What’s New

• September 2024 Song of the Month

  Judy Cook introduces “Waterbound,” a play-party song from Grayson County, Virginia. The earliest known recording was 1929 by the Grayson County Railsplitters, and Judy shares a 1971 version by The New Golden Ring.

• Free and Open Dancing for All

  We’re excited to make Isaac Banner’s book of contra dances, Free and Open Dancing for All, available in the Resource Portal! This free book includes nearly 50 new dances, along with tips for running a workshop, glossary, and index by figure and dance type. It’s a great resource for new callers, as well as experienced callers looking for new dances. Check it out, as well as dozens of other resources for callers.

• New in the Store!

  Rapper Sword Dance in America, by Rhett Krause, details the 110-year history of rapper in the US, with details of the movements, music, stepping, and major influences, along with how the dance has evolved differently in America than in the UK. All proceeds from this book benefit the Anthony Barrand Research & Stewardship Fund, which provides financial support to the next generation of song and dance researchers.

• Updated History of CDSS

  Check out the new and improved History page, tracing the story of CDSS from the early 20th century to the present.

• Diverse Roots of Traditions and Harms Perpetrated

  We’ve added a new article from the CDSS Cultural Equity History Working Group on the hidden history of Black and Indigenous Americans in our dance and song traditions.

• Annual Report Now Available

  The 2023 CDSS Annual Report is now available! Take a look back at our progress last year.