Country Dance & Song Society

Contra Dance at Tapestry Folkdance Center
2026-09-05 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

Contra Dance
2026-09-06 13:30 - 16:30 (America/Denver) | International Dance Club, 2422 Busch Ave., Colorado Springs, CO, 80904, United States
Contra Dance in Colorado Springs, CO with live music.
Beginner’s lesson at start of session.
$10 adults; $5 students; children under 13 free with a paying adult.

Concord NH 1st Sunday English Country Dance series
2026-09-06 14:30 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Howard Recreation Center, Hugh Gallen State Office Park, Kent Street, Concord, NH, 03301, United States
Monthly English Country dances by the NH English Country Dance Society
Introduction to English dance basics at 2:30
Dance to live music from 3 to 6

Monterey Contra Dance
2026-09-06 15:40 - 19:00 (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

Ballroom Variety Dance
2026-09-06 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.

English Country Dance at Tapestry Folkdance Center
2026-09-06 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.
​
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!

Joyfully Dancing (Ages 55+)
2026-09-07 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 on Mondays in Gainesville
2026-09-07 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.

Sea Shanty Singalong in New Orleans
2026-09-07 19:00 - 21:30 (America/Chicago) | Three Muses Faubourg House, 538 Frenchmen St, New Orleans, LA, 70116, United States
The No Quarter Shanty Krewe is hosting a sea shanty singalong! All ages, free, first Monday (usually), (mostly) a capella. Songbooks provided. Enthusiasm trumps talent when it comes to singing from the heart…

The Asheville Monday Night Contra Dance
2026-09-07 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
2026-09-07 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
2026-09-07 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.

Louisville Contra Dance
2026-09-07 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!

Symmetry ECD Tuesdays
2026-09-08 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | ONLINE
Symmetry began with a group of friends offering online ECD during the pandemic, and we see no reason to stop now! In addition to weekly Sunday dances with caller Sharon Spangler, Symmetry’s Tuesday dances feature a variety of callers, a mix of faces from the U.K. and the U.S. The dances are slightly adapted for online presentation. Symmetry enjoys live music at least twice a month from the versatile U.K. duo Vicki Swan and Jonny Dyer. More info and the link to join the dances are available on the Symmetry ECD website.

Saint Louis Queer Contra
2026-09-08 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Chicago) | Focal Point, Sutton Boulevard, Maplewood, MO, 63143, United States
Come on out to Saint Louis Queer Contra
Second Tuesdays 7-9 pm (Lesson 6:45) at Focal Point – 2720 Sutton, Maplewood, MO
One of the most wholesome, friendly, and affirming things to do in St. Louis!
All dances taught, non-gendered calling, live music – no partner or experience needed.

English Country Dance Classes in Pasadena
2026-09-08 19:15 - 21:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Skandia Lodge & Hall, 2031 E Villa St., Pasadena, CA, 91107, United States
Whether you are brand new or LOVE this style of dancing, Tuesday nights in Pasadena is where you learn the skills to dance with elegance and ease! It’s a great mid-week pick-me-up with dance friends old and new. We dance on the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Tuesday of the month.
Pay $10 at the door, and pre-register on our website to receive all of the pertinent details!
Plan on sticking around for after-hours socializing and getting the latest details on a favorite dance, the next ball, or that costume question you always wanted to ask.

Park Avenue Contra (Swarthmore PA)
2026-09-08 19:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Park Avenue Community Center, 1229 Park Ave, Swarthmore, PA, United States
Joyful community contra dancing on 2nd & 4th Tuesdays. Sit-in musicians welcome on 2nd Tuesdays for our By-Ear Open Band (tunes + other details on our website).

Asheville English Country Dance for All
2026-09-09 18:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Stephen-Lee Community Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave, Asheville, NC, United States
English Country Dance. All levels welcome, newcomers through advanced dancers. Skills session at 6:15 pm. Occasional live music. Please bring clean, soft-soled shoes and a sunny disposition.

Wednesday English Country Dance at Guiding Star Grange
2026-09-09 19:00 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Guiding Star Grange, 401 Chapman St, Greenfield, MA, 01301, United States
Join us in Greenfield for an evening of English Country Dancing. Lively, elegant, and fun: English country dances from 1650 to today, with a rotating cast of stellar musicians and callers.
Cost: $10-$20, sliding scale.
See venue website for this month’s details and Covid policy.

Weekly Austin Contra Dance
2026-09-09 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+

Richmond, VA English Country Dance
2026-09-09 19:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Belmont Recreation Center, 1600 Hilliard Road, Henrico, VA, 23228, United States
Please join us for our weekly English Country Dancing Wednesday night social at 7:30 p.m. All dances are taught, walked through, and called. No experience or partner are required, just a pair of comfortable shoes. New dancers are asked to please come at at least 10 minutes before the start of the session. The first night is free; after that $2 per evening.

Berkeley Contra or English Dance
2026-09-09 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.

Contra Callers’ Corner
2026-09-09 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | ONLINE
Contra Callers’ Corner is a series of free monthly Zoom calls for contra callers of all levels. It’s a place to ask questions, network, and address hot topics from your local dance community in a safe space. Hosted by Seth Tepfer and a different featured guest each month, the sessions are free and open to everyone (registration required).

San Francisco Contra Dance
2026-09-09 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.

Princeton Country Dancers’ Contra Dance
2026-09-09 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.

Chattanooga Contra Dance
2026-09-10 19:00 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Thankful Memorial Episcopal Church, 1607 W 43rd St, Chattanooga, TN, 37409, United States
Come on out to the dance floor! Bring your soft-soled shoes and water bottle! We host callers and bands from across the East Coast! The beginner lesson is at 7 pm, and the dance goes from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm.

Bear Hug Contra Dance Festival
2026-09-11 16:00 - 2026-09-13 13:00 (America/Denver) | Flathead Lake United Methodist Camp, 21339 Methodist Camp Rd, Rollins, MT, 59931, United States
Get ready to contra dance, sing, swim, canoe, and play music at the 2026 Bear Hug weekend on the shores of Montana’s Flathead Lake! Music provided by Raven and Goose and The Unstrung String Band, with callers Susan Petrick and Rab Cummings. Singles, couples, families, and all ages are welcome! Entertainment, meals, and lodging (shared rustic cabins, or tent or RV camping) are provided. Registration fees are on a sliding scale. Hope to see you there!

TECDA Friday Evening Dance
2026-09-11 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

Contra Caller Workshop
2026-09-11 19:00 - 21:30 (America/Chicago) | St. John’s Lutheran Church, Nashville, 3259 McGavock Pike, Nashville, TN, 37214, United States
Come try your hand at calling contra dances or support those who want to learn to call at this free workshop.

Lewiston Contra Dance
2026-09-11 19:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Trinity Commons, 247 Bates Street, Lewiston, ME, 04240, United States
We dance in the beautiful Trinity Commons at 247 Bates Street, Lewiston, ME. Sliding Scale $15-25, teens $5, kids under 12 free. Pay what you can! We’d love to dance with you! Beginners’ lesson at 7, dancing from 7:30-10. For more information, see our website or find us on Facebook!
