Megan Wilson began dancing as a teenager in Boston, Massachusetts, and is a caller of English and contra dances based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she is working on a Ph.D. She specializes in challenging dances, dances by women choreographers, and fostering connection between music and movement. She has led dances in several states and… Read more »
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Filtered by Performer Style: Contra
Hans Krackau
Hans Krackau , contra caller and dancer from Berlin, Germany, has been calling for open house contra dances twice a month in Berlin, for 20 years.
Daphne, Audrey and Tom
Daphne Pickens, Audrey Potter and Tom Santarsiero
Louise Siddons
Louise Siddons is from Stillwater, Oklahoma. One of the founders of the Scissortail Contra Dance series, she is a light-hearted and adaptable caller. Check out her website.
Tim Ball and John Wobus
Tim Ball and John Wobus bring us great dance music from New England, Quebec, and Western New York by golly!
Dave Boyer
Long time dancer, artist, caricaturist, and delightful man.
David Millstone
David Millstone started contra dancing with Dudley Laufman in the early 1970s and has been calling dances for more than forty years. His monthly contra dance with the band “Northern Spy” in Norwich, Vermont ran from 1980–2015, making this one of the longest series in New England. David recently served six years as president of… Read more »
Confluence
Confluence is a mother-daughter duo from Western New York State. Nadine Dyskant-Miller contributes the flute and foot percussion, Barbara Dyskant contributes the piano, and we both contribute our joy of playing traditional music from Québec, New England, Ireland, and Scotland, original tunes, and more, for contra dances, English country dances, and concerts.
Alchemy
Alchemy is Karen Axelrod, Rachel Bell, and Eric Martin, three dynamic players steeped in traditional English Country Dance and Contra Dance music. Individually, they have performed across the United States, Canada, and Europe. As a trio, their improvisatory style brings a contemporary and innovative feel to both traditional and newly composed tunes and songs. Alchemy… Read more »
Laurel, Kit & Meg
This grouping is now named Dames Rocket.
Jesse Ball and Everest Witman
Jesse Ball of Polaris and Everest Witman of Nova team up for our dancing pleasure.
Alex Deis-Lauby
Alex is a NYC-based caller, dancer and organizer. Her smooth voice, clear teaching style and engaging dance selections delight dancers from coast to coast.
Craig Saunders
Craig Saunders
Bob Isaacs
Bob Isaacs, from Princeton NJ, squares the circles and lines up the dots with his delightful dance compositions. A prolific choreographer of creative dances, Bob is known for his clear calling of flowing contras and amazing hot grid squares. It’s a rare treat to have Bob come to Rochester.
Spindrift
Eileen, Chuck, and a variety of friends play for both contra and English dances.
Northside String Band
Laura Beth Taylor’s band from Ithaca
Colton Robbins
Colton Robbins is a local sensation with an electric fiddle. He will loop and accompany himself for our dancing pleasure!
Groove Effect
Chuck Abell’s 2025 band bring together jazzy stylings in arrangements ideally suited for a hot night of contra dance.
Northside String Band
Ithaca Northside neighbors, Laura Beth Taylor (fiddle/guitar), Deb Justice (guitar/banjo), and Scott (bass) enjoy playing Southern old time string band music together and with friends.
Eileen and Chuck
Eileen Kalfass on Fiddle and Chuck Abell on Guitar
Steve Zakon-Anderson
Steve Zakon-Anderson has been calling contras, leading workshops for callers and teaching couples dance for over 25 years. He has performed at dance camps and festivals in 36 states, including Pinewoods, Ogontz, Buffalo Gap, Lady of the Lake, Augusta and Brasstown. His own dance compositions, such as 3-33, are well-known to dancers and other callers…. Read more »
Colin Hume
Colin Hume is a world renowned caller and creator of contra and English dances. He has a deep knowledge of country dance, developed over decades of calling experience in his native England.
Calliope
A very experienced and versatile group of dance musicians who play for contra, English, Russian Ballroom, and Vintage dancing.
Joyce Rossbach
Joyce is a longtime caller with a southern twang!
