- Introduction
- Resources by Topic
- Tune Repertoire
- Online Discussions
- In-Person Gatherings
- Other Resources
- Introduction
- Resources by Topic
- Tune Repertoire
- Online Discussions
- In-Person Gatherings
- Other Resources
Introduction
This section of the CDSS Resource Portal holds as many of the best supports for traditional dance musicians as we could find. Look across the tabs for resources organized by topic, opportunities to connect online with other dance musicians, and so much more.
Most of the resources focus on playing for contra, traditional squares, English country dance, and/or community and family dancing. However, some of the resources will also be useful to dance musicians from other traditions.
We are looking for community input to expand this section of the resource portal!
- Do you know of a resource that we could add? Maybe even something created by you? Let us know through this form.
- Is there a resource in the portal that should be updated? Let us know through this form.
- Have comments regarding the portal? Email portal@cdss.org.
- The CDSS Online Store also carries a wide range of resources for musicians. Look through the following sections on contra dance, English country dance, traditional square dance, and children and community dance.
Many thanks from CDSS for all you are doing to support your community!
Resources by Topic
This section includes a wide range of resources organized by topic.
Note: While there are some differences in playing music across dance traditions (e.g., contra vs. traditional squares vs. English country dance), there are also many similarities. Keeping in mind the strength of collaboration, we are presenting all of the musician resources together. Where appropriate, we have noted the specific tradition within which the resource is based.
The CDSS Online Store also carries a wide range of resources for musicians. Look through the following sections on contra dance, English country dance, traditional square dance, and children and community dance.
The Basics of Playing for Dances
This section is a great place to begin if you are relatively new to playing for dances.
Looking for where to start?
| Title | More information | Tradition |
|---|---|---|
| Playing for English Country Dance: The Basics | CDSS C. 2010s This three-page PDF provides the basics of how to play for English Country Dance. |
ECD |
| Playing for Contras: The Basics | CDSS C. 2010s This three-page PDF provides the basics needed to understand how contra dance music fits the dance. |
Contra |
| The Difference Between Playing for a Dance and for an Audience | 2013 Andrew VanNorstrand In this YouTube video, Andrew talks about the difference between playing for a concert and playing for a dance. (2:18) |
Contra |
| Suggested Basic Criteria for Bands Playing a Contra Dance | Tallahassee Community Friends of Old-Time Dance In this resource, the Tallahassee Community Friends of Old-time Dance outline what they would like contra dance to consider for their dance events. |
Contra |
| Playing for Old Time Dances | Vivian and Phil outline some of the key considerations when playing for old time dances (various dance styles over the evening). | General |
| Music for One-Off Barn Dances | Thomas Green In this resource, Thomas describes what is needed from musicians for a one-off barn dance. This is a great resource for musicians who are only getting together once for a dance event. |
General |
| Some Thoughts on Playing for Folk Dancing | Eric Foxley These are notes that Eric wrote based upon an EFDSS working party that he was part of. They cover some of the basics of 'good dance music.' |
English Ceilidh |
| Accompaniment | Mark Simos The web archive version of Mark's reflections on musical accompaniment. While this resource isn't specific to dance music, this resource covers some important key concepts to accompaniment. |
General |
| What's Important in Playing for a Contra Dance | 2013 Viveka Fox, Peter Macfarlane, Tristan Henderson & Rick Klein In this YouTube video, Atlantic Crossing discusses what is important to them in playing for a contra dance. (15:56) |
Contra |
| What is Phrasing in Contra Dance? | 2019 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff explores phrasing in contra dance. The post is followed by a community discussion. |
Contra |
| Waltz Tempos | 2012 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff presents some data regarding the tempo of waltzes played at contra dances. |
Contra |
| Playing for the Dancers | 2011 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff outlines some important considerations when playing for dancers. |
Contra |
| 5 Points for a Good Dance Experience | 2013 Jamie Laval In this YouTube video, Jamie Jamie talks about the five key points that make for an enjoyable evening for musician -- back-up, caller, dancers, sound, and pay. It's an interesting look at what drives the people that make the music. (16:05) |
Contra |
| How to Play Well for Scandinavian Dancing |
Emelie Waldken Emelie provides some great basic tips for playing for Scandinavian dancing. Many of these apply well to other forms of traditional dance |
Scandinavian |
| Adjusting a Jig for a Dance | 2013 Jamie Laval In this YouTube video, Jamie discusses how to adjust the arrangement of a jig to fit the mood of a dance. (4:53) |
Contra |
| Adjusting a Reel for a Dance and Mixing with a Jig | 2013 Jamie Laval In this YouTube video, Jamie discusses how to adjust the arrangement of a reel to fit the mood of a dance, and how to combine jigs and reels in one dance set. (4:04) |
Contra |
| Basic Phrasing of the AA and BB Parts | 2013 Jamie Laval In this YouTube video, Jamie describes the basic phrasing techniques for the A and B parts. (5:55) |
Contra |
| Origins of AABB Contra Music | 2013 Jamie Laval In this YouTube video, Jamie describes the origin of the 64 beat (32 measures of 2/4 time) A A B B pattern of contra music. (6:00) |
Contra |
| Tempos for Contra Jigs and Reels | 2013 Jamie Laval In this YouTube video, Jamie discusses why the tempo of contra music is what it is, and why the tunes are either jigs or reels, and the difference between them. (5:27) |
Contra |
| Using Pedals to Build Tension During a Full Dance Set | 2013 Jamie Laval In this YouTube video, Jamie discusses how to use pedals (sustained notes) to build tension during a full dance set. (5:42) |
Contra |
| Using Variety to Build a Full Tune | 2013 Jamie Laval In this YouTube video, Jamie describes how to use crescendo and rhythmic and harmonic variations to create a growing tension and energy during a dance. (7:04) |
Contra |
Finessing Your Band Sound
This section contains a range of resources for experienced dance musicians who want to take their playing further, particularly in terms of how they work with their bandmates.
