ContraCopia Contra Dance Weekend November 28-30, 2025
| Friday | 6 hour double dance, featuring Qwill Duvall calling to River Road, and Janine Smith calling to Northwoods First Presbyterian Church, 2344 Center Street, Bethlehem, PA. Time: 3PM - 10:30PM | Potluck dinner! |
| Saturday | 9 hours of contra dances, squares & waltzes 3 AWESOME bands and 3 AMAZING callers Commodore Barry Center, 6815 Emlen St, Mt Airy (Philadalphia) PA 19119 Time: 2PM - 11:30PM | Food available onsite |
| Sunday | 3 hours of contra dances and waltzes in Swarthmore PA featuring Janine Smith calling to River Road Park Avenue Community Center, 129 Park Ave., Swarthmore, PA. Time: 4PM - 6:30PM | Pizza! |
Prepay now for any and all three dances
And show up in style with ContraCopia merch: T-shirts (including tie-dye), water bottles, tote bags and more!
November 29, 2025 - 2:00pm until 11:00 pm
ContraCopia Saturday
9 hours of contra dances, squares & waltzes
3 AWESOME bands and 3 AMAZING callers
Bands
River Road
Sarah-Hadley Yakir (fiddle), Jesse Ball (mandolin, guitar, feet), Kristen Planeaux (piano)
North Woods
Casey Murray (cello), Molly Tucker (fiddle), Sam Zakon-Anderson (piano)
Midnight on the Water
Tom Krumm (fiddle, mandolin), Dani Hawkins (cello), Nathan Bishop (fiddle, feet)
Callers
Janine Smith (Pittsburgh, PA)
Qwill Duval (New York, NY)
Michael Karcher (Northampton, MA)
Role terms will be Larks and Robins.
Waltz Breaks
Bob Pasquarello
BEOB: By-Ear Open Band (Bring your instrument and join us for some notable waltz tunes!)
Admission
- $60 Sustainer/pay-it-forward
- $45 Breakeven (advance price; $50 at the door)
- $35 Student/low income
- $70 Combo ticket with ValleyCopia Friday
Save $5 and get a nametag made by artists of our local dance community when you register ahead of time!
(Registration tip: choose "Other under "Help keep Zeffy free" to change your payment to our ticketing platform.)
Location: 6815 Emlen St. (The Commodore John Barry Arts and Cultural Center) Philadelphia, PA
Parking: Street parking is widely available for free. The nearby train station also allows parking.
Out-of-town visitors: Make a weekend of your trip to the Philly area and witness this incredible talent at other dances this weekend!
ValleyCopia: Friday November 28th, First Presbyterian Church, 2344 Center Street, Bethlehem, PA. Time: 3PM - 10:30PM (with a potluck dinner!)
Arden Contra: Sunday December 1st, Park Avenue Community Center, 129 Park Ave., Swarthmore, PA. Time: 4PM - 6:30PM
Food: Healthy food for sale on site. Past food included pizza, sandwiches, chili, and soup. Snacks will be potluck style, with anyone welcome to donate to the snack table.
FYI: Please bring soft soled shoes to protect the floor. Please bring your own water bottle. Some cups will be provided.
COVID: Given the uncertainty of the pandemic, we will decide on our masking policy closer to the weekend.
Safety: Please read our safety policy prior to attending this dance.
Look for updates on our Facebook group
Sponsored by Philadelphia Area Traditional Music and Dance