The portal contains a vast range of resources by and for the dance, music, and song community. From expert tips from fellow organizers and callers, to databases of dances and songs, find what you need to help engage with the traditions you love!

Resources added before 2022 do not all have explicit permission from the authors. If your resource is in the portal and you’d like it removed, please email us.

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Use the search box and filters below to find resources.
Tip: Selecting multiple checkboxes will give you more specific results. For example, to see specific resources for contra dance callers, select both Callers and Contra Dance.

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43 Results

Contra Dance Map

A Google map with many local dances in the US and Canada. Also searchable by zip code, for special events, and for dances using non-gendered calling. Created by Jeff Kaufman.

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance, Dancers, Musicians

Shared Weight: Positional Calling Discussion List

This list is for anyone interested in exploring positional calling within traditional dance (contra, squares, ECD, community, family dance, Irish ceili, Scottish ceilidh, etc). 

Our goal is to support each other by discussing topics of interest to callers specifically in relation to positional calling. We encourage callers to also join some of the other Shared Weight lists as those communities are valuable resources for other aspects of calling.

Categories: Callers, Dance Tradition, Dancers, Organizers

Topics: Discussion, Equity, Non-Gendered

Shared Weight: Dance Organizers Discussion List

This mailing list welcomes organizers and those interested in organizing any form of traditional social dance.  This includes contra, English country, traditional squares (e.g., Appalachian, New England, Quebecois, Cape Breton, etc), community/family/barn, ceili, Balfolk, and more!

Categories: Dance Tradition, Dancers, Organizers

Topics: Discussion

Choosing Contra Dance Shoes

In this blog post, Jeff explores how to choose shoes for dancing.

From Jeff Kaufman

Categories: Contra Dance, Dancers

Introduction to Pronouns

Miriam Newman explains the movement towards asking people about their pronouns.

From the CDSS News

Categories: Callers, Dancers, Educators, Musicians, Organizers, Singers

Topics: Equity

Contra Syncretist Flourish Videos

A video archive of over 100 video showing how to do various contra dance flourishes.

From Contra Syncretist

Categories: Contra Dance, Dancers

Tips on Being a Better Contra Dancer

A number of tips exploring a wide range of aspects in how to become a better contra dancer.

From Cary Ravitz

Categories: Contra Dance, Dancers

Dance Technique Notes

This website contains an extensive list of topics for dancers of various levels. This includes everything from awareness and consideration as a dancer to how to enjoy dancing more. Useful both for teachers of dance and dancers.

From Colin Hume

Categories: Callers, Dancers

10 Tips for Contra Dancing With Kids

Miriam reflects on how dancers can be more supportive of children and youth within the contra dance context. Some helpful considerations for dancing with children. While the context of the article is contra dancing, the ideas also apply to many other forms of dance.

From Miriam Axel-Lute

Categories: Contra Dance, Dancers, Families

Technique for Swinging, Connection and Allemandes

John Sweeney provides some excellent descriptions and images of techniques for swinging, connection, and allemandes. There is a focus on how to improve dancing skills and prevent injuries.

From John Sweeney

Categories: Dancers, Novices

Running Behind: Rush to Catch Up Or Not?

An article from Laura Brodian Freas Beraha on what to do when you are behind in the dance/music.

From the CDSS News

Categories: Dancers, English Country Dance

Tips on Becoming a Better Intermediate-Level Dancer

An article by Laura Brodian Freas Beraha with 10 excellent tips on how to grow as an intermediate English country dancer.

From the CDSS News

Categories: Dancers, English Country Dance

Trycontra.com

A website of contra dances where you can enter your zip code and it will list dances close by. You can also look at the full list of dances.]

From Jeff Kaufman

Categories: Contra Dance, Dancers, Organizers

The Caller Directory

The Caller Directory is a spreadsheet listing self-submitted callers, their contact information, and what they call. It also provides space for references, video links, and a comment from the caller.

