of both the Country Dance and Song Society and BACDS. Brad was honored with CDSS’s Lifetime Contribution Award in 2015.
KATY GERMAN – Katy grew up in Berea, Kentucky-a community full of song and dance traditions from Appalachia, England, and Denmark. She was a member of the traveling youth performance team The Berea Festival Dancers, with whom she traveled to Denmark, England, Scotland, and Ireland. Katy’s passion is working with youth, inter-generational, and beginning-level dancers. She’s been on staff at many family dance weeks, including Pinewoods, Buffalo Gap, Cumberland Dance Week and Lady of the Lake. During her six years in the Chapel Hill area, she helped coordinate monthly family dances. She now lives in Asheville, NC, Singing, dancing, and calling family dances. Katy is currently the executive Director of The Country Dance and Song Society. https://www.cdss.org
KENT GILBERT – Kent Gilbert is an enthusiastic and affirming shape note leader with more than 40 years experience helping others enjoy community singing. When not singing (and sometimes when he is)Kent is the pastor of Union Church in Berea, KY the founding congregation of both the city and of Berea College.
MARY HAMILTON – Mary grew up on a Kentucky farm where telling stories was considered a moral failing. After years of confessing her storytelling sins, she finally gave into temptation and embraced her career. Since 1983 venues from Florida to Alaska have featured her storytelling performances and workshops including such events as the Forest Storytelling Festival in Port Angeles, Washington, the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee, and Winter Tales in Oklahoma City. Fans of The Moth Radio Hour may have heard her tell “Sweet as Pie” a true autobiographical story. Mary expects to take delight in pondering, “What happens when a story is told well?” for the rest of her life. Her storytelling has been recognized with a Circle of Excellence Award from the National Storytelling Network and a Jesse Stuart Award from the Kentucky School Media Association. Honors for her recordings include a Parent’s Choice Gold and a Storytelling World Winner designation for her “Sisters All. . . and One Troll” CD featuring her unique eleven-in-one multi cultural retelling of Cinderella. She is the author of Kentucky Folktales: Revealing Stories, Truths, and Outright Lies, honored with both Storytelling World Winner and Anne Izzard Storytellers’ Choice Awards, published by University Press of Kentucky.
WAYNE HANKIN – This year Wayne is happy to be back at Berea playing recorder – among other instruments requested. He’ll be back to encourage his recorder and jubo classes. Wayne has performed all around the world and worked on films from Good Dinosaur to The Lego Movie. Wayne has received over 30 awards and grants from ASCAP, Meet the Composer, The National Endowment of the Arts and organizations abroad, and teaches all over the country with residencies at the Chatauqua institution and Interlochen Arts Academy. This year Jubo, the instrument created by Wayne, made its debut in Europe.
ANDREA HOAG – A Grammy nominee, designated Master Folk Artist in Maryland and Arizona, recipient of two Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Awards, and winner of Washington Area Music Awards “Best Traditional Folk Instrumentalist,” Andrea Hoag is a renowned performer of a broad variety of fiddle styles. Her music has been featured on NPR’s All Things Considered and Performance Today, and at the Kennedy Center and Library of Congress. With her love of in-depth musical conversations, Andrea has collaborated across genres with many respected artists, from pianist Jacqueline Schwab to blues master Phil Wiggins. She now makes her home in Tucson, where coyotes and ravens provide musical inspiration.
SARAH JO JACOBS – Sarah Jo Jacobs is Kentucky native, teacher, and theatre practitioner. SJ is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with her CCDS family again. SJ has studied play-writing, acting, folk lore and puppetry. She has designed puppets for shows like Little Shop of Horrors, Avenue Q, and The Little Prince. She has also participated in numerous productions and festivals including Cumberland Dance Week (Instructor), The 24 Hour Play Festival (Director), Our Town (Emily Webb), The Tempest (Antonio), and Godspell (Chorus).
BILL LOWDER – Bill is a graduate of Berea College in 1977 with a BS in Industrial Arts. While attending Berea, he was active in the campus music community for country dancing, was student Campus Activities Director, student coffee house manager and a recipient of the Red Foley Music Award. Bill is now retired from a career in electro/mechanical engineering in several industries covering instrument gauge, automotive components and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Bill traveled with the Berea Festival Dancers as a musician for more than 27 years. He has played rhythm guitar for English Country dancing in Berea for over 50 years. Bill is a builder/repairer of handcrafted fine furniture, guitars, banjos, and dulcimers. In retirement now, his plans are to return to instrument building.
