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.
Search the Portal
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.
286 Results
Open Morris is a loose organization of morris teams in England. Their website has a listing of teams, publications, and useful links.
Categories: Ritual Dance
The Morris Federation is an association of self-governing morris teams in England. Their website includes archives, publications, team finder, and more.
Categories: Ritual Dance
The Morris Ring is an association of approximately 180 morris, sword, and mummer clubs/teams in England. Their website has a wide range of resources, including publications, information about the various traditions, morris music, and more.
Categories: Ritual Dance
This Google Map lists hundreds of morris teams throughout the world. It is easy to add/update team information and search by type of side.
From James Merryclough
Categories: Ritual Dance
How to Facilitate an Organizers Discussion
This resource not only provides a number of tips on how to facilitate a discussion but it also includes a how-to on including a session at a pre-existing event or creating your own day-long gathering.
Categories: Organizers
Celebrating Cotswold Morris! Facebook Group
This Facebook group discusses topics relating to Cotswold Morris.
Categories: Ritual Dance
How Many Morris Dancers are on Facebook? Facebook Group
This Facebook group honors morris dancing and its related forms of dance and performance. The group welcomes dancers, musicians, hobbies, mummers, and the occasional dedicated hangers-on who have an irrational love of bells.
Categories: Ritual Dance
MDDL Morris Dancing Discussion List
The MDDL (“Muddle”) is an unmoderated listserv (email group) devoted to discussions, debates, and rants on all things morris, including: Cotswold, border, garland, Northwest, etc.; sword dancing, both long sword and rapper; mumming, mumming plays and other ritual drama; molly dancing, Abbots Bromley, plough dancing; winter festivals such as wassailing, caroling and Twelfth Night; May Day celebrations, including May poles and other rural festivities; and anything else we can think of that might be even the slightest bit morris related.
Categories: Musicians, Organizers, Ritual Dance
Digital Video Research Archive of Morris, Sword and Clog Dancing
This video archive contains hundreds of videos of morris and sword dancing both from English and American teams 1912 – present.
From Anthony G. Barrand & Francisco J. Ricardo, Boston University
Categories: Ritual Dance
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
Lock and Dam: A Longsword Dance for the 21st Century
This article describes the history of the dance ‘Lock and Dam’ in addition to all of the dance figures.
From CD+S Online by Douglas Allchin
Categories: Ritual Dance
Let’s Talk About Reentry, Part 6: Prioritizing Safety at In-person Dances
February 28, 2022
CDSS Executive Director Katy German had a conversation with three contra dance organizers who have resumed in-person dancing. They described adjustments they’ve made to their “normal” processes, what impacted their decision to resume, what they’re asking of participants, and what they recommend to others. We also presented a new online resource: Groups that Have Resumed In-person Events.
Categories: Dance Tradition, Organizers, Web Chats
This online collection contains an extensive set of dance notes from various traditions as collected by Roy Dommett. It also includes articles on other topics such as sport injuries, playing music for morris, clowning in morris, and more.
by Dr. Anthony Barrand
Categories: Musicians, Ritual Dance
One Hundred Years of Morris Dancing in America
An article on the history of morris dance in the US by Rhett Krause.
From the CDSS News
Categories: Ritual Dance
City Folk: English Country Dance and the Politics of the Folk in Modern America
A book describing the history of English country dance, from its 18th century roots in the English cities and countryside to its transatlantic leap to the U.S. in the 20th century. Written by a renowned historian and folk dancer, immersed in the rich history of the folk tradition.
By Daniel Walkowitz
Categories: English Country Dance
The Evolution of KAOS (Kick Ass Oberlin Sword)
Hannah Lindner-Finlay describes the creation of a sword team at Oberlin College and provides some tips for others starting college teams.
From the CDSS News
Categories: Organizers, Ritual Dance
This handbook provides advice on how to create dance/music events on university and college campuses. It includes tips on programming, campus publicity, working with college administration, and much more.
From CDSS
Categories: Organizers
Tunes from Bacon’s “A Handbook of Morris Dances”
Hundreds of morris dance tunes as appeared in Lionel Bacon’s “A Handbook of Morris Dances”.
From The Morris Ring
Categories: Musicians, Ritual Dance
2015, Putting on the Dance 2
Sophia Donforth and Julia Bennett
Notes from a workshop given at POTD2: Who are your dancers? Who is missing from your dance floor, and why? We’ll examine ways to reach out to more diverse populations and how to make a more welcoming dance community for everyone. Bring an anecdote to share about a magic moment, or something you’d do differently. Participants will leave with a list of ways to reach new dancers, and make an inclusive dance “commons” that brings them back a second time!
Categories: Dancers, Organizers
Be Square: Old-Time Square Dance Handbook – A Southern Subset
T-Claw
This resource for square dance callers and organizers touches on many aspects of the dance and community, particularly some that are often not mentioned elsewhere, including geography, politics, and patriarchy.
Categories: Dancers, Square Dance
Weathering the Winter Together
November 1, 2021
We used this Web Chat to generate lots of ideas for keeping communities safe and engaged during another pandemic winter. Small groups brainstormed further ideas in breakout rooms. Also, public health professor Dr. Kimbi Hagen shared news and perspectives about how the pandemic is progressing.
