Afternoon Workshops 2025
At Acadia Trad in 2025 you’ll be able to choose from a diverse range of topics and opportunities to explore the rich musical, dance, and singing traditions we celebrate. Dive into the offerings and start deciding exactly what your path will be this June!
If you have already registered for the festival as a full-time student, you will have access to all of our afternoon offerings as part of your tuition!
If you are not registered, we would still love for you to join us! Check out the listing below, and then buy tickets here. Full-week and daily passes, or individual tickets are all available. (Online workshop sales will be available until June 17. After that, tickets will be available to buy in person each day during the Festival from noon until 3 p.m.)
Click here to download the listings and descriptions below as a pdf.
Jump to workshop type:
Jam Sessions | Community Singing Sessions | Community Social Dance | Ensembles | Enrichment Workshops
Faculty-Led Jam Sessions
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Period 3 (1:15 – 2:30 p.m.)
Come jam under the expert and welcoming guidance of some of your favorite players! Faculty leaders will help you get the good session energy going, suggesting tunes and helping you tap into your best jamming self. Bring your favorite tunes – you’ll certainly be invited to share them!
Monday:
Relaxed-pace session with Anastasia DesRoches & Dan Faiella
Fast-paced session with Adam Henley, Cara Wildman & Nicholas Williams
Wednesday:
Relaxed session with Isa Burke & Sophie Wellington
Fast-paced session with Mari Black & Susan MacLean
Friday:
Relaxed session with Ben Gagliardi & Caitlin Warbelow
Fast-paced session with Frances Cunningham & Pascal Gemme
Faculty-Led Community Singing Sessions
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Period 3 (1:15 – 2:30 p.m.)
Singing is a joyous and integral part of so many different folk traditions, and we celebrate that in these community singing sessions! Faculty leaders will bring some of their favorite songs to teach and sing together as a group, exploring points of style, history and culture, and a bit of vocal skills along the way. All are welcome to join in the fun, regardless of previous vocal experience!
Monday: Leader – Armand Aromin
Wednesday: Leader – Ben Gagliardi
Friday: Leader – Nicholas Williams
Faculty-Led Community Social Dance and Open Band
Tuesday and Thursday, Period 3 (1:15 – 2:30 p.m.)
Let’s all come together for a joyful period of community dancing with live music! Take the floor for fun and accessible social dances from a variety of traditions called by our dance instructors, or bring your instrument and contribute to the open band led by members of our music faculty. Or hey, why not try both!? No prior dance experience necessary, as all dances will be taught “from the ground up” during the session.
Tuesday: Caller – Will Mentor
Open Band Leaders – Armand Aromin & Noah Fishman
Thursday: Caller – Will Mentor
Open Band Leaders – Jake Charron & Pascal Gemme
Faculty-Led Ensembles
Every day, Period 4 (3:00 – 4:15 p.m.)
Ever wanted to be in a band with one of your musical heroes? Well, here’s your chance! These faculty-led ensembles will give you a chance to experience what it’s like working together as a trad music band.
Ensembles will be progressive, building skills and repertoire over the course of the week and culminating in a group performance at the student concert on Friday night. Therefore, students are strongly encouraged to attend each band meeting throughout the week.
Acadian / Québecois Ensemble – Yann Falquet and Devon Léger
Celtic Ensemble – Màiri Chaimbeul and Nicole Rabata
Old Time Ensemble – Armand Aromin and Erynn Marshall
*not available for purchase as an individual workshop ticket
Enrichment Workshops
Every afternoon, Periods 3 & 4 (1:15 – 2:30 p.m. & 3:00 – 4:15 p.m.)
Workshops are your chance to dial into techniques and explore specific areas of the trad world with your faculty instructors! Here’s what’s on the menu this year:
Monday
Click to read individual workshop descriptions for Monday
Period 3 (1:15 – 2:30 p.m.)
Dance & Play Laboratory: Québecois – Marie Soleil Pilette & Pascal Gemme
Learn “La Grondeuse” tune or steps, then put music and dance together live!
