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People

Many other individuals contribute to the success of the Grand Junction Traditional Dance Society. Here are folk who have shared their calling and musical skills to the Dance over the past few years.

Callers

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Kirsten Buda is a Grand Junction music teacher. She began dancing contra twenty years ago and has been pulled further and further into this wonderful world of dance and music. Kirsten calls both contra and International Folk dancing, and has been known to show up to English Country dances in full Regency get up.

Wendy Graham is a self-described "dance Maniac" who serves up delicious and nutritious dances for all with infectious enthusiasm and a smile. Wendy calls community dances, English Country dances, contra dance weekends, and dance weeks throughout the U.S. and abroad. She has been involved with folk music, song and dance for over twenty years.

Lani Graham has an extensive background in many forms of traditional dance.  A member of an English Country Dance demonstration team in Virginia for many years, she has shared her experience with international folk dance several times here in Grand Junction.

Judd Berry is an elementary music teacher and musician in Grand Junction.  He remembers attending a national music teacher conference in Denver where several hours were spent learning folk dances.  During that course, there was much more than dance that the participants learned.  People from all over the US gained a sense of community with one another strengthened by the cooperative nature of this kind of dancing together, as well as creating a kinesthetic instructional environment rich with musical concepts such as musical beat and form.  Judd takes what he learned from many experiences like this one to create a fun, unifying environment full of music and dance.

Fiddlers

Jessica Cooper plays violin with the Grand Junction Symphony and fiddles and sings with Frozen in Time String Band. Desert walks and time with her family bring her joy and she loves to spread those smiles to others. 

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Harmony Tucker has played contra dances with Fifth Reel in the Grand Valley and elsewhere since 2000.  A skilled violinist, she is adept at both classical and traditional music.  Her fiddle is always a welcome addition to our local dances. 

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Sue Sternberg, lately of Moab, Utah, but originally from New York, comes to us with impeccable credentials as a former member of the nationally known contra dance band Wild Asparagus. She has become a regular contributor to our contra dance series. When out in the wild west, Sue is also a valued addition to our Irish Sessions. 

Don Paine combines his passion for music with his skill as a luthier. He is not only an outstanding fiddler and fiddle band leader, but is a splendid mandolin and violin builder as well. He and his son are owners of Pomeroy Instruments in Glenwood Springs. a master of the "Old Time" music styles, he often is a guest fiddler at the Grand Junction Traditional Dance Society

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Keyboards

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Mike Gazdak is a versatile accordionist and pianist who has been playing in bands or as soloist since 1965. He currently plays a repertoire of popular “oldies”, swing/jazz, light classical and ethnic music. Over the past 30 years he has played gigs with various bands in Vail, Aspen, Telluride, Grand Junction and Montrose. In recent years he has been playing with; Rock n’ Swing, Mixed Bag Jazz, Frank Bregar Orchestra and Fifth Reel. Mike is available to play your next event or even an Oktoberfest with his accordion or piano.

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