Storysmith® Susan Marie Frontczak brings literature to life, creates stories from thin air, and hones personal experience into tales worth telling again and again. Her stories and living history presentations have taken her to schools, libraries, corporations, and theaters across 36 of the United States as well as Europe. Susan's original stories have been heard on Colorado Public Radio (Morning Edition), at the Colorado Music Festival Young People's Concert, through Story Gleaner productions, and on her CD"The Three Fishes & Other Stories." Susan Marie's motto is: "Give me a place to stand, and I will take you somewhere else." More at www.storysmith.org.

The Maroon Bells Morris Dancers

Maroon Bells Morris is the oldest of three Morris Teams now dancing in Colorado.The team has been serving the communities in which they dance since 1982, encouraging all onlookers to share the joy and luck of the Morris.

The Maroon Bells Morris Dancers are a diverse group, hailing from the greater Boulder/Denver Metro area and all walks of life. They are always on the lookout for new dancers to join in the fun. Contact Squire Robin Smith for more information, or visit us on the web at: maroonbellsmorris.org

The Solstice Sword Dancers

The Solstice Sword Dancers are five members of the Bennett School of Irish Dance: Bill and Molly Bennett, Bill MacAllister, Ken Horwedge, and Beckee Laurie. As exciting as Irish dancing can be, the intricate interlacings of rapper swords adds a whole new dimension to their dancing experience. Their practices have become one of the premier spectator events at the Friendship Irish Dance Center, since nobody can believe that anyone could extricate themselves from the complex tangles of steel that are the heart of rapper sword figures. They always do, however, like so many armed Houdinis, ready to go into the next impossible tangle and amaze everyone by emerging unscathed.
See them on YouTube.

Watch Your Step!

Watch Your Step! Vintage Dance Vignettes specializes in entertaining audiences with the presentation of American social dances.  Our engaging and educational programs blend dance with the history of three eras: the dance crazed Ragtime years, the wildly inventive and rebellious Roaring 20s, and the elegant and lively 1930s.  We present our nation's rich dance heritage together with accurate costumes, music, and the historical context.

We have performed at numerous front range venues, from the Boulder International Festival, the Avalon Ballroom for American Vernacular Dance, the Hotel Boulderado for their 100th anniversary celebration, the High Plains Chautauqua series in Greeley, and the Evergreen Jazz Festival.  Long distance venues include Stanford University and the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA.

Watch Your Step! is available for presentations, performances, and instruction in ragtime dance.

Visit Watch Your Step!

Bryan Connolly Extreme Juggling

Bryan Connolly has spent the last 10 years of his life developing a unique juggling style that incorporates various acrobatic stunts and other passions of his, such as dance and theatre. Training to join a circus school in Montreal is his current focus, although he regularly performs his fire show at house parties.

Chris Kermiet

Chris Kermiet has been calling and teaching traditional American community dances for over thirty years and is recognized as one of the finest callers in the United States. In 2000, he received the Heritage Award/2000 Artist Fellowship from the Colorado Council on the Arts for calling and teaching traditional American dance, as well as the Westword Best of Denver Award for Best Dance Caller. In 2009 he was honored as a "Living Legend of Dance" by the Carson-Brierly Dance Library at the University of Denver. During the last ten years, as well as being in demand as a caller and teacher of traditional dance, he has created choreographies for a number of performing groups and theater companies.

Chris grew up with traditional dance. His father, Paul Kermiet, was one of Colorado's premier old time callers, and ran a summer camp on Lookout Mountain where Chris heard the best callers from around the country. He learned from all of them, and it shows in his teaching and calling, his broad repertoire and familiarity with traditional dance, and the way he puts new dancers at ease.

Visit his web-site.

Larry Edelman

Larry Edelman has been playing traditional music and calling dances for more than 30 years. He calls a variety of dance styles including traditional squares, contras, dances of the southwest, and specializes in community dances. He is an avid dance researcher and has studied traditional dances from various regions of the USA and has written books and produced videos on traditional dance calling.

Larry has traveled widely and has called and played in just about every state in the country as well as the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Russia, Germany, Canada, the Czech Republic, delighting both novice and veteran dancers with his humor, enthusiasm, skillful teaching, knowledge of dance history, and colorful calling. Larry has played and taught at dozens and dozens of dance and music camps and festivals throughout the world.

He currently plays fiddle, mandolin, and guitar with several dance bands including the Percolators, Poultry in Motion, and the Soda Rock Ramblers. He appears on recordings on the Wildebeest, Kicking Mule, D & R, and Yodel-Aye-Hee labels.

Pat Tognoni

Pat Tognoni's contagious smile and energetic whimsical calling spread the passion of dance wherever she goes.  Her clear and concise teaching and welcoming smile will engage both new and experienced dancers and keep them dancing all night long!  Pat's repertoire includes contras, squares, circles, and traditional reels.  She has called dances throughout Colorado and in several other states.

In addition to calling, Pat plays double bass and guitar, and performed with a clogging troupe for 12 years.  Her passion for dance and music is evident as she hosts jams, co-organizes community dances, and leads dance workshops.

"I absolutely love seeing people smile and having a great time on the dance floor!" 

Balance & Swing

Balance & Swing, comprised of Susan and John Reading and Tina Gugeler, have been providing high energy music for dances along the Front Range since 1993. Balance & Swing has also performed at a variety of festivals and dance camps and each individual can be found lurking in other constellations of bands throughout the region. In addition to playing for dances, they have also performed at various festivals and summer events in Colorado including the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, the Peoples Fair, the Renaissance Faire, Westminster Artist Series, the Wells Fargo Culture Fest, and others.

Susan learned to play fiddle in New England in the early 70's. She had contact with some of the finest fiddlers in that region and has played consistently with contra dance bands and traditional musicians since then. She relocated to Colorado in 1991 with John and became involved in the traditional music community. Sue has a large repertoire and enjoys playing anywhere, anytime.

Tina, originally from Louisiana, made her way to the Denver area after taking the long way around through Ketchikan, Alaska. Tina started her hammered dulcimer career in Ketchikan in 1986 playing for local contra dances. In 1992 Tina won the Colorado State hammered dulcimer championship and in 2000 went on to win the National Hammered Dulcimer Championship in Winfield, KS. In addition to her work with Balance & Swing, she does solo performances and teaches.

John has the best of all worlds. He gets to play with great musicians, takes his wife with him almost always, and basks in the glow of the dancers as they move to the strong piano bass lines and rhythmic chords he so enjoys. If you listen carefully, you'll hear the influence of his former life as a jazz musician in the Boston area. John is equally at home in many different venues and can play gigs from English Country dances to jazz standards, big band swing to vocal accompaniment.

Visit their website.