Regional | Delaware | Maryland | New Jersey | New York | Pennsylvania
Virginia | Washington D.C. | Bands and Musicians | Callers | Organizations

This page is devoted to listing contra dances in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States along with bands, musicians, callers, and organizations that are based in the region. URLs and e-mail addresses are listed when available. New entries, additional information, and changes in information are always welcome. Links to other pages in the www.contradancelinks.com web site are listed at the bottom of the page.

New links are simply new to me, not necessarily new to the World Wide Web. Change in URL means that a link has changed its WWW address or URL.

Regional

Delaware

• The Folk Gild sponsors a Contra Dance almost every month on the first Sunday of each month and some third Sundays in Arden. In addition, you can obtain a complete list of all the dances that the Gild sponsors (contra, international, etc.).
• The Bear Dancers in Bear is on hiatus except for one-time dance events.

Maryland

• The Annapolis Traditional Dance Society contra dances are held on 3rd Saturdays, but sometimes other events are held on special dates.
• Almost Heaven is a contra and swing dance weekend in West Virginia sponsored by the Annapolis Traditional Dance Society. It occurs in late May includes contra and swing.
• The Baltimore Folk Music Society among its other activities, holds a number of dance events including:
  • The Catoctin Mountain Music & Dance Weekends are held in June and late October at Camp Misty Mount in Catoctin Mountain National Park, near Thurmont. Slight change in URL (January 16, 2008)
  • Wednesday Night Square & Contra Dances every Wednesday night in Baltimore; Slight change in URL (January 16, 2008)
  • New Dancers' ("Nouveaux Danseurs") Workshops are held every second and fourth Wednesday preceding the Wednesday Night Contra Dances; Slight change in URL (January 16, 2008)
  • The Mid-Winter Ball held at the end of January or the beginning of February; and
  • Second Saturday Dance Events which include contras. Slight change in URL (January 16, 2008)
• Southern Maryland Traditional Music and Dance hosts a variety of dance and music events including contra dances in California (location may change).
• Renee supplies details on Contra Dance on the Eastern Shore in Cambridge on the 1st Saturday of the month.
• The Folklore Society of Greater Washington hosts a Chesapeake Spring Dance Weekend in late April at Camp Letts in Edgewater which includes contras, Southern-style, zydeco, cajun, and Irish stepdancing. Change in URL (January 16, 2008)
• The Mid-Maryland Folk Arts Council and the Frederick City Department of Recreation host contra and square dances on the 4th Saturday of each month in Frederick. Marguerite Plank supports the site.
• The Friday Night Dancers (FND) dance contras on Fridays in Glen Echo Park.
• The Folklore Society of Greater Washington (FSGW) hosts regular dances on Sundays in Glen Echo Park.
• The Folklore Society of Greater Washington sponsors a series of family dances in Glen Echo on the 2nd or 3rd Sunday of the month.

New Jersey

• The Folk Project maintains a list of dances in the northern NJ area.
• As part of the Folk Project activities, Swingin' Tern presents Contra and Square Dancing to live music in Chatham the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month.
• The Philadelphia All Week Dance Guide mentions contra, English, and Scottish dancing on the 2nd month of the month in Cinnaminson.
• The Lambertville Country Dances hold contra dances on the 2nd Friday of each month (with occasional dances on other Fridays)
• The Folk Project's Spring (May) and Fall (October) Festival weekends are held in northwest New Jersey with contradancing among the activities.
• The Princeton Country Dancers meet each Wednesday and on 4th Saturdays for contra dances. English country dances are held on 2nd Saturdays. Many special contra and English events are held throughout the year.

New York

• The Dance Gypsy provides information about regularly scheduled dances in Northeast New York State.
• The DanceFlurry Organization has information about a number of contra dances in upstate New York. New entry (November 16, 2007)
• The Albany Contradances continue in Albany on 2nd & 5th Fridays (Sept. through June). Check out the Old Songs, Ted Crane's DanceDB, and Ashokan's Dance Calendar for more information.
• In addition they hold the The Old Songs Festival of Traditional Music and Dance in late June of each year in Altamont.
• Friends of Fiddle & Dance have pages for their music and dance programs at Ashokan, a rustic camp in New York State's Catskill Mountains. Fooch Fischetti maintains the site. The programs include:
  • New Year's Weekend;
  • Western and Swing Week in late June;
  • Northern Week in late July/early August; and
  • Southern Week in early - mid August
  • a variety of Summerdance nights including one devoted to contradancing.

  Some of these have appear to have more contradancing than others. You can see and read about some of the weeks via Ted Crane's journals and photographs.

