Laura Cortese & the Dance Cards is nothing if not a culmination: the gathering of a select group of acoustic roots musicians at the zenith of their careers. Together, these women create something wholly new—a fusion of the countless traditions and influences they each bring to the creative process. Best thought of as a collective rather than a fixed band, at Celtic Colours 2026, the line-up includes Valerie Thompson (cello), Zoe Guigueno (bass), and, at its core, Cortese herself serving as both the gravitational center around which the group organizes and the creative engine that fuels the compositions that emerge from it. Performing songs live from their albums California Calling (2017), Bitter Better (2020), and new work by Laura coming in October 2026, these artists produce music as rich and intricate as any symphony and as heartfelt as any country classic. Centered on the virtuosic string instrumentation of its members, Laura Cortese & the Dance Cards ties together driving rhythms, broad creative vision, and resonant harmonies to create music that sweeps you up in its current, carrying you away from your everyday worries and into the arms of its cathartic embrace.