The portal contains a vast range of resources by and for the dance, music, and song community. From expert tips from fellow organizers and callers, to databases of dances and songs, find what you need to help engage with the traditions you love!

Resources added before 2022 do not all have explicit permission from the authors. If your resource is in the portal and you’d like it removed, please email us.

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Tip: Selecting multiple checkboxes will give you more specific results. For example, to see specific resources for contra dance callers, select both Callers and Contra Dance.

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82 Results

Feedback Tool: Try This at Home Too!

Linda Henry presents an approach to collecting and using feedback that callers might find helpful in improving their own calling.

From the CDSS News

Categories: Callers, Dancers, Novices

Nontraditional Funding and Focused Mentorship: How We’re Growing a New (Awesome) Contra Dance Community

Dela Murphy describes Portland, Maine’s approach to training and mentoring new callers, including how they source funding for that work.

From the CDSS News

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance, Organizers

Training New Contra Callers in Portland, ME

Dugan Murphy describes Portland, Maine’s experience in training new contra callers.

From the CDSS News

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance, Organizers

Working and Communicating with the Band

A list of nine tips by Nan Evans and Fred Nussbaum for working with bands for English country dance.

From the CDSS News

Categories: Callers, English Country Dance, Novices

How to Get Gigs as a Dance Musician

This two-page resource contains a number of great ideas on how to get gigs as a dance musician. Many of the ideas are also applicable to callers as well as other types of musicians.

From CDSS

Categories: Callers, Dancers, Musicians, Novices

5 Things… Inside the Dancing Mind of…Global Terminology/Positional Calling with Brooke Friendly

Darlene Hamilton’s discussion with Brooke Friendly focused on teaching with global terminology and positional calling—something Brooke has been doing for years but which is particularly relevant to the current interest in teaching without reference to gender roles.

FromThe Historical Tea and Dance Society

Categories: Callers, Dancers

Topics: Equity, Non-Gendered

Positional Calling Workshop for Contra Dance Callers

Louise Siddons’s introductory workshop to help contra callers discover how the calling skills they have already cultivated can be enhanced by positional thinking, teaching, and calling. It also teaches how to use those skills to create a more welcoming, inclusive atmosphere at dances. 

From Friends of Cecil Sharp House

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance

Topics: Equity, Non-Gendered

Positional Calling Workshop for English Country Dance Callers

The video of this introductory workshop by Louise Siddons will help ECD callers discover how the calling skills they have already cultivated can be enhanced by positional thinking, teaching, and calling. It also teaches how to use those skills to create a more welcoming, inclusive atmosphere at dances. 

From Friends of Cecil Sharp House

Categories: Callers, English Country Dance

Topics: Non-Gendered

5 Benefits of Positional Calling (and one challenge)

Video of a workshop with Louise Siddons, moderated by Brooke Friendly, at Fall Frolick 2021.

From the Bay Area Country Dance Society

Categories: Callers, Dancers

Topics: Equity, Non-Gendered

Get Into Position for Social Dancing

Louise Siddons explains how she uses positional calling for Playford and contra dances—and that positional calling has the potential to make dancing more fun for everyone. Includes choreography for three positionally-called dances.

From EFDSS

Categories: Callers, English Country Dance

Topics: Non-Gendered

Gender-free calling: why does it matter?

Lisa Heywood discusses the importance of gender-free calling and offers some practical tips on how to get started.

From EFDSS

Categories: Callers, Dancers, Organizers

Topics: Equity, Non-Gendered

Lisa Heywood’s Gender-Free Dance Page

Lisa offers a variety of resources on gender-free and positional calling and dancing.

From Lisa Heywood

Categories: Callers, Dancers, Organizers

Topics: Equity, Non-Gendered

Giving and Receiving Help

Bruce Hamilton gives some tips on how to give and receive help on the dance floor. 

From CDSS News

Categories: Callers, Dancers

Old-time Dance Calling for Weddings, Parties, and One-Night Stands

To assist the caller at those sometimes challenging one-night stands or other special occasions. Includes helpful pointers, sample contract, sample dance program with instructions for several easy dances, and an annotated bibliography. By Erik Hoffman.

This resource is free for CDSS members and is available for purchase through the CDSS Online Store.

Categories: Callers, Dancers

Contra Dance Technique

In these three resources, John provides tips on good technique for swinging, allemands, connection, and more. There is a focus on how to improve dancing skills and prevent injuries.