• The DanceFlurry Organization promotes dances in Ballston Spa on (generally fourth) Saturdays from September to June. Rich Futyma maintains the site. Change of in date (January 18, 2008)
• There are contra dances on the second Saturday of each month at 7:00pm in Binghamton. They also hold and annual Kindred Spirits Dance Weekend in November. Change of URL (December 10, 2007)
• The Annual Cranberry Dulcimer Gathering in Binghamton in happens in late July and sometimes includes a contra and square dance. Jon Weinberg provides the information.
• In the cooler months, November through April, the DanceFlurry Organization hosts dances in Brunswick on the 4th Sunday of the month. Rich Futyma maintains the site.
• Queen City Country Dancers in (not to be confused with the folks in Burlington, Vermont), holds dances in Buffalo on the first and third Saturdays of the month at 8:00pm. Cynthia Van Ness maintains the site.
• The DanceFlurry Organization sponsors a variety of dances and events in upstate New York. They also have the best information about dances in the Capitol District (Albany). Laurie Sims and Rich Futyma provide the information.
• The folks at the DanceFlurry Organization sponsor dances on various Sundays (May through October) in Colonie. Rich Futyma maintains the site.
• The Upper Susquehanna Contradance includes listings for the Otsego Dance Society and their contras on 1st Fridays in Cooperstown along with their own dance series on 1st Fridays in Milford. Ed Bugel maintains the site.
• Clearwater's Great Hudson River Revival is held in Croton-on-Hudson in late-mid June each year and includes dancing along with a huge amount of music and expanded environmental exhibits, educational workshops, and Hudson River displays.
• The Dance Flurry Organization sponsors a series of family dances on the 2nd Sunday of the month from November to March in Delmar.
• As you might guess, the Fredonia First Friday Contra Dance, is on the first Friday of each month at 8:00pm. Kathy Fox provides the information about the dance. Change of URL (July 13, 2007)
• The DanceFlurry Organization presents information about the dances in Glen Falls on the 3rd Saturday of the month. New entry (November 16, 2007)
• In Hillsdale, in late July, there is the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival which includes contra dancing among its wide range of activities. Krista Reymann and Stephen Spencer support the site.
• Ted Crane provides information about the Tompkins County Country Dances in Ithaca on Fridays at 8:00pm (indoors) and on Mondays during the summer at 7:30pm outdoors.
• The Hands Four Dancers of Ithaca hold dances on an occasional basis, three to four times a year.
• The Adirondack Dance Weekend is held at Lake George in mid-October and contras, swing & lindy hop, English Country, and waltzes. Rich Futyma handles the page.
• The Long Island Traditional Music Association holds a series of contra dances on first Saturdays in Watermill, second and fourth Fridays in Smithtown, and a family dance in Westbury on the 2nd Saturday of every other month during the school year. In addition, they hold an annual old-time fiddle festival in mid-August which includes a contradance. M. Waide and S. Guthrie manage the site.
• The Turtle Hill Folk Festival occurs in early-mid September in Mendon and includes contradancing among the various events. Bill Gamble handles the web chores.
• Fooch Fischetti's calendar covers dances in the Mid-Hudson region and beyond.
• The Upper Susquehanna Contradance holds contras on 4th Saturdays in Milford. The site also includes listings for the Otsego Dance Society in Cooperstown which meets on 1st Fridays. Ed Bugel maintains the site.
• The Hudson Valley Community Dances hold a monthly dance, generally on the fourth Saturday of the month in New Paltz.
• Country Dance * New York! holds contra dances in New York City on Saturdays, generally at 8:00pm although some dances have workshops beginning at 7:00pm.
• The New York Center Contra sponsors gender-role free dances on 2nd Fridays in New York.
• The New York [City] Pinewoods Folk Music Club includes contra bands w/dancing on occasion. Heather Wood provides the information.
• Dave Harvey hosts a barn dance on the 2nd Thursday of the month in New York City.
• The Rockland Friends of Clearwater are now holding monthly dances on 3rd Fridays in Nyack. Note: Dances on hiatus (January 18, 2008)
• The Old Bethpage Village hosts a series of contra dances from late spring to early fall in Old Bethpage. Change of URL (July 13, 2007)
• The Tioga County Contra and Square Dance occurs on the 3rd Sunday of each month in Owego.
• The Hudson Valley Community Dances are held in Poughkeepsie, generally on the 3rd and 5th Saturdays of the month at 8:00pm and include contras, mazurkas, squares, round dances, hambos and the occasional improvised step at the end of the line.
• The Country Dancers of Rochester host a contra dance every Thursday night. In addition, they host a Thanksgiving (American) Weekend Dance Festival in Rochester in late November. Change of URL (August 23, 2007)
• The DanceFlurry Organization sponsors the annual Dance Flurry Festival, held in mid-February in Saratoga Springs.
• The Great Blue Heron Music Festival is held in early July in Sherman and includes a variety of music and dance events and activities.
• The Syracuse Country Dancers hold contra dances on the third Saturday and second and fourth Fridays of each month at 8pm. Included in the schedule are "Cream of the Crop" dances which include workshops and some dances on the 5th Friday or Saturday. They also hold English country dances on the 1st Saturday of the month. In addition to all these regular dances, they hold the Phylla Mae Fall Festival in mid-October.
• The Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance held in Trumansburg in late-mid July each year includes a contra dance and is a wonderful festival.
• Old Songs, Inc. sponsors contra dances in Voorheesville generally the first Saturday of the month at 8:00pm (beginners sessions at 7:30pm).

Pennsylvania

• The Valley Contra Dance hold regular dances on the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Saturdays of each month in Bethlehem.
• Bill Frysinger maintains a page on Old-Time Music and Dance in and around Chester County including the Elverson contra dance, normally held on the 1st Saturday of each month. For more recent updates, try Ted Crane's site, http://tedcrane.com/DanceDB/DisplayDance.com?key=us_pa_lns_ecd
• The Folklore Society of Northeastern Pennsylvania holds contra dances, generally on 1st Saturdays, in Dallas, in the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre region of Pennsylvania.
• Sarah Gowan now handles the duties for the Third Saturday Dance (Contras and Squares) held in Glenside at a new URL.
• In addition, she provides the information about the Thursday night dances in Glenside.
• The Grove City dances occur on a variety of Saturdays at the YMCA. New entry (April 17, 2008)
• The Harrisburg Area Contra Dance Association holds the Locust Lane Contra Dance in Harrisburg on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of the month.
• The Princeton (New Jersey) Country Dancers hold an annual Head for the Hills, a weekend of dance and music, near Kresgeville in early November. Change in URL (July 14, 2007)
• The Lancaster Traditional Society hosts the Lancaster Contra Dance, normally held on the third Saturday of each month.
• The Lewisburg Contra Dances, presented by the Countryside Contra Dancers are held on the 3rd Saturday of each month. Laurie Dickson supports the site. Change in date (January 18, 2008)
• There's a contra dance every Wednesday night at Montgomery Hall at Allegheny College in Meadville.
• Peggy Leiby keeps track of dancing in Philadelphia for the Folk Dance Council with the Seven Day Guide to Folk and Traditional Dancing In and Around Philadelphia.
• The annual ButterBall is held in Philadelphia, two days after Thanksgiving, going 12 hours, with 4 bands and 4 callers, sponsored by a multi-state consortium of local dance communities for the Mid-Atlantic Region.
• For dancing in Pittsburgh, try the Pittsburgh Contras & Squares web site. Contra dances are held every Friday. You can also obtain information about their Fall Dance Weekend in mid-November. Terrie Wheeler hosts the site.
• The annual Heritage Dance Festival occurs in Plymouth Meeting in the first part of October and offers a mix of Contra, International Folk, Square, Clogging, English, Scandinavian, Vintage, Swing, Cajun, Japanese, Country & Western. Festival not held in 2007
• The Central Pennsylvania Country Dance Association holds dances generally on the 3rd Friday of each month in State College. The pages are authored by Chris Sacksteder.
• While specializing in English Country and Scottish Country dancing, the Swarthmore College Folk Dance Club also holds occasional contras during the school year. Jennifer Tyson does the honors.
• The Unitarian Fellowship of West Chester sponsors community dances in West Chester on the 1st Sundays of some months. New entry (January 16, 2008)

