As an undergraduate, I studied math and physics, and I considered becoming a teacher. At that time, however, 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, I 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. I recently took my Warren Wilson old-time stringband, Jenny & the Hog Drovers, to perform in China. 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.