Looking for where to start?
- Free Raisins’ video on Phrasing for a Dance
- Andrew VanNorstrand’s video on Rhythmic Variations for Dancing
| Title | More information | Tradition |
|---|---|---|
| Musicians Column: Aspects of Musicality | CDSS News Spring 2017 Martha Edwards This article explores the importance of phrasing when playing music for dancers. |
General |
| Balancing Rhythm and Melody | 2013 Amy Englesberg, Audrey Knuth, and Jeff Kaufman In this YouTube video, the Free Raisins talk about balancing rhythm and melody and how each works for the dancers. (5:28) |
Contra |
| Calling Chords | 2011 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff explains how to call chords during the middle of a dance so that fellow bandmates know where the chord progression is going. |
Contra |
| Complex Variations after the Dance Gets Going | 2013 Amy Englesberg, Audrey Knuth, and Jeff Kaufman In this YouTube video, the Free Raisins explain how droning (peddaling) on a single chord creates tension. (3:37) |
Contra |
| Example of Great Bear's Rhythmic Dance Patterns | 2013 Andrew VanNorstrand A full Great Bear Trio dance, illustrating the initial working with the caller, playing while the caller is calling, adding interest as the caller drops out, and various rhythmic dance patterns. The dance is from the 2012 OFB New Year's Eve Ball with Beth Molaro calling. (10:35) |
Contra |
| Examples of Rhythmic Variations Used to Broadcast the Flow of a Dance | 2013 Andrew VanNorstrand In this YouTube video, Andrew provides examples of rhythmic patterns that can be used to broadcast to the dancer the movements of the dance. (11:03) |
Contra |
| Phrasing Music for a Dance | 2013 Amy Englesberg, Audrey Knuth, and Jeff Kaufman In this YouTube video, the Free Raisins talk about phrasing music for a dance, with an example for a dance with balances in the A part and heys in the B part. (8:34) |
Contra |
| Playing Through the Full Arc of the Dance | 2013 Andrew VanNorstrand In this YouTube video, Andrew talks about playing over the full arc of the dance. (5:22) |
Contra |
| Rhythmic Variations for Different Dance Figures | 2013 Andrew VanNorstrand In this YouTube video, Andrew talks about rhythmic variations for different dance figures. (4:47) |
Contra |
| The Free Raisins Explain Droning (pedaling) | 2013 Amy Englesberg, Audrey Knuth, and Jeff Kaufman In this YouTube video, the Free Raisins explain how droning (pedaling) on a single chord creates tension. (3:37) |
Contra |
| Varying Chords for Interest | 2013 Amy Englesberg, Audrey Knuth, and Jeff Kaufman In this YouTube video, the Free Raisins talk about creating interest with changing chord sequences, and dynamically making those changes during a dance. (8:09) |
Contra |
| Playing Together with Style | 1999 The Last Gaspe In this blog post, The Last Gaspe reflect on what it takes to be good band and how to play together effectively. |
Contra |
| What Makes a Good Contra Dance Band? | Micky Koth Mickey summarizes throughts from a number of dance musicians via various listservs. |
Contra |
Reflections on Tune Repertoire, Programming, and Working with Callers
This section is all about how the music fits with the calling and dances. Within this section, you’ll find information on how to work with callers, how to plan your sets, and how to match tunes to dances.
Looking for where to start?