DAVID MACEMON – David first attended Berea Christmas Country Dance School in 1974. He was a member of a high school dance group in Versailles, KY. The group performed English, Contra, Appalachian, Danish, Morris and Sword dancing. He has been dancing and teaching ever since. Over the years he has taught English dance, Morris and Sword at Berea CCDS, CDSS weeks at Pinewoods and Buffalo Gap, BACDS weeks Mendocino & Hey Days, and has called English Balls across the country and Canada. He is a regular caller for the weekly Portland (Oregon) Country Dance Community Friday English dance and the monthly advanced dance. David is known for his patient and clear teaching style and communicates the joy of dancing through his teaching and enthusiasm. David calls positionally.
ELVIE MILLER – Pianist, accordionist, and composer, is acclaimed for her work in traditional music and has received multiple Irish Arts Council grants to compose and arrange traditional music for solo piano, ensembles and folk orchestras. As a Watson Scholar, she explored European dance music traditions in Ireland, England, Scotland, France, Cape Breton and Scandinavia, tracing the roots of her native New England contra music. She was mentored by Michael O Suilleabhain at the University of Limerick while completing a Masters degree. Based in County Clare, Elvie is a qualified Music Therapist, teaches piano, and leads student tours with her husband, Denis Liddy, promoting traditional music globally and inspiring the next generation of musicians.
JIM MORRISON – Jim has been a traditional dance enthusiast since his first Christmas Country Dance School in 1968. He is a collector of community dance in the Southeastern US and New England, and was a pioneer in the study of historic American social dance. He is also a lifelong morris and sword dancer. Jim plays fiddle and guitar, performing with the Morrison Brothers Band, In Wilderness is the Preservation of the World, the North Dixie Boom Chicks and the Albemarie Morris Men.!
OWEN MORRISON – Owen is an accomplished rhythm and lead guitarist, at home in many styles of traditional music. His playing, laced with rhythmic power and skillful finesse, has made him popular among dancers and fiddlers alike. Owen has toured the U.S. and abroad with bands such as Elixir, Airdance, Night Watch and The Morrison Brothers Band. He frequently appears on staff at Pinewoods, Augusta, Ashokan and many other camps, and is thrilled to be returning to CCDS this year.
HANNAH SHIRA NAIMAN – Is an award-winning banjo player, singer-songwriter, square dance caller, and children’s music educator. Known for her clear and engaging style, she calls dances at festivals, schools, and community events across Canada and U.S. Hannah has taught music and dance to every age. She is thrilled to have been invited back to her happy place at Christmas Country Dance School.
CHARLIE PILZER – Charlie has lost count of the number of dances, weekends, camps and festivals where he has performed. Playing bass or piano or accordion, he is a member of several bands: Are We There Yet? (contra), Not Enough Fiddles (contra), Spælimenninir (Danish/Faroese),and the Scandinavian trio, Hoag/Kelly/Pilzer. Charlie’s life is music all the time. When not performing, he records, mixes and masters at Tonal Park and is fortunate to work on all kinds of wonderful projects. Charlie lives in Takoma Park, MD.
KENDALL ROGERS – Kendall Rogers has been playing traditional dance tunes since he started picking them out on the piano at about age 4 or 5. Steeped in the rich Appalachian folk heritage of his native Kentucky, alongside other folk music and dance traditions (Celtic, American, Canadian, British, Danish, …) Kendall’s playing has also been shaped by classical and jazz training … plus a healthy disregard for the rules. Now he uses them all, playing piano, accordion or guitar at dance events, music festivals, regular sessions and jams — and one NBA halftime show! Having recently reunited with musical friends in Houston, Texas, Kendall still keeps one eye (and both ears) pointed at making the music dance!
JIM STITES – Jim is Pat’s grandson, Dave’s nephew, and is the elder son of Pamela “not Pam” Napier. He is a public school band director who has enjoyed dancing and calling Appalachian figures for many years. He has also been known to tell stores, and you oughtn’t believe a word he says.
PATTY TARTER – Patty is a long-time Christmas Country Dance School participant and enthusiast. A member of the singing Ritchie family, Patty most enjoys encouraging folks, young and old, to sing together and share their may talents.
ANDREW TAYLOR – Andrew Taylor is a Berea native whose musical journey began playing fiddle for English Country Dances and performing with the renowned Berea Festival Dancers. Mentored by Al White and seasoned through Berea College’s Bluegrass Ensemble, Andrew has become a familiar face at contra dances, from local jams at Carlberg’s to national events like Youth Dance Weekend and Pinewood’s Escape week. Internationally, he’s shared his music and dance across Japan, Ireland, and Scotland. Alongside his wife, Becca, with whom he grew up performing in the Berea Festival Dancers , Andrew now passionately explores Cajun, Old Time, Irish and Jazz Manouche traditions. Now a professional musician based in Lexington, he regularly tours nationally with country and bluegrass bands, always returning home to his roots in Kentucky’s vibrant Old-Time music scene.
DARLENE UNDERWOOD – Is a fun, energetic caller who has called Contras and Squares for over 21 years to smiling dancers across the country.
