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.

Note: CDSS Outreach Notes by Linda Henry, Outreach Manager. Announcing... an upcoming leadership event co-sponsored by CDSS! Puttin' on the Dance: A Conference for Northeast Dance Organizers will happen on November 11-13, 2011 in White River Junction, VT. If you organize any English or American dance series (contra, square, English country, community, family, etc.) in the northeastern U.S. or Canada, join us for this rare and exciting opportunity. Meet with peers, share ideas, learn new skills, dance, have fun, be organizer geeks, and more! For more information: Contact Chrissy Fowler (ME), Delia Clark (VT), Linda Henry (MA): NEDanceOrgs@gmail.com - And if you need support for a music and/or dance event or project, CDSS can help! See our Outreach Funds page to apply for a grant. The next deadline is April 1. Contact Linda Henry for logistical support and advice: linda@cdss.org or 413-268-7426 x 105.

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.). Change of URL (February 17, 2011)

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.
  • Wednesday Night Square & Contra Dances every Wednesday night in Baltimore;
  • New Dancers' ("Nouveaux Danseurs") Workshops are held every second and fourth Wednesday preceding the Wednesday Night Contra Dances;
  • The Mid-Winter Ball held at the end of January or the beginning of February; and
  • Second Saturday Dance Events which include contras.
  • A new dance series at the Dickey Mill in Baltimore in the afternoon on 3rd Sundays. New entry (July 23, 2011)
• Southern Maryland Traditional Music and Dance hosts a variety of dance and music events including contra dances in Chaptico.
• 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.
• 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.
• In addition to the more established series of dances, the Folklore Society of Greater Washington sponsors a Contra Sonic/Techno Contra series in Glen Echo on 3rd Tuesdays (some months alternative venues are used). New entry (April 4, 2011)
• Several organizations sponsor monthly 4th Saturday contra dances in St. Michaels. New entry (February 7, 2010)

New Jersey

• The Folk Project maintains a list of dances in the northern NJ area.
• The Philadelphia All Week Dance Guide mentions contra, English, and Scottish dancing on the 2nd month of the month in Cinnaminson.
• As part of the Folk Project activities, Swingin' Tern presents Contra and Square Dancing to live music in East Hanover the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month.
• The Lambertville Country Dances hold contra dances on the 2nd Friday of each month (with occasional dances on other Fridays). However, for now, the dances are in Titusville as the site search continues.
• 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. Community dances are held on a variety of Sundays. Many special contra and English events are held throughout the year.

New York

• The DanceFlurry Organization has information about a number of contra dances in upstate New York.
• The Albany contradances continue in Albany on 2nd & 5th Fridays.
• The Dance Flurry Organization sponsors a series of family dances on the 2nd Sunday of the month from November to April in Delmar and Albany.
• The Old Songs Festival of Traditional Music and Dance is held 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 at least 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.

• There are contra dances on the second (generally) Saturday of each month at 7:00pm in Binghamton.
• There is a new contra dance series on various Fridays at the Brooklyn Lyceum with a lesson at 7:30pm and dancing at 8:00pm. Change of URL (January 8, 2011) New entry (November 19, 2010)
• Dave Harvey hosts a barn dance on the 3rd Friday of the month from October to June in Brooklyn. Change of date and location (borough) (December 13, 2011)
• 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 (October to June) and third Saturdays only from July to September at 8:00pm. Cynthia Van Ness maintains the site.
• DanceFlurry has information about the 4th Sunday dances (followed by a potluck) in Cambridge at the Beacon Feed Studios.
• 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 Columbia County contra dance series occurs on the 1st Saturday of each month in Chatham.
• The folks at the DanceFlurry Organization sponsor dances on various Sundays (May through September) in Colonie. Rich Futyma maintains the site.
• The Otsego Dance Society holds dances, generally on 1st Fridays, in Cooperstown at the First Presbyterian Church, on the corner of Pioneer and Church Streets. Change of URL (May 10, 2010)
• 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 April in Delmar and Albany.
• Paul Rosenberg and Tamarack and friends are the caller and musicians at the Homespun Barn Dance series in Delmar. New entry (November 24, 2010)
• 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.
• The Long Island All Together contra dance series occurs on various Saturdays in Glen Cove.
• The DanceFlurry Organization presents information about the dances in Glen Falls on the 4th Saturday of the month.
• 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 Cornell Contra Dance Club holds dances on various Mondays on the Cornell University campus in Ithaca. New entry (March 13, 2010)
• 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.
• Kellish Farms in Manlius hosts barn dances on various dates throughout the year.
• 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 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.
• A new family dance series has begun in New York City on various Sundays from 2pm to 4pm in Manhattan. New entry (October 14, 2011)
• The Old Bethpage Village hosts a series of contra dances from late spring to early fall in Old Bethpage.
• The Southern Tier Contra Dance Society sponsors dances in Olean generally, but not always, on the 2nd Saturday of the month.
• The Ontario Center for Performing Arts sponsors dances on various Fridays (usually the 1st Friday) in Oswego. New entry (March 4, 2010)
• 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 Annual Cranberry Dulcimer and Autoharp Gathering in Rensselaerville happens in late July and sometimes includes a contra and square dance.
• 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 (January 31, 2011)
• The DanceFlurry Organization sponsors the annual Dance Flurry Festival, held in mid-February in Saratoga Springs.
• The DanceFlurry Organization promotes Saratoga area contra dances in Saratoga Springs on (generally fourth) Saturdays from September to June. Rich Futyma maintains the site.
• 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).
• There are dances on various Saturdays at the Grange Hall in Whallonsburg beginning at 7:00pm. New entry (April 13, 2011)
• The 2nd Saturday dance in Woodstock is sponsored by Friends of Fiddle and Dance.

