One of the traditions of contra dancing is that, at a few dances, there is an open mic (mike, microphone) for callers. This can range from a designated caller who organizes the evening (volunteers contact the designated caller and the caller works out an order for the dances for the evening) to a completely open mic with a sign-up list at the dance.
I have tried to list all open caller opportunities, even if the opportunity is once-a-year. Each situation has different traditions, rules or requirements, so visit the web sites before making any assumptions and showing up.
| California, Berkeley | Berkeley Wednesday Contra Dance | 5th (sometimes) Wednesday 8:00pm | Open calling sometimes on 5th Wednesdays. |
| Colorado, Glenwood Springs | Glenwood Springs Community Contra Dance | 1st Saturday 7:30pm | Callers and musicians seeking to gain experience should contact the dance organizers for information on calling and participating in a band at this dance. |
| Colorado, Westminster | Westminster Old-Time Community Dance | 1st Saturday 7:00pm-10:00pm | Callers and musicians seeking to gain experience should contact the dance organizers for information on calling and participating in a band at this dance. |
| Connecticut, Wethersfield | Hartford Community Contra Dance | 2nd Saturday in August 8:00pm-11:00pm | Call ahead for caller info. Open band that night, too. |
| Georgia, Sautee | Sautee Contra Dance | Occasional Saturday 7:30pm- | Open calling opportunity on February 20, 2009. |
| Illinois, Urbana | Chambana Jan Jam | Annually in January Friday/Saturday 7:00pm to ???? | There are opportunities for open caller/mic as part of this event. |
| Indiana, Bloomington | Bloomington Old-Time Music & Dance Group | 1st (?) Wednesday 8:30pm-10:30pm | Open caller mic |
| Indiana, Goshen | Goshen Community Contra Dancing | Once a year Saturday | Open caller opportunity on February 2, 2008. |
| Kentucky, Berea | Berea Third Friday Dance | 3rd Friday 7:30pm-11:00pm | Note that we also dance most third Fridays upstairs at 128 N. Broadway to open-mic calling and a pick-up band. For more information on Third Friday Dances, call 859-985-5501. Not every 3rd Friday dance is open calling mic. |
| Maine, West Farmington | Farmington Contra Dance | Occasional Saturday 7:30pm-11:00pm | The Farmington Dance occasionally has nights when "budding callers" call at the dance. |
| Maryland, Pikesville | Baltimore Folk Music Society - Thanksgiving Day Dance | 4th (in November) Thursday 8:00pm-10:30pm | This is an all-volunteer evening featuring an open band and open mic for callers (English, contras, squares). |
| Maryland, Thurmont | Catocin Mountain Music & Dance Weekend - Fall | Annual Friday-Sunday ???? | Volunteers lead music and dance events during this camp. |
| Maryland, Thurmont | Catocin Mountain Music & Dance Weekend - Spring | Annual Friday-Sunday ???? | Volunteers lead music and dance events during this camp. |
| Massachusetts, Cambridge | MIT Contra Dance | Various Tuesday 8:00pm-10:30pm | Students and others are welcome to sit in with the band and/or call dances during many of the evenings in this series! |
| Michigan, Grand Rapids | Grand Rapids Folk Arts Society Contra Dance | 4th Saturday 7:00pm-10:30pm | Bring your acoustic instrument or flat/ low-heeled dance shoes. Come to dance, play dance music, or call a dance! Callers are requested to contact us a week prior to dance night. |
| Michigan, Kalamazoo | Kalamazoo Open Mic Night | Occasional Saturday 7:00pm-10:30pm | A great opportunity for novice callers and a great opportunity for dance fun for all. Call Danika at 269-674-3078 by the preceding Wednesday to get on the caller roster. |
| New Hampshire, Dover | Dover, New Hampshire Dance - Lamprey River Band | 1st Thursday 8:00pm-10;40pm | Guest musicians and callers welcome. |
| New Hampshire, Nelson | Nelson Monday Night Dance | Every Monday 8:00pm-10:30pm | The Nelson Monday Night Dance is an informal dance featuring a variety of callers and musicians, from local regulars to visiting dignitaries. If you are musician and would like to play for a dance or two during the evening, speak to Roger Treat (or the caller if need help identifying Roger) - he is the official coordinator, and he will work you into the program (such as it is). If youÕd like to sit in as a backup musician, you should ask whoever is playing at the time; some players are more receptive than others, and some may have tune sets that are more difficult to follow. |