LARRY UNGER – A full-time musician since 1984, Larry Unger has traveled the world playing for traditional dances, at festivals and in concert. He is proficient at many instruments and teaches guitar and banjo. He also gives workshops in tune composition, having written over 5000 melodies himself.
AL WHITE – Al is a retired teacher of Appalachian music for string instruments at Berea College and is best known for his mandolin, fiddle, guitar, and banjo playing, teaching any and all of these when asked. He was the leader of two energetic student groups, the Berea College Ensemble and Mariachi Band. Al plays fiddle and mandolin in the Berea Cast-Offs dance band and has been seen lately picking with George Paul and Playing with Frye. Al is also a member of the McLain Family Band and Al, Alice and Ruth. He has been a staff musician at BCCDS, Pinewoods, Buffalo Gap, Kentucky Summer Dance School, and other dance weeks.
ALICE WHITE – Alice, third generation participant and BCCDS staff member, plays bass and sings with her husband, Al. She’s performed across the US and abroad, from the Grand Ole Opry to the Kennedy Center, to a school gym north of the Arctic Circle in Alaska, to another in Hobart, Tasmania. Locally, she is a retired 1st grade teacher and currently performs with the McLain Family Band. She and Al can also be heard playing for contras with the Berea Cast-Offs, or doing concerts with her sister, Ruth McLain Smith.
JOE WILKIE – While Joe initially started dipping his toes into country dance as a child (his Grandpa was a square dance caller), he tripped and fell head-first into the pool when he came to Berea College in 1983 and joined the Berea College Country Dancers. He has remained mostly immersed since then. After graduation from Berea, he spent around three years in other parts of the country where he is known to have consorted with morris dancers, contra dancers and English country dancers. He eventually returned to Berea where he has been teaching dance to the Berea College Country Dancers since 1995.
NATHAN WILSON – Nathan has been making music for over 40 years, especially in the world of country dance. He plays a wide range of instruments—including fiddle, mandolin, tenor banjo, double bass, electric bass, and piano—and bring heart and experience to every performance. These days, you’ll find him leading the monthly open dance band in Lexington, KY or playing with Nathan’s Garage, Elise Melrood, or the Lexington Community Orchestra. What he loves most, though, is playing music with his daughters, Adela and Anna, and their friends in Dreamdance. Nathan also shares his passion for music as a teacher and mentor. He leads one of Kentucky’s most respected and accomplished school orchestra programs and serves as music director at his church in Lexington. While widely admired for his musical talents, Nathan is perhaps just as memorable as a master of spontaneous, often hilarious storytelling.
CRAFT LEADERS
ERIC CROWDEN – Eric graduated from Berea College with a Fine Arts major in Textiles. His festive banners, paper cuts, and decorations enliven the Seabury Center during BCCDS. He has been making temari for over 30 years. This will be his 23rd year teaching at BCCDS.
JANET NORTHERN – Janet is a basket weaver from Madison County, KY. Janet has taught baskets at BCCDS for 26 years and is excited to be joining the group for another round of weaving this year.
CHILDREN’S PROGRAM STAFF
ALFREDO ESCOBAR – Alfredo Escobar received his BFA in Design from EKU in 1989 and has been working full-time in graphic and fine arts since, with clients that span the globe. Since 1997 he has been involved in arts education projects across the state, through grant programs from VSA Arts of Kentucky, the Kentucky Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and other supporting organizations. Alfredo was born in pre-Revolutionary Chile and his life experiences in South America inform his artistic work. This, combined with his talent as a mural artist, gives him a unique perspective on Latin Mural art. His commissioned portraits, paintings and murals can be seen in homes and businesses across Kentucky and around the world. In addition to being a talented artist, Alfredo has a genuine gift for teaching and communication and is in high demand for his work with teachers and student
BETH HARVEY – Beth grew up immersed in the folk arts and crafts world. Finding herself most drawn to dance, she participated in many dance groups and performed nationally and internationally, sharing dance through workshops, performances, and community events. Beth has served on steering committees and boards for multiple folk dance organizations, has led classes and workshops for school groups and events, and worked in operations and marketing for an International Folk Festival organization. She is currently acting Director of Cumberland Dance Week, serves on the Berea Christmas Country Dance School Board, and works as an Operations Coordinator for infrastructure engineering group, DRG Tech Solutions.
HAZEL JODOCK – Hazel grew up in the heart of Berea, Kentucky’s vibrant dance community, and has taught children’s dance and craft classes at CDW and Berea Christmas Country Dance School, and currently leads adult English Country Dancing with the Cincinnati English Country Dancers. She is also an organizer and dance leader for Everybody’s Dance in Cincinnati, OH, and a board member for Berea Christmas Country Dance School. Hazel is passionate about making folk dance accessible to an ever widening community of all ages, backgrounds and ability levels. She strives to help dancers–experienced and inexperienced, young and old–feel confident and comfortable on the dance floor.
