This page tries to keep track of all contra dances in Georgia including dance camps and weekends along with other events in Georgia which include contra dancing. Because most of the information is gathered from web sites and the listings are not updated as frequently as the web sites, dancers should visit the web sites for up-to-date information. If you are aware of any dances, dance series or other events that should be included on this list, please e-mail me.
Athens: Dances are at the Memorial Park administrative building, 293 Gran Ellen Drive, unless otherwise indicated. Orientation session: 7:30 - 8:00 PM. Dance: 8:00 - 11:15 PM. No partner is necessary. All dances are taught. Please bring soft-soled, clean dance shoes if possible, or clean off your street shoes before the dance. Cool, comfortable, loose fitting clothing is recommended. Dances are usually held on the 3rd Saturday of the month. Admission is $7. Web site: http://athensfolk.org.
Athens - North Georgia Folk Festival: is a music and dance festival and is held on an annual basis in mid-September located at Memorial Park, 298 Gran Ellen Drive and Sandy Creek Park, 400 Bob Holman Road. Web site: http://athensfolk.org.
Athens - Special: Special dance on a special night. Web site: http://athensfolk.org.
Atlanta (Clarkston) - Friday: The Chattahoochee Country Dancers host dances at the Clarkston Community Center, 3701 College Avenue. Dancing starts at 8:00 pm. Admission is $8; touring band nights $9. Discounts for students and youth. New Dancer lessons begin precisely at 7:30. For more details visit the web site: http://www.contradance.org.
Atlanta (Clarkston) - Advanced: Special advanced dances are hosted by the Chattahoochee Country Dancers a couple of times each year. There is no beginner's workshop and programming for Advanced Challenge Dances includes, as Seth Tepfer puts it: "Black Belt contras, no walk thru contras, strange and illicit dance formations rarely allowed to see the light of dance and all manner of things that will tease and tantalize our baser dance natures." Callers who are booked for these dances are encouraged to explode out of the starting block with new things, push the envelope, and take creative risks. Web site: http://www.contradance.org.
Atlanta (Clarkston) - New Year's Eve: A special sponsored by the Chattahoochee Country Dancers. The Chattahoochee Country Dancers host dances at the Clarkston Community Center, 3701 College Avenue in Clarkston. Dancing starts at 7:00 pm. Admission is $15/person. Students with ID: Buy one, get one free (i.e. two students showing up together each pay half price). Dancers under 16: $8/person. Non-Dancers 16 and over: regular or student admission. Non-Dancers under 16: free. All dancers should bring clean shoes, carried in and not worn outside, to change into for dancing. Web site: http://www.contradance.org.
Atlanta (Clarkston) - Special: A special dance sponsored by the Chattahoochee Country Dancers. The Chattahoochee Country Dancers host dances at the Clarkston Community Center, 3701 College Avenue in Clarkston. Admission and times vary, check site for details. All dancers should bring clean shoes, carried in and not worn outside, to change into for dancing. Web site: http://www.contradance.org.
Atlanta - Dance Weekend: The Chattahoochee Country Dancers sponsor a dance weekend in mid-November each year. Pre-register in advance. Web site: http://www.contradance.org.
Atlanta - Emory University: Outreach dance sponsored by the Chattahoochee Country Dancers. Donations at the door go to fund public health projects in developing countries. Dance is at the Glenn Memorial Fellowship Hall, 1660 N. Decatur Rd, Emory Campus. Web site: http://www.contradance.org.
Atlanta - Fandango Weekend: is an English Country Dance (mostly, some contra) Weekend held in mid-September. Pre-register in advance. Web site (as the main site appears broken): http://www.contradance.org.
