Shared Weight: Growing Up Trad Discussion List
Growing up Trad! is an email discussion list for caregiving adults who love traditional dance, music and song. The focus of our conversation is around nurturing these traditions within our families and in particular with the children in our care.
Shared Weight: Dance Organizers Discussion List
This mailing list welcomes organizers and those interested in organizing any form of traditional social dance. This includes contra, English country, traditional squares (e.g., Appalachian, New England, Quebecois, Cape Breton, etc), community/family/barn, ceili, Balfolk, and more!
Fostering Intergenerational Community
These notes from a session at Youth Traditional Song Weekend 2015 list ways participants promote age inclusivity in their own communities.
New Old Songs: Writing Within the Tradition
Alex Sturbaum shares tips for writing new songs within folk traditions and touches on writing with less-often-mentioned themes in mind.
From the CDSS News
Addressing Racism as a Dance Community
In this short overview, the organizers of Portland Intown Contra Dance acknowledge and explain some of the various Black and African influences on American folk dance traditions.
From the Portland Intown Contra Dance
Dinah, Put Down Your Horn: Blackface Minstrel Songs Don’t Belong in Music Class
In this article, the author puts forward the need to remove racist songs from school music programs and discusses a number of songs with racist messaging.
From Dr. Katya Ermolaeva
Anti-Racism and the Folk Revival
This article focuses on racism within our traditions, in particular relating to the work of Cecil Sharp and his contemporaries, and on how our history informs our present and should influence our future.
From Ezra Fisher
Dance Weekend 101: Streamlining the organization of weekend dance events
Ever thought of organizing a dance weekend? Come explore the ins and outs of what it takes to streamline a successful event.
From Adam Broome & Jaige Trudel
Puttin’ On The Dance 2015
The Ins and Outs of Cooking for Dancers
An article by Sarah Pilzer with great advice for weekends and camps about cooking for dancers!
From the CDSS News
Putting on “Techno” Contra Dances
This article from Will Loving, with a note from Sue Songer around copyright issues, describes the details of putting on a techno contra including lighting and equipment recommendations.
From the CDSS News
Thanks to the Massachusetts Cultural Council for their generous support.