Floyd Contra Dance
2026-02-14 19:00 - 22:30 (America/New_York) | Floyd Center for the Arts, 220 Parkway Ln S, Floyd, VA, 24091, United States
Come join us with The Rhythmajigs playing with Thea Nettleton calling. No experience needed. Lessons at 7, Dance at 7:30. $10 ($5 for students).

Toronto Contra Dance
2026-02-14 19:00 - 22:30 (America/New_York) | St. Barnabas Hall, 175 Hampton Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M4K 2Z3, Canada
Shake off the week and hit the floor for an unforgettable night of music, movement, and community joy.
Caller and band change with every dance.
Dances are either mask optional or mask mandatory. Full details and schedule are at the Toronto Contra Dance website.
New to Contra? No problem!
No partner needed, and beginners are always welcome—we’ll teach you everything you need to know.
Schedule:
7:00 PM – Beginner Lesson
7:30 PM – Dance the night away!
Bring a refillable water bottle – hydration stations available
Full details at the Toronto Contra Dance website
Tag your dance crew, grab your shoes, and get ready for a night of pure Contra joy on the Danforth!

Contra Dancing in Houston, TX
2026-02-14 19:30 - 22:30 (America/Chicago) | Dauntless Dance Studio, 3300 Jensen Dr, Suite B, Houston, TX, 77026, United States
HATDS hosts contra dances on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of most months. We dance to live music. All skill levels are welcome and all dances are called. Bring water and clean shoes!
The admission price for contra dances is $10 for members, $15 for non-members. Cash, checks, credit cards, and digital wallets are currently accepted at the door. If paying cash, please bring correct change. No large bills accepted.

Williamstown, MA Contra Dance
2026-02-14 19:30 - 22:30 (America/New_York) | First Congregational Church of Williamstown, MA, 906 Main St, Williamstown, MA, 01267, United States
Community contra dance, all welcome.

Contra Dance at Tapestry Folkdance Center
2026-02-14 20:00 - 23:00 (America/Chicago) | Tapestry Folkdance Center, 3748 Minnehaha Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, 55406, United States
Every Saturday
LARGE STUDIO

7:30 – 8:00 pm Lesson
8:00 – 11:00 pm Dance

Cost:
Live Music: $15 General Admission | $12 Tapestry Member | $8 Young Adult (Ages 18-30) | $4 Youth (Ages 10-17) | Under 10 – Free
“Pay What You Choose” first seven days of every month (1st through the 7th)
Recorded Music: $12 General | $10 Members | $7 Young Adult & Youth (Ages 10 -21)
What is Contra Dance?
In a Contra dance, a leader, known as a caller, teaches basic dance steps during an introductory “walk-through” of the dance. Dancers learn by walking through the steps and formations, following the caller’s instructions. The dance figures are similar to those of old-time square dancing except the figures are usually danced in a line, with leaders and followers facing each other.
​These dances are lively, social, easy to learn, and aerobic. Although you will dance with a partner, it isn’t necessary to come with one. All dances are taught and are usually done in “long-ways sets” (partners facing in long lines down the hall). Many of the regular Tapestry Folkdance Center Contra bands play old-time music (similar to bluegrass), but the music at any given Saturday night Contra may reflect a range of music traditions, such as New England, French Canadian, Irish, Scottish, Cape Breton and modern compositions.
How does Contra Dance Work?
“A contra dance can be thought of as a triangle of energy with the three vertices being the musicians, the dancers and the caller. Magical evenings occur when all three come together, feeding off of each others’ energy to raise and sustain an atmosphere of fun and joy. The caller’s role in this is paramount. Good music and dancers without a good caller may not be magical. Poor teaching, lack of rapport or inappropriately selected dances can lead to frustration. But a good caller can make even new dancers feel like they are good, and by working with the musicians to match music to dances, set the right tempo, and feed off the energy of everyone in the hall, the caller can help make magic.”
by Beau Farmer, Tapestry Folkdance Center Contra Caller

LITMA Contradance
2026-02-15 14:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Brush Barn, 211 E Main St, Smithtown, NY, 11787, United States
LITMA Contradances are usually held on the 3rd Sunday of the month from 2:00-5:00PM from September through June at the Brush Barn, 211 E Main St, Smithtown, Long Island.
Basic instruction at 1:45 PM
$15 General admission
$10 LITMA Members
Students Half Price
Children under 16 FREE with paid Adult

Richmond Sunday Afternoon Contra Dance, Sponsored by TADAMS
2026-02-15 14:30 - 17:30 (America/New_York) | Lewis Ginter Recreation Association, 3421 Hawthorne Avenue, Richmond, VA, 23222, United States
Join us in Richmond, VA for a Sunday afternoon contra dance, hosted by TADAMS, at the beautiful historic Ginter Hall. Beginner lesson at 1:45pm, dance from 2:30-5:30pm. Please see our full website calendar for band and caller details. Admission is $15 non-members, $10 members & students, children under 13 are free.