Virginia

• A good starting point for dance in the Old Dominion is the Virginia Contra Dance Regional Page.
• Donna Arehart's Central Virginia Dance News covers the world of dance, including contra dance, in central Virginia.
• The Two-Dog Waltz dance series in Blacksburg occurs on the 3rd Saturday of the month.
• The Rockbridge Mountain Music & Dance Festival occurs in Buena Vista in mid-September and includes a couple of contra dances.
• The Albemarle Chapter of the Country Dance and Song Society in Charlottesville, Virginia holds dances on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month. The page is maintained by Paul Rosen.
• There are contra dances in Dayton on the 2nd Saturday of each month. Change in URL (November 20, 2007)
• Earl & Ronda Vanover supply details about the Blue Ridge Country Dancers which sponsor contra dancing in the Floyd generally on the 2nd Saturday of each month from September to June.
• The Contra Corners dances are generally the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month, except during the summer, in Greenwood. Paul Rosen supports the page.
• Traditional Dance In Norfolk provides information about a variety of dances, contras and others, in the Hampton Roads area (in such places like Newport News, Norfolk and Hampton).
• The Bluemont Old-Time Country Dances occur on the 3rd Saturday of the month from October to May in Purcellville.
• The dances in Reston, Virginia, occur on different Saturdays each month.
• The Traditional American Dance and Music Society of Richmond hold Contra Dances on the evenings of every 2nd and 4th Saturday. In addition, they host the Springforth Ball & Weekend Dance in mid-April. Webmaster for the site is Deborah Nelson.
• The dances in Staunton happen on the 3rd Saturday of the month with a workshop at 7:30pm before the dance at 8:00pm. New entry (November 20, 2007)
• The Timberville Contradance is held on the 1st Saturday of teach month at the Plains District Community Center. New entry (January 24, 2008)
• The Friends of Appalachian Music (F.O.A.M.) hold dances on the 1st Saturday of each month except August in Williamsburg or Norge.

Washington, D.C.

• Elliot and Karen Bogart give information about the Washington, D.C. area contra dances along with other types of dancing in the area.
• The Friday Night Dancers (FND) dance contras on Fridays in Glen Echo Park.
• The Folklore Society of Greater Washington (FSGW) hosts a number of regular and special events of which contra dancing is a part:
  • Regular dances on Sundays in Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo, Maryland;
  • The FSGW Mini Festival in late January/early February;
  • The Chesapeake Spring Dance Weekend in early April at Camp Letts in Edgewater, Maryland which includes contras, Southern-style, zydeco, cajun, and Irish stepdancing.

  Dennis Cooks supports the site.