- Andrew VanNorstrand's A Musician’s Guide to Contra Choreography
| Title | More information | Tradition |
|---|---|---|
| A Musician’s Guide to Contra Choreography |
2019 |
Contra |
| Breaking Down the Legacy of Race in Traditional Music in America |
2020 National Public Radio This NPR radio piece and associated article explores the intersection between racism and traditional music & song. Both Jake Blount and the Youth Traditional Song Weekend are featured. |
General |
| The Squeal Index - Can Old Time Bands Make It On the Contra Dance Scene? | CDSS News Spring 2002 Joyce Cauthen, Susan Davis and Scott Russell This article explores some of the key components required for contra music and how old time bands can fit within the dance scene. |
Contra |
| Dare To Be Square: Old Time Square Dance Handbook - a southern subset | T-Claw While this resource is primarily for callers and organizers, it contains information on how old time music works for square dancing and about touring. |
Squares |
| Should Square Music be 'Square?' | Michael Shapiro This blog post provides an interesting discussion about music for square dancing. |
Squares |
| Pacing the Music and Working with a Caller | 2013 Andrew VanNorstrand In this YouTube video, Andrew talks about pacing the music and working with a caller (3:30) |
Contra |
| Matching Tunes to Dances | 2014 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff provides some thoughts on how to match tunes to contra dances. |
Contra |
| Matching a Dance Card with a Tune | 2013 Andrew VanNorstrand In this YouTube video, Andrew talks about matching tunes with dances. (4:25) |
Contra |
| Balancing the Energy (over an evening) and the Evolution of a Band | 2013 Amy Englesberg, Audrey Knuth, and Jeff Kaufman In this YouTube video, the Free Raisins discuss of the balance of energy and mood over the course of an evening, as well as discuss the Free Raisins' own evolution as a dance band. (4:18) |
Contra |
| Fitting the Music with the Dance | 2013 Ed Howe & John Cote In this YouTube video, Ed and John talk about matching tunes and dances. (4:58) |
Contra |
| Dancing to the Groove of Old Time Music | 2012 John Herrmann & Meredith McIntosh In this YouTube video, John and Meredith spend a few minutes talking about the subtle pleasures of dancing to Old Time music as compared to modern contra music. (6:43) |
Contra |
| Assembling Sets for Contra |
Jeff Kaufman In this post, Jeff explores some considerations to make when creating dance sets. Community discussion follows. |
Contra |
| Choosing Tunes for Contra Dance Medleys | Mickey Koth Mickey summarizes thoughts from a number of dance musicians via various listservs. |
Contra |
| Squares, Contras, Phrasing | 2011 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff explores the importance of phrasing to dancers and how that relates to contra and square dancing. Following the post is some interesting community conversation. |
General |
| Tune Freedom | 2016 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff explores the relative freedom for choosing tunes depending on the style of dance. |
General |
| NLTrad |
Allan Farrell NLTrad is a small, curated collection of Newfoundland and Irish tunes, useful if you’re looking for NFLD dance music. |
Other |
Tips for Specific Instruments
This section provides tips on how to play certain instruments that are often used for traditional social dance. Almost all of the resources were developed by dance musicians.
| Title | More information | Tradition |
|---|---|---|
| Notes on Playing for Contras - Piano | Eric Anderson Eric provides some basic foundational ideas for playing contra piano. |
Contra |
| Contra Dance Piano | Eric Anderson In this resource, Eric provides many ideas on how to play piano for contra dances. |
Contra |
| Contra Dance Piano |
Jeff Kaufman |
Contra |
| Fiddling for Old Time, Contra, Square, and Couple Dances | 2003 Vivian & Phil Williams As the title suggests! |
General |
| Fiddling for the Dance | 2013 Ed Howe & John Cote In this YouTube video, Ed talks about his approach to fiddling for a dance. (5:03) |
Contra |
| Learning Contra Guitar | 2015 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff describes some basics of playing guitar for contra dances. |
Contra |
| Guitar Rhythms for the Dance | 2013 Ed Howe & John Cote In this YouTube video, John talks about the dance rhythms he uses on the guitar. (5:10) |
Contra |
| Ideas for Contra Dance Mandolin Players |
Jeff Kaufman |
Contra |
| Thoughts on Brass in Contra Dance Bands |
Jeff Kaufman |
Contra |
| Various Articles on Footboards |
2018-2019 Acoustic Footboard Footboard V2 More Expressive Footboard Thoughts Footboard Bass (2014) Footboard: How To (2014) How to Play the Footboard (2013) Productizing the Footboard (2013) Electronic Foot Percussion (2013) Designing a MIDI Footboard (2013) Making a Foot Percussion Board (2010) |
Contra |
| How to Play Contra Dance Percussion | Melissa Kacalanos As the title suggests! |
Contra |
| Perpetual e-Motion Electronic Effects | 2013 Ed Howe & John Cote In this YouTube video, John talks about the electronics that back up his guitar, didgeridoo and foot percussion, and Ed discusses how he uses looping. (6:13) |
Contra |
| Stretching the Beat |
Jeff Kaufman In this post, Jeff explores synth drum beats for contra dance. Community discussion follows. |
Contra |
| Playing with Arpeggiators |
Jeff Kaufman In this post, Jeff explores how to use an arpeggiator with both mandolins and pianos. Community discussion follows. |
Contra |
| Porting My Rhythm Setup |
Jeff Kaufman In this post, Jeff explains how he sets up with rhythm equipment for a contra dance. Community discussion follows. |
Contra |
| More Rhythm Options |
Jeff Kaufman As the title suggests. Community discussion follows. |
Contra |
| Fiddle Effects Tech |
Jeff Kaufman In this post, Jeff explores some entry-level ideas for fiddlers interested in trying effects. Community discussion follows. |
Contra |
Gigging: Finding Gigs, Working with Organizers, Sound and Much More!
