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+.
Prepay registration for ContraCopia Dance Weekend is now open!
3 great bands and 3 awesome callers in Bethlehem (double dance), Philadelphia (9 hours!), and Swarthmore
November 28-30, 2025 (read more)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep. 4 | Christie Riehl | Audrey Jaber (fiddle) & Alex Cumming (piano, accordion) | |
| Sep. 11 | Liesl Jandrey coordinating | SPUDS: Philly's phabulous open contradance band! | Membership drive |
| Sep. 18 | Sam Rotenberg coordinating | Cecelia, Laura, and Max: Laura Alexander (cello), Cecelia Tannous-Taylor (fiddle), Max Thoburn (guitar, mandolin) | |
| Sep. 20 | Liesl Jandrey | 3rd Saturday BACK FOR THE SEASON at Summit Church with Petrichord: Colleen Holroyd, Sophie Chang, Bobby LaRose | |
| Sep. 25 | Jan Alter coordinating |
Max Brown and his Band of Renown: Max Brown (fiddle), River Brown (fiddle), Ed Bonghi (guitar), Jay Kreider (banjo), Kim Kreider (bass), Rich Myers (mandolin) This is a sponsored event; a special thank you to Jean Anderson. |
Jim Kitch Memorial Dance (free admission) |
| Sep. 27 | Dave Rupp |
Bill Quern, Sarah Gowan, and Jared Bishop Saturday in Center City: Philadelphia Ethical Society auditorium, 1906 S. Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA. |
|
| Oct. 2 | Julian Blechner | Cojiro | |
|
Oct. 9 |
Michael Karcher coordinating | Hot Wasabi: Dave Miller (fiddle), Chris Carpenter (banjo, mandolin, guitar, and clarinet), Roberta Goren (flute), Ben Kennedy (piano) | |
| Oct. 16 | Donna Hunt coordinating | Coracree: Jane Rothfield (fiddle), Bill Quern (mando, banjo, melodeon), Allan Carr (bass), Sarah Gowan (guitar) | |
| Oct. 18 | Scott Higgs | 3rd Saturday at Summit Church with Hijinks: Carey Rose, Miranda Weinberg, Kathy Talvitie | |
| Oct. 23 | Alex Burka | The Turning Stile: Joanne Garton (fiddle), Aaron Marcus (piano, concertina) | |
| Oct. 25 | Liesl Jandrey |
Torrent: Nadia Gaya (accordion), Sarah Parker (fiddle) and Ross Parker (piano) Saturday in Center City, location TBD |
|
| Oct. 30 | Rick Mohr coordinating | SPUDS: Philly's phabulous open contradance band! | |
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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, back for the 2025-2026 season on September 20 with Petrichord at Summit Church.
- Allons Danser, Philadelphia's home for Cajun/Zydeco music and dance, continuing on Saturday, September 20 with Zydeco Jay & Creole Pressure 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.
- 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.
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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