"Well, I guess I don't need my coffee now!" - David Kaynor, upon hearing the Retrospectacles warming up for a contra dance.

The Retrospectacles are a young group of contra dance musicians whose natural enthusiasm and powerful playing have torn up dance floors all over the Northwest. Drawing from their childhoods growing up at music camps and festivals, and their early immersions in contra dancing and music, The Retrospectacles were formed in high school and have continued as a band after graduation. Twin fiddlers Josie Sokoloff-Toney and Andrew Foster lead the band through the twisting, turning medleys of tunes required for contra dancing, and harmonize beautifully at the same time! Scotty Leach's infectious piano playing and Ethan Jodziewicz's burning bass lines make up the other half of the band, and have propelled dancers across many a dance floor. Though inspired by the eclectic music of today’s contra dance scene, music taken from Irish, Scottish, French-Canadian and old-time traditions, the Retrospectacles play many of their own compositions now. They also arrange the music into a densely woven and highly rhythmic sound that sounds as good on the dance floor as it does on the concert stage. - Devon Leger, Hearth Music

Andrew Foster has been playing violin and fiddle since age five. He was classically trained and continues to play classical music in the form of small chamber groups with friends as well as in the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra. He has competed twice at the National Oldtime Fiddlers' Contest in Weiser, Idaho. He is currently attending the University of Washington in Seattle, where he is pursuing a double degree in music and computer science. As a member of the Retrospectacles, Andrew has performed for contra dances up and down the West Coast.

Josie Sokoloff-Toney has been immersed in traditional fiddle music since birth. She started playing the violin at age five, studying classical method from a variety of teachers, and learning to fiddle from her dad. She has been teaching privately since age fifteen, was a tutor at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes for several years, and ran a music camp for kids in Olympia, Washington in the summer of 2009. Josie is currently pursuing a violin performance major at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington, and plays regularly with the Retrospectacles, the Wayfaring Strangers, and in Western's symphony orchestra and chamber ensembles.

Ethan Jodziewicz began his study of the double bass at age seven on a cello which was retrofitted with bass strings. Since then he has pursued music of styles ranging from symphonic repertoire to jazz to folk traditions. Ethan has attended several prestigious summer festivals including Interlochen Arts Camp, Le Domaine Forget Académie and the Wabass Institute. While growing up in Olympia, Washington, he received his early training from Jordan Anderson in Seattle. He also held a position with the Olympia Symphony Orchestra and kept a private studio of 8+ bass students. Ethan currently lives in Ithaca, New York where he studies double bass with Nicholas Walker at Ithaca College School of Music.

Photo Credit: Sarah Lockwood

Scotty Leach, fiddler, pianist, and avid contra dancer, was raised on Weiser, Fiddle Tunes, and the Centralia Campout. Through his lifelong immersion in folk music traditions, he has acquired the ability to transition effortlessly from Appalachian old-time to New England dance music to Cape Breton style piano backup. Scotty is also an accomplished composer of fiddle tunes. He regularly attends contra dance camps and has recently discovered ECD. He lives in Olympia, Washington and performs for contradances throughout the region.