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We are honored to have renowned traditional dancers
Ruth Alpert, Hillary Klug, and Becky Hill
hosting dance workshops at Maupinfest 2025.
This is a great opportunity to learn directly from the best.
Thomas Maupin himself will join in as his health allows.
Workshops will take place on the Big North Porch
Ruth @ 11:00 a.m., Hillary @ 1:00 p.m., Becky @ 2:00 p.m.
Hillary Klug will serve as one of our dance workshop instructors this year. She will also be performing as she joins Overall Creek Band. Hillary has carved out a unique niche as a dancing fiddler. Hailing from the small town of Fayetteville, TN, Hillary began her journey by teaching fiddle and dance classes while finishing high school and earning a bachelor’s degree in English. After graduation, she discovered her talent for fiddling and dancing simultaneously, honing her skills through years of street performing in Nashville. Her dynamic performances quickly gained attention, with one video amassing an impressive 64 million views. This viral success opened doors, leading to performance requests across the U.S. and Europe. Hillary has toured 17 different countries, collaborating with various bands, ensembles, and orchestras. She has built a substantial following on social media, boasting 1.7 million followers on Facebook, 500,000 on TikTok, 364,000 on Instagram, and 230,000 on YouTube.
Her first two CDs reached #3 on the Bluegrass Billboard chart. Hillary has also conducted residencies at Silver Dollar City and Dollywood, where her iconic fiddle and dance performances became beloved highlights for visitors.
Additionally, she was featured in the award-winning independent film “Wild Rose,” contributing her original music to the soundtrack. Her talent was recognized by Cirque du Soleil, where her dynamic stunts seamlessly bridged the gap between artist and athlete in their new show, “Songblazers,” which combines circus and country music.
In 2024, Hillary successfully crowdfunded her album “Dancing Fiddler,” set for release in 2025. Currently residing in Nashville, TN, she continues to create and share content regularly, delighting audiences with her fiddle and dance videos across the internet."
Becky Hill will serve as a dance workshop instructor. Becky is a percussive dancer, square dance caller, choreographer, community organizer, and educator. She grew up in Michigan, spent extensive time in West Virginia and now resides in Brentwood, Maryland. Becky has worked with Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble, Good Foot Dance Company and Rhythm in Shoes, and has studied with an array of percussive dance luminaries.
In 2013, she was involved in Wheatland Music Organization’s Carry It On... Project where she was commissioned to choreograph two works under the mentorship of Sharon Leahy in honor of the festival’s 40th anniversary. In 2014 and 2106, she was awarded a West Virginia Division of Culture and History Professional Development Grant to further her study of percussive dance. Becky served as the Artist in Residence at Davis & Elkins College from 2013 - 2015 where she coordinated The Mountain Dance Trail of Augusta Heritage Center and co-directed the Appalachian Ensemble. She became the Events Coordinator for Augusta Heritage Center from 2015 - 2019 organizing their summer intensives. Together with noted folklorist Gerry Milnes, she produced a documentary film on West Virginia dance traditions, Reel ‘Em Boys, Reel ‘Em. Becky has organized Helvetia Hoot, formally known as Dare to be Square West Virginia since 2013. She is currently a Programming Manager for the National Council for the Traditional Arts.
Ruth Alpert will serve as one of our workshop instructors at MaupinFest 2025.
Flatfoot and Buck Dancing (related to clogging) are the traditional, solo, percussive dance forms that go along with Southern Appalachian Mountain Music – fiddles, banjos, guitars, mandolins. The dancer’s feet are a rhythm instrument, keeping the downbeat for the musicians with much room for personal expression and style.
Ruth was introduced to the music and dancing of the southern mountains in 1969, at Don West’s local festival in Pipestem, West Virginia. It went straight to her heart and never let go!
She has taught workshops, danced with old-time Appalachian string bands, busked (street performed) in various cities in at least 6 states. She won the National Championship in Senior Buck Dance in 2013 and 2014 at Uncle Dave Macon Days Festival in Murfreesboro, TN, and in 2019 and 2023 won Grand Champion at Appalachian String Band Festival – known as Clifftop, the largest exclusively Old-Time festival in the U.S. (the first-place winners of all age groups compete for Grand Champion).
Ruth danced with The Fast Peso String Band in Santa Fe, NM for 15 years and was a member of The Honeysuckle Possums, an all-female string band, for 15 years in Santa Barbara, CA. In 2011 she met Thomas Maupin, a National Heritage Award winning dancer, and accepted his invitation to come to Tennessee to enter the festival contests. She has been a devoted friend and follower of Thomas and his family ever since!
Her instructional DVD has sold out, but zoom lessons work well! Please contact for details.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2_G5elNzK0
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