Pennsylvania

• The Valley Contra Dance holds regular dances on the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Saturdays of each month in Bethlehem September through June, except November's second dance is Butterball Friday, the day after Thanksgiving and the day before Butterball (on Sautrday).
• The Elverson contra dances are held on the 1st Saturday of each month (other than in July and August).
• There are dances in Galilee on the third Saturday of each month from May to November at 7:00pm to 10:00pm at the Unity Grange, 554 Galilee Road. There's a pre-dance workshop, beginners and kids are welcome. Contact: 570-224-4653 or click on the link for e-mail. New entry (June 14, 2010)
• 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, Pennsylvania dances occur on various Saturdays, on some months, at the YMCA.
• The Harrisburg Area Contra Dance Association holds the Locust Lane Contra Dance in Harrisburg on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of the month.
• The Folklore Society of Northeastern Pennsylvania holds contra dances, generally on 1st Saturdays, in Kingston, in the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre region of Pennsylvania.
• The Princeton (New Jersey) Country Dancers hold an annual Head for the Hills, a weekend of dance and music, near Kresgeville in early November.
• The Lancaster Traditional Society hosts the Lancaster Contra Dance, normally held on the third Saturday of each month.
• The Lewisburg (Pennsylvania) Contra Dances, presented by the Countryside Contra Dancers, are held on the 3rd Saturday of each month.
• There's a contra dance every Wednesday night at Montgomery Hall at Allegheny College in Meadville when school is in session.
• 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 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.

Virginia

• 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.
• In Bristol, there are dances on the 2nd Friday of the month at the Bristol Ballet studios.
• The Rockbridge Mountain Music & Dance Festival occurs in Buena Vista in mid-September and includes a couple of contra dances.
• Cville Contra, Contracorners, and the Charlottesville Contradance Fall Festival sponsor the Charlottesville and Central Virginia Contradance web site with information for dances in and around Charlottesville.
• 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 of URL (September 17, 2010)
• 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 web site has information about the new 1st Sunday (but 3rd Sunday this September 2008) Fluvanna dance in Fork Union.
• 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.
• There is a new techno contra dance series in Greenwood on the 2nd Friday of the month. New entry (January 20, 2011)
• 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 Friends of Appalachian Music (F.O.A.M.) hold dances on the 1st Saturday of each month except August in Norge or Williamsburg.
• 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. Change of URL (July 5, 2011)
• The Roanoke Contra Dancers host dances on the 4th Saturday of each month and the dances are co-sponsored by the City of Roanoke Parks and Recreation Department.
• The dances in Staunton happen on the 3rd Saturday of the month with a workshop at 7:30pm before the dance at 8:00pm.