Sean-nós for All – Kieran Jordan & Kara Howgate-Mello
Basic rhythms in old-style Irish dance.
Adaptive Accompaniment – Jake Charron
How to make your backing work with different styles of fiddle music.
Tune Harmonization – Noah Fishman
Creating meaningful instrumental harmony parts for tunes.
How to Play the Spoons for All – Ben Gagliardi
Ladling out a spoonful of basic techniques and grooves.
Period 4 (3:00 – 4:15 p.m.)
Ear Training for Harmony Singers – Isa Burke
Learning to hear chords and intervals.
Contra Dance Figure Transitions – Will Mentor
Some basics of how to link figures and create flow in social dance.
Music for Dancers – Frances Cunningham
Learn the lingo to demystify the tunes.
Finding the Key – Caitlin Warbelow
How to determine what key you’re playing in and use it to learn faster and build tasty tune sets!
Tuesday
Click to read individual workshop descriptions for Tuesday
Period 3 (1:15 – 2:30 p.m.)
Old Songs Made New – Ben Gagliardi
Reinterpreting and rejuvenating old folk songs.
Peppy Sean-nós – Kieran Jordan & Kara Howgate-Mello
Battering steps for Irish reels.
Extra Groovy Old Time Tunes – Isa Burke
Cool tunes with a deep dive on the power of bowing!
Techniques for Learning & Remembering Melodies – Caitlin Warbelow
Understanding structure through “tune scaffolding.”
Backing “On-the-Fly” – Dan Faiella
What to play if you don’t know the tune.
Adapting Tunes for Whistle – Adam Hendey
Making awesome tunes work on the Irish Tin Whistle – all instruments welcome!
Cape Breton Piano for All – Susan MacLean
Cape Breton piano accompaniment from the ground up.
The Passamaquoddy Snake Song & Dance – Dwayne Tomah
Cultural importance of a ceremony used to connect communities and facilitate collective decision-making.
Period 4 (3:00 – 4:15 p.m.)
Intuitive Harmony Singing for All – Nicholas Williams
Feeling and finding your way to singing harmonies.
Irish Set Dancing – Kieran Jordan & Kara Howgate-Mello
Learn “The Merchant Set,” an Irish social dance.
Flatfooting for All – Sophie Wellington
Celebrate the musicality of Appalachian Flatfooting.
Tap Dance Waltz Clog – Kevin Doyle
Explore the Vaudeville styles of a beginner waltz clog.
Scottish Threads in PEI – Anastasia DesRoches
Tracing the musical influence of Scottish music to Prince Edward Island tunes.
Session Tips 101 – Ben Gagliardi
Best practices, behaviours, and strategies for contributing positively to a session.
Embodying Rhythm – Cara Wildman
Time signatures and groove!
Film Showing: Dawnland
Deepen your understanding of modern Wabanaki history with this documentary.
*not available for purchase as an individual workshop ticket
Period 5 (4:15 – 5:15 p.m.)
Protecting the Passamaquoddy Language – Dwayne Tomah
Passamaquoddy Language Keepers important work to interpret 1890 wax cylinder recordings.
Wednesday
Click to read individual workshop descriptions for Wednesday
Period 3 (1:15 – 2:30 p.m.)
Dance & Play Laboratory: Irish – Kieran Jordan/Kara Howgate-Mello & Caitlin Warbelow
Learn “Maggie Pickens” tune or steps, then put music and dance together live!
Tap Dance for All – Kevin Doyle
Let your body do the talking with basic tap moves.
Seated Foot Percussion for All – Pascal Gemme
Foot Tapping, from the basics to all the bells and whistles!
Singing & Fiddling Simultaneously – Armand Aromin
An intro to creating a duet for one!
Dissecting Recorded Arrangements – Dan Faiella
How to map out, pick apart, and learn a full band arrangement using on the recording.
Write Your First Tune– Adam Hendey
An introduction to composing new traditional tunes.
Visit to Abbe Museum (continues into Period 4)
Learn about and explore the history and culture of “The People of the Dawn”.
