Regional | Alaska | California | Hawaii | Oregon | Washington
Bands and Musicians | Callers | Organizations

This page is devoted to listing contra dances in the Pacific 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: From the Oregon Contra Connection: Corvallis contra dancer Joanna Karl died in an accident on February 29, 2008. A celebration of Joanna's life will begin 5 p.m. Sunday, March 9, at the First Congregational Church (Gatton Hall), 4515 S.W. West Hills Road in Corvallis. A vegetarian potluck will follow at 6 p.m. (vegan dishes are especially welcome, as Joanna was a vegan). A special memorial contra dance will begin at 7:30 p.m. If at all possible, please ride your bicycle. If not, please carpool. The Contra Connection has more information about her and her life.

Regional

Alaska

• The Dancing Bears in Anchorage are a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of traditional music and dance in Alaska. In addition to their schedule of dances, they sponsor the Dancing Bears Dance Camp at Beautiful King's Lake Camp near Wasilla in late May. All this information is presented by Stephen Boyd.
• The Anchorage Folk Festival, over two weekends in the latter half of January, includes contras among a wide range of activities. Michele Whaley maintains the site.
• The Contra Borealis Dancers are located in Fairbanks. They dance first Friday and 3rd Saturday of each month at the Pioneer Park Dance Hall from September through May and host a long weekend dance camp in late August/early September.
• For dances in Homer try the Homer News or the Homer Tribune.
• The Juneau Folk Music and Dance Community site has information about Thursday Night Contras, September through May and the Saturday night contras. In addition, the Camp Damp occurs in early July each year at the Methodist Camp in Juneau.
• In mid-April each year, the Alaska Folk Festival occurs in Juneau. The Festival includes contradancing. Some information is also available at Gary Newman's page on festivals in Alaska.
• The Kenai River Folk Dancers hold contras on 3rd Saturdays from September to April. Gary Newman has the basic information.
• The best place to keep with the news about the Second Saturdays dance series in Ketchikan is the Ketchikan Area Arts and Humanities Council. You can also try Stories in the News for listings of contra dances. Added "Stories in the News" (March 5, 2008)
• There are monthly dances in Sitka with the host band, Fishing for Cats. Gary Newman supplies the details.
• Gary Newman provides information on a variety of topics including:
  • Festivals in Alaska;
  • the Alaskan folk music scene;
  • Summer Traditional Music Festivals; and
  • The Alaska Contradance Connection
• Among the pages at the Farthest North Federation of Dance Clubs site are calendars for all types of dance events, including contras, in Alaska.

California

• Starting with Gary D. Shapiro's page for the Santa Barbara Country Dance Society, you can find contra information for a number of other locales in the state.
• Jeff Spero's pages specialize in the dances, camps & festivals, bands, and callers of Southern California.
• The California Dance Cooperative, in Los Angeles, sponsors 13 contra dances and 4 English country dances each month, and has links to festivals and other dances in the area.
• Stephanie Chasteen has started a Ukiah to the Bay contra dance calendar.
• There's an attempt to have a calendar list of all contra dances in California. New entry (January 2, 2008)
• Down Home Dancing includes a schedule of a variety of types of dances including contras, English and waltzes in the Bay Area along with related music events. New entry (January 10, 2008)

