Leah Hefner

Leah Hefner has been involved in different types of dance (tap, jazz, ballet, clogging, and marching band color guard) from a young age. Shortly after college, she learned about English country dancing (ECD) while doing research for a local history museum. She was delighted to discover Sun Assembly—an ECD group that meets weekly in her own backyard—and has been hooked on the dances, music, and social history ever since! During her 15 years with Sun Assembly, Leah has served many roles including Steering Committee Member, Secretary, DanceFest Coordinator and, more recently, Teacher. When she has the chance, Leah enjoys attending various ECD events and workshops to expand her knowledge, repertoire, and skills.

Mary McConnell

Mary McConnell found Scottish Country dancing in January 1980, before she was introduced to English by Carl Wittman. She realized that these dance forms were branches from the same tree and continued as an avid dancer of both ever since. Besides obtaining her Royal Scottish Country Dance Teacher’s Certificate in 1986, she has participated in many English dance callers’ workshops over the years to develop her skills and continues to explore the deep well of Modern English Country Dance. The phrase that “Dance is music made visible” expresses her dance passion well. She has stepped down from teaching a weekly SCD class which has continued for over 40 years.

Pat Petersen

Best known in her career as a player and teacher of recorder and early music, Pat Petersen has also enjoyed teaching and playing for English country dance for some 35 years.  She regularly leads the weekly Sun Assembly English Country Dance in Durham, NC, and has served 2 terms on the Board of the Country Dance and Song Society.  She has taught ECD at Pinewoods and the Berea Christmas Country Dance School, as well as at numerous early music workshops (including Amherst Early Music), and at evening dances from Berkeley to Berea to Baltimore to Boston, New York City, Miami, and Denmark.  Her early music training has given her a unique understanding of how music and dance meet in a perfect marriage.  Her teaching emphasizes connection, style, elegance, and FUN.

Pat is equally comfortable teaching and dancing in both gender-specific and non-gender-role communities—the latter especially useful when the gender balance is less than ideal!  With a foot in each camp, she sees dancing as a community as well as a partnering activity.  While fostering inclusiveness of all levels of age and ability, she gently and with humor urges all dancers toward excellence and an appreciation of the beauties of the dances and their music.  As a long-time professional teacher of adult amateurs, Pat has a good understanding of what motivates them, and how to help them look past their own mistakes and the mistakes of others to experience the joy and delight of both music and dance.