Dancers in the grass

Country Dance & Song Society

Individuals nourished and 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. 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

People holding hands in an outdoor dance
Photo by Doug Plummer

Giving to dance, music, and song creates healing through togetherness.

Donate to our fall appeal today

  • Help us reach our goal of 400 donors!

    Created using the Donation Thermometer plugin https://wordpress.org/plugins/donation-thermometer/.400Raised 70 towards the 400 target.70Raised 70 towards the 400 target.18%
  • Total raised so far towards our goal of $140,000!

    Created using the Donation Thermometer plugin https://wordpress.org/plugins/donation-thermometer/.$140,000Raised $19,173 towards the $140,000 target.$19,173Raised $19,173 towards the $140,000 target.14%
 

What’s New

  • CDSS T-shirt design, showing a person playing recorder surrounded by musical instruments 2022 CDSS T-shirt

    We’re excited to show off our 2022 shirt design! Created by illustrator Marian Bailey, the design is printed on high-quality, 100% cotton, Bella + Canvas shirts, made in the US. Also printed in the US using environmentally-friendly practices and vibrant water-based inks. Get one while they last!

  • Working on digitizing old documents Digitization of the CDSS archives has begun!

    During our 2015 Centennial Campaign, the CDSS community raised $50,000 to fund digitization efforts for the CDSS collection at the University of New Hampshire. In June of this year, after two and a half years of putting so much on hold for pandemic-related business, CDSS and UNH were able to return attention to the work of making the CDSS archives digitally accessible, and the project is now underway! Read more in the CDSS News.

  • From the Mic with Chris Page From the Mic Episode 7: Chris Page

    In episode 7 of From the Mic, Mary talks with caller and choreographer Chris Page, who has called contras and English country dance in San Diego for about 15 years.

  • Irish construction workers in London after World War II September 2022 Song of the Month

    Ed Miller introduces “London Town,” written by the world-renowned fiddler Kevin Burke. The song is a tribute to the many Irish laborers who helped rebuild London after World War II.

  • A town in the Old West with a sign reading 'Yuba Dam' August 2022 Song of the Month

    Bob Bovee introduces “Yuba Dam,” an old-time song with a humorous tale of verbal misunderstandings. 

  • English soldiers in battle July 2022 Song of the Month

    Kim Wallach introduces “Bibble A La Do.” Also known as “Buttermilk Hill” and “Shule Aroon,” “Shule a Ghra,” “Siúil a Rún,” and by many other names, the song laments a lad gone for a soldier—sometimes one for whom the singer has sold everything to supply with the tools of war, only for them to die anyway.

In our history, CDSS has…

In the past year, CDSS has…

Upcoming Community Events

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