Unless you are organizing your own dances, you will have to find gigs and work with organizers. This section covers everything from how to build relationships with organizers to what you need to know before a gig.
If you are interested in looking at the caller-organizer relationship from the organizer’s perspective, read some of our organizer resources on how to work with callers and bands If you are interested in organizing your own events, check out the Dance Organizers section of the Portal.
Looking for where to start?
- CDSS’s How to Get Gigs
| Title | More information | Tradition |
|---|---|---|
| How to Get Gigs | CDSS c. 2010s 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! |
General |
| Musicians Column: Road Trip! A Practical Guide for New Touring Bands | CDSS News Summer 2016 David Firestine This article provides some tips on how to arrange a tour playing dances. |
Contra |
| Talking About...Money | CDSS News Spring 2013 Brendan Taafee Brendan's article opens up a discussion about money in the contra community, especially in relation to pay for musicians. |
General |
| How to Get Rich and Famous as a Traditional Musician | CDSS News Fall 2009 Ethan Hazzard-Watkins This article provides some tips on how to get gigs and improve as a dance musician. |
Contra |
| Hiring a Dance Musician? | Sarah Gowan A neat flyer by Sarah that highlights what goes into playing for a dance in relation to what musicians get paid/dancers pay. |
Contra |
| Touring As a Contra Band | 2018 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff presents data from three tours he's helped book for the Free Raisins and he provides tips for bands wanting to do the same. |
Contra |
| Communicating About Contra Dance Sound | 2018 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff provides some tips on how to communicate with sound technicians. |
Contra |
| How Much do Dance Weekends Pay? | 2018 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff breaks down what dance weekends pay musicians. Original post 2016 with an update in 2018. |
Contra |
| Getting Booked for Dances II | 2017 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff breaks down when the Free Raisins played which dances, how far in advance the booking was and who arranged the booking. |
Contra |
| Handling CD Money | 2016 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff explores how bands can manage the money they make off CDs. |
Contra |
| Standing Offer: Contra Music Feedback | 2019 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff talks about the benefits of getting feedback as a dance musician. |
Contra |
| Why Perpetual e-Motion Likes To Do Their Own Sound | 2013 Ed Howe & John Cote In this YouTube video, Ed explains why Perpetual e-Motion likes to do their own sound. (5:57) |
Contra |
| How Much Does It Cost to Tour? | 2012 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff breaks down the revenue and expenses of a weekend tour playing dances. |
Contra |
Sound Equipment
Many gigs require sound amplification. You might have a sound technician who will look after most details or you might have to do your own sound. There is a whole section on doing sound at dances within the Dance Organizers Portal.
Strategies for Developing as a Dance Musician
The musicians portal is full of resources to support your development as a dance musician. However, this section provides some specific examples of strategies you can try in order to build your skills and experience (e.g., back-row bands).
Also…
- Callers have created some great resources on this topic. You may want to check out/modify their resources for your use.
- You will likely find some useful information in the Open Dance Bands section.
| Title | More information | Tradition |
|---|---|---|
| Musicians Column: Back Row Bands | CDSS News Spring 2016 Sue Songer This article describes the power of guest musicians being able to play along with dance bands - in what is known as 'the back row.' It also describes how to successfully create this experience in your dance community. |
General |
| Contra Dance Callers and Musicians—Making Connections | CDSS News March-April 2007 Chrissy Fowler Chrissy describes a weekend where callers and musicians gathered to explore the relationship between the two roles to create a successful dance. |
Contra |
| Do Try This at Home! | CDSS News September-October 2006 Linda Henry In this article, Linda describes a one-day caller course which is a model that could be used in other communities. |
General |
| American Week, Pinewoods 2014 | CDSS Blog June 2015 Chuck Abell In this blog post, Chuck describes going to camp on a matching scholarship, including some highlights in terms of learning and fun. |
General |
| Record Your Playing | 2012 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff describes why bands should record themselves and how to do it effectively. |
Contra |
| Tempo Meter | 2016 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff explains how Free Raisins use a tempo meter during dances. |
Contra |
| Standing Offer: Contra Music Feedback | 2019 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff talks about the benefits of getting feedback as a dance musician. |
Contra |
Open Dance Bands
Open dance bands are experiences where anyone can join in and play along. This section provides information on how to start an open band and many tips on how to make them successful.