Categories: Organizers, Web Chats
Let’s Talk About Reentry, Part 5: News from Groups That Have Resumed In-person Events
August 12, 2021
There is strong interest amongst organizers in hearing news from communities that have already resumed in-person events. This Web Chat provided valuable experiences and suggestions from two dance and song organizers who are already navigating their reentry, as well as perspectives from a public health professional.
Categories: Organizers, Web Chats
Let’s Talk About Reentry, Part 4: Addressing Legal and Other Burning Questions
May 19, 2021
For this Web Chat, CDSS hired an attorney to address some of our broader community’s legal questions. Other panelists provided resources and considerations to help organizers chart their group’s course for safely emerging from the pandemic. Ultimately, each group needs to ask their own questions and find answers that are right for their location, type of event, and community. We’re all in this together!
Categories: Organizers, Web Chats
Let’s Talk About Reentry, Part 3: An MD Discusses Vaccines, and We Discuss Our Sector’s Needs
March 1, 2021
In this third installment of the “Let’s Talk About Reentry” Web Chat series, we featured presentations and discussions about how the pandemic has altered our communities’ needs and how we can best prepare for returning to in-person dancing, singing, and music-making.
Categories: Organizers, Web Chats
Singing and Playing Music in REAL TIME! An online discussion for organizers of song communities and open bands
January 13, 2021
Members of the Sacred Harp group FaSoLa Philadelphia (PA) and the Phoenix (AZ) Traditional Music & Dance Society joined us for this conversation. During the Web Chat, they shared their successes with using the computer program Jamulus to enable their groups to sing and play music in real time!
Categories: Organizers, Singers, Web Chats
Let’s Talk About Reentry: Working Together Now for a Strong Return to Dancing
October 21, 2020
During this down time, there is work we can be doing to ensure a joyful and fulfilling return to the dance floor. We talked about our evolving expectations for reentry, the changes we need to prepare for, and the important role organizers can play in preparing our communities for a bright future.
Categories: Dance Tradition, Organizers, Web Chats
Supporting Song Communities Across the Continent
September 16, 2020
Many organizers of song groups are finding creative ways to keep your community engaged and connected during the pandemic. In this Web Chat, we heard from organizers about experiences that are working well in their song groups. We featured a few guest speakers and took time for Q&A, open conversation, and breakout rooms.
Categories: Organizers, Singers, Web Chats
Let’s Talk About Reentry: Recommendations and Q&A for Organizers
July 8, 2020
This Web Chat was hosted by Katy German, CDSS Executive Director. We addressed the BIG questions on organizers’ minds: How can we keep our communities safe in a pandemic? When can we dance and sing in the same place again? What does it mean to be a dance/music/song organizer when we can’t be together?
Categories: Organizers, Web Chats
Yes we CAN keep in touch! Connecting Our Communities During the Pandemic
April 29, 2020
This exciting Web Chat connected 135 music, dance, and song organizers from far and wide! We launched a new online resource to share many of the creative ideas contributed by these communities.
Categories: Organizers, Web Chats
Diversifying Income: Thinking Outside the Money Basket
February 12, 2020
This presentation provides many useful questions and suggestions to help each dance group assess which fundraising ideas will work best for their group. Ideas for additional income sources included.
Categories: Organizers, Web Chats
Connecting Community Sing Organizers
October 16, 2019
Do you organize a participatory singing event (song circle, pub sing, etc.) primarily focused on traditional songs? If so, don’t miss this chance to hear about creating a thriving community sing series. CDSS web chat guests from across the continent will share their experiences, including time for Q&A.
Categories: Organizers, Singers, Web Chats
Building Safe Dance Communities
July 11, 2019
- Avia Moore (Toronto, ON) will share resources compiled by the CDSS Community Safety Task Group.
- Diane Silver and Robert Zieber (Asheville, NC) are long-time organizers for the Old Farmers Ball dance community.
- Marcia Davis-Cannon (Mountain View, CA) leads workshops on this topic for dance organizers on the West Coast.
- Angela DeCarlis (Boston, MA) is a former Board Member of BIDA (Boston Intergenerational Dance Advocates) and co-founder of the BIDA Safety Team.
Categories: Dance Tradition, Organizers, Web Chats
Family/Community Dance Organizers Unite!
April 4, 2019
Organizers of thriving family and community dances from far and wide share their stories and advice, including time for Q&A.
Categories: Community/Family Dance, Organizers, Web Chats
Increasing Youth Involvement
January 16, 2019
The following guests will share successes from their communities on this topic: Louise Siddons (English country dance organizer from Stillwater OK), and contra dance organizers Bradley Smith (Louisville KY), Lisa Faryadi & Kenneth Bartholow (Charlotte NC), and Max Newman (Boston). We’ll also include time for Q&A.
Categories: Organizers, Web Chats
Creating a Thriving Open Band
September 20, 2018
Please join us if your group encourages sit-in musicians at your dances, or if you’re interested to learn more about including this opportunity at your dances. We’ll hear from open band leaders in Wisconsin, Arizona, Georgia, and Massachusetts, and have a Q&A at the end.
Categories: Musicians, Organizers, Web Chats
Boosting AttenDANCE
June 21, 2018
Join us for the first in a series of online events designed to facilitate the sharing of resources, knowledge, and ideas among dance organizers. We’ll address the topic of Boosting AttenDANCE by hearing tried-and-true stories from members of several dance communities that are experiencing success in this area.
Categories: Dance Tradition, Organizers, Web Chats
Thanks to the Massachusetts Cultural Council for their generous support.