• The Living Tradition (Southern California) sponsors folk music jams/potluck/contra dances in Anaheim (4th Saturday) on most months.
• The Aromas Community Grange hosts contra dances on a periodic basis. The Monterey Country Dance Community (MCDC) has information about the dances in Aromas on 2nd Saturdays. Aromas on-line also has a page with information about the next dance in Aromas.
• The Foothill Country Dancers hold dances in Auburn on 3rd Saturdays and Nevada City on 1st Saturdays.
• The Berkeley Wednesday Contra Dance is held on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Wednesday of each month.
• There are contradances sponsored by the Calistoga, CA Recreation Department on the first Saturday of each month.
• The Canyon contra dances happen on the 1st Saturday of each month in a charming schoolhouse under the redwoods and alongside a bubbling creek. Added second link (January 30, 2008)
• The Chico Country Dance Society sponsors dances on the 2nd Saturday of each month at the Chico Grange from 7pm to 10pm. Updated sponsor and other information (March 5, 2008)
• The Santa Cruz Country Dancers hold contra dances every month in Santa Cruz (3rd Sundays) and Felton (1st Fridays).
• The Fresno Folklore Society (FFS) sponsors dances on the 2nd Saturday of each month in Fresno. Check the monthly flier for details.
• The Old-Time Fiddlers' Convention and Festival is held in Goleta, California in early October.
• The Foothill Country Dancers sponsor Fall Has Sprung, a 12-hour, sprung-floor dance featuring three great bands, on the first Saturday of November in Grass Valley.
• Dance Awakening takes place in late-mid April each year at the Harbin Hot Springs.
• There are dances in Hayward on the 4th Saturday (generally) of each month with a slow jam preceding each dance.
• The Humboldt Folklore Society promotes folk music, dance, including a contra dance on 4th Fridays, crafts and other folk arts of many cultures in Humboldt County, California.
• The California Dance Cooperative in Los Angeles sponsors a number of contra dances and English country dances each month, and has links to festivals and other dances in the area.
• The Lark In The Morning Music Celebration is held in late July and/or early August each year in Mendocino and includes music and dance from the world over and sometimes includes contra dances.
• The BACDS sponsors the BACDS American Dance and Music Week at Mendocino Woods in early July.
• The Monterey Country Dance Community (MCDC) holds dances on most first and third Saturdays in Monterey. They also hold the annual Foggy Moon contra dance and auction in October. Jean Chapin is responsible for the web site.
• The Foothill Country Dancers hold dances in Nevada City on 1st Saturdays and Auburn on 3rd Saturdays.
• The Oakland Friday Dance is held on the 2nd Friday of the month. Change in location (December 31, 2007)
• The Ojai Center for the Arts provides information about the contra dances in Ojai which occur on a variety of Saturdays.
• The Palo Alto Contra Dance is held on the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Saturday of each month.
• The annual Fiddling Frog Dance Festival is held in late February and/or early March in the Pasadena area and includes contras, squares, English dances, and more and is sponsored by the California Dance Cooperative.
• The Riverside Contra Dance occurs on the 1st Sunday of the month. More information is available at the California Dance Cooperative web site.
• Paul Fussell provides news about the Sacramento Contra Dance schedule and information sponsored by the Sacramento Country Dance Society. The dances are on 1st Fridays and 2nd and 4th Saturdays with some workshops on other dates and an occasional special dance.
• Dances in San Diego are sponsored by the San Diego Folk Heritage on the first, third, and fifth Fridays and the second and fourth Saturdays of the month (all this in general; check schedule for exceptions). Steve Barlow furnishes this information. San Diego Folk Heritage, is a nonprofit, all volunteer organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the folk arts in Southern California. In additional to the regularly scheduled contra dances, they hold an annual Folk Festival in early May.
• The most complete information about the Bay Area (San Francisco) Country Dance Society (BACDS) is at their revamped web site. The site also information about special events, dance weekends, and week-long camps that the BACDS sponsors along with other events that the Society holds that are not related to contra dancing.
• Paul Fussell maintains a site about San Francisco Bay Area Contra and English Country Dances. While the site remains posted, it no longer is updated and will be taken down some time in the future (March 14, 2008)
• The San Francisco Contra Dance is held on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month along with 4th Fridays.
• The San Francisco Folk Festival is held in mid-June each year.
• The San Francisco Lesbian & Gay Contra Dance usually happens once or twice a month on various dates.
• The North Bay (north of San Francisco) Country Dance Society (NBCDS) pages include information about a number of dances in the area. The NBCDS calendar includes Sonoma, Marin and Mendocino County dances along with special events in Napa Valley, Petaluma, San Rafael, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, and Ukiah. Mark Carroll maintains the site.
• The California Central Coast Country Dance Society holds dances the second Saturday of most months in San Luis Obispo. Harold Hallikainen maintains the site.
• The Santa Barbara Country Dance holds dances on Sundays. In addition, they are a co-sponsor of the Annual Sprung Floor Dance Festival in Santa Barbara in late May and the Harvest Moon Festival in Santa Barbara in late September. Gary Shapiro handles the web duties.
• The Santa Cruz Country Dancers hold contra dances every month in Santa Cruz (3rd Sundays) and Felton (1st Fridays).
• In addition, you can join the folks in Santa Cruz for a series of family and community dances, generally on the 4th Saturday of each month, but they are cancelled for the foreseeable future.
• During the spring, the BACDS holds its Spring Weekend at Monte Toyon near Santa Cruz in March.
• And in the fall, the BACDS returns to Monte Toyon near Santa Cruz for the BACDS Fall Weekend in mid-October.
• Tuolumne County Dancing in Sonora hosts dances on the 3rd Saturday of the month. The dances are a variety of styles including contras. Wayne Mullens heads the web effort.
• The BACDS sponsors the BACDS Family Week at Alta Sierra Camp near Sonora held in early July.
• The California Traditional Music Society sponsors the Summer Solstice Folk Music, Dance and Storytelling Festival in Woodland Hills in late June which includes a large number of classes, ranging from beginner to advanced, in various instruments. Change in location (December 31, 2007)

Hawaii

• The Contradancers of Hawaii sponsor contra dances on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Saturdays of the month on O'ahu. Robert Bley-Vroman supports the site.
• Big Island Contras in Hilo holds dances on the 4th Saturday of the month.
• Many years, the band Wild Asparagus sponsors an annual dance week in Pahoa each year, generally in the first half of March.

Oregon

• Caroline Klug and Erik Weberg provide information about the monthly (generally 3rd Saturday) barn dances in Ashland. In addition, you can obtain the current schedule from another site.
• They also provide information about dances in Astoria which are usually held on the first Saturday of the month. Bubba Guitar also provides information about the dances. Added second site (March 7, 2008)
• Until they have their own page, Caroline Klug and Erik Weberg are maintaining a page about the 2nd Saturday dances in Bend and the Eugene Folk Society is doing the same for the Bend dances. Try The Source Weekly for information about the next dance. Added Eugene site (March 8, 2008)
• Join the South Coast Folk Society for their 3rd Saturday contra dances at the Greenacres Grange, off Highway 42 between Coquille and Coos Bay. Stacy Rose supports this page.
• The Corvallis Folklore Society holds dances on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month in Corvallis except for the summer when dances are held on an irregular basis plus a new dance series on 2nd Fridays (I think). In addition, they host the Corvallis Contra Weekend in mid-February. William Watson provides web support. Added Friday dance series (March 8, 2008)
• The Eugene Folk Society holds dances on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month in Eugene. In addition, they hold the Midsummer Madness Camp in Sisters at the end of July every other year (I think)
• The Mid-Columbia Folklore Society presents dances on 2nd Saturdays in Hood River and their annual Annual Music & Dance Weekend north of Goldendale, Washington, in mid-September. Callie Jordan supports the site.
• The Northeast Oregon Folklore Society sponsors contra dances in La Grande on 2nd Saturdays. They also sponsor a Tuesday dance series with nights devoted to dances ranging from contras to international and a Spring Music and Dance Festival at the end of April in La Grande.
• The Corvallis Folklore Society holds dances on the 5th Saturday of each month (for those that have them) in Newport.
• Information is available about the Portland Country Dance Community (PCDC). Portland averages at least one every week and the site includes information on special events. Caroline Klug and Erik Weberg supply the information. And now there is a URL specifically for the PCDC.
• The band Joyride hosts a contra dance on the 1st Wednesday of the month in Portland.
• The PCDC sponsors the Northwest Passage near Sandy in the Oregon Cascades in early September. Caroline Klug and Erik Weberg supply the information.
• The Eugene Folk Society hold the Midsummer Madness Camp in Sisters at the end of July every other year, I think (so the next one would be in 2009).

