Campers in blue tie-dye at Camp Louise

Country Dance & Song Society

Communities strengthened by dancing, singing, and making music together

We connect and support people in building and sustaining vibrant communities through participatory dance, music, and song traditions that have roots in English and North American culture. Learn more

What’s New

  • Register now for our next Web Chat

    Communities in Conflict

    An online discussion to support organizers of dance, music, and song groups
    Tuesday, May 30, 2023
    7:30 p.m. ET (4:30 p.m. PT)

    Learn More Register

  • A young girl floats in an inner tube Lifeguards Needed for Pinewoods Camp

    Are you a lifeguard with first aid training? Want to spend a week at camp this summer? We’re still looking for lifeguards American Dance & Music Week (July 22-29) and Early Music Week (August 12-19), both at Pinewoods Camp. Find out more.

  • Brian Lindsay and Alex Sturbaum playing guitar and fiddle in the CDSS store room Pack & Wrap Session with Countercurrent!

    We’re delighted to welcome Countercurrent (Brian Lindsay and Alex Sturbaum) to CDSS for the first episode of our new Pack & Wrap Sessions! Named for the store room where it’s filmed, the Pack & Wrap Sessions is a not-so-often web series featuring very short interviews and concerts with dance musicians. In this episode, Alex and Brian talk about the silly things they always have in their instrument cases and play a set of favorite contra dance tunes.

    Read More

  • From the Mic with Louise Siddons From the Mic Episode 13: Louise Siddons

    In this episode of From the Mic, Mary interviews Louise Siddons about her involvement with communities in Michigan and Oklahoma, and across the pond in the UK. We’ll also learn about her work developing and teaching the practice of “positional calling” for social dance, which has recently culminated in a new book, published through CDSS, called Dancing the Whole Dance: Positional Calling for Contra. In the interview Louise shares what it’s been like to step into a leading role in the discussion about positional calling, and how her personal experiences on and off the dance floor have shaped her approach to dance leadership.

  • Will Noble pointing across fields May 2023 Song of the Month

    Derek Piotr presents “We’re All Jolly Fellows that Follow the Plough,” a rare tale of hard work well rewarded.

  • A young boy participating in a dance at school Lesson Plans for Educators

    The CDSS Educators Task Group presents a new set of Lesson Plans to introduce students to a variety of topics in traditional music and dance. Check out the sample plans, and contribute your own at education@cdss.org.

In our history, CDSS has…

In the past year, CDSS has…

Upcoming Community Events

CDSS: Country Dance & Song Society Communities strengthened by dancing, singing, and making music together.