Atlanta - Waltz: WaltzPlay sponsors dances almost Sunday afternoon from 2:00pm to 5:30pm at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 2620 Buford Highway NE, featuring Waltz, Swing, Ragtime Tango, One Step, Polka, Hambo, Rumba, Cha Cha, etc. Beginners are welcome. There is a lesson at the beginning of each session. Come with or without a partner. Dress casually or fancy, it's up to you. Wear shoes suitable for dancing. The cost is $7 per person. Occasionally they have live music events which cost a little more at $10 per person. Web site: http://www.waltzplay.org/.
Atlanta - Horizons School: at the Horizons School, 1900 DeKalb Avenue. Admission is $7 and the dance is from 6:00pm to 9:30pm. The entrance to Horizons is on the west side of Southerland Terr. at the corner of DeKalb Avenue. There are parking spaces for 40-50 cars on the grounds. There is also ample on-street parking on adjacent streets. Information about Horizons School can be found at www.horizonsschool.com. Contact Larry Enlow (404) 822-4327 or le_mk@yahoo.com. Web site: None.
Atlanta - Solefest Weekend: Dances on Memorial Day (May) weekend at the Clarkston Community Center with workshops and dances. Not a CCD event. Register in advance for a discount. Web site: http://www.contradance.org.
Atlanta - Georgia Tech - Benefit: Benefit dance, with a suggested donation of $5 at the door. All donations will be given to the Georgia Tech chapter of Engineers Without Borders, which is currently raising money to continue a water distribution project in Cameroon. See their website for details: http://ewb-gt.org/projects. There is an orientation session at 8:00pm with dancing from 8:30pm to midnight. The dance will take place in the Student Center Ballroom, with lots of free parking in the visitor lots that serve the Student Center and the Ferst Center. The dance is organized by the Georgia Tech Dance Association (the group that runs the regular swing dance a Tech) in cooperation with Free Association and CCD. Web site: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=118737721532402.
Atlanta - Georgia Tech: What is contra dance? It's a way to meet people and to have a lot of fun with people you already know. (By the end of the evening of contra dancing, you're likely to have danced with everyone in the room.) It's a traditional American dance made new, with patterns of lines, circles, and braids woven and rewoven into new forms. (It's great for those with a good spatial imagination.) You don't have to take a class, you don't have to pass an audition, you don't even have to know how to dance. (It does help to be able to walk and count to eight.) Each dance is taught and called, and everyone helps everyone else. There will be an orientation for new dancers from 8:00 until 8:30. You don't have to bring bring a partner, but you should bring your friends. Admission at the door is $5 for students, $10 for non-students. The dance is organized by the Georgia Tech Dance Association in cooperation with Free Association and the Chattahoochee Country Dancers. Web site: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=162781833798126.
Atlanta - Catapult!: Dance festival/weekend organized to help promote new bands and callers interested in touring across the country. Held in late May. Web site: http://www.catapultshowcase.com/.
Colbert: Old Time Barn Dance from 7:00pm to 10:0pm with a beginner workshop at 6:30pm. Location: Old Colbert Gym. Admission $5. plus a can of food for the Madison Co. Food Bank. Brought to you by Georgia Council for the Arts and Madison Co. Habitat for Humanity. Web site: http://athensfolk.org.
Cornelia: Contra for Critters Benefit Dance at the Community House, 601 Wyly Street, benefiting the Pet Friends Fund. Lesson 7:30pm, Dance 8:00pm-11:00pm. $8 adults, $4 youth/students, free for children under 7 (with supervising adult). Contact Mona Painter at 706.499.1241 or mpainter@corneliageorgia.org. Web site: http://www.corneliageorgia.org.
Dahlonega: The Georgia Pick & Bow Traditional Music School and the Appalachian Studies Center at North Georgia College and State University sponsor a dance from 8:00pm to 11:00pm with a beginners' lesson at 7:30pm at the Woodmen of the World Building, corner of N. Park and Warwick Street. Everyone welcome! Lessons begin at 7:30PM and the dance is 8:00-11:00PM. A donation of $8 per person or $5 for students is requested. Family rates are available. Proceeds benefit the Georgia Pick & Bow Traditional Music School. Web site: http://dahlonegamountaindance.com.
