Contra Musician Workshop
Join us at Summit Church on Saturday December 20, 3:30-5:30 pm (before the 3rd Saturday Dance) for a contra musician workshop led by the touring duo of Alex Fortier and Oliver Scanlon.
Creating a Contra Set: tunes, transitions, chords, textures, and more!
$10-$25+ sliding scale - no one will be turned away due to lack of funds.
The workshop is open to all instruments and will be taught to an intermediate to advanced level depending on the participants present. (Read more)
No pre-registration required; pay at the door (cash, check, credit card). Please email music@patmad.org with questions.
Welcome to the Thursday Contra! See the schedule of upcoming bands and callers below.
Location: The Irish Center (a.k.a. Commodore John Barry Arts and Cultural Center),
6815 Emlen St., Philadelphia, PA 19119.
Look for the signs, and use the ballroom entrance, furthest from Carpenter Ave.
Beginner lesson: 7:30pm
Dance: 8:00pm to 10:30pm
Admission: sliding scale, pay what you wish. Suggested $10/$15/$20+.
Our community standards seek to ensure a positive and safe experience for everyone.
Questions or concerns? You can meet with a member of our Safety Committee at any event, or report something online (can be anonymous).
Snacks are welcome. Please bring finger foods to share! (No peanuts or peanut butter please, due to allergies in our community.)
Our Thursday night dances strongly encourage up-to-date COVID vaccination. Masks are optional and welcome. If you test positive for COVID a few days after a dance, please send email to so we can alert others to a potential exposure. Please read more info about health precautions. We're looking forward to dancing with you!
| Date | Caller | Band | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 4 | Deanna Palumbo | Raven & Goose: Corwin Zekley (fiddle), Grace Fellows (piano) | |
| Dec. 11 | Dave Rupp | Kaleidoscope: Minda Cowen (fiddle), Larry Unger (guitar, banjo, jaw harp), Dominique Gagne (flute), Marco Brehm (bass) | |
| Dec. 18 | Dave Winston | SPUDS: Philly's phabulous open contradance band! | |
| Dec. 20 |
Contra Musician Workshop with Alex Fortier and Oliver Scanlon 3:30-5:30pm at Summit Church, before the 3rd Saturday Dance. (Read more) |
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| Dec. 20 | Rick Mohr | 3rd Saturday at Summit Church with Oliver Scanlon and Alex Fortier "The Soiree" - festive dress encouraged! Please bring finger foods to share. |
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| Dec. 25 | No dance (Christmas) | ||
| Jan. 1 | Greg Frock | Spintuition: Silas Hamilton (guitar, piano, fiddle, vocals, feet), Willy Clemetson (fiddle, vocals, feet), and Samuel Foucher (accordion, piano, vocals) | |
| Jan. 8 | Donna Hunt & Justin Kauker | Allemande: Chris Germain (fiddle), Kellie Allen (guitar), Pete Petersen (banjo), Paul Sidlick (mandolin), Heidi Germain (bass) | |
| Jan. 15 | Alyssa Adkins | Live Wire: Sarah Gowan (guitar), Ben Kennedy (keyboard), Laura Alexander (cello), Jared Bishop (fiddle), Bill Quern (mando/banjo/melodeon) | |
| Jan. 17 | 3rd Saturday at Summit Church |
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| Jan. 22 | Dave Rupp coordinating other callers | TWeLve: Nathalie Levine (fiddle), Miranda Weinberg (fiddle), Kathy Talvitie (piano) | |
| Jan. 29 | Perry Shafran | Torrent: Nadia Gaya (accordion), Sarah Parker (fiddle), Ross Parker (piano) | |
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Dances continue every Thursday (except Thanksgiving and Christmas). |
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But wait, there's more! PATMAD also sponsors
- The 3rd Saturday Contra Dance in Mt. Airy, continuing on December 20 with "The Soirée" with Oliver Scanlon and Alex Fortier at Summit Church.
- Allons Danser, Philadelphia's home for Cajun/Zydeco music and dance, continuing on Saturday, December 13 with a holiday potluck with Curley Taylor and Zydeco Trouble at the Holy Saviour Club, Norristown, Pa.
(3rd Saturday and Allons Danser may have different COVID precautions from the Thursday night contra dance. Check their pages for the most up-to-date schedules and information.) - SPUDS, Philly's phabulous open contradance band, playing on December 18 at the Thursday Contra.
- A Center City Contra series in Rittenhouse Square in the heart of Philadelphia, generally on fourth Saturdays most months. See the calendar for upcoming dances.
Donations to Philadelphia Area Traditional Music and Dance, the nonprofit which sponsors the Thursday Contra dance, are always appreciated! (Link)
Contributions to the 100% free platform we use for donations are optional, and may be set to "Other" including zero.
Our community standards seek to ensure a positive and safe experience for everyone.
All Hands In has been presenting games nights and other community-led events, along with some fun online dances with fantastic live calling. Tune in most Tuesday nights.
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