Washington, D.C. (and area)

• 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.
• All Hat No Cattle plays hot tunes for contra dances and more and is based in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania.
• Amarillis features Maro Avakian, Donna Isaac and Allison Thompson and has a CD, "Waltzing in the Trees". They are based in Pennsylvania.
• Stefan John Amidon plays percussion and other instruments in bands including Magic Foot and Assembly. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.
• 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.
• Tim Ball plays fiddle with Contrapasso, Tunescape, the OÕShanigans, and other fine musicians for contra and English Country dances around upstate New York and beyond. New entry (April 9, 2011)
• Charley Beller is based in Baltimore and a member of the band, Contranella. New entry (January 21, 2011)
• Megan Beller is a violinist and traditional American and Klezmer fiddler in Baltimore, Maryland. She plays American, Irish, and French Canadian fiddle tunes with her contra dance band Contranella.
• 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).
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 sprightly square dance tunes, haunting banjo pieces, and sings a variety of songs from the blues to ballads. He is based outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. MySpace page. Change of URL (January 21, 2011)
• 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.
• Cantabile plays music in a variety of genres from classical to dance music and for events ranging from receptions to community dances. The band is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• Julianne Carney has performed with Jay Z at Radio City Music Hall but also plays fiddle at barn dances in New York City.
• 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.
• The Coalhouse Klezmer Band plays high intensity klezmer music for weddings, bar mitzvahs, and contra dances and is based in Baltimore, Maryland. MySpace page.
• From the Pennsylvania/New Jersey area, Col. Mike's Dance Band is composed of John Krumm, Bob Pasquarello, and Bob Stein. (e-mail only)
• 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.
• 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.
• Contranella is composed of father and daughter John and Meg Wobus with Charley Beller and is based in Syracuse, New York area. MySpace page. Added MySpace page (January 21, 2011)
• The Contraptions are a Philadelphia based contra band and have had fun playing together since June 2006.
• 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.
• Dank is a contra dance band hailing from Bradford, Pennsylvania and includes John Siepierski, Brian Thompson, Jason Wood, and Vanere Maynard.
• 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.
• Susie Deane plays Jazz, Swing, Irish, Contradance and is based in Poughkeepsie, New York. New entry (April 9, 2011)
• Distant Star is based in the New Jersey/Pennsylvania area and includes Susie Lorand, Judi Stellar and 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.
• 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'.
• June Drucker is well known in the old time music scene for her bass playing in the Heartbeats, The Horseflies, Big Table and the Tractor Family. She is based in New York State.
• The Eclectic Dance Orchestra, composed of Howard Hamm, Mark Vincent, Paul Rice, Joe De Paolo and Charlie Tokarz and play traditional and rock 'n' roll contra dances. The band is based in New York State.
• The Elk Creek Family Band from Sullivan County, Pennsylvania plays at a variety of venues including contra dances.
• 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 FireFlies play traditional fiddle music for your dancing and listening pleasure and are based in the NY Capitol District.
• 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. MySpace page.
• 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.
• Furnace Mountain plays ethno-Appalachian roots music and is based in Virginia.
• Giant Robot Dance includes two Marcus brothers (Andrew and Aaron), two VanNorstrand brothers (Noah and Andrew) and Michael Ferguson. The band is based in Syracuse, New York.
• 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.
• 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.
• Green Light Karma is a relatively new DC-area contra dance band, Green Light Karma is David Knight on fiddle, Andrew Marcus on accordion, and Dave Wiesler on piano and guitar. All three players are experienced dance musicians, as well as prolific tunesmiths, and Green Light Karma's music is at once driving and danceable, with a refreshingly different repertoire. New entry (January 21, 2011)
• Hope Grietzer has played and studied in Colorado, Pennsylvania and her present home near Owego, New York and plays with a variety of bands in the area. New entry (January 21, 2011)
• 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 Mark Hellenberg on percussion. It operates from Rochester, New York. MySpace page.
• 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.
• Hay for Three is an old-timey trio with Ryck Kaiser on fiddle, Bill Goldberg on banjo and Freya Qually on guitar. They are based in south central Pennsylvania. New entry (October 10, 2011)
• Jesse Hazzard-Watkins plays classical trumpet along with being a member of the band, Elixir. He is based in northern Virginia. MySpace page.
• 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.
• The Hell's Kitchen Cookers plays at contra dances and family dances in New York City and nearby venues. You can reach them too, by calling Randy Wright at 917-887-5574. (e-mail only) New entry (October 14, 2011)
• 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.
• Andrea Hoag, Loretta Kelley and Charlie Pilzer play Swedish, Norwegian and other Scandinavian music as a trio. The group is based in Maryland. New entry (January 21, 2011)
• 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.
• 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
• 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.
