When I was in college, I studied math and physics as an undergraduate, and for many years at Warren Wilson, I taught in the math department. At college, though, I was also learning to play the banjo, and following graduation, I spent the next ten years on the road as a musician, dancer, and dance caller. During that time, and over the last forty years, I have had the opportunity to perform, call dances, and teach at music festivals and dance events throughout the U.S. and abroad. I now enjoy sharing my love of traditional music and dance with students at Warren Wilson as a member of the music department. For many years, I have been active in the field of Appalachian Studies, mostly researching and writing about traditional dance. My book, Hoedowns, Reels, and Frolics: Roots and Branches of Southern Appalachian Dance (2015), tells the stories behind the square dances, step dances, reels, and other forms of dance practiced in southern Appalachia.