From Luke Donforth

Categories: Callers, Dancers, Organizers

Gender Free Contra Facebook Group

This Facebook group is for enthusiasts of Larks and Ravens terminology. However, other ways of welcoming LGBTQIA dancers into contra and other folk dances are also on topic. The group offers resources, discussion, and strategy.

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance, Dancers, Organizers

Topics: Discussion, Equity

Shared Weight: Trad Callers Discussion List

Trad Callers is a discussion list (email group) with wide-ranging interests. The group welcomes callers interested in community dances, dancing for children, one-night stands, traditional squares, and other forms outside the contra dance and ECD realm. List members ask/answer questions, discuss issues that come up for them, and share helpful resources. The list is a great way to talk with trad callers from throughout North America and beyond. Join the discussion!

Categories: Callers, Dancers

Topics: Discussion

Elements of Country Dance

A comprehensive description of each of the 50+ basic dance figures in ECD.

from Hugh Stewart

Categories: Callers, Dancers, English Country Dance, Novices

English Country Dance Video Playlists

The Childgrove channel on YouTube is a repository of over 100 videos of English country dancing and is a source of instruction on how to dance many of the finest dances choreographed by Fried de Metz Herman.

From Paul B Ross

Categories: Callers, Dancers, English Country Dance

A Figure By Any Other Name: Exploring Alternatives to Gypsy

This article by Katy German, Sue Stanton, and Jeff Kaufman explores the use of the term “gypsy” in calling and presents a range of alternative options.

From the CDSS News

Categories: Callers, Dancers, Organizers

Topics: Equity

Response to: “A Figure by Any Other Name: Exploring Alternatives to Gypsy”

Dragan Gill’s exploration of the term gypsy, both in terms of how it is used in dance as well as in the broader cultural context.

From the CDSS News

Categories: Callers, Dancers, Organizers

Topics: Equity

Northern Junket Archive

Northern Junket was a square dance magazine published from 1949 until 1985 by Ralph Page, a renowned figure in New England folk dancing. Each issue contains directions and tunes for squares, contras and folk dances, as well as folk songs, recipes, riddles, tongue-twisters, old wives’ tales, and other folklife traditions.

Categories: Callers, Community/Family Dance, Contra Dance, Dancers, Musicians, Singers, Square Dance

Topics: Choreography, Repertoire

Feedback Tool: Try This at Home Too!

Linda Henry presents an approach to collecting and using feedback that callers might find helpful in improving their own calling.

From the CDSS News

Categories: Callers, Dancers, Novices

Madison’s Tuesday Night Dances: Fostering Talent for More Than 20 Years

This article by Carol Ormond describes Madison’s approach to developing talent through weekly dances that feature newer callers as well as an open band.

From the CDSS News

Categories: Dancers, Musicians, Organizers

Topics: Starting Up

Composing Dances

Colin Hume’s thoughts on composing dances.

From Colin Hume

Categories: Dancers

Topics: Composing

Writing Dances: A Conversation with Erik Hoffman

Evo Bluestein interviews Erik Hoffman about how Erik started writing dances and his process. Some of Erik’s dances are featured in the article.

From the CDSS News

Categories: Dancers

Topics: Composing

How to Get Gigs as a Dance Musician

This two-page resource contains a number of great ideas on how to get gigs as a dance musician. Many of the ideas are also applicable to callers as well as other types of musicians.

From CDSS

Categories: Callers, Dancers, Musicians, Novices

History of Larks/Ravens

In this blog post, Jeff presents a history of Larks/Ravens. The post is followed by a community discussion.

From Jeff Kaufman

Categories: Dancers, Organizers

Larks and Ravens: A Report from the Field

Dela Murphy and Dugan Murphy make a case for gender-free calling and describe how communities can transition to using gender-free terms.

From the CDSS News

Categories: Dancers, Organizers

Topics: Equity

5 Things… Inside the Dancing Mind of…Global Terminology/Positional Calling with Brooke Friendly

Darlene Hamilton’s discussion with Brooke Friendly focused on teaching with global terminology and positional calling—something Brooke has been doing for years but which is particularly relevant to the current interest in teaching without reference to gender roles.