Birch Trio
Birch Trio unites fiddlers Daphne Pickens and Molly Tucker alongside cellist/guitarist Casey Murray. Childhood friends Daphne and Casey are natives of Rochester, NY who have been playing tunes and improvising together at the Kanack School of Musicsince they were 4 years old. Daphne and Molly, a native of Thousand Oaks, CA, later met at Oberlin College and Conservatory, overjoyed to find… Read more »
The Bobbens
Rochester’s newest Contra dance band came together through playing at the local trad Irish music sessions and ceilidh dances. The core repertoire is thus Irish and for contra some Scottish, Canadian, and Old-time tunes have been added. Leader Bob Berch is a long time dancer and musician, so you know they’ll play great tunes in… Read more »
Kingfisher
Contra dance band from Boston, MA:
* Cecilia Vacanti: fiddle
* Jeff Kaufman: piano / drums / synths
Rich Goss
Most weekends, and sometimes on weekdays, I can be found in a dance hall somewhere calling, playing, doing sound, or contra dancing. I’m currently splitting time between The Pacific Northwest and Austin, Texas, with occasional travel sprinkled in. The Pacific NW is such a terrific place to live! It’s great for calling and playing opportunities…. Read more »
Pete’s Posse
Pete Sutherland, Oliver Scanlon and Tristan Henderson
O’Shanigans
The O’Shanigans contra dance band perform Celtic, American and world fiddle tunes suitable for contra dancing, general entertainment and weddings. Fiddle and dance tunes from: New England, Southern Appalachia, Canada, Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Finland, Sweden and the Middle East! We have our own sound gear and a publicity network to help gain attention for your event. We… Read more »
NOshanigans
The NOshanigans are Michael Ludgate (mandolin, feet) and Sophie Orzechowski (fiddle, accordion) as NO’Shanigans www.osh
Rebecca McCallum & Jane Knoeck
In addition to being members of the nationally known Groovemongers, Rebecca and Jane played regularly for Rochester English dances before Rebecca moved away. They are top notch players, and we sometimes catch Rebecca for a dance when she is in town.
Esteemed Clams
The Esteemed Clams originally came together in 1994 and have been playing for dances ever since. Their band roots are in Appalachian old-time music with a contra dance drive that will make you want to keep your feet a-movin’ on that dance floor!
Chet Gray
Hailing from Louisville, Chet is a dancer/caller who also calls in St. Louis and Urbana. Find out more on his Facebook page.
Dela Murphy
Dela is a community builder, dancer, and contra dance caller from Portland, Maine. She brings compelling arts programming to life and hosts events that connect people in meaningful, joyful ways.
Donna Hunt
Donna Hunt calls contra and square dances with interesting choreography and variations. She is known for utilizing clear, concise instructions to minimize teaching time and maximize dance time. Equally comfortable calling with a “techno” DJ as a “traditional” band of musicians, she offers programs of exciting dances in a variety of figures and formations for… Read more »
Jamcrackers
Seasoned solo performers Dan Berggren, Peggy Lynn, and Dan Duggan have combined talents to create a dynamic trio named in honor of the river drivers who broke up log jams. They worked hard to find solutions, to get things rolling again, and it was a job that couldn’t be done alone. Dan, Peggy, and Dan… Read more »
DJ Chuckabell
Chuck Abell mixes and calls R&B, Swing and other genres with a Techno vibe
Center Street
Three young, outstanding musicians fuse creativity, musicianship, and repertoire for exuberant music. Rebecca Bosworth-Clemens (Great Bear), Tim Ball (Tempest, Arise & Go), and Casey Murray (Corner House, Ginger Majority) join forces as Center Street — playing contra dance music for getting your groove on and feeling good. “Center Street is dance music at its elemental… Read more »
Brian Hamshar
Brian is a Caller and Saxophone player from Virginia
Atlantic Crossing
Atlantic Crossing is Viveka Fox, Peter MacFarlane and Rick Klein
Kanack School Faculty
CDR is proud to have the Kanack School Faculty play for us during the School’s Fiddle Camp Week.
Rebecca Bosworth-Clemens
Rebecca hails from Vermont, and plays Clarinet in a number of Contra bands, including Great Bear Band.
Adina Gordon
Being told what to do has never been so much fun! Adina Gordon’s collection of dances is delightful. Her sense of the moment is trustworthy. She blends the feel of the band and mood of the crowd with her repertoire to produce an exhilarating dance experience. Every program is unique. It’s no wonder she’s a… Read more »
Cloud Ten
Here’s the new generation of great contra dance music. These guys in Cloud Ten have already made a name for themselves in other hot bands of the northern tradition, hailing from Gallimaufry, Nor’easter, the Red Case Ramblers, and Nova to name only a few.
The Groovemongers
For nearly 20 years, the Groovemongers have been thrilling contra dancers with a world beat approach to dance music. Countless tours, festival weekends and dance camps in 32 US states, Canada, the UK and the Caribbean have forged an ensemble that is equally at home with crafted musical arrangements as with jam band improv. Pioneers… Read more »
Tim Ball and Casey Murray
Tim Ball and Casey Murray
Eileen Kalfass and Harvey Nusbaum
Continental Drift
Eileen Kalfass and Terry Wergerland are a fiddle duo, paired with Eric Anderson on Keyboard. Fantastic Irish influenced tunes makes for great danceable music!
Judy Greenhill
Judy Greenhill hails from Guelph, Ontario. She calls contras, English and squares.