Dances from the 1920's - with Lindsay McCaw
Over several years of learning music from the teens and '20's, Lindsay McCaw found it was impossible not to notice some of the strange and wonderful dances that people did during that era.  Lindsay is not a dance scholar, just an everyday enthusiast of dance but she is willing to show you what she has learned in the spirit of fun-including some fun charleston variations, the scandalous turkey trot and more! Open to all, no dance experience necessary. (Editors note: you will definitely enjoy this workshop!)

Ireland and North American Song Connections - with Dáithí Sproule
From his repertoire and from recordings Dáithí Sproule will share versions of songs found in both the Irish and in North American traditions, ranging from the classic ballads brought over to the early colonies and still popular among Irish traditional singers to the cross-pollination of Irish and Oldtime/traditional music which continued through the 20th century, for example, in the music of the US folk revival and in the songs of Minnesota’s own Bob Dylan and with Irish folk groups such as Sweeneys Men and the Clancy brothers.

Métis Fiddle Tunes - with Ruby John
In this workshop we’ll learn a Métis fiddle tune, talk about rhythmic style of the tune and go over a little history on how Ruby came to learning Métis fiddle style. (Editors note: for those not familiar with the Métis, the historic Métis homeland covers a large geographic area across parts of what is now Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, parts of the Northwest Territories, and the Northern United States, including Minnesota. Métis culture is a rich and diverse mixture of generational blending of First Nations (Nehiyawak, Nakoda, Saulteaux, Anishinaabe, and Dene Nations) and European (mainly French and Scottish) ways of life, featuring traditional music, such as fiddle playing and the lively Red River Jig dance, unique clothing styles, and deeply rooted customs in community, storytelling, and ceremony. Contemporary Métis communities continue to thrive throughout this region, maintaining traditions, and language. Métis fiddle traditions are an important part of Minnesota fiddle history, so we are very excited about this topic!)

Panel Discussion: Tradition and Innovation - with Danny Diamond, David Scrivner, and more TBA!
Join us for an interactive discussion about the evolution of musical and dance traditions with some smart minds working to keep these traditions alive and well in an ever changing world.

Fiddle Masterclass - with AJ Srubas *pre-registration required
Bring your fiddle questions and spend 8 minutes in the hot seat! Using a masterclass model that is popular at music camps, eight participants will each take a turn asking AJ whatever they want to ask about the fiddle/fiddling while the rest of the class observes and learns alongside the person in the hot seat. You can use your time in the hot seat in a variety of ways. Play something you’re having trouble with and ask for feedback. Play a recording of something you can’t figure out and see if AJ has any helpful ideas. Ask questions on tone or technique, repertoire, or stylistic approach - whatever you want to know! Open to all levels, from beginner and forward.

Fingerstyle Guitar Explained (clearly) - with Pop Wagner *pre-registration required
There are a lot of different things going on simultaneously in a finger style guitar arrangement. The thumb of the right hand is picking (usually in a downward direction) a steady rolling bass line on the lower strings. The index finger (and often other fingers as well) of the right hand is picking out (usually in an upward direction) a melody line on the higher strings. The fingers of the left hand are holding down a cord shape but also reaching for desired melody or bass notes that are not found within the cord shape. And this is all happening AT THE SAME TIME! Does this sound confusing? Never fear! Pop’s five minute “fingerstyle demo” frames all of this into a clearly understandable picture for you. For the remaining 55 minutes we will work on three or four fingerstyle pieces with the goal of having a full understanding of each piece so that you can continue to work on your own after the workshop.

Fingerstyle Banjo - Backing up fiddle tunes in the style of Charlie Poole with TBA *pre-registration required
In addition to clawhammer banjo styles there are many great finger style banjo techniques that players have used on songs and tunes through the ages. Come dive into one of those