If you’re a contra dance caller, maybe you’ve dabbled in Larks & Robins, but have you tried positional calling? If you’re used to using gendered calls, but want to meet the needs of your changing community or other dances where you hope to get gigs, have you experimented with other role terms?
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Led by David Millstone
Experience the rich history and regional variety of square dancing in this in-depth, three part series.
With photographs, audio, and video, we’ll travel:
- from 17th century France to Civil War ballrooms
- from New England Grange halls to Texas cowboy balls
- and from Newfoundland to New Mexico
to explore and discuss how this dance form became a staple of American popular culture.
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“What a fabulous opportunity for group and one on one help from Brooke. Her experience with global terminology provided me with the courage and tools I need to implement it in a way that makes sense for my community.”
–Previous workshop participant
a 3 week online course
Taught by Brooke Friendly
This course is geared toward ECD teachers with in-person calling experience. Contra callers, community and family dance leaders, and ECD callers with online calling experience only are welcome to apply.
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The music and dances of southern Appalachia have often been portrayed as culture that was brought to the U.S. from the British Isles. These traditions, in fact, have multicultural roots. They are a blend of earlier European, African, and Native American traditions, and they reflect the cultural and ethnic diversity of America.
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Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is a psychological approach patterned on strategies used by successful individuals to assist people to reach personal goals. Language strategies and patterns of behavior are used to enhance clarity of teaching dancers, and used to avoid obstacles that you as a caller may have experienced during a dance.
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Weathering the Winter Together
November 1, 2021
We used this Web Chat to generate lots of ideas for keeping communities safe and engaged during another pandemic winter. Small groups brainstormed further ideas in breakout rooms. Also, public health professor Dr. Kimbi Hagen shared news and perspectives about how the pandemic is progressing.
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In June 2018, CDSS began a new Web Chat series to support organizers of dance, music, and song communities across the continent and beyond. For each Web Chat, a pertinent topic is chosen and guest organizers from communities having success with that topic are invited to share their valuable experiences and suggestions (Q&A included).
Join us for our next Web Chat:
Date, time, and topic to be announced.
Questions? Contact camp@cdss.org
Latest Web Chat:
Succession Planning for Dance Organizations
December 5, 2024
- Does your group want to change from having a single organizer to a committee-run model?
- Have you noticed burn-out among your volunteers and are wondering what to do about it?
- Are you wondering how to attract new people to the organizing team of your group?
In this panel discussion, dance organizers shared their experiences with leadership and volunteer changes in their local groups.
With special guests:
- Jenny Beer, Germantown Country Dancers, PA
- Lisa Faryadi, Charlotte Contra Dancers, NC
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Previous Web Chats
- Communities in Conflict May 30, 2023
- Recruiting and Keeping Volunteers! March 7, 2023
- Building Cultural Equity in Communities October 26, 2022
- Let’s Talk About Reentry, Part 7: Singing Together Safely May 4, 2022
- Let’s Talk About Reentry, Part 6: Prioritizing Safety at In-person Dances February 28, 2022
- Weathering the Winter Together November 1, 2021
- Let’s Talk About Reentry, Part 5: News from Groups That Have Resumed In-person Events August 12, 2021
- Let’s Talk About Reentry, Part 4: Addressing Legal and Other Burning Questions May 19, 2021
- Let’s Talk About Reentry, Part 3: An MD Discusses Vaccines, and We Discuss Our Sector’s Needs March 1, 2021
- Singing and Playing Music in REAL TIME! An online discussion for organizers of song communities and open bands January 13, 2021
- Let’s Talk About Reentry: Working Together Now for a Strong Return to Dancing October 21, 2020
- Supporting Song Communities Across the Continent September 16, 2020
- Let’s Talk About Reentry: Recommendations and Q&A for Organizers July 8, 2020
- Yes we CAN keep in touch! Connecting Our Communities During the Pandemic April 29, 2020
- Diversifying Income: Thinking Outside the Money Basket February 12, 2020
- Connecting Community Sing Organizers October 16, 2019
- Building Safe Dance Communities July 11, 2019
- Family/Community Dance Organizers Unite! April 4, 2019
- Increasing Youth Involvement January 16, 2019
- Creating a Thriving Open Band September 20, 2018
- Boosting AttenDANCE June 21, 2018
Julie Vallimont has been interviewing contra musicians for the Contra Pulse podcast over the past year – diving into their personal histories and exploring the growth and change of contra music and community over time.
In this special event, Julie will be hosting a panel discussion with four of the contra dance greats—Becky Tracy, Pete Sutherland, Rodney Miller, and Kate Barnes—about who their mentors and inspirations were, and how they’re mentoring and inspiring the next generation of contra musicians.
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CDSS is committed to our core value of Inclusivity. As an arts organization, CDSS understands inclusivity to mean striving to promote cultural equity. Cultural equity embodies the values, policies, and practices of providing equal access to the arts, including our shared dance, music, and song traditions, especially to people who historically have been underrepresented or denied access to those traditions.
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