Contra Dancing with dance visionaries Ed and Tami Howe

Welcome to Provocative Conversations from Twice 5 Miles Radio. I’m your host, James Navé. Today, we venture into the soul of community, tradition, and joyful expression through the lens of contra dancing, sound, and the magic of gathering. In this episode, I sit down with Ed and Tami Howe—two deeply rooted contributors to the contra dance movement and the LEAF Festival. Design, Dance, and LEAF Love From Ed’s beginnings as a fiddler in Maine to his rise as a creative force behind the band Perpetual e-Motion, his story is steeped in sound, stagecraft, and communal uplift. Tami shares how a search for connection led her to the contra dance floor, where eye contact and shared rhythm transformed her sense of belonging. We dive into Brookside, the epicenter of LEAF’s dance scene—a pavilion filled with movement, music, and intentional design that fosters joy and inclusiveness. We explore the art of building the dance floor, the evolving language of tradition, and the metaphorical power of crafting space where everyone feels welcome. It’s about design meeting passion. Movement meeting grace. Mistakes becoming invitations. From the roots of Nelson, New Hampshire, to the inclusive pulse of modern festivals, contra dance has become more than a pastime—it’s a way of life. Stay with us. This episode is a celebration of artistry, culture, resilience, and the kind of dance that brings people home to themselves.