Bands and Musicians

• Ted Crane provides information and e-mail addresses for a number of bands that play at the Ithaca area dances.
• The Princeton (New Jersey) Country Dancers has a page of links and information for bands, musicians and callers which play at the Princeton dance. Change in URL (January 18, 2008)
• Amarillis features Maro Avakian, Donna Isaac and Allison Thompson and has a CD, "Waltzing in the Trees". They are based in Pennsylvania.
• Atlantic Bridge, including Allan Carr, Jane Rothfield and Ken Sweeney play in New York State.
• The Avant Gardeners include Laura Light, Dave Wiesler, Dan Sebring, and George Paul and are based in Charlottesville, VA.
• When they were in existence, Back Up and Push played old-time fiddle tunes, honky-tonk, blues, early country, and even some originals and was based in Pennsylvania. Bob Taylor hosts the page.
• The Band du Jour is western Pennsylvania's source for live "traditional" dance music including exciting arrangements of Irish, New England, French Canadian, and old-time Appalachian tunes.
• The Beverwyck String Band first convened in Albany, NY and soon found themselves playing for dancing girl scouts. They worked their way up to sweaty adults and have subsequently found themselves on the dance and performance stages around the northeast (Old Songs, Falcon Ridge, Clearwater, etc). New entry (November 11, 2007)
• Northcentral Pennsylvania's Black Bear Crossing's repertoire includes tunes found in the Celtic lands of Ireland, Scotland and Wales, selections with an Eastern European flavor, as well as traditional and Old Timey American favorites.
• Blue Jersey is a contra-dance string band from Princeton, NJ with Frank Ruck, Ellen Ruck, Louise McClure and Mike Sutton. New entry (January 16, 2008)
• The Bog Wanderers is a ceili band that plays for Irish country dancing but also plays music for contra dances. They are based in Maryland and the Washington, D.C. area. New entry (April 26, 2008)
• The Bow Rockers include Nancy Neithammer on fiddle, Rusty Neithammer on fiddle, banjo, and guitar, Paul Sidlick on banjo and guitar, Margaret Sidlick on banjo and uke, and Tom Shaffer on bass. Their focus is on Southern Appalachian old-time string band music. They are based in Pennsylvania.
• Bo Bradham is a fiddler in Virginia.
• Matt Brown plays old-time traditional music on fiddle with a variety of musicians and performers and is based in Pennsylvania. MySpace page. New entry (October 14, 2007) Added MySpace page (November 15, 2007)
• The Bushwood Mill Band plays at concerts, jams, and dances in and around Chaptico, Maryland.
• Cabernet Sauvignon includes the talents of Karen Ashbrook, David Wiesler, Andrea Hoag and Paul Oorts, each nationally and internationally known in diverse genres, and is based in Maryland.
• Cabin Fever (2) features Kathy Vandemortel and Stephen Brand and is based in the Rochester, New York area. (e-mail only)
• The Cacklin' Hens & Roosters Too play Old Time Music for dancing, dancing, and dancing in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
• Julianne Carney has performed with Jay Z at Radio City Music Hall but also plays fiddle at barn dances in New York City. New entry (November 17, 2007)
• The Celtibillies are a versatile performance and dance band from Virginia. The band includes Becky Barlow, Jack Hinshelwood, Bob Thomas, Jeff Hofman and Tim Sauls. Their music celebrates the connection between the traditions of Appalachia and Celtic Britain.
• The Chelsea String Band, named after a neighborhood in Manhattan and featuring Alan Friend, Michaela Hamilton and Dotty Moore, play at contra dances along with their other gigs.
• From the Pennsylvania/New Jersey area, Col. Mike's Dance Band is composed of John Krumm, Bob Pasquarello, and Bob Stein. (e-mail only)
• The Commotions, featuring Mat Clark, Sara Hiebert Burch, John Krumm & Pete Soloway played at the Glenside, Pennsylvania dance on February 22, 2007.
• Confluence from Olean NY, consists of Nadine Dyskant-Miller on flute and foot percussion and Barbara Dyskant on keyboards and features music of Quebec, Ireland, New England, Europe, and elsewhere, plus contemporary sounds and rhythms and original material. New entry (August 23, 2007)
• The Contra Mantra is Barb Schmid and Ryck Kaiser on fiddles and Jill Smith on piano. The band plays Appalachian tunes and is based in south central Pennsylvania. (e-mail only)
• The Contra Rebels is an old-time southern-style band led by York County fiddler Todd Clewell, with Henry Koretzky on guitar and mandolin. The group specializes in playing contradances and square dances in a circuit ranging from New York to Georgia, and is often augmented by banjo and bass.
• The Contradictions is Laurie Hart on fiddle, Rick Manning on fiddle and mandolin, Tom Hodgson on guitar, and Dave Davies on bass and vocals. They offer an eclectic mix of fiddle tunes and songs from American and European traditions. They are headquartered in New York State. Change of URL (January 18, 2008)
• Contranella is composed of father and daughter John and Meg Wobus with Charley Beller and is based in Syracuse, New York area.
• The Contraptions are a Philadelphia based contra band and have had fun playing together since June 2006. New entry (September 25, 2007)
• Crossing the Millstone, including Michael Bell on fiddle, Jane McCarty on whistles, Larry Koplik on piano, and John MacDonald on mandolin and recorder, played at the Princeton, New Jersey dance on a regular basis. Slight change in URL (January 18, 2008)
• The work of Peter Davis ranges from the Clayfoot Strutters to Reggie's Red Hot Feetwarmers to many places in between. He is based in New York State.
• Bassist Corey DiMario is based in Brooklyn and plays with a variety of musicians. Change of URL (January 18, 2008)
• Distant Star is based in the New Jersey/Pennsylvania area and includes Susie Lorand, Judi Stellar, & Kathy Talvitie. (e-mail only)
• Dot-dot-dash performs live acoustic music in Celtic, Appalachian dance, Old-time and Gypsy-jazz stylings, performing around Virginia's New River Valley. They also have a MySpace site. Slight change in URL (July 13, 2007)
• Dragonfly plays wonderfully eclectic collection of trio arrangements of Scottish, Irish, French, Renaissance, and contemporary folk tunes in Binghamton and other parts of upstate New York.
• Driver Parks Nicely is a Virginia-based band that plays Progressive Medicine Show music- a lively mix of blues, swing and vintage country, gospel, old-time mountain music- whatever it takes for a trio of string band musicians to just hop out of the wagon and get things shakin'. New entry (January 18, 2008)
• The Elk Creek Family Band from Sullivan County, Pennsylvania plays at a variety of venues including contra dances. Change in URL (July 13, 2007)