FromThe Historical Tea and Dance Society

Categories: Callers, Dancers

Topics: Equity, Non-Gendered

5 Benefits of Positional Calling (and one challenge)

Video of a workshop with Louise Siddons, moderated by Brooke Friendly, at Fall Frolick 2021.

From the Bay Area Country Dance Society

Categories: Callers, Dancers

Topics: Equity, Non-Gendered

Gender-free calling: why does it matter?

Lisa Heywood discusses the importance of gender-free calling and offers some practical tips on how to get started.

From EFDSS

Categories: Callers, Dancers, Organizers

Topics: Equity, Non-Gendered

Lisa Heywood’s Gender-Free Dance Page

Lisa offers a variety of resources on gender-free and positional calling and dancing.

From Lisa Heywood

Categories: Callers, Dancers, Organizers

Topics: Equity, Non-Gendered

Giving and Receiving Help

Bruce Hamilton gives some tips on how to give and receive help on the dance floor. 

From CDSS News

Categories: Callers, Dancers

Old-time Dance Calling for Weddings, Parties, and One-Night Stands

To assist the caller at those sometimes challenging one-night stands or other special occasions. Includes helpful pointers, sample contract, sample dance program with instructions for several easy dances, and an annotated bibliography. By Erik Hoffman.

This resource is free for CDSS members and is available for purchase through the CDSS Online Store.

Categories: Callers, Dancers

Contra Dance Technique

In these three resources, John provides tips on good technique for swinging, allemands, connection, and more. There is a focus on how to improve dancing skills and prevent injuries.

From John Sweeney

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance, Dancers, Novices

Square Dance History Project

An expansive resource of square dance history, repertoire, and more. Also contains a vast collection of stories, photographs, video, and audio.

Categories: Callers, Dancers, Organizers, Square Dance

Topics: History, Repertoire

Village Green English Country Dancers ECD Manual

This manual describes in detail figures, formations, and steps in English country dancing. It also includes descriptions of common difficulties in executing steps and figures.

From Village Green English Country Dancers

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance, Dancers, English Country Dance, Novices

Traditional Music Today Facebook Group

This Facebook group “attempts to be a safe(r) space to discuss traditional music, culture and our lives as members of it.”

Categories: Callers, Dancers, Musicians, Organizers, Singers

Topics: Discussion

GEMS: The Best of The Country Dance and Song Society Diamond Jubilee Music, Dance and Song Contest

This online collection contains American (e.g., contra, mixer, triplet) dances, English dances (with music), tunes, and songs composed by the country dance and song community.

From CDSS

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance, Dancers, English Country Dance, Musicians, Singers

Topics: Choreography, Repertoire

The Full English Project

The Full English Project is the world’s biggest free digital archive of traditional folk music and dance tunes, and songs.

From EFDSS

Categories: Dancers, Musicians, Singers

Topics: History, Repertoire

Childgrove Dance Video Archives

This website, hosted by the Childgrove Country Dancers, hold a wide range of videos of contra dances, English country dances, morris dances, and square dances. They are organized by dance title for easy reference by callers, musicians, and dance leaders.

Categories: Callers, Contra Dance, Dancers, English Country Dance, Ritual Dance, Square Dance

Topics: Choreography

Welcoming Diverse Populations

2015, Putting on the Dance 2
Sophia Donforth and Julia Bennett
Notes from a workshop given at POTD2: Who are your dancers? Who is missing from your dance floor, and why? We’ll examine ways to reach out to more diverse populations and how to make a more welcoming dance community for everyone. Bring an anecdote to share about a magic moment, or something you’d do differently. Participants will leave with a list of ways to reach new dancers, and make an inclusive dance “commons” that brings them back a second time!

Categories: Dancers, Organizers

Topics: Accessibility, Equity

Be Square: Old-Time Square Dance Handbook – A Southern Subset

T-Claw
This resource for square dance callers and organizers touches on many aspects of the dance and community, particularly some that are often not mentioned elsewhere, including geography, politics, and patriarchy.

Categories: Dancers, Square Dance

Topics: Equity