Country Dance & Song Society

Louisville Contra Dance
2026-08-31 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!

Austin English Country Dance
2026-08-31 19:30 - 21:30 (America/Chicago) | Hancock Recreation Center, 811 East 41st St., Austin, TX, 78751, United States
Join us for our weekly Monday English country dance. All levels welcome on regular Mondays, but first-time dancers should arrive at 7:15pm for an intro session. We dance more challenging dances in the second half of the evening. Check our calendar for special events (live music!) or facility closures. Please sign in upon arrival; entry is $5 (cash, exact change appreciated).

Monday Cincinnati Contra Dance
2026-08-31 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.

Knoxville Monday Night Contra
2026-08-31 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.

The Asheville Monday Night Contra Dance
2026-08-31 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.

Chicago Contra Dance
2026-08-31 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.

English Country Dance on Mondays in Gainesville
2026-08-31 18:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | United Church of Gainesville, 1624 NW 5th Ave, Gainesville,, FL, 32603
This is an open dance group. No experience, special dress or partner needed. Every Monday we dance the dances from Jane Austen period to those being written today.
We dance at the United Church of Gainesville, 1624 NW 5th Avenue, Gainesville, FL.
Lesson at 6:00 pm. Dance from 6:30 – 8:30.
Live music by Hoggetowne Fancy.
Cost is $5 for the room and a similar amount for the band.
We have a very welcoming and helpful group.

Nashville Monday Night English Country Dance Class
2026-08-31 18:00 - 19:30 (America/Chicago) | Sevier Park Community Center, 3021 Lealand Lane, Nashville, TN, 37204, United States
Sevier Park Community Center. Parking and entrance to the building are at 3021 Lealand Lane.
Note: Sevier Park Community Center is closed on Government Holidays. If in doubt, call 615-862-8466 (Park Office) to check.
We welcome experienced and beginning dancers. This is an excellent opportunity for beginners.
Cost: free.
No registration is required. Please sign in at the front desk when you enter.

Joyfully Dancing (Ages 55+)
2026-08-31 09:30 - 10:30 (America/Chicago) | Tapestry Folkdance Center, 3748 Minnehaha Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, 55406, United States
Every Monday
Ed Stern Large Studio | 9:30-10:30 AM
Cost: $5
Note: NO CLASS on Monday, February 3 and Monday, March 31.

Robin Nelson strives to help build connections and create a joyful community wherever people gather on the dance floor! She has over 30 years of experience leading singing and traditional dance for people of all ages and abilities.

English Country Dance at Tapestry Folkdance Center
2026-08-30 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Chicago) | Tapestry Folkdance Center, 3748 Minnehaha Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, 55406, United States
Every Sunday
Small Studio
7:00 – 9:00 pm

2nd Sunday of the Month
Live Music with Anytime English Players | 6:30 – 9:00 pm
​Cost:
​Recorded Music: $12 General Admission | $9 Tapestry Member | $8 Young Adult (Ages 18-30) | $4 Youth (Ages 10-17) | Under 10 – Free
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) – Newcomers especially encouraged to attend!

English country dancing is an accessible social dance form with a history going back several centuries. This is the dancing of Queen Elizabeth I, of Jane Austen, and a living tradition that inspires musical compositions and choreographies today. The music can be stately or spritely, traditional or modern, recorded or live. It is danced with simple walking or skipping steps in time to the music. All dances are taught and are usually done in “long-ways sets” with partners facing in lines down the hall. After a walk-through, the easy-to-learn figures are called throughout the dance as you interact with other couples in your set and then move on to the next and repeat.
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You can come by yourself and be assured of dancing throughout the evening, since our tradition is to welcome and teach beginners and change partners for each dance. Anyone can invite anyone else to dance, regardless of gender or experience. English country dance will satisfy your wish for pleasurable exercise, a warm social community, mental stimulation, or even transcendent aesthetic experiences. We invite you to join us!

Ballroom Variety Dance
2026-08-30 18:30 - 21:30 (America/Chicago) | Tapestry Folkdance Center, 3748 Minnehaha Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, 55406, United States
1st, 3rd, and 5th Sunday of the Month
Ed Stern Large Studio
6:00 – 7:00 pm Lesson | 7:00 – 9:30 pm Dance
Live Music: $20 General | $17 Member | $8 Young Adult (18-30) | $4 Youth (Ages 17-10)
Recorded Music: $15 General | $12 Member | $8 Young Adult (18-30) | $4 Youth (Ages 17-10)
“Pay What You Choose” first seven days of every month (1st through the 7th) – Newcomers and beginners especially welcome!

