Michael Dyck’s Contra Dance Index
An extensive index of contra dances with the goal of capturing all contras written since 1953. While it doesn’t include the full written dances, it includes information such as the author, formation, and where to find the dance.
From Michael Dyck
This is a free software for organizing your collection of dances. It comes with Colin’s collection of over 2000 dances, including English country dance (Playford and traditional style), American squares and contras, Scottish dances, and more.
From Colin Hume
English Country Dancing During the Pandemic
This site includes an archive of one-person dances for online dancing.
From the Carolina English Country Dancers
Northern Junket was a square dance magazine published from 1949 until 1985 by Ralph Page, a renowned figure in New England folk dancing. Each issue contains directions and tunes for squares, contras and folk dances, as well as folk songs, recipes, riddles, tongue-twisters, old wives’ tales, and other folklife traditions.
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
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
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
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
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.
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
Thanks to the Massachusetts Cultural Council for their generous support.