• Findhorn, including Steve Hickman, Laura Lengnick, Marty Taylor, Liz Donaldson, and Ralph Gordon play in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. (e-mail only)
• From the Pennsylvania/New Jersey area, Fingerpyx is composed of Enid Diamante, Wes Steenson, Matthew LaRose & Jansen Wendell. The band has an alternate site.
• Floorplay, a Charlottesville, Virginia contradance band plays an eclectic mix of French Canadian, Old-time, Klezmer, Swing, and original tunes since the spring of 2007. Change in URL (March 5, 2008)
• The Forge Mountain Ramblers include Mark Schwartz, Sue Shumaker, Cal Cizek, Rick Gilligan and Dann Neubauer. (e-mail only)
• Four Potato Stew with members, New Jersey champion Jim West on fiddle, Mark Schaffer on mandolin, Kris Lamb on winds, and Paula Entin-Bayer on piano is the New Jersey Folk Project's own band.
• Alan Friend has been playing banjo, guitar and concertina, and singing traditional songs from America and the British Isles for many years. He is a member of the contra dance band "The Contrapolitans." MySpace page. New entry (November 11, 2007)
• Frog Bridge specializes in musical traditions zapped with a contemporary zest and includes Gretchen Koehler (fiddle), Beth Robinson (cello), Matt Bullwinkel (piano/accordion) and newest member Bill Casey (mandolin). The band is based in New York State.
• The Gnu Tones is a Celtic-based contradance ensemble led by State College, Pennsylvania fiddler Bruce Young and anchored by Lancaster pianist Jill Smith. (e-mail only (replace the (at)))
• The Gourdvine String Band plays Contra-Dance, Celtic, and original music from the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia. New entry (January 19, 2008)
• Government Contra Act takes a fresh new look at contra dance music from the Scottish Highlands to the NY Jazz Club to the LA Mosh Pit and perhaps the halls of Congress given that the band is from Washington, D.C.
• In addition to her solo work, Ellen Gozion plays and tours with three contra dance bands, Toad Hall, Toppish and The Hot Toddies and has played with David Knight, members of Amarillis, The Contrarians, Sylvan's Harvest and others and is well-known in contra dance scene in Pittsburgh.
• Grand Picnic, a Brooklyn based band, combines the rhythmic drive of southern old-time tunes with French Canadian and New England fiddle music.
• The Great Bear Trio performs a huge realm of traditional music styles from New England, French-Canada, Ireland, Old-time Appalachia and Scandinavia with a contemporary, world-beat twist, features Kim, Andrew & Noah VanNorstrand and is based in Fulton, New York. MySpace page. Added MySpace page (January 2, 2008)
• The Groovemongers is a band in which world beat meets contra, with Rebecca McCallum on fiddle, C.W. Abbott on mandolin and guitar, and Jane Knoeck on keyboard and accordion, as well as Teilhard Frost on percussion. It operates from Rochester, New York.
• The Washington D. C. band, Gypsy Meltdown, features Kathy Kerr on fiddle and mandolin, Colleen Reed on flute, saxophone and percussion, and Keith Gillis on guitar, and weaves together old and new melodies from New England, Appalachia, and the British Isles with rhythm, groove and attitude.
• Before you check out the pages about the bands that she is in, visit New York's Laurie Hart's own page. Change in URL (January 18, 2008)
• Central New York contradance band Hearts Delight consists of David Smukler on fiddle, Laurel Sharp on whistle and recorder, and John Wobus on piano.
• Hell on the Nine Mile performs an excitingly raw mix of music and dance stemming from Irish, American and Canadian traditions and is based in Charlottesville, Virginia. MySpace page. Added MySpace page (November 12, 2007)
• Hey Diddle Diddle is comprised of four musicians who perpetuate the exciting traditional music of Ireland and New England by providing lively acoustic music for dances in Western New York and Canada. They are based in Buffalo.
• The Highlander String Band is a collection of Rockingham County (Virginia) musicians playing traditional Appalachian Mountain music, sometimes for contra dances. New entry (January 18, 2008)
• Hold the Mustard plays music for English country and contra dances and is based in New Jersey.
• Homespun Occasions plays for dances at a variety of dances, including schools with students of all ages. They are based in New York State.
• The Hoover Uprights play dances and concerts, and in 2001 and 2003 won first prize in the traditional band contest at Clifftop. The band is based in Maryland.
• The Horse Flies feature Judy Hyman, Richie Stearns, Jeff Claus, June Drucker, Taki Masuko, and Rick Hansen and is based in Ithaca, NY. MySpace page. Added MySpace page (November 13, 2007)
• The Virgina band House Red is Owen Morrison (guitar, mandolin), Shawn Brenneman (piano) and Jonathan Thielen (fiddle) who play energetic, driving dance music to make you wanna move! MySpace page Added MySpace page (October 14, 2007)
• Fiddler Judy Hyman is a member of groups such as The Horse Flies, Small Tattoo, and Big Table and is based in New York State. MySpace page. New entry (November 11, 2007)
• Inishowen repertoire is drawn primarily from the rich musical heritage of the seafaring nations, especially Britain, Ireland, Canada and the United States and is based in the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area.
• Jane's Gang, a contra/square dance band, features the driving fiddling of Jane Rothfield with Allan Carr (Guitar), Paul Sidlick (banjo/mandolin) and Geoff Harden (bass) and is based in NY State.
• Jiggermeister plays lively, energetic music from all over the world, combining the traditional sounds of the British Isles and Appalachia with Eastern European scales and modern jazz riffs and is based in Ithaca, NY.
• Rhys Jones and Christina Wheeler have been been raised in the rich environment of Midwestern old-time fiddling and while they find themselves surrounded by the echoes of their historical and personal influences, they pay homage to them rather than simply repeat that which has come before. They are based in New York City. New entry (November 15, 2007)
• Ryck Kaiser and Jill Smith are a fiddle and piano duo, playing mostly Appalachian and some Celtic tunes. They are based in south central Pennsylvania. (e-mail only)
• John Kirk and Trish Miller live near Saratoga Springs, New York and teach and perform traditional music and dance including playing at contra dances. MySpace page. New entry (January 13, 2008)
• Kitchen Chair is based in Ithaca, New York and includes Gail Blake (guitar, mandolin) and Jennifer Dotson (fiddle).
• Along with playing "traditional" Klezmer tunes and swing tunes and an eclectic assortment of folksongs and tunes from other cultures, Klezmos plays an occasional contra dance in the area around Washington, D.C.
