This Year's Callers
and Their Workshops
What a line-up of dance knowledge, style and technique!
Here are this years callers in order of appearance, with a brief and more detailed description of their workshops.
Norm Ellis
Throw Away Partners
Featuring 'non-couple' contemporary folk dances, with no specific partner. ie mostly Set dances for odd numbers, (3, 5, 7 etc)
Inspired by Mike Waters’ dance of the same name, "Throw Away Partners" is especially for odd numbers of "gender neutral" dancers without any specific partner.
These are mostly 'non-couple' contemporary Set dances, for odd numbers, (3, 5, 7 etc). The twist is you can’t rely on your partner.
Equally fun for all comers.
Saturday 9.30 Bundanoon Hall
David Potter
Continuous Cotillions
Before the quadrilles there were the cotillions
We will be exploring the Regency (1760-1820) style cotillions with stepping style taught but optionally danced.
The music is from the period and not overly complex.
Saturday 9.30 School Hall
Keith Wood
Volume 5 Contra
A selection of Contra dances from the latest volume of my dance books.
I've been composing Contra dances for many years and this selection is from the latest volume of my dance books. Expect some unusual moves as we see what Contra can offer.
Saturday 11.15 Bundanoon Hall
Simon Wall
‘Snot unusual:
traditional border morris dances with handkerchiefs
There's more to border morris than the dances done with sticks.
This workshop focuses on handkerchief dances from the Welsh border counties. There are hanky dances known from Evesham, Pershore, Weobley, Peopleton, and Upton on Severn. We’ll see how far we can get.
Saturday 11.15 School Hall
Heather Clarke
Currency Lasses (1826)
June is the 200th anniversary of the Currency Lasses Quadrille. A significant milestone in our cultural heritage. It is a single figure Quadrille, and easily mastered.
The Currency Lasses Quadrille was first danced Sydney in 1826 at a private ball where “the muses and graces mingled together most harmoniously”.
It is a single figure Quadrille, and easily mastered in one workshop.
Saturday 2.00 Bundanoon Hall
Madis & Tiina Alvre
Nordic Folk & Social Dance
Presenting a variety of Nordic folk and social dances, suitable for beginners and more experienced dancers, involving circle, formation, couple and progressive dances.
This workshop includes Northern European folk and social dances (Estonia, Finland, Sweden). It is suitable for beginners, through to more experienced dancers. The dances range from circle and formation, to couple and progressive dances, incorporating waltz and schottische footwork with variations.
Saturday 2.00 School Hall
Bradley Pevere
Jigs and Reels: The Quick-Time Scottish Country Dance
Learning the quick-time steps and formations of Scottish country dancing with fun-filled energy, strengthening fitness and building friendships!
Returning this year to add a little more Scottish Dancing Pride, Bradley will get you “jigging” and “reeling” through steps and formations in time with the quick-time tunes that are originally made for Scottish Country Dancing.
Saturday 3.45 Bundanoon Hall
Paul & Leslie Carr
The Dances of Pádraig and Róisín Mc Eneany
Simple, well-crafted Irish Sets that flow well and are a joy to dance.
With the release of the Corsican Set in early 2026 Pádraig and Róisín Mc Eneany have now contributed three excellent dances to the Irish Set dancing repertoire. They specialize in relatively simple, well-crafted sets that flow well and are a joy to dance. Their three sets comprise of the Corsican Set, The Criosloch Set and the extremely popular Merchant Set. We will teach as many of these as we can fit into the time available.
Saturday 3.45 School Hall
Jude Stuart
Quadrille Sets with Joe
Dance some of the Quadrille sets to music collected from Gulgong fiddler/ dance musician Joe Yates. He identified these tunes for specific figures.
Quadrilles come in Sets of 4-5 figures and were often danced at Balls as the first dance after a Grand March. The Lancers, First Set and Alberts were well known. Tony Stuart has transcribed many tunes collected from Joe Yates from John Meredith recordings. Joe had tunes for each of the figures of these Quadrilles.
Sunday 9.30 Bundanoon Club
Cathy Grylls
D is for Do-Si-Do
The next D-lightful instalment in this interesting series...
