Two special events coming up!
English-Scottish-Contra Weekend October 30 - November 2 (mostly) in Philly, including a free ECD Party in Princeton on Friday (Oct. 31), and a 3-way English/Scottish/Contra Party on Sunday (Nov. 2). (more info)
The three-way dance party will be Nov. 2, 1:30-4:30 at Widener Hall at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill in Philadelphia. Dancers experienced in at least one of these traditions will be able to enjoy the full program. Tell a friend; save the dates!
ContraCopia Contra Dance Weekend right after Thanksgiving, November 28-30. Three great bands and three awesome callers in Bethlehem (double dance), Philadelphia (9 hours!), and Swarthmore (more info) (prepay now!)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 2 | Julian Blechner | Cojiro | |
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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 | 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: Philadelphia Ethical Society auditorium, 1906 S. Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA. |
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| Oct. 30 | Rick Mohr coordinating | SPUDS: Philly's phabulous open contradance band! | |
| Nov. 2 | Callers including Joanna Reiner Wilkinson, Alex Burka, and Chrissy Gore |
Sunday, 1:30-4:30, at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, Widener Hall A special 3-way English/Scottish/Contra Party! Music by Hijinks: Miranda Weinberg, Kathy Talvitie, Carrie Rose Explore the delights of three related styles! Dancers experienced in at least one of these traditions will be able to enjoy the full program. More info about the full ESC weekend, October 30 - Nov. 2: escdance.org |
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| Nov. 6 | Scott Higgs coordinating | Alias: Adam Oleksa (fiddle), Kirsten Erwin (flute, whistles), Adlai Waksman (keyboard) | |
| Nov. 13 | Harris Lapiroff | Here on the Hill | |
| Nov. 15 | Jan Alter | 3rd Saturday at Summit Church with Caravan: Adam Oleksa (fiddle), Ben Kennedy (piano), Kirsten Erwin (flute/whistles), and Thane Glenn (mandolin) | |
| Nov. 20 | Bob Isaacs coordinating | Neon Creek: Chloe Rosenthal (piano, electronics), Jared Bishop (fiddle, electronics) | |
| Nov. 27 | No dance (Thanksgiving) - but join us for ContraCopia dance weekend Nov. 28-30 in Bethlehem, Philadelphia, and Swarthmore! | ||
| Nov. 29 |
(Saturday) 2:00pm until 11:00 pm: ContraCopia Saturday! |
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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 November 15 with Caravan at Summit Church.
- Allons Danser, Philadelphia's home for Cajun/Zydeco music and dance, continuing on Saturday, October 25 with Corey Arceneaux and the Zydeco Hot Peppers 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.
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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