DEBORAH PAYNE – Deborah is a fiddler and craftsperson from Berea, Kentucky. Deborah has maintained the traditions of the region playing for folk dances, teaching children’s dance, and providing lessons for area students. Deborah has played and toured both locally and internationally with numerous bluegrass, old time, and folk dance bands, including the Berea College Country Dancers, the Berea Festival Dancers, Sugar Tree, and the Kentucky Sunshine Quartet. Deborah enjoys creating quilts that reflect both older traditions and modern styles. She incorporates patterns inspired by family heirlooms while seeking out colors that are vibrant and help tell a story.
BECCA TAYLOR – Becca began playing classical violin at the age of ten. As a teenager, she discovered a love of folk dancing, joining the Berea Festival Dancers, with whom she performed across the United States and Internationally. Her love for traditional dance soon blossomed into a love the traditional music when she discovered the joy of playing tunes that inspire movement and fit the dance just right. Becca is a dedicated dance musician who has accompanied the Berea Festival Dancers and Berea College Country Dancers in morris, square, Danish and English country dances. She also plays for contra dances with The Mixed Nuts and T & T and collaborates with her partner, Andrew Taylor, performing traditional fiddle music, Appalachian string band tunes, and Cajun dance music.
BEREA CCDS STAFF
TARA EIZENSTAT – BCCDS Store Manager – Born and raised in Berea, Kentucky and growing up in the folk dance community, first in elementary school and continued participating through Middle and High School with the Berea Festival Dancers. Later coming back as an Assistant Director of the Berea Festival Dancers for many years. Tara has a BFA in Interior Design from Savannah College of Art and Design, Master’s of Art in Interior Design Education from the University of Kentucky. She served in the AmeriCorps Program as a Kentucky College Coach, helping under-represented high school students to obtain a higher education degree. She is presently working as a 21st Century Community Learning Center Director/Grant Manager at Tates Creek Middle School in Lexington, KY. The Federal grant program that serves students in need with Out of School Time programming that keeps kids safe and engaged beyond the school bell.
DAVE KOBERSMITH – I have lived in Berea since 2011 and had heard of CCDS before arriving! Besides the fifth-grade square dancing in our gym class, I first danced in Alaska when a group called the Dancing Bears of Anchorage came to the camp I managed. I was invited to attend and the dance coordinator offered to dance the first dance with me. Although I remembered little from that 5th Grade dance experience, I was hooked.
Fast forward to around 2017, we are in Berea and our son, Sayer, was dancing with the Berea Festival Dancers and was encouraged to attend CCDS. It was fun to be a part of the group and to experience the wonderful spirit of those gathered. To be asked for the last number of years to help out on staff has been a wonderful opportunity to be welcomed into the community.
BEN NAPIER –Webmaster – Ben is Pat’ s grandson, Dave’s younger son, and Jim’s cousin or nephew, depending upon whom you ask. He is a software engineer for CarMax who loves to code. He has been enjoying dancing and calling Appalachian figures for many years.
JAMIE PLATT – Sound Manager – Jamie has been running sound for dances, festivals, concerts, and other special events mostly in the Washington, DC area, for many years. He is a regular at Glen Echo Park and specializes in all types of traditional music. He has also been running sound for a number of dance weekends and other events from Gulfport, FL to Columbus, OH. This will be his 14th adventure at BCCDS. Jamie’s approach has been to make each instrument and voice sound as close to natural as possible, work hard to make the musicians happy, and let them carry the show.
IAN SADERHOLM – Refreshment Coordinator – Ian Saderholm, raised in Berea, hasn’t missed a Dance School since he first attended in high school. His dance roots go back to childhood, and while he doesn’t make it to contras as often as he’d like these days, his tippity feet never stop tapping. He resides in Denver.
KIM AND JON SADERHOLM – Local Transportation – Kim and Jon have had two sons in the Berea Festival Dancers. They have for years supported all the Dancer’s activities.
JENNA ZIMMERMAN – Coordinator of Berea College Students – Jenna Zimmerman made Berea her home after falling in love with the dance community when she joined the Berea College Country Dancers as a student, and later taught for six years, attending BCCDS for many years starting in 1997 as a student. She dances with and is currently on the board/steering committee for Lexington Vintage Dance and Oh Contraire and often volunteers or dances with other local groups when time allows. Jenna currently works for Berea College in their Center for International Education, loving the opportunity to both give back to her alma mater and do meaningful work with young people from diverse backgrounds. Her eldest daughter, Sadie, is a member of the Festival Dancers, having discovered that she also enjoys social and folk dancing through attending the BCCDS children’s program for several years and now the grown-ups program for the previous three. It is Jenna’s fondest wish that her youngest, Maisie, will start her journey to loving dance through the children’s program.