Washington

• Matt Fisher provides information about the Bainbridge Community Dance which takes place on Bainbridge Island on the 3rd Saturday of some months. The Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District also has some information. Updated URL, added link and dates (March 8, 2008)
• There are dances in Bellingham on the 1st Friday and 3rd and and sometimes 5th Saturdays of each month. Mike Schway supports the site.
• Dale Brubaker provides information about the 1st Saturday dances in Ellensburg.
• The Mid-Columbia Folklore Society holds their annual Annual Music & Dance Weekend north of Goldendale in mid-September. Callie Jordan supports the site.
• The Three Rivers Folklore Society sponsors contra dances on the 4th Saturday of the month in Kennewick.
• There is an Old Time Country Dance on Thursday nights at the Lake City Community Center. Matt Fisher presents information on this dance.
• Camp Wannadance takes place on Marrowstone Island each March.
• There are dances in Olympia on the 1st, 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month at the South Bay Grange.
• There is a 1st Saturday dance series in Port Angeles with Matt Fisher providing the essential data.
• Matt Fisher supplies information about the Port Townsend Community Contra/Square Dance which generally meets on the 2nd Saturday and 4th Friday of each month.
• Also in Port Townsend is Centrum Arts which sponsors the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes Workshop in early July.
• The Tumbleweed Music Festival, sponsored by The Three Rivers Folklife Society (3RFS), is held in Richland in early September and includes dancing (perhaps even contras).
• If you are interested in folk dancing of any kind in Seattle, Matt Fisher's Seattle Folk Dancing is an excellent place to start.
• And the folks at Dancing Fool have created a schedule page for dances in the Seattle area.
• There is a potluck supper, open caller, open band dance on the 2nd Sunday night of each month in Seattle. As usual, Matt Fisher provides the scoop.
• In mid-late October, there is Wannadance Uptown in Seattle. It includes contras among its various forms of dance. This is an annual event.
• The Emerald City Contra Dances holds dances at the Phinney Neighborhood Center in Seattle on Friday nights. Matt Fisher presents information on this dance. The Phinney Neighborhood Association also provides some basic information about this Friday night dance series in Seattle.
• There is a Sunday (various, once a month) family dance several times each year in Seattle at the Sunset Hill Community Club. They also have a Yahoo Group. Added Yahoo Group (March 8, 2008)
• The Northwest Folklife is a comprehensive multi-cultural arts organization in Seattle dedicated to serving the ethnic, traditional, and folk arts communities of the Northwest. Among their events is the Northwest Folklife Festival in the last part of May.
• The Spokane Folklore Society is a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to the celebration of Folk Arts, particularly music and dance and sponsors a weekly dance on Wednesday nights. In addition, they hold an annual Fall Folk Festival with a mix of different music styles and dances. They also promote three dance camps a year at the Lady of the Lake Camps at Camp N-Sid-Sen located on Coeur d'Alene Lake in Idaho.
• The Tacoma Old-Time Dances are held on the 3rd Saturday of each month.
• The Seattle Fifth Saturday dance, sponsored by the Seattle Folklore Society, is held in Tacoma and the information is provided by Matt Fisher.
• The Seattle Folklore Society sponsors an annual Northwest New Year's Camp at Camp Sealth on Vashon Island. Russell Owen supplies the data.
• Friends of Acoustic Music is located in the Walla Walla Valley in Washington State and among their activities sponsor contra dances on the 3rd Saturday of each month. Kathy Howard supports the page.
• The Wenatchee Contradance occurs on the 3rd Saturday of each month and there is a relaxed workshop for new dancers and for those who'd like to try calling every Saturday afternoon. New entry (March 8, 2008)
• The Ellenburg Contra Dance has some basic information about the dances in Yakima that occur on 2nd Saturdays. New entry (March 8, 2008)