• Illegal Contraband is a contradance band with an emphasis on New England, Irish, and Quebecois dance tunes, they are just as likely to throw in everything from wild Klezmer music, swing, classical, and jazz to gentle Scandinavian waltzes. The band is based in Catskill Mountains of New York. Change of location (February 13, 2011)
• 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.
• Christopher Jacoby plays with two bands from the mid-Atlantic, Last Exit and Stunt Double. New entry (January 21, 2011)
• 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. MySpace page.
• Rhys Jones has been been raised in the rich environment of Midwestern old-time fiddling and while he find himself surrounded by the echoes of his historical and personal influences, he pays homage to them rather than simply repeat that which has come before. He are based in New York City.
• The Jugbusters play old-time country music in the New River Valley and Blacksburg, Virginia and for traditional square dances. New entry (January 21, 2011)
• 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.
• 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.
• Caller and musician John Krumm has been performing for almost four decades for contras, squares, swing dancing and English dancing with knowledge from the U.S., Quebec and the British Isles. He is based in Pennsylvania.
• Jody Kruskal is a New York City concertina player who is a member of several bands in the area. New entry (January 21, 2011)
• Marnen Laibow-Koser plays piano, fiddle, viola, flute, and recorder for contra dances and is based in upstate New York.
• Late for Supper plays old-time Appalachian fiddle tunes, bluegrass, gospel, and originals sung in three part harmony. We're an eclectic group, playing a variety of music on guitar, fiddle and banjo -- old country songs and ballads, to bluegrass standards, to old-time gospel. It is based in Pennsylvania. MySpace page.
• 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.
• Long John and the Tights is an old time string band from Ithaca, New York. We play music that became popular in the southern Appalachian mountains from around 1920 - 1940, mixing in some elements of today's celtic, bluegrass, and northern square and contra-dance music and include Randi Beckmann, John Hoffmann, Jody Platt and Jim Reidy. New entry (January 21, 2011)
• 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)
• Michael Ludgate is a fiddle player who lives in upstate New York and is a member of O'Shanigans and other bands. New entry (January 21, 2011)
• Mangrove Green plays traditional Celtic, British and American music on fiddle and piano in upstate New York.
• The Martin Family Band is a 6-piece band based in Maryland and has been performing in the Washington DC area since 1995. New entry (March 7, 2010)
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Rick Mohr is a contra dance caller and fiddler living in the Philadelphia area.
• 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.
• Montage, exciting new dance band from Western New York and Pennsylvania, plays an innovative mix of European-based music, rooted in tradition and strongly influenced by modern styles.
• 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.
• Owen Morrison is a full-time guitarist, living in Charlottesville, Virginia, who is a member of House Red, the Morrison Brothers Band, the Figments, and Night Watch. MySpace page.
• Naomi Morse plays fiddle with the band Night Watch and lives in Brooklyn New York.
• 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.
• The O'Shanigans contra dance band performs Celtic, American and world Fiddle tunes suitable for contra dancing, general entertainment and weddings with fiddle and dance tunes from: New England, Southern Appalachia, Canada, Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Finland, Sweden and the Middle East! The band is based in New York State. New entry (November 28, 2010)
• Old Sledge is a group of young musicians from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, blowing the dust off old tunes and songs from the golden era of early country, hillbilly and blues music. New entry (April 9, 2011)
• Charlie Pilzer's resume of includes being a musician, producer, sound engineer and event organizer for music ranging from Scandinavian and Celtic to folk and acoustic. He hails from Virginia. New entry (April 9, 2011)
• 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.
• 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.
• Raise the Roof, from the eastern Pennsylvania/New Jersey area features Mat Clark, Pete Soloway, Judi Stellar and Kathy Talvitie. E-mail
• 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.
• Philip K. Robinson is an Ithaca (NY)-based musician who plays in several bands from the area. New entry (January 21, 2011)
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Smash the Windows began as a Civil War period dance project in 2006 and branched out to play contras and festivals in 2007 and is based in State College, Pennsylvania. New entry (January 31, 2011)
• 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. (e-mail only)
• 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. Site has problems (November 28, 2009)
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Strings on Wings plays traditional fiddle tunes and waltzes in the Appalachian, Celtic, Folk, New England and French Canadian styles, features Todd Clewell and Barb Schmid and is based in Pennsylvania.
• Tame Rutabaga is a garden variety Family Dance Band, specializing in dances for the very young and the young-at-heart and is based in the Albany, New York region.
• Ellen Tepper plays the harp at dances and other events with a variety of musicians. She is based in eastern Pennsylvania.
• 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.
• Toss the Possum is the band of the Zisette family of Virginia and plays at dances in Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina. New entry (January 21, 2011)
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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)))