Dahlonega - Bear on the Square Mountain Festival: Held in mid-April, the festival includes music and art held in the foothills of the North Georgia mountains with old time and bluegrass music, a juried artist's marketplace features traditional mountain art and crafts, extensive music workshops, family activities, and food. Dance on Saturday night. Web site: http://www.bearonthesquare.org/.
Danielsville - Folklife in Georgia Festival: A festival celebrating the traditional music, dance, and handwork of rural Georgia from 1:00pm to 10:00pm at the Madison County Memorial Park & Gym - Hwy 29, just south of the square in downtown. We will be collecting food for the Madison Co. Food Bank all day long. On-going raffles to support the festival. Rain or Shine. In case of rain, the festival will be held in the Gym behind Madison Co. Memorial Park. The dance is always in the gym. Jam tents and booths selling traditional crafts. Dinner/refreshments for sale by the Mount Hermon Presbyterian Church. Dance is from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. Beginner workshop at 6:30 pm. Admission : Adults $5, Under 17 yrs. $3, under 6 free. Please remember to bring food for the Food Bank. You don't have to bring a partner or know these dances to enjoy this wonderful style of community dance. The caller will teach you everything you need to know. Fun for all ages and great exercise too. Due to a new finish on the floor we will not wear shoes for the dance. Wear your favorite pair of socks or plan to dance barefooted. Want to help? Want to know more? Please call Beth at 706-795-3223. Web site: None.
Decatur - Tuesday: The Chattahoochee Country Dancers host dances at the Messiah Lutheran Church, 465 Clairemont, on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Tuesdays of the month. They start at 8:00 and end at 10:15pm and are $3. All dances are open mic for established and cub callers. There is a core band and all musicians are welcome to play with the band. Web site: http://www.contradance.org.
Decatur - Instadance: Location: Decatur Recreation's Ebster Gymnasium, 404 Trinity Place. Plenty of safe, well-lit, free parking at the garage across the street - next to the police station and the post office on W Trinity. 8 - 11 PM - admission $12. Web site: None.
Decatur - Friends of L'Arche Atlanta Friends of L'Arche Atlanta and St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church invite you to join us for a Family Contra Dance & Potluck Supper from 5:30 to 8 PM at the Lutheran Church of the Messiah, 465 Clairemont Avenue. This is part of a series of social events on the fourth Saturday of each month for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities and others who choose to celebrate with the growing community. Come grow with us!! The caller for the dance has experience with people with intellectual disabilities. We are excited about growing our community and getting to know YOU. Please come out and see what L'Arche is all about. For more information or to R.S.V.P. please email larcheatlantaevents@gmail.com or call Curt Armstrong, Community Leader at 678-446-5790. Web site: http://www.friendsoflarcheatlanta.org.
Decatur - Lake Side Commons: Contra dance at Lake Side Commons, 900 Dancing Fox Road, Decatur, GA. Dessert pot-luck from 7:30pm-8:00pm with the dance starting at 8:00pm. All Welcome. There's a gate just after you turn onto Dancing Fox Rd., but a) it may be open and b) even if it's not, there will be a security guard and just say you're coming for the dance. Also, tho I'm sure you won't need it, a cell number you can call is 404-394-3947 (Lisa). You should be able to park shortly after making the Rt. turn mentioned below. Possibly the security guard will direct you elsewhere (nearby). Web site: None.