Contra Dance in St Louis
2026-02-15 19:00 - 21:30 (America/Chicago) | The Monday Club of Webster Groves, 37 S. Maple Ave., Webster Groves, MO, 63119, United States
Weekly contra dance in St Louis area (actually Webster Groves MO). Always great live music. First dance each month features open calling.

Chicago Contra Dance
2026-02-16 19:00 - 21:40 (America/Chicago) | Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N Knox Ave, Chicago, IL, 60630, United States
The Chicago Barn Dance Company sponsors and supports contra dance, traditional square dance, and old-time music in the Chicago area. Our dances are held every Monday night, except holidays, in the beautiful fourth-floor Erin Ballroom at Chicago’s Irish American Heritage Center. The dance venue is near the Montrose Blue Line stop, or you can park in the large FREE parking lot on site.
Admission is $7-$10 for adults, $5 for seniors and students. Come at 6:30pm if you would like a beginner/refresher lesson.

The Asheville Monday Night Contra Dance
2026-02-16 19:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | The Ivy Building at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, 9 Genevieve Circle, Asheville, 28801, United States
New Location, Times, & Admission
The Ivy Building at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
9 Genevieve Circle, Asheville, NC 28801
(On GPS, type the address, not the building name! The building looks like an old church and is across from the Ferguson Medical Building at 10 Genevieve Circle.)

Lesson: 7:00pm – 7:30pm
Dance: 7:30pm – 10:00pm
$0 – $50 Sliding Scale; $12 Suggested
Check our Facebook page for caller and musician info

The Asheville Monday Night Contra Dance, every Monday. Dancing to a live band and caller! Contra dancing is fun and energetic. The welcoming atmosphere makes it a perfect evening for beginners as well as seasoned contra dancers.
Beginners are welcome, lesson 7:00pm–7:30pm. Contra dancing from 7:30pm–10:00pm. A waltz ends the night!
Safe dance for all! Families welcome. All ages, races & ethnicities, LGBTQIA+ welcome. No discrimination or bullying of any kind will be tolerated. Volunteers earn a free dance.
Bring a water bottle. Bring comfortable, smooth soled shoes to dance in. No partner required. No experience needed for the beginners’ lesson.

Knoxville Monday Night Contra
2026-02-16 19:00 - 22:30 (America/New_York) | Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Ave, Knoxville, TN, 37916, United States
Contra dancing to live music every Monday evening in Knoxville, TN. The dance begins at 7:30 with a lesson for new folks starting at 7:00. Everyone welcome.

Monday Cincinnati Contra Dance
2026-02-16 19:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Wyoming Fine Arts Center, 322 Wyoming Ave, Wyoming, OH, 45215, United States
Weekly Contra Dance at Wyoming Fine Arts Center, including waltz and maybe squares. Live music from many rotating bands. Many rotating callers using gendered or gender-free prompts. Teaching at 7 pm. Dance from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm.

Monday Contra Dance in Nelson, NH
2026-02-16 19:30 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Nelson Town Hall, 5 Nelson Common Rd, Nelson, NH, 03457, United States
What better way to start the week? Only $5! It’s Monday, and we (almost) always dance on Monday.

Louisville Contra Dance
2026-02-16 20:00 - 22:30 (America/New_York) | Highlands Community Campus, 1228 E. Breckinridge Street, Louisville, KY, 40204, United States
Louisville, Kentucky’s weekly Monday night contra dance, always featuring live music from the Monday Night All Stars open band! Dancing is 8:00-10:30pm with a beginner’s lesson at 7:30pm. Waltzing and snacks available at the break. Check out our website for details on the caller and special performances. Open calling on 5th Mondays!