Looking for where to start?
- CDSS’s Web Chat on Creating Thriving Open Bands
| Title | More information | Tradition |
|---|---|---|
| Open Dance Bands: Best Practices Shared by 35 Groups | CDSS 2021 Emily Addison This manual shares common best practices used by 35 open dance bands from throughout North America, and illustrates the diversity of approaches across communities. We hope this resource provides a great starting point for launching new open bands and additional inspiration for groups that have been playing together for years. |
General |
| Improving the ECD Open Band Experience | CDSS News Spring 2019 Robert Reichert Robert provides some suggestions on how to improve the experience of playing with, and the quality of music from an ECD open band. |
ECD |
| Web Chat: Creating a Thriving Open Band | CDSS 2018 Carol Ormand, Bob Kirkman, Mike Reddig, Linda Henry, & Katy German This one-hour online session (audio + slides available) features open band leaders from four different communities. Each discuses the reasons for their success. This is followed by a Q&A with session participants. |
General |
| Musicians Column: Back Row Bands | CDSS News Spring 2016 Sue Songer This article describes the power of guest musicians being able to play along with dance bands - in what is known as 'the back row.' It also describes how to successfully create this experience in your dance community. |
General |
| Madison’s Tuesday Night Dances—Fostering Talent for More Than Twenty Years | CDSS News Spring 2014 Carol Ormand This article describes Madison's approach to developing talent through weekly dances that feature newer callers as well as an open band. |
Contra |
| From One Generation to the Next | CDSS News Summer 2012 Jessica Emery & Chloe Maher This article looks at how a group of teenagers came to be the musicians for a local dance in Philadelphia. |
General |
| Leading an Open Band | 2014 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff provides some thoughts on how to lead an open band. |
Contra |
| Why Does the BIDA Open Band Work Well? | 2012 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff explains why the BIDA open band works well. The post is followed by comments from other dancers/musicians/callers. |
Contra |
| Video of the Portland Pic’d Up Orchestra |
2019 |
Contra |
Jam Sessions
While the musician section of the CDSS resource portal focuses primarily on playing for dances, we have included a few resources for those interested in jam sessions.
| Title | More information | Tradition |
|---|---|---|
| Dance Musicians: Making Jam Sessions Great, a guide for participants and leaders | CDSS News Winter 2016-2017 Dave Firestine As the title suggests! |
General |
Reflections on the History and Evolution of Dance Music
Our dance traditions are both strongly rooted in the past and are constantly evolving. We hope to add some resources on how our dance forms are shifting in relation to dance music and the style of playing.
| Title | More information | Tradition |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Things...Inside the Dancing Mind of... | A one-hour chat with Q&A from movers and shakers in the English Country Dance community from across the country about the 5 things that they feel are important to our passion for ECD and why. Hosted by the Historical Tea and Dance Society. | ECD |
| Roots Contra: Celebrating the Traditional Roots of Modern Contra Dancing |
CDSS News: Spring 2020 Diane Silver, Laura Lengnick, and Karen Gaughan This article describes a new dance series in Asheville focused on the idea of Roots Contra - which values and highlights the core of the tradition (e.g., diversity of dance music; traditional dance music of New England, dancing in unison/with the whole room). |
Contra |
| An Introduction to the Various Styles of American Square Dancing |
2019 |
Squares |
Other Resources & Loose Ends
This section contains a number of resources that don’t clearly fit under the other headings. Dive in!
