We connect and support people in building and sustaining vibrant communities through participatory dance, music, and song. We steward the living traditions of English country dance, contra and square dance, morris and sword dance, and the music that is an integral part of these traditions. Learn more
What’s New
- CDSS Supporter Thanks Concert, Featuring Squirrel Butter!
Please join us online on Tuesday, Oct. 29 at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT for a special concert by Squirrel Butter, the traditional music duo of Charlie Beck and Charmaine Slaven. More details on the concert page!
- New in the CDSS Store!
Folk Tunes from the Women, curated by Kathryn Tickell, is a tune book like no other! This is a bumper book of more than 150 contemporary tunes by 100 unique composers from different areas, traditions, and backgrounds.
There’s a wide selection of jigs, hornpipes, reels, airs, marches, polkas, waltzes, mazurkas, and more. All tunes are presented as melody lines with chord symbols, making it a useful book for teachers and players alike.
- October 2024 Song of the Month
Peter and Barbara Snape introduce “There Is a Tavern.” Similar to the well-known “Died for Love,” this song is by Lancastrian folk singer Emma Vickers. It is sung to the tune “McCafferty,” very similar to “Lord Franklin,” and has many floating verses.
- 2025 Lifetime Contribution Award Recipients
We are delighted to announce the three recipients of the CDSS Lifetime Contribution Award: John Roberts, Tony Parkes, and David Surette. More info about their award celebrations will be posted later this year.
- The Contra Connection
The Contra Connection was a series of articles for organizers and beginning callers by Larry Jennings, Dan Pearl, and Ted Sannella, published in the Country Dance & Song Society News between 1988 and 1995. All 24 articles are now in the Online Library for your perusal.
- New Historic Photos
New in the CDSS digital archives! A collection of historic photos (c. 1920s-1960s, many undated) from Pinewoods, morris events in England, and other dance festivals and events. It can be accessed online by anyone and is still growing! From the Milne Special Collections and Archives at the University of New Hampshire.
In our history, CDSS has…
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bestowed 31 Lifetime Contribution Awards
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published 114 hours of podcasts
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sold well over 50,000 morris bells
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fostered 109 years of tradition
In the past year, CDSS has…
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awarded 34 grants for local communities and special projects
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published over 600 calendar events
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hosted over 1,093 campers
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added over 60 repertoire resources for callers
Upcoming Community Events