Bands

• The Portland Country Dance Community includes information about bands and callers in the Pacific Northwest.
• The California Dance Co-op in Los Angeles has listings of bands in the area.
• The Spokane Folklore Society provides a list of bands including contra dance groups.
• Down Home Dancing has a list of bands from the Sacramento and San Francisco areas. New entry (March 8, 2008)
• Jeff Spero, on his site, has a list of regional (southern CA) bands. New entry (March 8, 2008)
• 3 O'Clock Shadow is a Ex-Post-Neo Contradance Experience! from the San Francisco Bay area. MySpace page.
• Amazon Creek is an American Celtic band from Eugene, Oregon which plays for contradances and other fun occasions. Their music is rooted in the traditional dance music of Ireland, and Scotland, with strong influence from North American sources and includes strands of Central European, French, and Middle Eastern music.
• Kevin J. Anderson plays piano with a number of people on the West Coast. Change of URL (March 8, 2008)
• The California version of Atlantic Crossing was started in 1987 to share traditional music from both sides of the Atlantic and points beyond. Over the years, they have played traditional American music from the Appalachians and Louisiana, the Balkans and Middle East, and now, are playing primarily Celtic music.
• The Atlas Stringband plays old-time southern music in Seattle, Washington. MySpace page.
• One of the hottest bunch of musicians in the Pacific Northwest: Bag o' Tricks, a contra dance band, and their (almost) mirror image, the English country dance band, Tricky Brits, include Dave Bartley, Anita Anderson, and Sande Gillette (Bag o' Tricks), and sweet tunes, new and traditional, when Betsy Cooper joins the band and they morph into Tricky Brits.
• Eric J. Anderson and Lee Anne Welch are Bandemonium, a fiddle and piano duo from California and no relation to the East Coast based Big Bandemonium.
• The Barnstormers play at contra dances in the Eugene, Oregon area. (e-mail only)
• Washington State based Randal Bays plays Irish fiddle and fingerstyle guitar with a number of musicians and appears at contra dances from time to time.
• Rex Blazer plays music with a variety of musicians and bands and is based in Alaska.
• Bluegrass Stomp for dances and other events as a duet, trio or a full bluegrass band. They are based in California.
• The Body Snatchers feature Frank Hoppe and Joe Wack and are based in California. (e-mail only) New entry (April 27, 2008)
• Bonnie Insull and Richard Scher play together as Bonfire, by themselves or with other musicians from time to time. The band is based in California. (e-mail only) New entry (April 27, 2008)
• Ryan Bowers plays instruments ranging from the bodhran to the bass for contra dance and bluegrass bands along with some singing gigs in Alaska.
• Christa Burch gives voice and plays bodhran for the band, the California band, The Syncopaths.
• Calliope Creek (Janet Ashford on violin and Chet Boddy on guitar and banjo) plays sweet and lively Celtic and American folk music for weddings, parties, dances, receptions and fund-raising events in Mendocino.
• The Canote Brothers, are from Seattle, Washington. Greg on fiddle, and Jere on guitar, and both on banjo ukes, perform zany concerts, play for dances, lead songs and promote a good time! New entry (April 27, 2008)
• Cascade Crossing plays contra dance music that touches on many styles of music, from baroque to klezmer to hard driving reels to smooth mysterious jigs and is based in Oregon and Washington State.
• In his "Celtic Traditional Music Bands in Fairbanks (and Alaska)" page, Gary Newman supplies information about Celtic Confusion.
• Pat Ryan's Celtic Junket is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and performs statewide at contra dances, festivals, and other events.
• Chopped Liver is a Santa Barbara / Los Angeles based band featuring Michael Mendelson on fiddle, Jeff Spero on piano, Suzanne Duffy on flute and Bill Flores on mandolin, banjo, dobro and tenor sax. They play music from many traditions (including quite a few original compositions) with a driving groove and shameless improvisation.
• The Chordwood String Band are five good friends from the Seattle area who play lively and entertaining old-time music for contra and square dances, festivals, fairs and parties.
• Ciunas is a San Diego area band of four young musicians sharing the tradition and innovation of Celtic music. MySpace page.
• Sarah Comer plays fiddle for contra dances along at other venues and teaches private lessons and a beginning American fiddle class in the Puyallup, Washington area. MySpace page. Change of URL (March 8, 2008)
• Based in Oakland, California, the Compound Meters (e-mail only).
• The Pacific Coast version of the ContraDictions consists of Ann and Jim Kosinski, Barbara Whitney, and Patty McCollom. They are based in California.
• The Coyote Contraband with Bill Trainor, Arlene Jamar, Char Berta, Frank Gallardo, David Wright, and Susan Jones and caller Bob O'Brien, play American old-time, Irish, New England, French-Canadian, and other dance music in the Sacramento, California area.
• The Crabapples are a contra dance band from Monterey, California.
• Crooked Kilt, based in Spokane, Washington, is a unique source of Celtic and other styles of music.
• From Central California, the Curmudgeons (e-mail only).
• Dancing Trout of Pullman, Washington plays foot-stompin contra dance reels and songs to transport you to old-time Appalachia. (e-mail only)
• Dadance, featuring Frank Javorsek, Marsha Trochim, Nancy Sell, Paul Schwerdt, Dan McMahon, Pete Gregory & Wayne Slater-Lunsford plays at the Lancaster, California dance on a regular basis. New entry (January 2, 2008)
• Santa Barbara's Dannsair plays Irish music with jazz, classical and traditional Irish sensibilities. MySpace page. Added MySpace page (March 8, 2008)
• Ned Boyer, Marie Bruno, Michelle Nosco, Emil Olguin are the members of Dogwood, a Los Angeles, California band. (e-mail only) New entry (April 27, 2008)
• Ruthie Dornfeld, fiddle player, is fluent in a wide range of styles, from Celtic and old-time to Scandinavian and Eastern European and is based in the Pacific Northwest.
• Driving With Fergus, is a Northern California band featuring Lewis Santer (guitar and Irish bouzouki) and Vince Wolfe (flute, whistle, pipes, drum) which plays the traditional dance music and songs of Ireland.
• Rushad Eggleston's interest range from Rock to New Wave to Americana and has played cello with Childsplay, Lissa Schneckenburge and Hanneke Cassel. He is based in Los Angeles, California. New entry (April 27, 2008)
• The Elephants Of Style play in the Pacific northwest and British Columbia. (e-mail only)
• The Emeralds are a group of young musicians from Alaska who play everything from Bluegrass to Celtic to jazz.
• The Eugene Barnstormers play at square dances, contra dances, weddings, parties in and around Eugene, Oregon. New entry (April 26, 2008)
• Extended Roots is an acoustic band comprised of 13 women from the East (San Francisco) Bay Area playing predominately traditional music from the roots of America such as 'Old-Time', 'Celtic' and 'Bluegrass'. New entry (April 21, 2008)
