Dance Band Workshops

Our programming is expanding to work with students at the Finnish American Heritage Center in Hancock, Michigan. There we will help guide the Finnish American Folk School‘s new student folk band, Kuparikielet (Copper Strings) as they learn fresh tunes and build essential skills in performing for different venues, navigating the music business, and engaging authentically with their audiences. Workshops will culminate in a community event that features White Water band with the student folk band for an evening of dance. Teaching artists for these events include Dean and Bette Premo and Carrie Dlutkowski.

“The workshops with Carrie Dlutkowski and members of White Water are truly transformative for the teenage musicians of Kuparikielet. They learn a lot while also really enjoying themselves performing for dancers alongside professional musicians. Working with Northwoods Music Collaborative has really opened doors for these young musicians while also bringing a lot of joy to our community. This collaboration between our groups will be inspirational for our work throughout the rest of the year and beyond.” - Clare Zuraw, Director, Finnish American Folk School

Carrie Dlutkowski

Fiddler and step dancer Carrie Dlutkowski enjoys sharing her music, which draws on a wide range of styles and influences, especially Canadian and American styles. She explores the roots of traditional music, while also branching out from this foundation into new creative territory. Born and raised in Upper Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula, Carrie grew up playing violin. With over two decades of experience, Carrie brings a strong, versatile musical foundation to the stage.

Flute Making and Playing Workshops

In 2026 Northwoods Music Collaborative will work in Baraga Schools along with the help of staff from Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Promise Neighborhoods. Two classes of elementary school children (in the 4th-5th grades) (one class in the morning, another different group in the afternoon) will work with Michael “Laughing Fox” Charette to make their own Native American flutes and learn how to play them. The classes culminate in a presentation that include the students on their flutes as well as storytelling and songs presented by Laughing Fox accompanied by Evan Premo. This project is supported by LA Philharmonic YOLA program.

Comments from students participating in the workshops:

“I like that Michael and Evan help us be more creative and inspire us to make our own flutes - step by step helping us through the process”.

“It was really fun to do this, and to be able to play them in front of people was a really nice activity for me and my friends”.

“I like playing the Native American flutes. The melody is so soothing and the music, it is like nothing I have ever heard before. It makes me feel so many different emotions like calmness, tranquility, soothed, and peaceful”.

Michael “Laughing Fox" Charette

Michael “Laughing Fox" Charette is a gifted Native American storyteller, poet, and member of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (located in Northern Wisconsin). As a self-taught Native American flute player he enhances his stories with hauntingly beautiful flute music. Growing up surrounded by the pristine beauty of the Apostle Islands and Lake Superior led him to dedicate his gifts as an artist to educating about Native American history, culture, and ways of life. Laughing Fox’s work as both a visual and performance artist is varied and tied together by the traditional teachings of the Anishinaabe people, which is respectfully incorporated into his work. Laughing Fox captivates audiences with his authentic, relaxed style.

Beaver Island Songs,
Tunes and Dances

Supporting continuation of the tradition of music as an important part of the social life of the Beaver Island community, we are preparing community music workshops and a concert on Beaver Island. Workshops will be given for students on fiddle, song/flute/whistle, percussive dance and chord accompaniment. A community concert will be rooted in the rich traditions of Beaver Island, Great Lakes, and Northwoods- region musical history, and also encompassing the diverse experiences and styles of these contemporary musicians who believe in a thoughtful knowledge of the history and context of the music they perform. Artists involved with this project include fiddler/dancer Carrie Dlutkowski www.carriedlutkowski.com, dancer Nic Gareiss www.nicgareiss.com, vocalist Norah Rendall www.norahrendell.com, and multi-instrumentalist Brian Miller www.thelostforty.com. We are collaborating with Beaver Island “TUNES Music Makers” and the Charlevoix Community Foundation for this project.