• David Andrew Knight plays Scottish fiddle and for contra dances and has been playing since 1991. He is based in Washington, D. C.
• Harry Koretzky has played with groups ranging from High Strung to The Old World Folk Band (klezmer) to the contra dance band, Medicinal Purpose along with playing with Todd Clewell and the Contra Rebels. He is based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. New entry (April 17, 2008)
• The Pennsylvania band, Ladies in the Parlor, delivers old-time fiddle tunes, from laid back southern reels to rocking breakdowns, along with songs in the old time tradition.
• Marnen Laibow-Koser plays piano, fiddle, viola, flute, and recorder for contra dances and is based in upstate New York.
• The Laune Rangers featuring Ryck Kaiser (fiddle), Chad Shambaugh (bodhran), and Jamie Ward (guitar) are based in Pennsylvania.
• Laura and the Lava Lamps, composed of Laura Lengnick, Dave Wiesler and Ralph Gordon are based in the Washington, D.C. area.
• Leighas is committed to the preservation and transmission of the traditional dance music and cultures of Ireland, Scotland, and their Diaspora in the new world. They are based in the Tidewater region of Virginia. New entry (April 17, 2008)
• Lost On The Turnpike is Eve Rantzer, piano; Enid Diamante, fiddle; and Chris Carpenter, mandolin, banjo, clarinet, whistle. They play for contras in the Pennsylvania/New Jersey area and are recording a CD which will be available soon. (e-mail only) Change of e-mail (May 26, 2007)
• Mangrove Green plays traditional Celtic, British and American music on fiddle and piano in upstate New York.
• The McKenzies (Woody & Marcia) are from Blacksburg, Virginia and play music from the Celtic/British Isles, Cape Breton/French Canadian, Southern Appalachian, colonial era (18th century and earlier), American minstrel era (mid 19th century), early American country (1920's to 1940's), lesser-known contemporary folk, originals, children's.
• From the Chester County, Pennsylvania area, Medicinal Purpose has played an ever-widening range of dances in the mid-Atlantic region, as well as concerts, festivals, and other settings.
• The Mighty Possums, including Joe DeZarn and Alexander Mitchell on fiddles, Tabby Finch on piano, and Ralph Gordon on bass and are based in Washington, DC. (e-mail only for the band)
• Milliners' Maggot plays traditional music on fiddle and piano, with a focus on Celtic, English and New England tunes for contra and English country dances in upstate New York.
• Celia Millington-Wyckoff plays bass and recorder with Dr. Twamley's Audio Snakes and is based in Pennsylvania.
• The Mixed Age Dance (MAD) Band plays easy-to-learn tunes for the Princeton Country Dancer's Community Dance. Our participants range in age from grammar school to senior citizens. It's a great way to learn a new instrument or learn to play with a live band. New entry (January 16, 2008)
• The band Mockin'bird plays contra medleys that mix old standards from the northeast and the south with the occasional tune from other parts of the world. The band is based in upstate New York.
• New York State's Bruce Molsky : alone or with fellow musicians; guitar, fiddle, or banjo in hand, has been exploring traditional music from an astonishingly broad range of cultures over the past two decades and even plays at a few contra dances. MySpace page. New entry (November 11, 2007) Added MySpace page (January 19, 2008)
• The Morrison Brothers: Jim Morrison (Fiddle and Guitar), Owen Morrison (Acoustic and Electric Guitars) and Will Morrison (Percussion) of Charlottesville, Virginia, occasionally play at contra dances. New entry (November 15, 2007)
• The New Southern Cowtippers reach deep into the musical roots of American music playing Appalachian fiddle tunes and songs, southern blues, pop tunes from the early 1900s, Grand Ole Opry favorites, southern gospel, and original compositions. They are based in Columbia, Maryland.
• No Strings Attached is a quartet based in Roanoke/Blacksburg, Virginia that features the following instruments: two hammer dulcimers, guitar, bass, harmonica, bouzouki, pennywhistle, flute, kalimba, synthesizers, bass and tenor clarinets, bass and tenor saxophones, Slinkys and percussion. MySpace page. Added MySpace page (January 19, 2008)
• The Plum Moonshiners are an old-time stringband that plays and sings southern rural mountain music and are based in the Ithaca area.
• The Princeton Country Dancers Pick-Up Band plays about once per month for the weekly contra dance in Princeton, New Jersey. It is open to players at all skill levels on any acoustic instrument. New entry (January 16, 2008)
• Fiddler Alicia Jo Rabins plays everything from old-time (traditional Appalachian dance music, with banjos and stuff) to klezmer (Eastern European Jewish party music, with Slivovitz). She is based in Brooklyn, New York. MySpace page. New entry (October 14, 2007)
• Raise the Roof, from the eastern Pennsylvania/New Jersey area features Mat Clark, Pete Soloway, Judi Stellar, & Kathy Talvitie. E-mail Change of URL (January 19, 2008)
• The Reed Island Rounders play the foot-stomping dance tunes of the Blue Ridge to romantic waltzes, and beyond to the dark and lonesome mountain tunes of a solo fiddle or duet with the banjo and are based in Virginia.
• Jane Rothfield is a contra dance fiddler and banjo player and is based in New York State.
• Roustabout, including Chris Romaine, Lars Hanslin, and Bruce Hutton, play in the Washington, D. C. area. (e-mail only)
• The Rum & Onions Band is the name of the band which, for many years now, has formed and rehearsed for several weeks in the fall to play at a Halloween contra dance organized by the Princeton Country Dancers. We have been joined in the past by many musicians from near and far. Instruments of all kinds are welcome: melody, rhythm, percussion. They also play at a few other events such as NEFFA. New entry (January 16, 2008)
• The Run of the Mill String Band has been playing and performing Old Time Appalachian music together for over ten years in southeastern Pennsylvania. MySpace page. Added MySpace page (November 15, 2007)
• Small Tattoo plays southern old-time fiddle music for square and contradances and includes Judy Hyman, Jeff Klaus, Stuart Kenney, Liza Constable, and Taki Masuko. Given that the players are from several different location, I'll say that they are based in Ithaca, New York.
• Beverly Smith and Carl Jones play at a variety of contra dances mostly in the mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic regions. They are based in Philadelphia.
