Support Music & Dance

The music and dance programs at the Folk School have supported the local community and visitors on campus for close to 100 years. Utilizing spaces that hold a deep historical significance on our campus, these programs offer unique experiences for beginners and longtime music and dance participants.

With your support, the Folk School can ensure that the music and dance programs thrive and continue to provide opportunities for the hundreds of students who pass through our program each year. Your donation to this program can provide general operating support or focus on specific needs.

Support the Music & Dance Studio

Week or Weekend Scholarships

The Folk School awards several scholarships each year, providing partial or full financial support for a weeklong or weekend class. Scholarships are awarded to individuals who demonstrate financial need along with an admiration for the Folk School’s unique education model.

Support a Music & Dance Scholarship

Music and Dance Endowment

Our music and dance endowment is designed to provide support for initiatives going above and beyond our annual classes, concerts, and dance programming. The fund has an annual draw that is budgeted to allow for increased community engagement, educational outreach, and special events.

Support the Music and Dance Endowment

Folk School Junior Appalachian Musicians Program (JAM)

Folk School Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) offers students ages 12-18 the opportunity to learn guitar, banjo, or fiddle, or to practice in a string band and connect to the musical heritage of rural Appalachia. Recently, students have begun to learn calling as part of their twice-weekly classes.

JAM is made possible by support from the North Carolina Arts Council, the Wayne Henderson Music Festival, and the John C. Campbell Folk School. Donations help support new instruments, and JAM instructors, and broaden the ages of local youth we reach.

Support the Folk School JAM Program

Music & Dance Programs Coordinator

Wendy Graham

Music and Dance Programs Coordinator, Wendy Graham (Durango, CO) blew in to Brasstown only hours ahead of Hurricane Helene. Although new to Western North Carolina, Wendy’s folk roots go back to John C. Campbell. Her passion for music, song and dance caught fire on a Danish-American Exchange (DAE) tour led by John Ramsay (Folk School Director/Assistant Director 1966-1973) and Barbara Harding. A Berea, KY Christmas Country Dance School regular since 1991, Wendy started calling in 1997 under Bill Alkire. Now, she leads American, English Country, Community, and partner dances, and caller training at events across the US and around the world. She played piano growing up and studied accordion with Rachel Bell. Since 2004, Wendy organized events in Durango, Colorado, the southwest region (New Mexico FolkMADness, Stellar Days & Nights), and nationally (Cumberland Dance Week). She proudly served on the Lloyd Shaw Foundation and Country Dance and Song Society (CDSS) boards. She was a CDSS Award Committee and is now a Nominating Committee community member.

Music & Dance Coordinator

T-Claw Crawford

T-Claw Crawford is a dance caller, musician, and community organizer. He grew up in Nashville, TN and played punk rock and jazz until he heard old-time string music. T-Claw has toured by bicycle across eight states and New Zealand with Fiddle Pie, and old-time variety show band. He is the “Johnny Appleseed” of square dancing, having instigated his enthusiastic brand of community music and dance get-togethers far and wide. T’s favorite foods are pie and biscuits, and he enjoys river sports, honky tonkin’, yard games, wildcrafting, and cribbage. He bops around Brasstown with his beloved wife and delightful daughters.