Bloomington Contra Dance
2026-02-18 19:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Harmony School, 909 East 2nd Street, Bloomington, IN, 47401, United States
Please see our home page for the latest information.
Entrance fee: by sliding scale donation, with a suggested range from $3 to $20.
Striving Toward Safe Space Policy: We hope to create a dance in which everyone feels safe and welcome. Please take a moment to review our policy on respect and consent.
Membership: Membership is optional. Both members and non-members pay a sliding scale entrance fee; see above.
Volunteers are always welcome! Sign up with a dance coordinator for set-up or clean-up if you’d like! Many of us also go out for drinks and munchies after each Wednesday night dance.

Weekly Austin Contra Dance
2026-02-18 19:30 - 21:30 (America/Chicago) | Hancock Recreation Center, 811 East 41st St., Austin, TX, 78751, United States
A free weekly dance at Hancock Recreation Center, with music by the jam/pickup band, Local On-Call Orchestra (LOCO). We dance every week that Hancock Recreation Center is open. A brief beginners session is taught at 7:30, before the dance program begins. Dance ends about 9:30. Free parking lot.

We welcome beginners. If you can walk to a beat, you can contra dance! All dances are taught and called. No partner necessary. Dance either role – or both. Everyone is welcome.

Sober event. Family-friendly. LGBTQ+

Baltimore Folk Music Society Wednesday Contra Dance
2026-02-18 20:00 - 22:30 (America/New_York) | Lovely Lane Church, 2200 Saint Paul St, Baltimore, MD, 21218, United States
The Baltimore Folk Music Society presents Contra Dancing on 1st, 3rd, and 5th Wednesdays, 8:00 to 10:30 p.m., in the hall at Lovely Lane United Methodist Church.

Gender-free calling
No partner? No problem.
New dancer lesson every week at 7:30pm
Live music from local, regional, and national bands

Admission

$10 for members and affiliates (FSGW, ATDS)
$15 for non-members
Under 21 and full-time students with IDs: Free!

The Wednesday Contra Dance is sponsored in part by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council.
See our Contra dance FAQs for general information on Contra Dances.
Please see our Behavior Policy.

Princeton Country Dancers’ Contra Dance
2026-02-18 20:00 - 22:30 (America/New_York) | Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Dr, Princeton, NJ, 08502, United States
Weekly contra dance on Wednesday nights, 8:00-10:30.

Lake City Contra Dance
2026-02-19 19:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Latvian Community Center, 11710 3rd Ave NE, Seattle, WA, 98125, United States
Thursday nights; doors open at 7 pm
Dances: intro/refresher workshop 7:15 pm, dancing 7:30 till 10:00 pm
Admission on a sliding scale $10 – 20 – pay what you can
The hall is well-ventilated and air-conditioned!
For more information call 206-525-0932, or send us email.

Bayou Bedlam Contra Dance Weekend
2026-02-20 - 2026-02-22 | Knights of Columbus Roemer Hall, 607 E Whitney St, Houston, TX, 77022, United States
Houston Area Traditional Dance Society invites you to The Bayou City for a contra dance weekend!
Bayou Bedlam 2026 (Feb 20-22) features the musical charisma of Eloise & Co. and the masterful calling talents of Cis Hinkle.
Bayou Bedlam is danced on a sprung wood floor.
Plenty of snacks, an extensive Saturday lunch, and fabulous Sunday brunch are included.
Callers in attendance have the chance to call with Eloise & Co. as well.
Work trade and hospitality available!
Cis will be calling using gender-neutral terms (larks & robins).

Rivanna Contra Dance
2026-02-20 19:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Greenwood Community Center, 865 Greenwood Rd, Crozet, VA, 22932, United States
Third Friday contra dances in Charlottesville, VA. A few miles off I-64. Mask optional. Larks & Robins. Intro lesson 7:00 PM. Dance starts 7:30 PM.
Sliding scale admission: recommend $20

Contra Dance with Alice Raibourn & The Mystic Gorillas
2026-02-20 19:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | United Church of Gainesville, 1624 NW 5th Ave, Gainesville,, FL, 32603
The Mystic Gorillas are:

Roger Eudy on guitar
Buz Sibley on fiddle
Lloyd Baldwin on banjo and fiddle

Schedule:

6:00pm – 7:00 – Setup
7:00pm – 9:45pm – Introductory workshop & Contra Dance
9:45 – 10:15pm — Cleanup

Suggested Donation:

$10 (ages 26+)
$5 (ages 16-25)
Dancers ages 15 & under get in FREE when accompanied by an adult.