Let's see how many dances we can find that start with the letter D... how many tunes to match...Go for it Beck...There's your challenge!
Let's see, shall we?
Sunday 9.30 School Hall
Arthur Kingsland
The Newcastle Challenge
Challenging dances from Australian, Scottish and English Country & American Contra dance genres (including Arthur & Julia’s compositions) featuring interesting moves and/or unusual formations.
Extend your dance ability with challenging dances from Australian contemporary, Scottish Country, English Country & American Contra dance genres (including “new” compositions by Arthur & Julia). Caution: These dances will be “challenging” featuring interesting moves, unusual formations and/or unexpected progressions.
Sunday 11.15 Bundanoon Club
Jim Williams
Bavarian Dances
More dances from Bavaria and bordering countries of Switzerland and Austria.
Bavaria in the south of Germany has a rich culture of folk dancing and also takes in and shares many dances of the other alpine countries of Switzerland and Austria.
Sunday 11.15 School Hall
Kit Clarke
Dances Of Phillipe Callens
Phillipe Callens was a Belgian born choreographer of international repute who died in 2021. His dances exploit wonderful melodies with matching, often innovative, dance figures .
Phillipe had a strong belief in the artistic qualities of English Country Dance. Many of his compositions were dedicated and inspired by dancers in England and America. His better known ones include Alice, An Early Frost and Autumn in Amherst.
Be challenged to dance at your best.
Sunday 2.00 Bundanoon Club
Peter Foster
My Bush Dances
Bush dances devised by Peter Foster
Bush dances could be described as dances at the more accessible end if the social dance spectrum. Here will be presented some of my own inventions for you diversion.
Sunday 2.00 School Hall
Roger & Christine Gifford
Danish Folk Dances
Danish dances include couples, squares, and longways sets in waltz, schottis, polka, reinlanderpolka and hopsa rhythms, as well as walking dances.
The workshop will feature both popular and less well-known Danish folk dances including square, circle, longways, line and couple formations. The rhythms include walking, waltz, polka, reinlander-polka, schottis, hopsa and mazurka. Difficulty will range from very easy to somewhat challenging - something for everyone.
Sunday 3.45 Bundanoon Club
Colin Towns
A Feast of Maggots
A Maggot is an old English word for whim or fancy, in dancing terms it was the dancing Masters favourite or best composition.
From the 17th century dancing masters would tour the country taking temporary residence at a Manor House in order to teach the Lord and Lady and their entourage how to dance. Often they would leave a favoured dance in exchange for the board and lodging.
Sunday 3.45 School Hall
Patricia George
Favourite English Country Dances: Past and Present
A programme of dances that I adore to dance and to teach.
Some dances I hope to include:
Vivaldi In Paradise by Gary Roodman
Laurelhurst by Fried de Metz Herman
Bonny Cuckoo by Gael Ticknor
Barcelon by. J.Walsh 1700, and
Key to the Cellar by Jenny Beer.
Monday 9.30 Bundanoon Hall
Margaret & Bill Winnett
Let's Dance Irish Style with the Winnetts
We will have you dancing Set Dancing, Ceili Dancing or Two Hand Irish Dances
with plenty of fun involved.
Margaret & Bill have a wonderful repertoire of traditional Irish dances and love nothing better than to share them with anyone interested. With Two Hand dances brought back from Ireland to fun little Ceili dances and wonderful Set dancing, they will have you enjoying yourself more than you thought possible..
Monday 9.30 School Hall
Tony Northey
Creating a Medley of Jig, Strathspey and Reel
Learn a popular Jig, a Strathspey and a Reel before putting them in a medley.
Come and enjoy a jolly Jig, a striking strathspey and a rollicking Reel before we put them together. We'll reach the pinnacle when we dance once through each in a medley and experience the exciting changes of tempo.
Monday 11.15 Bundanoon Hall
Don Richmond
TSDAV
Competition Challenges
A selection of challenging dances from the annual TSDAV dance competition.
A selection of those TSDAV competition entries intended for more experienced
dancers. The dances may represent different dance genres and often involve
geometric, spatial or orientational challenges.
Monday 11.15 school Hall