• Fat Weasel has been playing in Anchorage and around Alaska for a few years now and it features Steve Montooth, guitar; Jason Bent, fiddle; Brian DeMarcus, banjo-bass-caller-clogger; Aileen McInnis, bass; and Christy Williams, vocals and banjo-uke. They play hard driving Appalachian Old Time String Band Music. (e-mail only)
• Faultline features Betsy Branch on fiddle, Bobbi Nikles on fiddle and Paul Kotapis on guitar and mandolin. (e-mail only)
• Fiddle Tunas based in Santa Barbara / San Luis Obispo. Members are Michael Mendelson on fiddle, Amber Roullard-Mueller on piano, and Tom Wolverton on banjo and dobro.
• The Fiddlerats are Carolien McCaskey, Cole Ingraham, Terrell Liedstrand and Eric Anderson, a new group from northern California. MySpace page.
• The California band Flight Path plays contra dance music from various genres, primarily Old Time and Celtic, but potentially including anything that attracts our interest. Change of URL (March 8, 2008)
• Robin Flower and Libby McLaren play for contra dances in northern California.
• Portland, Oregon's Foghorn String Band's line-up fiddle, banjo, mandolin, bass and guitar - is reminiscent of early bluegrass, but their powerful approach is whole-heartedly old-time, centered largely by the fiddle. MySpace page.
• From Central California, For Old Times Sake features Jim Mueller, Amber Roullard-Mueller, W. B. Reid, and Jerry Weinert. (e-mail only)
• Based in Sherman Oaks, California, The Four Potatoes (e-mail only).
• Four Shillings Short is rooted in Celtic and American folk, is inspired by Indian Raga and ethnic idioms, and plays a diverse and inventive traditional music adventure. They are based in California, but play all over the country.
• Gaelic Fusion is a metamorphicizing band of long time Fairbanks, Alaska Celtic musicians.
• Government Issue Orchestra is a high energy, driving, oldtime appalachian stringband based out of Portland, Oregon. New entry (April 27, 2008)
• Growling Old Geezers (e-mail only) from Central California.
• Pasco, Washington's Growling Old Women is a contra dance band consisting of: fiddler, rhythm piano, rhythm guitar, djembe, bodhran playing Irish, French Canadian, oldtimey music. (e-mail only)
• The band, Hands4 is based in Portland, Oregon. and plays 99% original music written by band members. The music is in a variety of styles including French Canadian, New England, Celtic, Eastern European, and some Caribbean. Instruments include fiddle, mandolin, keyboard, flute, penny whistle, and percussion.
• Based in Bellingham, Washington, the Happy Valley Sluggers play Old-Time Southern dance music as well as Cajun tunes and include Mike Schway on Fiddle and Cajun Accordion, Laurel Bliss on Guitar and Fiddle, John Clark on Banjo and Guitar, and Ginny Snowe on Bass.
• Based in Seattle, the old-time string band Hart & Blech has been playing the traditional music of the Southern Mountains and Plains together since 1985.
• The Hawai'i Contra Dance Band plays music in the Celtic tradition, as influenced by the American experience for the dances in Hawai'i.
• Hey Wire has been playing old-time music at San Diego contra dances and features Jeff Garvey on fiddle, JoAnn Kopany on banjo, Jerry Schreiber on guitar and Given Harrison on mandolin and upright bass. A second mandolin player, Rick Johnson has begun adding an interesting layer to this group.
• The Hillbillies From Mars have been rocking the contradance scene in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1983. They combine their love and dedication to Celtic and American traditional fiddle music with a healthy dose of their own "folk roots" of rock 'n' roll, swing, Latin and African beats, forging a new tradition of dance music.
• Erik Hoffman plays fiddle in three California bands, 3 O'Clock Shadow, The OpporTunists and The Repercussions.
• Hold the Wheel features W. B. Reid, Linda Wilson, and Bonnie Zahnow and is based in Washington state. (e-mail only)
• Hot Flashes featuring Nance Cole, Chris Lauer, Phil Levy, and Erika Smith and is based in Santa Barbara. (e-mail only)
• Ice Jam is Skip Nodler, Sarah Garland & Seth Danielson, an Alaskan band with a unique combination of hammered dulcimer, banjo and guitar.
• From Santa Barbara, California, The Immortal Lemmings (e-mail only).
• The California band, Jax, includes Christa Burch, Kira Ott, Steve Shapiro and Jeffery Spero. (e-mail only) New entry (April 27, 2008)
• Jigsaw plays traditional and contemporary folk music from different parts of the world and includes Dan Compton on fiddle, guitar, and button accordion, Clyde Curley on powerhouse mandolin, banjo, and tenor guitar, George Penk on fiddle, and Heather Pinney on piano and is based in Portland, Oregon.
• The Portland, Oregon based group Joyride includes Sue Songer's swinging piano, Jeff Kerssen-Griep's flywheel guitar, Kathleen Towers' hot fiddle and Erik Weberg's fluid flute, punchy harmonica and stunning bombarde.
• Jump Fingers play old-time music in the San Diego area for contra and square dancing.
• The Kaimana Ceili Band has played traditional and new tunes, including jigs, reels, waltzes, hornpipes, and airs in the Irish tradition in Hawaii for more than ten years. (e-mail only)
• As they say, KGB is not a spy organization, but a band from Seattle that plays for New England style contradance. Dave Bartley supports the site.
• From Central California, Kitchen Junket features Marci Bunescu, Rick Drake, Linelle Glass, Kristina Huhen, and Carl Magagnosc (e-mail only).
• Kristina & Her Right-Hand Stars is based in Santa Barbara, California and features Bud Beirhaus on guitar, Kristina Eriksen on accordion and piano, Bill Flores on banjo, dobro, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, and saxophone, Tony Johanssen on guitar, bodhran, whistle, and Jack Joshua on bass. (e-mail only)
• Lime in the Harp is a traditional string band of musicians who pick, strum, and bow their way through rousing Celtic jigs and reels, jumping New England dance tunes, back-porch southern shuffles, spicy Cajun tunes, plaintive slow airs, and sweet harmonic waltzes in San Diego.
• The Little Dogs is an old time string band, based in Seattle. Forrest Carroll maintains the page.
• The McKassons feature Ryan McKasson on fiddle and viola and Cali McKasson playing piano. The band is based in Washington State. MySpace page.
• Metro Luna is a Seattle-based band playing country, rock & swing with an Urban Twist. Peter Langston maintains the site.
• A little information is available about the California band, Michael's Mixed Nuts, made up of some combination of musicians from the Chameleons, often joined by other outstanding musical guests. They play in a variety of styles, from Old-Timey to swing, from Latin to Klezmer, demanding only that the result is fun and danceable. Change of URL (March 9, 2008)
• The Mill Creek String Band plays at dances in the Portland, Oregon area. (e-mail only)
• The Nettles play exciting contradance medleys throughout the Pacific Northwest. MySpace page.