From John Sweeney

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance, Dancers, Novices

Contra Dance Beginner Session

Watch a contra dance beginner lesson in action (YouTube video). These videos are both helpful to callers wanting to learn how to teach beginners AND to beginners wanting to learn how to contra dance.

From Jim Crawford

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance

Contra Dance Introductory Session

Watch a video of George Marshall teaching an introductory session before an evening contra begins. 

From Ray Sebold

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance

Dances for a Crowded Hall

Six experienced English dance leaders present programming and hall management suggestions for a crowded hall. 

This resource is free for CDSS members and is available for purchase through the CDSS Online Store.

Categories: Callers, English Country Dance

Country Dance & Contra Dance Formations

This website provides images and sample dances for over 100 different formations. Check it out as one way to move beyond longways sets and squares!

From John Sweeney

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance, Square Dance

Topics: Choreography

Notes on Choreography for Duple Minor Improper Contra Dances

These notes are about the choreography of duple minor (two couple minor sets), improper contra dances, i.e. modern contra dances. For potential and practicing choreographers and callers, assuming they have a working knowledge of contra dancing.

From Cary Ravitz

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance

Topics: Composing

Square Dance History Project

An expansive resource of square dance history, repertoire, and more. Also contains a vast collection of stories, photographs, video, and audio.

Categories: Callers, Dancers, Organizers, Square Dance

Topics: History, Repertoire

Beth Molaro’s Calling Videos

Interviews with Beth Molaro about various aspects of calling including working with a band, programming, walkthroughs, calling from memory, squares at a contra dance, and more!

From Dennis Merritt

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance, Experienced Participants, Novices

Notes From A Contra Calling Workshop

An outlines some of important considerations as a beginning caller calling a guest spot at a dance. Focus on the verbiage used when calling and includes other useful links.

From Jeff Kaufman

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance, Novices

Topics: Choreography

Colin Hume’s Callers Workshop

A wealth of information on all aspects of calling for ECD, contras, squares, barn dances, and more. 

From Colin Hume

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance, English Country Dance, Experienced Participants, Novices, Square Dance

Notes on Teaching Country Dance

These notes are distilled from Bruce Hamilton’s workshops on teaching country dances. If you can’t get to a camp or workshop to experience this respected dance leader’s teaching up close, this is the next best thing. Thoughtful, thought-provoking, and challenging to teachers at all levels. 

This resource is free for CDSS members and is available for purchase through the CDSS Online Store.

Categories: Callers, English Country Dance, Experienced Participants, Novices

Calling All Callers, Old and New

Some great calling tips from Douglas A. Singleton especially for newer callers.

From CDSS News

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance, Novices

Village Green English Country Dancers ECD Manual

This manual describes in detail figures, formations, and steps in English country dancing. It also includes descriptions of common difficulties in executing steps and figures.

From Village Green English Country Dancers

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance, Dancers, English Country Dance, Novices

New Mexico Callers Collective Handbook

This resource outlines a number of considerations for callers and callers collectives. This includes having a growth mindset, how to give feedback, how to prepare for calling, teaching a beginner lesson, how to cover when a dance breaks down, rolling starts, and so much more. The resource touches upon calling both contra and square dances although many of the ideas are likely applicable to most calling situations.

From Erik Erhardt

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance, Novices, Square Dance

Contra Calling Basics

This how-to is for those interested in learning to call contra dances. The resource assumes that you have experience dancing contra dances (i.e. you know the basic figures well enough to explain them to others), but that you are calling for and teaching a group of dancers that includes a sizable portion of beginners.

From CDSS

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance, Novices

Topics: Choreography

Traditional Music Today Facebook Group

This Facebook group “attempts to be a safe(r) space to discuss traditional music, culture and our lives as members of it.”

Categories: Callers, Dancers, Musicians, Organizers, Singers

Topics: Discussion

GEMS: The Best of The Country Dance and Song Society Diamond Jubilee Music, Dance and Song Contest

This online collection contains American (e.g., contra, mixer, triplet) dances, English dances (with music), tunes, and songs composed by the country dance and song community.

From CDSS

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance, Dancers, English Country Dance, Musicians, Singers

Topics: Choreography, Repertoire

Childgrove Dance Video Archives

This website, hosted by the Childgrove Country Dancers, hold a wide range of videos of contra dances, English country dances, morris dances, and square dances. They are organized by dance title for easy reference by callers, musicians, and dance leaders.

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance, Dancers, English Country Dance, Ritual Dance, Square Dance

Topics: Choreography