• Some Assembly is a quartet of musicians from Southern Maryland whose repertoire is quite eclectic, but draws heavily from traditional Irish, Scottish, English and Canadian (especially Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island) instrumental music. Change from URL to e-mail (January 19, 2008)
• Soup for the Soles is an eclectic ensemble of musicians who share a love for traditional Irish, English, and North American tunes played at contra and square dances and is based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
• Bill Spence with Fennig's All Stars and other groups, has bee playing the hammered dulcimer for dances and others events since the 1970s. He is based in New York State. New entry (January 18, 2008)
• SPUDS is the pick-up band that regularly plays for the Thursday Night Contra Dance held at Glenside Hall in Glenside, Pennsylvania.
• While he was born in Italy, Rafe Stefanini has established himself as an interpreter of fiddle music from the South with his dynamic and elegant fiddle and banjo playing in numerous bands. He is based in Pennsylvania. MySpace page. New entry (November 15, 2007)
• Wes Steenson is a member of Fingerpyx along with playing guitar, 5-string banjo, mandolin, mandola, bass guitar, resophonic guitar, bouzouki and bodhran for groups that play English Country dance music or music for dance performances. He lives in Philadelphia. New entry (November 15, 2007)
• Besides all his wonderful web pages about contra dancing, Bob Stein, from the Philadelphia area, is a musician who plays the accordion, piano, banjo, and a small drum called a doumbek. (e-mail only)
• The Stillhouse Rounders is a group of Hudson Valley musicians who play traditional, acoustic, old time rural stringband music with a sound is reminiscent of early stringbands recorded throughout the rural south and mid-west.
• From State College, Pennsylvania, Strath Hanna plays mostly Scottish traditional music, both for dancing (Scottish and contras) and for listening.
• The Maryland based band Terpsichore is a contra duo (Elke Baker and Liz Donaldson), a trio with Ralph Gordon, or even larger with special guests from Maryland.
• The Virginia band The Toad Mamas play New England, Celtic, French-Canadian and American Music for contra dances, weddings, celebrations and gatherings, or just plain fun.
• Toppish plays traditional Irish music for Contra Dancing - many years of contra experience, precision players, tunes to suit the dances and plenty of positive energy and plays for the weekly contra in Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania.
• The Tractor Family plays Southern Old-Time music and includes Judy Hyman, Jeff Claus, John Hermann, Larry Unger, and June Drucker and is based in New York State.
• Trefoyle plays music in the Irish-American tradition. It includes Brendan Brown on button accordion and vocals, Anne Maroney on fiddle and vocals, and Mark Warford on guitar, Irish bouzouki and vocals. They are based in New York State.
• An innovative dance band from Western New York & Pennsylvania, TuneScape nudges the border between traditional music and modern groove, inspired by the tunes of Ireland, New England, Quebec, and Appalachia. MySpace page. Added MySpace page (January 2, 2008)
• Turtle United is a group of musicians from Rochester, NY with varied musical backgrounds united by a love of contradancing and contradance music.
• John Guay and Vonnie Estes are the members of Two Bits String Band and also play with a number of other musicians comprising different bands with different styles of music ranging from Irish breakdown to U.S. colonial. They are based in New York State. New entry (November 15, 2007)
• Two Lost Turkeys is part of the Appalachian string band revival in Brooklyn, NY, and on sources from North Carolina, West Virginia, Kentucky and beyond. New entry (November 17, 2007)
• UFO, according to Laura Light, is contradance music with a western swing! This band features Laura, Pete Vigour and Jim Morrison on fiddles, guitar and peddle steel and the rhythm section of Kim and Jimbo Cary on bass and drums and is based in West Virginia.
• Unbowed is a fiddle-less contradance band from Pennsylvania, led by the mandolin of Henry Koretzky and supported by guitarist Jamie O'Brien and others. (e-mail only (take out the (at)))
• Josee Vachon plays in the band Chanterelle, solos, and with other musicians. She is based in Pennsylvania.
• The Virginia Klezmer band, the Vulgar Bulgars occasionally play at a contra dance. New entry (January 18, 2008)
• The Walker Family Band, in various incarnations, has played for traditional dances all over New York (their base) and New England for almost 25 years. With the children adding a variety of musical instruments, they play a mixture of music from the dance traditions of England, Scotland, Ireland, Scandinavia, Quebec, Cape Breton, New England, and Appalachia.
• Joel Wennerstrom plays clawhammer banjo at barn dances in New York City and performs with numerous old-time and contra dance musicians in the area. New entry (November 17, 2007)
• The members of Whiskers Before Breakfast have played for decades with groups from the Glen Echo Open Band to Moose Chowder. The members include Al Taylor (fiddle), Ritchie Schuman and Steve Benka (hammer dulcimer). (e-mail only)
• The Whitetop Mountain Band is a family-based band from the highest mountains of Virginia. The members have done much to preserve the Whitetop region's style of old time fiddling and banjo picking and are legendary musicians and teachers of the style. New entry (January 29, 2009)
• Whitewater is from the New Jersey/Pennsylvania area and features Janet Mills, Robert Mills, Bob Pasquarello, & Kathy Talvitie. (e-mail only)
• Wild Rose (and the Thorns) is a Dance Band group that plays mainly for Contra Dances but is open to other events and is based in upstate NY and plays an assortment of fiddle tunes from ancient Celtic and Scottish origins to early American Jigs and Reels, to Eastern European Klezmer, and to modern waltzes of mystical influence. MySpace page. Change of URL (January 19, 2008) Added MySpace page (January 19, 2008)
• The Rochester, New York based WildRoot String Band plays Southern style Old-Time music from the Appalachian regions of North Carolina, the Virginias and Tennessee. New entry (November 15, 2007)
• George Wilson's dynamic fiddling, strongly influenced by Cape Breton and French Canadian styles, has been popular with contra cancers and concert-goers since the late 1970s.
• Wily Milo is an old-time string band in New York State. Site has problems (January 19, 2008)
• Gary Wright and Leah Weiss play guitar and fiddle with other musicians at contra and square dances in Maryland. New entry (December 12, 2007)
• The Zing Kings are three good friends and veterans of the Charlottesville, Virginia music scene who get together to play for the joy of it.