| Title | More information | Tradition |
|---|---|---|
| Webinars Specifically for Folk Musicians |
Folk Alliance International FAI hosts a number of webinars for folk musicians ranging from licensing to consumption trends. Most of the webinars are particularly focused on freelancers/gigging artists. |
General |
| Contra Pulse: A Podcast about Contra Dance Music |
CDSS Ben Williams and Julie Vallimont Where does contra music come from? Why does it sound the way it does? How has it changed over time? In this online radio show, we take the pulse of contra music today through a series of conversations between host Julie Vallimont and prominent contra musicians from all corners. Join us in this journey through music, dance, time, space, and community. |
Contra |
| An Introduction to the Various Styles of American Square Dancing |
2019 |
Squares |
| American Week, Pinewoods 2014 | CDSS Blog June 2015 Chuck Abell In this blog post, Chuck describes going to camp on a matching scholarship, including some highlights in terms of learning and fun. |
General |
| Finding the Groove | CDSS News March-April 2002 Pamela Goddard Pamela explores how two central/western New York bands formed and developed their unique sounds for contra dances. |
Contra |
| The Way It Is Is the Reason I Started Doing This Stuff in the First Place | CDSS News Winter 2013-2014 Peter Siegel Peter's reflections on why he loves teaching dance music and his experience teaching at the John C. Campbell Folk School. |
General |
| Tracking Copyrights and Composers | CDSS News July-August 1997 Susan Songer Susan describes how she tracked down composers and copyrights for her one of her books of contra dance music. |
Contra |
| What's in a Name? | CDSS News Summer 2013 Jody Kruskal This article explores what makes a great name for a dance band. |
General |
| Festival Stats 2019 | 2019 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff summarizes what bands and callers have been playing what festival gigs over the past number of years. |
Contra |
| From One Generation to the Next | CDSS News Summer 2012 Jessica Emery & Chloe Maher This article looks at how a group of teenagers came to be the musicians for a local dance in Philadelphia. |
General |
| Musician Gender in Contra |
2018 |
Contra |
| “Do We Have To?” ~ Copyright Basics | CDSS News August 2006 Pat MacPherson This article provides some considerations on whether one needs to get permission to use someone else’s work when publishing a dance or tune book or when recording a CD. |
General |
| Contra Dance Band Size | 2014 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff explores the size of contra dance bands. |
Contra |
| Produce Compilation CD | CDSS News Spring 2002 Rebecca King This article describes how the Bay Area Country Dance Society created a compilation CD featuring local dance bands in their region. |
General |
| Contra Dance Instrumentation | 2014 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff explores what instruments are most/least common in contra dance bands |
Contra |
| Composing Dance Music | Colin Hume As the title suggests! |
General |
| Contra Heatmap | 2014 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff shares a heat map that he created of where contra dance happens throughout North America. |
Contra |
| Contra Weekend Heatmap | 2014 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff shares a heat map that he created of the various contra dance weekends throughout North America. |
Contra |
| Piano and Contra Dance | 2012 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff explores the historical use of piano in contra dance. |
Contra |
| Recording Your Own CD | 2018 Jeff Kaufman In this blog post, Jeff presents some considerations on recording a CD as a contra dance band. |
Contra |
Tune Repertoire
This section of the Portal contains links to many collections of dance tunes. You could get lost in these resources for days so grab a coffee or tea and dig in!
Also - The CDSS Online Store carries a wide range of resources for musicians. Look through the following sections on contra dance, English country dance, traditional square dance, and children and community dance.
| Title | More information | Tradition |
|---|---|---|
|
Kate Barnes The bible of ECD repertoire - featuring music to the most commonly used tunes for English dancing. Practically required for any ECD musician. Straightforward tunes and keys are represented, as well as more challenging ones with subtle phrasing, tricky rhythms and plenty of opportunity for improvisation in a variety of keys and styles. With chord suggestions and master index. Available for purchase through the CDSS Online Store. |
ECD | |
|
Bill Matthiesen Bill Matthiesen’s Waltz books have long been one of the best resources for waltzes played at contras, English dances, and everywhere else. Each book has over 50 carefully selected waltzes with notes on each dance as well as chord symbols. and the first book contains a section on piano accompaniment as well Available for purchase through the CDSS Online Store. |
Waltz | |
| New England Fiddler’s Repertoire |
Randy Miller Another backbone for contra dance musicians, this book aims to be a single, distilled resource for contra dance tunes. Pulling from other large collections this book contains 168 of what could be considered the tried-and-true “standard” fiddle tune repertoire. Includes chords for guitar or piano. Available for purchase through the CDSS Online Store. |
General |
|
Susan Songer & Clyde Curley The go-to books for jigs and reels used in contra dances everywhere. Each book contains over 300 tunes in Irish, Scottish, Québécois, Appalachian, and New England genres. There are also chord suggestions, a discography, a bibliography, and more. Each book also has a companion CD with a selection of tunes for listening or practicing. Available for purchase through the CDSS Online Store. |
General | |
