Come to a contra dance! A lesson at 7pm will teach you all you need to know to have fun for the next two hours with friends old and new.

We begin with a “newcomer’s session” of dance instruction at 7:00 pm. Beginners are always welcome, even if you don’t make it to the instruction session. We draw dancers from every age and ability from teens to retirees; from “first dance ever” to “been a dancer for decades.” Each dance set starts with a “walk through” to teach the dance sequence and moves, and the dance is called during the dance. Each set lasts about 15 minutes including the walk-through. The “main” dance is from 7:30 pm to 10:00 pm with an intermission. Dances will typically use genderless role calls; Larks and Robins is common for the format of contra dances, but positional calling may also be instructed at the dance and will depend on the caller. The price is now a sliding scale of $12 to $20 at the door. CFS members get a $2 discount, as do people who arrive by bike or foot. People 18 and under get in free. College students with ID are half-price, $6. There are occasional special dances with visiting special and nationwide bands at different prices. We suggest that dancers wear “cool, comfortable, casual clothes.” “Swirly” skirts are common, as are shorts, kilts, and dresses (contra is aerobic!). Many people bring extra changes of clothes in order to manage the aerobic “experience.” We suggest flat shoes with clean soft non-marking soles. Tennis or gym shoes are usually fine. Jazz-style dance shoes are recommended. Please refrain from wearing fragrances, perfumes, and colognes. Some of our dancers have chemical sensitivities.