Callers

• The Princeton (New Jersey) Country Dancers has a page of links and information for bands, musicians and callers which play at the Princeton dance. Change in URL (January 19, 2008)
• Melanie Axel-Lute calls from South Orange, New Jersey.
• Doug Baldwin is a caller in the Rochester, New York area. (e-mail only)
• Michael Barraclough was the caller with folk rock band Pyewackett and now calls Zesty Contras and English Country Dance in the USA and is based in Washington, DC. Change of location and URL (January 30, 2008)
• Hilton Baxter began contradancing around 1992 and began calling dances in 1998 and have written a few of his own. He calls in and around Binghamton, New York. New entry (January 18, 2008)
• Peter Blue calls, plays, and handles sound duties at dances in New York State and other environs. (e-mail only)
• Shawn Brenneman calls in Virginia and other locales and has designed several web sites connected to contra dancing.
• Laura Brown is a caller from the southern Maryland area. (e-mail only)
• Dave Brown calls in the Buffalo, NY area. (e-mail only)
• Ron Buchanan is a caller from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania but calls and runs workshops in a variety of other locales. (e-mail only)
• Hanny Budnick is a caller, teacher and MC from Philadelphia with specialties that include English Country Dancing, traditional New England contras, and international family dances. (e-mail only)
• Wendy Burwell is a caller in the Rochester, New York area. (e-mail only)
• Cynthia Butcher is a caller from the Albany, New York area. (e-mail only)
• Dave Colestock is a dance caller and the dance organizer for the Harrisburg, PA contra dance and calls at a number of venues in the mid-Atlantic states and New England.
• Besides formulating his heavy duty contra dance data base, Ted Crane calls in Ithaca, New York and other places.
• Sue Dupré is a caller from New Jersey.
• Ann Fallon calls in and around the Maryland and also teaches waltz. (e-mail only, take out 'at' to properly use the e-mail)
• Beau Farmer calls at the Princeton, New Jersey dance on an occasional basis. Change of URL (July 14, 2007)
• Don Flaherty, from New Jersey, calls and in Pennsylvania. (e-mail only)
• Kim Forry calls circles, squares and contras in the Maryland area. (e-mail only (change the at))
• Kathy Fox is a caller in Fredonia, New York.
• Nils Fredland is a teacher and caller of contra dances, traditional squares, and community family dances. You might also see him appear as a musician -- trombonist, vocalist, or bass player. He is based in Pennsylvania and Maryland.
• Greg Frock lives in Maryland and calls there and over the border in places such as State College, Pennsylvania. (e-mail only for direct contact)
• Rich Futyma calls in New York State and nearby locales.
• Hailing from Severna Park, Maryland, Alan Gedance calls in many states. (e-mail only)
• While located in Pennsylvania, Steve Gester calls there and a number of other places. (e-mail only)
• Pam Goddard is a caller from the Ithaca, New York area.
• Yonina Gordon is from the New York City area and calls English Country and contra dances in and around the greater metro area.
• Amy Gravitz is a caller in the Rochester, New York area. (e-mail only)
• From New York, Gail Griffith has been calling for 20 years, specializing in bringing traditional music and dance to beginners. She calls English and Welsh barn dances, and contradances.
• Chart Guthrie is a caller out on Long Island, New York associated with LITMA. (e-mail only)
• Susan Hankin called at the dance in Arden, Delaware on January 20, 2008. She is based in Baltimore, Maryland.
• Katy Heine is from Ithaca, New York and has been calling since 1989 in the region including Rochester, Binghamton, Syracuse, Cooperstown, and north-central PA. (e-mail only) Change in e-mail address (March 5, 2008)
• Scott Higgs is a caller from the Philadelphia area.
• Tom Hinds has been calling squares and contras since 1984 and is based in Charlottesville, Virginia. (e-mail only)
• Ted Hodapp calls from the Washington, D.C. area.
• Donna Hunt lives in Pennsylvania and calls at a number of dances in the area. (e-mail only)
• Amy Kahn is a caller in the Rochester, New York area. (e-mail only)
• Andy Kane calls traditional Contra, Square and Circle Dance for all groups and ages in the Maryland area.
• Jeff Kaufman occasionally calls contras along with a varietyof other pursuits. He is based in Pennsylvania. New entry (April 20, 2008)
• Ridge Kennedy is a caller based in New Jersey. (e-mail only)
• Jim Kitch, of Pennsylvania, spends much of his spare time volunteering with the Heritage Dance Association in Philadelphia. (e-mail only)
• John Krumm, while based in Pennsylvania, many times is an instructor at various events at the Ashokan camps and dances.
• Denise Lair is a caller from Charlottesville, Virginia. (e-mail only) New entry (April 19, 2008)
• Chloe Maryam Maher plays piano with The Contraptions and with other bands and musicians for English, Scottish, and contra dances. She is based in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. New entry (May 3, 2008)
• Mike Miller is from Syracuse, New York, but also calls out in the Great Lakes region. (e-mail only)
• Janet Mills calls on a frequent basis at the Princeton, New Jersey dance. Change of URL (July 14, 2007)
• Eva Murray is a traditional dance caller in metropolitan Washington, D.C.
• Bob Nicholson calls from the Syracuse, New York area.
• DeLaura Padovan is based in Virginia and has calls at many of the dances in the area including the Friday Glen Echo, Maryland dance.
• Charlie Pineda is based in Maryland and calls there and in other Atlantic states. He started calling in 1990 and discovered contras in 1993. (e-mail only)
• Judy Rivkin is an English Country/Contra Dance leader based in Central New Jersey. New entry (April 17, 2008)
• Paul Rosen has been calling dances in Virginia and surrounding states since 1990. Change of URL (November 20, 2007)
• Paul Rosenberg calls a variety of dances (contras, squares, international) at a variety of venues ranging from Falcon Ridge to family dances.
• Joyce Rossbach is a caller based in the Syracuse, New York area.
• Richard Sauvain is a caller in the Rochester, New York area. (e-mail only (change atsign to @))
• David Smukler calls from the Syracuse, New York area.
• Nancy Spero is a caller from the Ithaca, New York area. (e-mail only)
• Peter Stix calls in the Albany, New York area and other venues. (e-mail only)
• Melissa Taggart calls Philadelphia area and in New Jersey. (e-mail only) New entry (September 25, 2007)
• Susan Taylor is a caller from the southern Maryland area who considers herself the hostess of a dance, wherever she may be. Change from e-mail to URL (April 20, 2008)
• Mark Widmer is a caller based in central New Jersey.
• Reine Wonite calls from northern Virginia and lists several of her compositions.
• Chris Youngblood called at the Floyd, Virginia dance on February 9, 2008.

Organizations

• The Baltimore Folk Music Society is a nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to preserving and promoting folk music, dance, and tradition. BFMS sponsors regular dances, concerts, family events, and related activities year-round.
• The Folk Project is a not-for-profit folk music and dance organization which sponsors or organizes a wide variety of folk-music related activities in the Northern New Jersey area.
• The Folk Dance Council is located in Philadelphia.
• The Susquehanna Folk Music Society (SFMS) is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and encouraging the traditional arts in Central Pennsylvania.
• The Tidewater Friends of Folk Music (TFFM) is an incorporated non-profit organization formed to advance, preserve, and promote "traditional" and "contemporary" folk music in the community. Through the sponsorship of concerts, festivals, music workshops and activities, TFFM provides a focus for anyone who enjoys folk music and culture.
• The Folklore Society of Greater Washington's main purpose is to further the understanding, investigation, appreciation, and performance of the traditional folk music and folklore of the the American people.
• Friends of Fiddle & Dance is a non-profit organization that sponsors dances and concerts, co-sponsors music and dance camps at Ashokan, and publishes the Fiddle & Dance News.
• The Long Island Traditional Music Association supports traditional music and dance in this part of the state. S. Guthrie manages the site.
• Old Songs, Inc. is a not-for-profit, educational, tax-exempt organization dedicated to preserving traditional music and dance.
• Southern Maryland Traditional Music and Dance hosts a variety of dance and music events including contra dances in St. Mary's and Calvert Counties.
• The DanceFlurry Organization sponsors a variety of dances and events in the Capital Region of upstate New York. See their online Dance Calendar for more information about traditional dance events in the Capital Region.

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Produced by Charlie Seelig
Last updated on May 5, 2008