Welcome to Summer Soirée

June 13-15, 2025, Asheville, NC

Join us for an exhilarating weekend of lively dance, fun workshops, and unforgettable experiences. Hosted on the campus of Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina, our talented callers and bands create a lively atmosphere that will keep you on your toes. We'll have three days of contra dancing plus waltzing, fusion, techno, and much more. Delicious snacks will be available to power you through the weekend along with optional meal and housing plans.

2024 Summer Soirée with the

Ice Cream Truckers and Cis Hinkle

Be a part of Summer Soirée!

2025 Lineup

The Bands

The Mean Lids

Featuring Ben Smith (fiddle), Miriam Larson (flute), and Matt Turino (guitar), The Mean Lids are only as mean as they need to be to keep the grit in their tones and the edge on their tunes. They are never seen without their signature cranial apparel.

Kingfisher

Kingfisher is a Boston-based contra dance band, consisting of Cecilia Vacanti (fiddle) and Jeff Kaufman (piano, mandolin, drums, synths). They rocked Snowball 2024 in Gulfport, FL and we booked them on the spot.

The Callers

Steve Zakon-Anderson

Steve Zakon-Anderson has been calling contras, leading workshops for callers and teaching couples dance for over 30 years. He has performed at dance camps and festivals in 36 states, including Pinewoods, Ogontz, Buffalo Gap, Lady of the Lake, Augusta and Brasstown. Steve’s clear teaching, energetic calling and sense of humor have made him a favorite of dancers of all ages and abilities.

Adina Gordon

Adina Gordon finds an outlet for her loves of travel, music, dance and silliness by calling and dancing throughout the U.S. and Canada, facilitating joy and minor chaos wherever she goes. Adina calls dances both old and new that cause spontaneous eruptions of joy on the dance floor.