Joël Chiasson is a veteran piano player and step dancer from Chéticamp, Cape Breton. Citing Hilda Chiasson as his biggest influence, Joël has provided piano accompaniment on recordings by artists including Natalie MacMaster, Ashley MacIsaac, Mary Jane Lamond, Buddy MacMaster, Andrea Beaton, and many many, more over the past 30 years. In the late 1990s, Joël toured extensively with Ashley MacIsaac and Natalie MacMaster. Over the years, Joël has taught Cape Breton style step dancing through workshops across Canada and the United States. Today Joël lives in Sydney with his family and works as a school teacher, but thankfully he still manages to get out and play for concerts and dances in and around Cape Breton. The versatile accompanist will be performing twice during the festival this year, accompanying Donna Marie DeWolfe in Petit-de-Grat and Kimberley Fraser in Louisbourg.