| David Kaynor's Collection of Music Transcriptions | David Kaynor David is a fantastic dance fiddler and especially great at fiddle harmonies. This website contains his transcriptions of many many dance (and other) tunes from a wide range of composers. Many also include harmonies. |
General |
| The SPUDS Contra Dance Tunes | Judith Stern, Karen Neubauer, & Bill Quern SPUDS are an open/all comers dance band. This website contains all their tunes for dancing! |
Contra |
| North Atlantic Tune List | This website contains hundreds of tunes with MP3 audio clips, sheet music and ABC notation. The tunes come from several regions around the North Atlantic: Scandinavia, the British Isles, Quebec, Cape Breton, Métis (Saskatchewan & Manitoba), New England, Appalachia, and more. The website also includes some of the Vermont Fiddle Orchestra tunes which often have harmonies included. | General |
| Cecil Sharp Piano Scores | Scanned by: Mickie Zekley Original publication: 1912 Mickie Zekley has scanned many of Cecil Sharp's piano arrangements of country dance tunes, originally published in 1912, and made them available online in PDF format. These scores provide ideas for piano players about how to accompany many popular English country dance tunes. Note that the key signatures of some of the tunes differ from those most commonly used by contemporary musicians. |
ECD |
| The Session | Jeremy Keith A collection of tens of thousands of trad tunes, contributed collectively by a strong community of musicians. There are updates to the tunes on a daily basis. |
General |
| The Contracast Podcast of Contra Dance Music |
2010 |
Contra |
| The Traditional Tune Archive | Andrew Kuntz & Valerio Pelliccioni A collection of more then 40,000 North American, British and Irish tunes with new ones being added every month. |
General |
| The Bolton Collection | Charles Bolton This online collection contains both interpretations of 17th & 18th century English country dances (with music) as well as nine booklets of Charles' original dances and tunes. |
ECD |
| The Full English Project | English Folk Dance and Song Society The Full English Project is the world's biggest free digital archive of traditional folk music and dance tunes. It also includes song! |
General |
| The Dancing Master 1651-1728: An Illustrated Compendium | Robert M. Keller (compiled by) This is an online searchable database of all known country dances published in the various editions of The Dancing Master, published by John Playford, Henry Playford and John Young, from 1651-1728 in London, with facsimiles of each "unique" dance with its' music. |
ECD |
| GEMS: The Best of The Country Dance and Song Society Diamond Jubilee Music, Dance and Song Contest | 1993 CDSS 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. |
General |
| The Sheffield Collection | Ken Sheffield This online collection of approximately 100 English country dances comes from some earlier collections (e.g., Thompson; Wilson; Wright) as well as dances composed by Ken Sheffield. Both the music notation as well as instructions for the dance are provided. |
ECD |
Online Discussions
Do you want to connect with dance musicians right now? Then check out the following online groups. You can ask questions and get immediate responses from dance musicians throughout North America and beyond. These online communities are full of supportive people who share similar interests with you.
| Title | More information |
|---|---|
| Shared Weight: Dance Musicians | This mailing list welcomes dance musicians and those interested in dance music for any form of traditional social dance. This includes contra, English country, traditional squares (e.g., Appalachian, New England, Quebecois, Cape Breton, etc), community/family/barn, ceili, Balfolk, and more. Dance musicians ask/answer questions, discuss issues that come up for them, and share helpful resources. This is a great way to talk to dance musicians from throughout North America and beyond. Join the discussion! |
| Shared Weight: English Country Dance | The Shared Weight ECD listserv (email group) is for discussion of all aspects of modern and historical English Country Dance and related forms as they have relevance to the discussion. (Related forms include contra, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, contradanza, Victorian longways dances, quadrilles, cotillions, etc.). The list is intended for callers, dancers, organizers, and musicians, who are all part of one community. Join the discussion! |
| Facebook Group: Contra/ECD/Traditional Dance Musicians | This Facebook group is for traditional dance musicians of every stripe. The group talks about music, dances, styles, gigs, instruments, bands, and more. |
| Traditional Music Today | This Facebook group “attempts to be a safe(r) space to discuss traditional music, culture and our lives as members of it.” |
In-Person Gatherings
CDSS is currently recommending that no in-person events be held given the COVID-19 pandemic. However, we are maintaining a calendar of online events and have also included links to other virtual event listings on our calendar page. Check out the listing of online events here.
Below are a number of in-person networking and learning opportunities for dance musicians. These types of events are a great way to be inspired, gain answers to questions you may have, and learn about new techniques that you might want to try.
Check out some of the gatherings below.
If you have an event to add, please email portal@cdss.org. Please note - events that are listed here need to to have a regional or national scope and include some level of training for dance musicians. If you have a more local event, you can submit it to our events calendar.
And - Consider organizing your own learning/networking opportunity for dance musicians! Check out the dance organizers section of the Portal if you want some tips of how they tend to connect.