| New Jersey, Chatham | Folk Project Swingin' Tern | Saturday Occasional 7:30pm to ???? | Occasional open mike opportunities for callers. Check site for details. |
| New Jersey, Princeton | Princeton Contra Dance | sporadic Wednesday 7:30pm-10:30pm | The Princeton Dance series has occasional dates for open caller opportunities. |
| North Carolina, Asheville | Thursday Night Dance at Warren Wilson College | Every (jam); Every-so-often (dance) Thursday 8:00pm | Once and a while, there are opportunities for open calling at the Thursday night dance at Warren Wilson College. |
| Ohio, Athens | Southeast Ohio Traditional Dance Society - Athens | Sporadic Saturday 7:30pm-11:00pm | There will be open band opportunities and an open mic for callers at the dance on July 12, 2008 and August 9, 2008. |
| Ohio, Lake Logan | May Apple Stomp | Annual Saturday and Sunday Various | Musicians and Callers please come and share your talent! Band and caller sign up begins at 7:30 PM. |
| Oklahoma, Kingston | Fiddler's Dream | Annual Varies ???? | Volunteers lead music and dance events during this camp. |
| Oregon, La Grande | NE Oregon Folklore Society Contra Dance | Some Tuesday 7:30pm-9:00pm | On some Tuesdays there are opportunities for playing and calling at the dance. Call ahead if you want to try playing music or leading a dance. |
| Pennsylvania, Glenside | Thursday Night Contra Dance | usually, at least once a month Thursday 7:30pm-11:00pm | On many Thursdays, callers other than the lead caller are invited to participate. Please contact the lead caller if you are interested in calling a dance this evening. |
| South Carolina, Greenville | Harvest Moon Folk Society | Occasional Wednesday 7:30pm-10:00pm | The Wednesday night dance series in Greenville has occasional dates for the Community Band and a callers open mic. Check web site for details. |
| Tennessee, Jonesborough | Jonesborough Contra Dance | 1st or 3rd Friday or Saturday 7:30pm-10:30pm | The Jonesborough Contra Dance has occasional dances with open calling. |
| Texas, Austin | Austin Barn Dancers Wednesday Night Dance | Occasional Wednesday 7:30pm-9:45pm | There is an occasional open caller mike. |
| Texas, Irving | NTTDS Irving Dance | 2nd Saturday 8:00pm-11:00pm | New dance series in Irving on 2nd Saturdays from March 2009-May 2009 with open calling and open band. |
| Washington, Bellingham | Bellingham Country Dance Society | Varies Friday or Saturday 7:30pm-11:00pm | Open caller opportunity on Saturday, November 29, 2008. |
| Washington, Goldendale | MCFS Simcoe Mountain Music & Dance Weekend | Annual Friday-Sunday ???? | Volunteers lead music and dance events during this weekend. |
| Washington, Seattle | Seattle Community Open Band Contra Dance | 2nd Sunday 6:00pm-8:30pm | Seattle Community Contra Dance - an open-band contra dance, featuring an open mic for callers, preceded by a potluck supper (please bring a dish to share, as well as your own plates and utensils). It's a supportive place to dance, call, and make music - beginners welcome! The band and the callers' open mic are led and hosted by a different favorite local musician and caller each month. |
| Washington, Vashon Island | Northwest New Year's Camp | Annual Varies ???? | Volunteers lead music and dance events during this weekend. |
| Washington, Wenatchee | Wenatchee Contra Dance | Every Saturday 1pm-3pm | There is a contra dance workshop EVERY SATURDAY 1-3pm. This is a relaxed gathering for new dances, new dancers, and some open mic time for anyone who would like to try calling or share a good joke. |
| West Virginia, Beckwith | Fall Fling | mid-September Friday, Saturday, Sunday | The weekend includes Jamming, Contra dancing, Open mic for musicians and callers, Workshops, and a Saturday Night Potluck! |
| Wisconsin, Madison | Madison Contra Dance Cooperative | every Tuesday 7:45pm-9:40pm | Open band and callers. |
This page is part of the Contrdancelinks.com web site. For more information about contra dancing, visit these other site pages:
*The Colorado link will bring you to Dancing on the Web. The Maine link will bring you to the Downeast Friends of the Folk Arts. The New Mexico link will bring you to the New Mexico Folk Music and Dance Society. The Utah link will bring you to Utah Contradance Information. These fine organizations and individuals already have complete listings for these states and there is no reason for me to duplicate their efforts.