*all are welcome to join us at the museum; no AFTMD ticket required. Museum info & pricing here.
Period 4 (3:00 – 4:15 p.m.)
Singing Tunes for All – Ben Gagliardi
Let’s use our voices to lilt, harmonize, groove, and even accompany tunes!
From Drum to Dance – Cara Wildman
Translating rhythms from the Bodhran to the Feet!
Write a Contra Dance – Will Mentor
Explore Contra Dance choreography and create a brand new dance!
Building Expressive Medleys – Anastasia DesRoches
How to craft tune sets that tell a story.
Balfolk Tunes – Nicholas Williams
French dance tunes for all instruments.
Anatomy of a Tune – Noah Fishman
Analyzing melodies for memorization, observation, and just plain fun!
Trad Trivia – Frances Cunningham
Team trivia for all – with prizes and lots of fun!
Thursday
Click to read individual workshop descriptions for Thursday
Period 3 (1:15 – 2:30 p.m.)
Roundtown, Sing & Play – Armand Aromin & Ben Gagliardi
Come sing some rounds and jam on them too!
Groovy Sean-nós – Kieran Jordan & Kara Howgate-Mello
Jig steps and improvisation.
Strathspey Central – Mari Black
Stylizing the mighty strathspey in Scottish vs. Cape Breton Music (hint: the answer is in the dance!)
Beautiful Trad Waltzes – Frances Cunningham
Exploring waltzes from different traditions.
Intriguing Whistle Ornaments – Adam Hendey
Ornaments for Irish Tin Whistle that draw inspiration from global folk musics – all instruments welcome!
Rhythmic Backing Beyond the Basics – Cara Wildman
Adding rhythmic interest and variety in your tune accompaniment.
Voice of the Violin – Jacob Brillhart
Exploring the unique tonal qualities of a dynamic lineup of violins.
Period 4 (3:00 – 4:15 p.m.)
Mindful Movement – Kieran Jordan & Kara Howgate-Mello
Movement, sound, and self-care.
Irish Step Dance for All – Kevin Doyle
Basic footwork for Irish jigs and reels.
Spice Up Your Steps – Marie-Soleil Pilette
Add body percussion and off-balance movement.
Tiny Tunes – Ben Gagliardi
Short, catchy, and accessible tunes for all instruments.
Timeless Cape Breton Tunes – Susan MacLean
Classics and favourites from my mentors in Cape Breton music.
Writing Tunes – Noah Fishman
Following your ear and embracing the journey.
Accompanying Songs on Melody Instruments – Isa Burke
What do I play if I’m not playing the melody?
Alternate Tuning for Guitar – Dan Faiella
How to learn a new fretboard language (DADGAD and more!)
Film Showing: Dawnland
Deepen your understanding of modern Wabanaki history with this documentary.
*not available for purchase as an individual workshop ticket
Period 5 (4:15 – 5:15 p.m.)
Dawnland Debrief
A facilitated discussion to help process Dawnland.
*not available for purchase as an individual workshop ticket
Friday
Click to read individual workshop descriptions for Friday
Period 3 (1:15 – 2:30 p.m.)
Body Percussion for All – Armand Aromin
YOU are the instrument!
Québecois Social Dance – Marie-Soleil Pilette
Funny square dances to make you smile.
Mentoring & Teaching Trad Music – Susan MacLean
Passing on the torch to newer players and each other.
Intro to Home Recording – Jake Charron
Equipment and basic techniques needed to record professional-quality music at home.
Period 4 (3:00 – 4:15 p.m.)
New England Ballad Collectors – Ben Gagliardi
Learn a selection of songs by my favourite collectors.
Square Dance for All – Sophie Wellington
Easy social dances to Old Time tunes.
Music for Healing – Anastasia DesRoches
Sharing stories and memories through tunes.
Sculpting the Sound – Jacob Brillhart
How a luthier’s decisions shape the voice of the violin.
The Acadia Festival of Traditional Music & Dance is governed by Friends of the Acadia Trad Festival, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) Maine nonprofit corporation. Website art by Anabelle Keimach and Annelise Papinsick.