Please bring your own non-alcoholic beverage.
This is a friendly welcoming recreational activity and all are welcome.
No partner or experience is necessary.
Contra dancing is fun and we’ll teach you how.
No special dress is required.
Wear comfortable, casual attire & soft-soled non-marking shoes.
Smoking and/or alcoholic beverages are not allowed at our dances.

Orlando Contra Dance
2026-02-20 19:00 - 22:30 (America/New_York) | Winter Park Ballroom Dance Co., 6904 Aloma Ave., Winter Park, FL, 32792-7003, United States
Welcome to the Orlando Contra Dance! We feature high-tempo, gender-neutral dancing. We are Florida’s only gender-neutral contra series. Dancing is open to everyone and free for students and returning beginners (2nd dance is free)!
We usually dance on the first and third Friday of the month. Holidays, semester breaks, and regional events happen, so check the schedule before going!

ContraATL Weekly Dance
2026-02-20 19:30 - 22:30 (America/New_York) | Decatur Recreation Center, 231 Sycamore St, Decatur, GA, 30030, United States
Atlanta’s weekly contra dance features a variety of local and regional talent. We dance every Friday night except rare blackout dates, generally last two Fridays in December and the first Friday in January.

3rd Friday Hot Springs NC Contradance
2026-02-20 19:30 - 22:30 (America/New_York) | Pine Hall, 64 South Spring St, Hot Springs, NC, 28743, United States
Monthly 3rd Friday dance in Hot Springs North Carolina, a mere 200 yards from the Appalachian Trail!
Find us on Facebook: Friends of Hot Springs Contradance

Friday Contra Dance, Nashville TN
2026-02-20 19:30 - 22:30 (America/Chicago) | Second Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, 3511 Belmont Blvd., Nashville, TN, 37215, United States
All are welcome to come and dance! You don’t need to bring a partner. Contra dancing is easy to learn. We have beginners’ lessons for anyone who hasn’t done it before, or wants a reminder.
$7 – $25, pay what you can.

Friday Night Contra at Glen Echo, Maryland
2026-02-20 20:00 - 23:00 (America/New_York) | Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Boulevard, Glen Echo, MD, 20812, United States
Join us in Glen Echo, Maryland, for a fun night of contras and an occasional square! There’s a free lesson at 7:30pm.

Lenox Contra Dance
2026-02-21 07:15 - 22:30 (America/New_York) | Lenox Community Center, 65 Walker St, Lenox, MA, 01240, United States
Come join us contra dancing to live music. We have a different band and caller each month. Dances are held on Third Saturday nights in Lenox, Massachusetts in the Lenox Community Center, at 65 Walker Street. Experience the pleasure of dancing on a beautiful wood floor, in a high-ceiling second floor (handicapped accessible) ballroom with a raised stage.
Admission is $12-15 for adults and $8-10 for students. New Dancers – 2nd dance free!
Dances begin with a 15-minute beginner introduction at 7:15 followed by dancing from 7:30 to 10:30. Refreshments are offered during the social break from dancing. All the dances are taught. No partner necessary. Come alone or bring friends. Details at LenoxContraDance.org.

Tucson Contra Dance
2026-02-21 18:30 - 22:00 (America/Phoenix) | Southern Arizona Dance Center, 4801 E 29th Street, Tucson, AZ, 85711, United States
Join us for our first and third Saturday contra dance! Doors open at 6:00 pm. Intro lesson at 6:30 pm. Dance from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Check our website for more details.

Monterey Contra Dance
2026-02-21 18:40 - 22:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Monterey YMCA, 600 Camino el Estero, Monterey, CA, 93940, United States
Monterey Country Dance Community holds contra dances most first Sundays and third Saturdays, unless otherwise noted in our schedules and calendars. Come alone or bring a friend—beginners are always welcome!

First Sundays: Lessons at 3:40 PM; dance from 4–7 PM
Third Saturdays: Lessons at 6:40; dance from 7–10 PM.

​Prices:

$15-$30, sliding scale, general admission
$10-$25, members of MCDC, BACDS, CDSS or other sister organizations;
$5, active military & full-time students, with ID;
FREE! for children 12 & under