CDSS offers grants for weekend workshops and more. Grants are usually between $250-$500. Get in touch with us at resources@cdss.org if you have an idea that needs a little financial support to make into a reality.
| Title | More information |
|---|---|
| CDSS Camps | Many of CDSS’s annual summer camp weeks are wonderful opportunities or connecting with dance musicians and learning about playing for dancers. Check the camp website as there are often intensives (courses) for dance musicians. Scholarships are available! |
| Dare To Be Square DMV (DC-MD-VA) | This is a great regional event for learning how to call, play for square dances, learn clogging/flatfooting, and dance squares! |
| Dare To Be Square West | This is a great regional event for learning how to call, play for square dances, sing, and dance squares! |
| John C. Campbell Folk School | The John C. Campbell Folk School offers occasional training opportunities for dance musicians among all the rest of their fine programming. This includes a full week for dance musicians in the summer Check out their class schedule - look under ‘music.’ |
| Maine Fiddle Camp | The Maine Fiddle Camp runs family-friendly summer sessions (weeks and weekends). The focus is on musicians learning a wide range of traditional dance music. |
| Northeast Heritage Music Camp | This week-long camp run celebrates and acoustic music and folk dance traditions of New England and eastern Canada, along with related traditions - including dance music. |
| Ashokan Camps | Ashokan offers a number of camps, including a few that focus on music associated with traditional dance. Check out the Northern and Southern weeks. |
| Cumberland Dance Week | Cumberland Dance Week is a folk and music camp in the South. They sometimes include training for dance musicians. |
Other Resources
This section contains even more resources that may be of interest to dance musicians.
Share your resources: Do you have a resource you think should be shared on The Portal? Fill out this easy form to let us know about it!
| Directories and Calendars | |
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The CDSS Affiliate Directory contains contact information of all of the organizations that are currently members of CDSS. It’s a great resource to find organizers with whom you might want to connect. |
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The CDSS Events calendar lists traditional dance, music, and song events throughout North America. View events that others have submitted and add your own. |
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| CDSS Dance Map |
The CDSS dance map lists dance series throughout North America. |
| The Caller Directory | Developed by Luke Donforth, The Caller Directory is a spreadsheet listing self-submitted callers, their contact information, and what they call. It also provides space for references, video links, and a comment from the caller. |
| Dance DB | Ted Crane's database is another location where organizers can post their events so that dancers, musicians, callers, and other organizers can find out about them. This database tends to focus on contra dance, although some English country dance and swing dances are listed. |
| Contradancelinks.com | This website focuses primarily on contra dance but it also has information about waltzing, Scandinavian dance, and old time square dance. The site not only lists dance series by region but also has links to callers, bands, and much more. |
| ECD Around the United States | Alan Winston maintains a list of English country dances throughout the United States. |
| Trycontra.com | Jeff Kaufman maintains a website of contra dances where you can enter your zip code and it will list dances close by. You can also look at the full list of dances. |
| The Dance Gypsy | The Dance Gypsy is another listing of dance-related events, venues, and performers. The list focuses primarily on contra dance but does include other forms of folk dance as well. |
| Where's the Dance? |
Submitted by Rachelle Cournoyer: 2018 This resource is primarily for the modern western square dance community although it also lists a few other traditions including contra. The website allows users to easily look up where and when dance events are happening in North America. |
| Umbrella Organizations | |
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| English Folk Dance and Song Society | Based in England, EFDSS was founded in 1932 to preserve, promote, and develop the English folk arts (specifically songs, tunes, and dances). Activities supported by this incredibly active organization include advocacy, learning, participation, and performance and artists' development. They have taken on many initiatives to support local organizers. |
| Still More Resources | |
| CDSS E-News | This is CDSS’s main e-newsletter with announcements, articles, and other news. You can browse through past issues and sign up to receive the news. |
| CDSS News | CDSS News is our quarterly print publication, and in a slightly shorter format, an online publication. Each issue is full of fantastic articles as well as other content (e.g. songs; dances; announcements). You can browse through past issues. Become a CDSS member to receive the print publication. |
| Country Dance + Song | CD+S is an online journal with articles that explore how Anglo-American dance and song traditions continue to reinvent and refresh themselves.. |
| Country Dance and Song Archives | This webpage contains the 26 volumes of CDSS's Country Dance and Song publication which ran from 1968-1998. The articles are available free online and cover a wide range of topics from ritual dance to social dance to traditional song. |
| The Country Dancer Archives | This webpage contains CDSS's Country Dancer Archives, which ran from 1940-1966. Many of the articles focus on news from the dance music and song community although there are articles on music/dance style, song contributions, and more. |
| CDSS Library & Archives at the University of New Hampshire | The CDSS Library at UNH is a collection of nearly 3,000 books, 400 periodicals, pamphlets and sheet music, and close to 2000 recordings all about traditional dance, music and song. The CDSS Archives are another 64 boxes of manuscripts, personal papers of individuals prominent in the teaching and collection of American traditional dances and songs, microfiche recordings, and archival materials dating from CDSS's founding in 1915. |