Invited to a wedding and want to make a good impression? Remembering the fun of swing dancing or Tango? Tapestry Folkdance Center is the place to experience the joy of social dances so often seen in movies. No partner needed, you can find one here!
You can learn a different Ballroom dance style each month. We offer high-quality instruction from professional dance instructors who provide progressive lessons in 18 different dance styles that rotate monthly.
Beginning with a basic lesson on the 1st Sunday and building on those skills each remaining Sunday of the month. Ballroom dances include foxtrot, cha-cha, salsa, waltz, American tango, west coast swing, east coast swing, bachata, lindy hop, quickstep, rumba, and more. After the lesson, the lights go down and you can practice what you’ve learned or strut your stuff! Fancy dress is certainly welcome, but feel free to come as you are.

Louisville English Country Dance
2026-08-30 15:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Woodbourne Avenue, Louisville, KY, 40205, United States
Louisville English Country Dance meets on the 2nd and last Sundays of most months. Please check our website for details.

Sebastopol 5th Sunday Advanced English Dance
2026-08-30 14:00 - 16:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Wischemann Hall, 465 Morris St., Sebastopol, CA, 95472, United States
The Sebastopol 5th Sunday dance is a chance for our callers, dancers and musicians to enjoy an afternoon of challenging material and streamlined teaching. We expect dancers attending these sessions to be completely comfortable with heys for 3 and 4, dolphin heys, double figure 8s, and triple minor progression. They should also be able to maintain their sense of orientation within the set. This is not the time to bring your friends who are new to English country dancing, though we’d love to see them at the 1st and 3rd Sundays.
Note: We occasionally change our venue or time to accommodate special events, so please check the NBCDS calendar to confirm.

Contra Dance at Tapestry Folkdance Center
2026-08-29 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

Portland Country Dance Community 5th Saturdays Open Mike/Open Band Contra Dance
2026-08-29 19:00 - 22:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Fulton Park Hall (L’Etoile French Immersion School), 68 SW Miles St, Portland, OR, 97219, United States
Our Saturday night Open Mike Open Band dance at Fulton Hall.
Two local musicians will organize the music. Please contact them in advance so that you can learn about their musical plans.
A local caller will lead the callers’ Open Mike. You can contact them in advance or show up and sign up for a calling slot.

7:00 pm newcomer/refresher lesson
7:30 pm dancing starts
10:30 dancing ends

Sliding scale $6-$20.
Some dancers head to a pub for “afters”—all are welcome!

Santa Fe Contra Dance
2026-08-29 19:00 - 22:00 (America/Denver) | Odd Fellows Hall, Santa Fe, 1125 Cerrillios Rd, Santa Fe, NM, 87505, United States
Instruction at 6:30 and dancing starts at 7:00PM. Everyone is welcome at contra dancing, no partner required. For more details about contra or the FolkMADS organization, see our website.

Syracuse Country Dancers Contra Dance
2026-08-29 19:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | United Church of Fayetteville, 310 East Genesee St, Fayetteville, NY, 13066, United States
Contra dancing every 1st and 3rd Saturday.

Tucson Contra Dance
2026-08-29 18:30 - 22:00 (America/Phoenix) | Dream Dance, 405 E Wetmore Rd, Tucson, 85705, United States
Join us for our fifth 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.

Annapolis Contra Dance: delightful live music, excellent callers and friendly community
2026-08-29 18:30 (America/New_York) | Annapolis Friends Meetinghouse, 351 Dubois Road, Annapolis, MD, 21401, United States
Join us for a lively evening of contra dancing on 5th Saturdays. Intro lesson at 6:30; dance at 7:00-9:30. No experience or partner required. Pre-registration is not required, but please email aefallon@verizon.net to let us know if you can help with pre-dance setup and/or post-dance hall restoration. Such help is much appreciated!
Face masks are optional. Venue is air conditioned, with filter fans for air circulation and ventilation. Plenty of parking. Please bring own water. Snacks to share are welcome if you bring napkins+appropriate paper goods+utensils and plan to clean up after snack time.
$15; students—$5; children through 5 years old—free.

Friday Night Contra at Glen Echo, Maryland
2026-08-28 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.