• The New Young Buzzards feature Frank Hoppe on fiddle, Steve Lewis on banjo, and Barbara Richer on piano and are based in Los Angeles, California. (e-mail only)
• Nine-8ths Irish is based in Sacramento, California and is made up of four unique musicians (Chris Dunlap, Linda Relph, Bo Bowen, and Kathy Barwick) with extremely diverse backgrounds.
• The Northern Troupe are Janet Ashford on fiddle and Marc Hansen on guitar. They are based in Ukiah and Mendocino, California.
• Cellist and percussionist Fred Nussbaum is a member of a number of Pacific Northwest Contra and English Country dance bands, including Full Circle (with George Penk and Heather Pinney) and Calico. He is based in Portland, Oregon. New entry (April 27, 2008)
• Masha Goodman and Geff Crawford play together as Old Soles. Toe-tapping good-time old-time fiddle and banjo duets, songs from the silly to sublime, and red-hot traditional flatfoot clogging. Over 30 years experience (60 if you add them up) playing and calling for dances, festivals, inaugurations and cattle drives. They are based in California. New entry (April 13, 2008)
• The Old Twine String Band features Jeff Bratt (hammer dulcimer, recorder, concertina and percussion), Karen Croot (fiddle), JoAnn Koppany (banjo) and Martha Wild (piano and mountain dulcimer) and is based in San Diego, California. (e-mail only)
• Based in Claremont, California, Over the Edge (e-mail only).
• Pied-a-Terre features Dan Compton, Fran Slefer and Rob Barrick and can be heard on the Pacific coast, especially in Oregon.
• The Portland Megaband, in Oregon, is comprised of over 70 musicians ranging in experience from professional to beginner including more than 30 fiddles along with banjos, mandolins, concertinas, saxophones, clarinets, flutes, whistles, autoharps, celtic harp, keyboards, bass, guitars, and a lively percussion section. They are best known for their annual concert each spring.
• The Pub Scouts are a traditional Irish music group located in Chico, California who host sessions on a regular basis and play at the contra dances in Chico. New entry (April 18, 2008)
• Based in Central California, Reid, Wright and Allen (e-mail only).
• From San Luis Obispo, California, Reel Evolution (e-mail only).
• The Reel Time Band was started in 2007 by Patty Mc Collom and Bob Altman and does a variety of shows, from 1890s Old Time American music to Celtic favorites along with contra dances. It is based in California. Change of name (March 9, 2008)
• W.B. Reid and Bonnie Zahnow play together, separately with others and together with others at contra dances and other events. They are based in Seattle, Washington. New entry (April 27, 2008)
• The Rhythm Rollers include Laurie Andres & Cathie Whitesides from Seattle, WA with some of the finest back-up players from across the country.
• Mike Richardson, a caller and musician from the Seattle, Washington area.
• The Roadoilers Old Time String Band play at an occasional contra dance in California.
• Rose City Aces including Alan Garren, Clyde Curley, Creighton Lindsay, and Joel Bernstein host and play the 5th Saturday dances in Portland, Oregon (contact e-mail only).
• Monterey Park, California is the base for the band Ruby's Dream which includes Michele Nosco, Emil Olguin, Suzie Richmond. (e-mail only) New entry (April 27, 2008)
• The Screaming Earwigs are Pat Sauber, Tom Sauber with other musicians. The band is based in Los Angeles, California. (e-mail only) New entry (April 27, 2008)
• Smoke Creek features Mike Murray, Jim Murray, Peggy Sullivan, Ted Briggs-Comstock and Elizabeth Gale on Fiddle. The band plays an unpredictable mix of award-winning original songs, ballads, country-western songs and old-time instrumentals. They are based in Port Townsend, Washington.
• Alan Snyder plays fiddle with bands up and down the Pacific coast.
• Spin Cycle from Sunland, California. (e-mail only).
• Based in Santa Monica, California, Spontaneous Combustion (e-mail only).
• Spud Mountain, an old time country music band, works out of Portland, Oregon.
• The Squirrel Heads are an old-time string band playing reels to waltzes are are based in southern California.
• The Stairwell Sisters are San Francisco's all-gal urban old-time teardown with a deep and rowdy repertoire of timeless tunes plus a solid standing of smart, original material. MySpace page.
• Ray Frank (guitar) and Dan Engle (fiddle), the members of the California band Stump Tail Dog blend many different styles and traditions to create a bold and exciting performance all their own.
• Sugar on the Floor plays for a variety of occasions and at different venues in Washington State.
• The Swamp Mamas are a Cajun-flavored contra dance band featuring Barbara Whitney on fiddle, Patty McCollom on banjo, whistle and vocals, Marie Bruno on guitar, and Marcella Wagoner on bass. They are based in California.
• The Syncopaths are a vibrant West Coast band from California, offering a fresh, contemporary take on Celtic music. Fiddler Ryan McKasson, pianist Jeffrey Spero, bodhran player and vocalist Christa Burch and multi- instrumentalist Bill Flores make up this energetic and inventive quartet. MySpace page.
• The T'Bergs feature Jack Lindberg, Arvid Lundin, and Rick Rubin. They are the host band for the Wednesday night contras in Spokane, Washington and play other venues, too.
• Along with playing at plenty of square dances in Washington State and elsewhere, The Tallboys Old Time String Band plays at a contra dance, on occasion.
• Carl Thor plays with Vancouver Celtic and folk group Talisman and Portland contra dance band Hands4, Carl also plays in Cascade Crossing, the Portland Megaband, in other groupings for folk dancing, and as a soloist.
• Tipsy House, in various configurations and combinations as a traditional Irish music band, has played in the San Francisco area for a variety of events for more than 10 years.
• One of the hottest bunch of musicians in the Pacific Northwest: Bag o' Tricks, a contra dance band, and their (almost) mirror image, the English country dance band, Tricky Brits, include Dave Bartley, Anita Anderson, and Sande Gillette (Bag o' Tricks), and sweet tunes, new and traditional, when Betsy Cooper joins the band and they morph into Tricky Brits.
• Triple Chicken Foot plays at square dances in California and believe highbrow, lowbrow - it really doesn't matter because it is music. MySpace page. New entry (March 8, 2008)
• Turtle Creek includes Steve Lewis, Gaili Shoen, Daniel Slosberg and is based in California. (e-mail only) New entry (April 27, 2008)
• Based in the Seattle area, the Turtle Valley String Band plays good old-time dance music with a vengeance.
• From Sherman Oaks, California, Unsafe at Any Speed. (e-mail only)
• The Water Tower String Band was brought together by their love of string band music play classic old-time and bluegrass tunes with a relentless youthful exuberance. They are based in Eugene, Oregon. New entry (April 26, 2008)
• in Hawaii, Whiskey Starship plays traditional and contemporary music in the Celtic, New England, and Old Time style: jigs, reels, hornpipes, waltzes.

