Susan Michaels has been calling old-time square dances, family dances, and community dances for more than 35 years, including her hometown “chicken coop” square dance on Vashon Island in Washington. Susan specializes in building community, facilitating joy, and just plain having fun and she believes it is her calling in life to teach people how to hold hands in a circle and move to music. She loves all kinds of choreography… but specializes in traditional Appalachian dances with drive and flow that hold on to the roots of community dance but take off in new directions. Susan brings her special brand of dry quirky humor with her to every dance event and has a unique gift for making kids, newcomers, 2 left-footers, and shy persons blossom through dance. Susan has been a featured artist at festivals and camps throughout the U.S. including the Berkeley Old Time Music Convention (CA), Dare2BSquare West (Oakland, Seattle, Portland) the Alaska Folk Festival, Pinewoods American and Family Weeks (MA), Lady of the Lake June and Family Weeks (ID), Mentone (AL), Chehallis (BC),  Louisville Square (KY), Moosejaw (MN) Mountain Madness (TN), and John C. Campbell Folk School (NC).