International Folkdance at Tapestry Folkdance Center
2026-08-28 19:30 - 22:30 (America/Chicago) | Tapestry Folkdance Center, 3748 Minnehaha Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, 55406, United States
Every Friday

Ed Stern Large Studio
7:30 – 8:30 pm Lesson
8:30-10:30 pm Request Dance – recorded music
​Cost: $12 General Admission | $9 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)

Discover heritage and dance roots! International features dances from many regions of the world including Europe, Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Brittany, the Middle East, South and North America. All International Fridays are a mix of international styles and dances unless noted otherwise. No partner is needed, and most dances are done by the group in a semi-circular line formation following a leader.
Dance instruction takes place for the first hour, with teachers covering 4-6 dances of varying degrees of difficulty, and typically from different regions. Instruction on the first Friday of the month is geared toward newcomers. After the hour of instruction, it’s time for request dancing from our large collection of recorded music. Everyone is welcome to stay. The programmer (DJ) creates a set from a list of requests generated by attendees. The programmer chooses a range of dances, from basic patterns to tricky sequences.
​​What is International Request Dance?
Dancers can request dances taught recently or old favorites – so what gets programmed is a mix of old and new. There are dances from every continent, and the most-requested dances are from eastern European countries like Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Greece. We also do Israeli dances, and couple dances from (western) Europe and the Americas – but you don’t need to bring a partner.

Portland Country Dance Community Friday Night English Dance
2026-08-28 19:30 - 22:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Burlingame Water Tower Dance Hall, 8936 SW 17th Ave, Portland, OR, 97219, United States
For details about venue, callers, or musicians, please go to our website, or email ecd-chair@portlandcountrydance.org
Sliding scale: $7 – $20.

Tally Contra Dance
2026-08-28 19:30 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Tallahassee Senior Center Ballroom, 1400 N Monroe St, Tallahassee, FL, 32308, United States
Tallahassee community contra dances are in full swing the 2nd and 4th Fridays of most months! Refer to our website for details, as bands and callers vary each dance. Those new to contra dancing are strongly encouraged to come by 7:15, when a beginner lesson will be taught. Consider bringing a snack to share during the break!
Admission cost: $10 for adults, $9 seniors over 50, $6 for students, free for kids under 12. Admission is payable by cash, check, or card at the door. Newcomers get in to their 2nd dance free!
See a video of a recent contra dance here.

Phoenix 4th Friday Contra Dance
2026-08-28 19:00 - 22:00 (America/Phoenix) | Irish Cultural Center, 1106 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, United States
Join us for our Fourth Friday 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 changes in dance schedule or location.
Pay what you can afford: $10 to $25 per person.

Milford NH Contra Dance
2026-08-28 19:00 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Milford NH Town Hall, 1 Union Square, Milford, NH, 03055, United States
The Milford contra dance happens every 4th Friday, unless the 4th Friday happens on Thanksgiving weekend or a Christmas weekend. Music is provided by a large 15+ member band, which allows anyone to sit in for just a single dance or the whole evening. Callers are usually local callers. The dance is usually large, with 100 or more in attendance. The dance is located in the Milford NH town hall, in the center of town. Entry is on either side of the building, but not the big front steps.
Under 10 free; students/seniors $5; adults $12

Square Dance Brevard, NC
2026-08-28 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Grace Brevard Church, 55 E Jordan St., Brevard, NC, 28712, United States
Open community dance, old time mountain squares and circles.
$10 donation requested.

TECDA Friday Evening Dance
2026-08-28 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Ralph Thornton Community Centre, 765 Queen Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4M 1H3, Canada
Come and join us every Friday for an evening of dance with our talented callers:
Dave Berman, Cathy Campbell, Alan Rosenthal, Walter Zagorski.
Masks are optional. Please bring your dancing shoes, water bottle and come and enjoy an evening of English Country Dancing.
email: info@tecda.ca

Princeton Country Dancers’ Contra Dance
2026-08-26 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.

San Francisco Contra Dance
2026-08-26 20:00 - 22:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Polish Club of San Francisco, 3040 22nd Street, San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
2nd & 4th Wednesday in San Francisco!
Role names: The role names usually used at this series are “Larks” and “Robins.”
Beginner lesson at 7:30, dance 8:00-10:30
Check our website for details.
$25 supporters; $20 non-members; $15 members; $6 students or low-income; or pay what you can.

Berkeley Contra or English Dance
2026-08-26 19:30 - 22:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Christ Church Berkeley, 2138 Cedar St., Berkeley, CA, 94709, United States
BACDS presents a dance every Wednesday (contra on 1st/3rd/5th Wed 8pm-10:30pm; English on 2nd/4th Wed 7:45pm-10pm) at Christ Church East Bay, 2138 Cedar St. (near Oxford), Berkeley. Both series include an introductory lesson about 15-20 minutes before the dance start time.