Callers

• Harold, as part of the California Dance Cooperative, provides a wide range of contact information for a number of callers in the Central California area.
• The Portland Country Dance Community includes information about bands and callers in the Pacific Northwest.
• The California Dance Co-op in Los Angeles has listings of callers in the area.
• The Spokane Folklore Society provides a list of callers including contra dance groups.
• Down Home Dancing has a list of callers from the Sacramento and San Francisco areas. New entry (March 8, 2008)
• Jeff Spero, on his site, has a list of regional (southern CA) callers. New entry (March 8, 2008)
• Lynn Ackerson calls all over Northern California, and has also called in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Atlanta, GA, Bloomington, IN, and Ottawa, Canada. Her motto is "Have cards, will travel."
• Ginger Alberti is a caller in the Los Angeles, California area. (e-mail only) New entry (April 19, 2008)
• Flip Alpern, from California, continues to call there and on the Atlantic seaboard. (e-mail only)
• Bob Archer is a caller, formerly based in the UK, now in Washington State. New entry (April 20, 2008)
• The caller Steve Barlow is based in San Diego, CA. (e-mail only) New entry (April 26, 2008)
• Lynn Basham (e-mail only) is a caller in Alaska. (take the (at) out)
• Along with clogging and being out on the dance floor for international and ballroom dancing, Ron Bell-Roemer, calls from Oregon. Change of URL (April 17, 2008)
• Robert Bley-Vroman is a caller in Hawaii.
• Warren Blier is a caller from Los Angeles, California.
• Evo Bluestein calls at dances in northern California along with playing a variety of instruments including oldtime fiddle, button accordion, guitar and banjo. New entry (January 2, 2008)
• Barbara Braley calls in Alaska. (e-mail only) (take the (at) out)
• Yona Chock calls some of the dances in Hawai'i.
• Dan Clark is a caller from the Walla Walla, Washington area. (e-mail only)
• Betty Connor is a caller in Alaska. (e-mail only) (take the (at) out)
• Bill Connor (e-mail only) is a caller in Alaska.
• Barbara Coole calls in California and designs clothing.
• One of the founders of the Chicago Barn Dance Company, Masha Goodman Crawford has been calling dances since 1978. Now living in Northern California, she calls old-time squares and contras and loves calling for beginners at Music Festivals & special events. New entry (April 13, 2008)
• Larry Cusick is a caller in California.
• Susan Dankovich calls in the Spokane, Washington area. (e-mail only)
• Scott Darter is a caller in Alaska. (e-mail only)
• Brian DeMarcus lives in Eagle River, Alaska and has been calling contra and square dances since 1971. In addition, he plays in several old-time, cajun and zydeco bands. (e-mail only)
• Mary Devlin calls contra dances and English country dances in the Portland, Oregon area and other parts of the country.
• Elizabeth Douglas calls from the North Bay area of California. (e-mail only)
• Joseph Erhard-Hudson calls in Moscow/Pullman, Idaho and in Spokane, Washington. (e-mail only)
• Leonard Ellis calls from the Los Angeles, California area.
• Nan Evans calls contra dances and English Country dances in the Pacific Northwest. (e-mail only)
• Charlie Fenton is a caller from the San Francisco, California area. (e-mail only although the web page has other contact info)
• Tina Fields calls contras, easy longways sets, Sicilian circles, mixers, & medieval dances for barn/family dances, re-enactments, parties and also leads singing groups in the North Bay (San Francisco) area. (e-mail only) New entry (May 3, 2008)
• Karen Fontana is a contra and social folk dance caller in the Northern California Bay area.
• John Gallagher is a caller from Seattle, Washington and is on the Camp Wannadance committee.
• Chuck Galt calls from Long Beach, California. Change in URL (March 9, 2008)
• Not limiting herself to contra dance calling, Suzanne Girardot also teaches clogging and other step-dance styles, as well as some couple dances and Cajun dance in the Seattle, Washington area. (e-mail only)
• Mark Goodwin has been calling contras since 2001 and calls at the monthly contra dance series on second Sundays in Chico, California. (e-mail only)
• Jean Gorrindo is a caller in California. (e-mail only)
• Rich Goss is a caller and musician based in Portland, Oregon who calls on the West Coast, Texas, and all over.
• Graham Hempel is a caller in San Diego, California.
• From Oakland, California, Erik Hoffman calls dances, especially in Berkeley, but also from California to Alaska to Denmark and England, and writes about contra dances.
• Cindy Holmes calls some of the dances in Hawai'i.
• Talib Huff calls in California. (e-mail only)
• Lisa Inman calls at the Bainbridge, Washington dance with the goal of creating a community dance which is welcoming and fun to beginners and newcomers and exciting to experienced dancers. (e-mail only).
• Susie Kendig often calls in the Santa Cruz, California area. (e-mail only)
• Caller Jeremy Korr is based in the Los Angeles, California area. (e-mail only) New entry (April 19, 2008)
• Kirston Koths calls on a regular basis at the East Bay dance in California. (e-mail only)
• Brad Krick calls in Alaska. (e-mail only) (take the (at) out)
• Oregon's Woody Lane is an accomplished percussive dancer and usually does some stepdancing when he calls.
• Tom Lehmann began contra dancing after many years of "Modern Western" square dancing as well as occasional folk dancing, round dancing, etc. and now calls on a occasion. He lives in the San Francisco Bay area.
• Kari Lundgren is a caller in Alaska. (e-mail only) (take the (at) out)
• Carl Magagnosc calls from Santa Barbara, California. (e-mail only)
• A caller whose specialty is hosting dances with lots of beginners and family dances, Bill Martin calls southern and oldtime squares along with some contras around Vancouver, Washington. (e-mail only)
• Gina Massoni calls at dances in the Walla Walla, Washington area. (e-mail only)
• Kim McCall calls from San Francisco.
• Mavis McGaugh calls contras in Northern California and Nevada along gender-free dances, family dances and dance parties. (e-mail only) New entry (May 3, 2008)
• From California, Greg McKenzie calls contra dances. (e-mail only).
• Ann McLaren calls some of the dances in Hawai'i.
• Susan Michaels calls in the Los Angeles area and at camps and festivals up and down the Pacific coast. (e-mail only) Change of e-mail address (April 19, 2008)
• Joyce Miller calls from the Sierra foothills to the San Francisco Bay area to Reno, Nevada with contras, squares, easy longways dances and mixers in her repertoire. (e-mail only) New entry (May 3, 2008)
• While based in Seattle, Sherry Nevins has called as far east as Rochester, NY. (e-mail only)
• David Newitt calls at dances in Northern California.
• Bob O'Brien teaches waltz workshops and has called a first Friday monthly contra dance with his band, the Coyote ContraBand, since 1996 in Sacramento, California. (e-mail only) Change in e-mail address (January 14, 2008)
• Ken Olcott calls in and around San Francisco. (e-mail only) Added e-mail (May 3, 2008)
• Howard Ostby calls in the Walla Walla, Washington area. (e-mail only)
• Susan Petrick is a caller based in Santa Cruz, California, but calls all along the Pacific coast and has called in the Ohio River valley. (e-mail only) Change of e-mail (May 3, 2008)
• Carol Piening called at the Olympia, Washington dance on April 26, 2008.
• Elinor Preston has been calling contras, squares, circles and English Country Dances since 1988 and is from Portland, Oregon. Change of URL (March 8, 2008)
• Marlin Prowell from Bellingham, Washington, calls there and elsewhere in the area. (e-mail only)
• Celia Ramsay calls in California and also manages the Calistoga dance in the Napa Valley. (e-mail only) Change of e-mail (May 3, 2008)
• Mike Richardson, a caller and musician from the Seattle, Washington area.
• John Rogers calls in the area of Los Angeles, California. (e-mail only) New entry (April 19, 2008)
• Tony Saletan used to call in Concord, Massachusetts on a regular basis, but now lives in Washington State.
• Jim Saxe calls in California. He is the author of Words and Confusion in Teaching and Calling. (e-mail only)
• Nora Scott from the Spokane, Washington area has been calling contras and circle dances around the Inland Northwest since 1995 and enjoys teaching beginners and beginning groups. (e-mail only)
• Along with explaining contra dancing to a wide audience, Gary Shapiro, from the Santa Barbara, California area, also calls contras and leads some English Country Dances.
• Leda Shapiro calls from California. (e-mail only) Change of e-mail (April 26, 2008)
• Paul Silveria calls traditional square dances in the Seattle, Washington area. New entry (April 20, 2008)
• Jonathan Southard calls for several types of dances, including contras. (e-mail only)
• Jeff Spero calls in California and has information about his dances and links to dance resources in southern California.
• Amy Steiner calls in Alaska. (e-mail only) (take the (at) out)
• Barbara Stewart calls dances all over California. (e-mail only)
• From Santa Monica, California, Drew Tronvig calls contra dances. (e-mail only)
• William Watson started his calling career in Texas but now is based in Corvallis, Oregon. New entry (March 8, 2008)
• Along with helping folks keep track of the contra dancing scene in Portland, Oregon, Erik Weberg also calls dances in the area.
• Martha Wild calls dances in San Diego, California. (e-mail only).
• Andy Wilson calls at dances, camps and festivals across the country and when not calling, many times can be found at the sound board. He is based in Santa Cruz, California.
• Based in Seattle, Washington, Jennifer Youngman calls contradances and also teaches waltz, swing and vintage dance.

