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30th Annual FolkMADness!
Music, Song & Dance Weekend
Socorro, New Mexico
May 23-26, 2025
About FolkMADness
FolkMADness is an all-inclusive 4-day camp in Socorro, New Mexico held Memorial Day Weekend at New Mexico Tech. The weekend kicks off with dinner, followed by a concert and contra dance on Friday evening and the final dances ends at noon on Monday. FolkMADness features all-day dancing, plus concerts, jamming, and day-time singing and instrumental workshops by featured musicians and callers.
Questions? Contact Lindsay Taylor.
Registration is still available details about the venue
Schedule
30th-Annual-FolkMADness-Schedule-Public.docxArtists
Bands and Music Workshops:
- Jeffrey Spero and Ryan McKasson (Syncopaths) and Ness Smith-Savedoff (The Dam Beavers)
- Larry Unger (Notorious) and Eric Boodman (Calico) and Emily Troll (Pine Tree Flyers and Anadama)
- Lindsay Taylor and Brian Nelson (Glorieta Pines)
- Turquoise Tuners, local intergenerational contra band
Calling and Dance workshops:
Singing Workshops:
- Deirdre Murtha
Callers
Gaye Fifer
Gaye Fifer is an accomplished caller from Pittsburgh, PA. An active dancer herself, Gaye understands the subtleties of making dances particularly satisfying for dancers. Her instructions are clear and concise, as she was a teacher by profession. An easy smile and delightful sense of humor are part of Gaye’s relaxed, pleasant style at the microphone. Gaye calls contra and English dances throughout the U.S. and Canada. She is also an enthusiastic advocate and instructor of contra-style waltz.
Alex Deis-Lauby
A NYC-based folk dancer, caller, teacher, and organizer, Alexandra calls weekends and festivals all over the country. She tours, calling local dances for both contra and English Country Dance. Her clear teaching, smooth voice, and fun dance selection delight dancers coast-to-coast. Alex is excellent with all levels of dancers whether they just walked in the door or have been dancing since before she was born. She has dances for all the folks!
Singing Lead – Deirdre Murtha
Deirdre Murtha is an early childhood music teacher in Fairfield County, CT. Her music, dance, and theater programs bring her to preschools, libraries, camps, and home-based groups. She is a member of the dance education group Pourparler, is certified in Level One Orff, Kodaly, and Dalcroize music education, and holds a Master’s Degree in Education from Hunter College in NYC.
Deirdre grew up steeped in the Irish music tradition and was a step dancer from an early age. She continues to sing and play bodhran and keyboard in Irish sessions. She got hooked on maritime music after attending chantey sings at South Street Seaport in NYC in the 1990’s. She has been a mem- ber of the Seaport’s resident chantey group, The New York Packet, since then and also a member of the maritime and sea chantey group, The John- son Girls (www.thejohnsongirls.com). She also performs with her husband, Sean (Irish traditional, old-time, Rev. and Civil War, maritime) and together they run a monthly Chantey Sing in Rowayton, CT.
Band and Music Workshops
Jeff Spero, Ryan McKasson, and Ness Smith-Savedoff
Larry Unger, Eric Boodman, and Emily Troll
Glorieta Pines
Turquoise Tuners
The Turquoise Tuners are a multigenerational stringband from Santa Fe, NM. We play traditional fiddle music and sing songs from throughout America and beyond. The Turquoise Tuners have performed for years on the streets of Santa Fe, at the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market, in pubs, and at contradances. The band consists three adults and three teenagers: Nick Kunz (guitar and banjo), Nick’s daughter Sofia Kunz (fiddle), Liliana Reid (fiddle), Eric Carlson (banjo, fiddle, and guitar), Eric’s son Sam Carlson (fiddle), and Elliot Ryan (bass).
Sunny Sampson
Master Percussionist and teacher, with somewhere in the vicinity of 50 years experience in various folk traditions and rhythmic realms, gifts what he’s learned to anyone who cares to listen, for the betterment of individuals and the world at large. Anyone wishing to begin their percussive journey, create more spirit in their music, or find the next golden nugget in their rhythmic quest should definitely not miss his workshop.
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Pictures from past Folkmadness Camps!:
Folkmadness 2008
Folkmadness 2014
Folkmadness 2015