Decatur - Quicksilver: The Quicksilver Country Dancers host dances on various (mostly first) Sunday afternoons at the Life Enrichment Center at 1340 McConnell Drive, in Decatur. $6.00 per person (children 14 and under dance free)! No childcare is provided - parents should read the information on the For Parents page. All QCD dances are held in an alcohol- and drug-free, non-smoking environment. In addition, the UUCA is a fragrance-free zone, so please refrain from using scented perfumes, colognes and lotions. Dancers must wear non-marring shoes -- either dance shoes or rubber soled sneakers/shoes, or plan to dance in socks! QCD holds monthly dances, with a break during the summer. The Newcomer's Orientation begins at 1:30 p.m. This is a teaching session, during which the caller will teach some of the basic dance figures (balance and swing, dosidos, allemandes, etc.) and will explain how the dance is oriented and some basic dance conventions. Anyone new to contra dancing is encouraged to attend the orientation, but it is not required. The regular dance begins at 2:00 p.m. with part of the time devoted to English Country Dancing and the balance to Contra Dancing. Web site: http://www.qcdancers.org/.
Marietta: Emerson Unitarian Universalist Congregation is hosting a Contra Dance from 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Suggested donation: $10.00 adults; $5.00 Students; Children under 12 Free. Location: Emerson Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 2799 Holly Springs Road. Web site: http://www.emersonuu.org.
Oxford - Oxford College (Emory): Dance from 6pm to 9pm at Dooley's Tavern. Contra dance with live band and caller. No experience necessary, no partner necessary, no special dress necessary. Just show up ready to learn how to dance! Web site: http://oxford.emory.edu.
Rome: The Oostanaula Folk Dance Collective hosts dances on an occasional basis at the Ford Dining Hall, Berry College. Admission is $7. Web site: http://bgrant.home.mindspring.com/.
Roswell - Chattahochee Nature Center: Barbeque and square dance fundraiser for the Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road from 6:00pm to 10:00pm. Web site: http://www.chattnaturecenter.org.
Sautee - Saturday: Contra dancing on various Saturday nights from August to June with a potluck dinner at 6:30pm, warm-up lesson at 7:30pm and a dance at 8:00pm. They recommend that you dress comfortably and wear shoes that aren't slippery. Rubber-soled flats or low heels work best - comfort is key. The dancing is in the historic gym behind the Sautee Nacoochee Center (283 Hwy. 255 N., two-tenths of a mile from Highway 17). Adult admission is $8.00 ($7.00 for SNCA members with card), Students $4.00. Children under 7 FREE with a supervising adult. For further information, call the Sautee Nacoochee Center at 706-878-3300, OR call Walter Daves at 706-754-3254, OR e-mail Julianne Wilson at thrivingspirit@me.com, OR call Peter Bull at 706-865-5715 or e-mail bullwood@windstream.net. Web site: http://www.sauteecontra.com/.
Sautee - Tuesday: Beginner-Friendly dances on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays from August to June at the Community Hall at the Sautee Nacoochee Center 283 Hwy. 255 N., two-tenths of a mile from Highway 17. Dances are held from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Admission: $3 per person. Free for children 12 and under. Sit-in musicians welcome. Web site: http://www.sauteecontra.com/.
Savannah: The Savannah Folk Music Society sponsors dances on the 2nd Saturday of each month beginning at 8:00pm (lesson at 7:45pm). Check web site for location of dance. General Admission is $8.00. SFMS members $6.00. Web site: http://www.savannahfolk.org/dance.htm.
Savannah - Festival: The Savannah Folk Music Society sponsors the Savannah Folk Music Festival in mid-October. This is a music festival which includes an old-time country dance on Saturday night. Web site: http://www.savannahfolk.org/dance.htm.
Stone Mountain - Bluegrass, Old-time Music and Country Dance Festival: All day there will be music and dance on streets of the Village of Stone Mountain (not in the park). Bring your lawn chairs, picnics, and dancing shoes! Free!! Fun for the whole Family! Band Contests, Bluegrass and Old-time Music jamming throughout the village, Community contra dancing. Web site: http://www.stonemountainvillage.com.
Stratham - Farmers' Market: Come on out and dance the night away at the Statham Farmers Market Community Dance! FREE admission, LIVE music and dancing from 7-10pm on Railroad Street in downtown Statham. See you there! Web site: https://www.facebook.com/stathamfarmersmarket.
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.