Organizations

• The Dancing Bears in Anchorage is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of traditional music and dance in Alaska.
• The Mid-Columbia Folklore Society is a non-profit, all volunteer organization dedicated to the preservation and performance of traditional dance and acoustic music. Callie Jordan maintains the page.
• The Corvallis Folklore Society now has a maintained web page, including contra dance and schedule information.
• The Northwest Folklife Society is a comprehensive multi-cultural arts organization dedicated to serving the ethnic, traditional, and folk arts communities of the Northwest.
• The Three Rivers Folklife Society (3RFS) was organized in 1988. It is a non-profit (501c3) organization dedicated to promoting folk music in the Tri-Cities (Richland, Kennewick, and Pasco) in the southeastern corner of Washington (state). They call themselves "three rivers" because their community is located at the confluence of the Yakima, Snake, and Columbia rivers.
• The purpose of the Seattle Folklore Society is to preserve and foster awareness and appreciation of folk and traditional arts in the Seattle area.
• The Spokane Folklore Society is a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to the celebration of Folk Arts, particularly music and dance.
• The Fresno Folklore Society (FFS) is a non-profit corporation founded for the purpose of preserving folk arts, especially traditional music, in California's San Joaquin Valley.
• The North Bay (north of San Francisco) Country Dance Society (NBCDS) is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization teaching and promoting traditional American dance such as New England contra dance, New England and Southern square dance, and English country dance in the San Francisco North Bay Area.
• The Bay Area (San Francisco, California) Country Dance Society lists plenty of information about dances in the area.
• The Santa Cruz/Monterey Country Dancers hold contra dances on a monthly basis along with various special events throughout the year.
• The Walla Walla Friends of Acoustic Music is an organization which supports and promotes acoustic music in many forms; folk, traditional fiddling styles, jazz, chamber music, string band music, Irish, Scottish, bluegrass and many others. They also support many forms of folk and traditional community dance including sponsoring contra dances on the 3rd Saturday of each month.
• The Eugene Folk Society holds concerts and dances in Eugene.
• The San Diego Folk Heritage is a nonprofit, all volunteer organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the folk arts in Southern California. Karen Rodgers furnishes this information.
• The Living Tradition is a non-profit organization working to support and preserve traditional music and dance. The Living Tradition sponsors regular contra dances, folk music concerts, and folk music jams.

http://www.contradancelinks.com/pacific.html
Produced by Charlie Seelig
Last updated on May 5, 2008