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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Use the search box and filters below to find resources.
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.
82 Results
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
This webpage includes some ideas on how you might write out your contra dances.
From William Watson
Categories: Callers, Contra Dance
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
A concise summary of what to considerations when calling a contra dance from preparation through the dance.
From Peter Amidon
Categories: Callers, Contra Dance, 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
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
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
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
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
Thanks to the Massachusetts Cultural Council for their generous support.