• Uncle Henry's Favorites is an old time string band from Charlottesville, Virginia and was formed in 1985. New entry (January 21, 2011)
• Uncle Joe and the Rosebud Ramblers offers a mix of lively up tempo New England fiddle tunes, energetic old time tunes from before the Civil War and family oriented traditional folk songs that have stood the test of time. The band is from Ithaca, New York. New entry (April 9, 2011)
• Josee Vachon plays in the band Chanterelle, solos, and with other musicians. She is based in Pennsylvania.
• Andrew and Noah VanNorstrand have a separate site (from the Great Bear Trio) for their own musical endeavors as a duo. They are based in New York State. New entry (January 21, 2011)
• The Virginia Klezmer band, the Vulgar Bulgars occasionally play at a contra dance. MySpace page.
• 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.
• 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.
• Whitewater is from the New Jersey/Pennsylvania area and features Janet Mills, Robert Mills, Bob Pasquarello and 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. Problem with main site (November 28, 2009)
• 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.
• 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.
• Gary Wright and Leah Weiss play guitar and fiddle with other musicians at contra and square dances in Maryland.
• For more than twenty years, the Zillionaires have played string swing jazz standards, fiddle tunes, klezmer dance music, and songs new and old at events in and around Albany, New York.
• 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.
• Melanie Axel-Lute calls from South Orange, New Jersey.
• Tom Amesse is a caller from New York City. New entry (April 9, 2011)
• Ruthanne E. Ankney calls a variety of dances including contras, Squares, English and International. She specializes in family and community dances and creates special holiday and seasonal themed dances. She also teaches seasonal ritual dance.ÊShe is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. New entry (August 22, 2011)
• 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.
• 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.
• Peter Blue calls, plays, and handles sound duties at dances in New York State and other environs. (e-mail only)
• April Blum has called in various venues in the Mid-Atlantic (Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia). (e-mail only) New entry (May 7, 2011)
• Shawn Brenneman calls in Virginia and other locales and has designed several web sites connected to contra dancing.
• Laura Brown is a caller of squares and contras who lives in the downtown of the District of Columbia. (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.
• Sargon de Jesus is contra dance caller based in Arlington, Virginia (near Washington, DC).
• 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)
• 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))
• 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 New Hampshire.
• 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 3, 2010. 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.
• 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.
• Eric Hollman lives just outside of New Paltz in Highland, New York and is a frequent caller in the Mid-Hudson Valley. (e-mail only) New entry (September 26, 2010)
• 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.
• 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)
• Caller and musician John Krumm has been performing for almost four decades for contras, squares, swing dancing and English dancing with knowledge from the U.S., Quebec and the British Isles. He is based in Pennsylvania.
• Denise Lair is a caller from Charlottesville, Virginia. (e-mail only)
• Carl Levine is an English Country Dance and contra dance teacher/caller who is based in New York City but has called dances in Ann Arbor, New Haven, Troy, Wayne, at the LITMA dance in Smithtown, at NOMAD and at various CDSS dance camps.
• 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.
• 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.
• Rick Mohr is a contra dance caller and fiddler living in the Philadelphia area.
• 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.
• Paul Rosen has been calling dances in Virginia and surrounding states since 1990.
• 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 in e-mail (June 5, 2010)
• 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. Change of URL (April 12, 2010)
• Susan Taylor is a caller from the southern Maryland area who considers herself the hostess of a dance, wherever she may be.
• Sarah VanNorstrand regularly calls at her home dance in Syracuse dance, as well as in Rochester, Oswego, Owego, Buffalo, Cooperstown, Albany and Ithaca along with dances in New England and other venues. New entry (April 9, 2011)
• Mark Widmer is a caller based in central New Jersey.
• Reine Wonite calls from northern Virginia and lists several of her compositions.
• Lucia Wright calls at dances in Upstate New York and New York City. You also reach her at 212-254-3551. New entry (October 14, 2011)
• Chris Youngblood called at the Floyd, Virginia dance on September 12, 2009.

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.

This page is part of the Contrdancelinks.com web site. For more information about contra dancing, visit these other site pages:

*The Colorado link will bring you to Dancing on the Web. The Iowa link will bring you to the Central Iowa Barn Dance Association. The Maine link will bring you to the Downeast Friends of the Folk Arts. The New Mexico link will bring you to the New Mexico Folk Music and Dance Society. The Utah link will bring you to Utah Contradance Information. These fine organizations and individuals already have complete listings for these states and there is no reason for me to duplicate their efforts.

**As far as I know, there are no regular dances or events in Louisiana, Mississippi, South Dakota or Wyoming, but I have created pages if something changes in the future.

http://www.contradancelinks.com/midatlantic.html
Produced by Charlie Seelig
Last updated on December 11, 2011