This page is devoted to listing contra dances in the Pacific region of the United States along with bands, musicians, callers, and organizations that are based in the region. URLs and e-mail addresses are listed when available. New entries, additional information, and changes in information are always welcome. Links to other pages in the www.contradancelinks.com web site are listed at the bottom of the page.

New links are simply new to me, not necessarily new to the World Wide Web. Change in URL means that a link has changed its WWW address or URL.

Regional

Alaska

• The Dancing Bears in Anchorage are a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of traditional music and dance in Alaska. In addition to their schedule of dances, they sponsor the Dancing Bears Dance Camp at Beautiful King's Lake Camp near Wasilla in late May.
• The Anchorage Folk Festival, over two weekends in the latter half of January, includes contras among a wide range of activities.
• The Contra Borealis Dancers are located in Fairbanks. They dance first Friday and 3rd Saturday of each month at the Pioneer Park Dance Hall from September through May and host Dance Camp North in late August/early September.
• For dances in Homer try the Homer News or the Homer Tribune.
• The Juneau Folk Music and Dance Community site has information about Thursday Night Contras, September through May. and the Saturday night contras. In addition, the Camp Damp occurs in early July each year at the Methodist Camp in Juneau.
• In mid-April each year, the Alaska Folk Festival occurs in Juneau. The Festival includes contradancing. Some information is also available at Gary Newman's page on festivals in Alaska.
• There are monthly dances in Sitka with the host band, Fishing for Cats. Gary Newman supplies the details. Change of URL (June 19, 2015)
• Gary Newman provides information on a variety of topics including:
  • Festivals in Alaska;
  • the Alaskan folk music scene;
  • Summer Traditional Music Festivals; and
  • The Alaska Contradance ConnectionChange of URLs (February 19, 2015)

California

• Starting with Gary D. Shapiro's page for the Santa Barbara Country Dance Society, you can find contra information for a number of other locales in the state.
• Jeff Spero's pages specialize in the dances, camps & festivals, bands, and callers of Southern California. Change of URL (June 19, 2015)
• The California Dance Cooperative, in Los Angeles, sponsors 13 contra dances and 4 English country dances each month, and has links to festivals and other dances in the area.
• Les Addison has a Convenient Contra Calendar covering dances in a number of locales. New entry (June 19, 2015)

• The Living Tradition (Southern California) sponsors folk music jams/potluck/contra dances in Anaheim on the 4th Saturday of most months.
• The Berkeley Wednesday Contra Dance is held on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Wednesday of each month.
• The Canyon contra dances happen on the 1st Saturday of each month in a charming schoolhouse under the redwoods and alongside a bubbling creek.
• There are dances at the Caspar Community Center on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month. New entry (March 15, 2015)
• The Chico Country Dance Society sponsors dances on the 2nd Saturday of each month at the Chico Grange from 7pm to 10pm. Change of URL (June 19, 2015)
• The contra dances in Cool occur on 4th Saturdays in various locations.
• Evo Bluestein sponsors dances on the 2nd Saturday of each month in Fresno. Check the monthly flier for details. Change of URL (December 25, 2017)
• The Western Yolo Grange sponsors several dances each year, at the Grange, in Guinda.
• There are dances in Hayward on the 4th Sunday (generally) of each month with a slow jam preceding each dance. Change of URL (December 19, 2016)
• The Humboldt Folklore Society promotes folk music, dance, including a contra dance on various dates, crafts, an annual festival, and other folk arts of many cultures in Humboldt County, California.
• The BACDS sponsors the BACDS American Dance and Music Week at La Honda in early July.
• Dances are held in Lancaster on (generally) the 4th Saturday of the month with music by Danance. Change of URL (December 15, 2018)
• The California Dance Cooperative in Los Angeles sponsors a number of contra dances and English country dances each month, and has links to festivals and other dances in the area.
• The Lark In The Morning Music Celebration is held in late July and/or early August each year in Mendocino and includes music and dance from the world over including contra dances.
• The Monterey Country Dance Community (MCDC) holds dances on most first and third Saturdays in Monterey (second and fourth Saturdays in December). They also hold the annual Foggy Moon contra dance and auction in November. Change in location (February 9, 2019)
• The Foothill Country Dancers hold dances in Nevada City on 1st Saturdays and Newcastle on 3rd Saturdays.
• The Circle Left contra dance series, sponsored by the San Francisco Bay Queer Contra Dance, occurs in Oakland on 2nd Fridays from 8pm to 11pm. Change of location (June 19, 2015)
• The San Francisco Bay Queer Contra Dance usually happens on the 1st Saturday of the month in Oakland. Updated date/location (June 20, 2015)
• The Palo Alto Contra Dance is held on the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Saturdays of each month.
• The annual Fiddling Frog Dance Festival is held in late February and/or early March in the Pasadena area and includes contras, squares, English dances, and more and is sponsored by the California Dance Cooperative.
• There are several dances each year in Paso Robles at the Oak Creek Commons Common House.
• The North Bay Country Dance Society sponsors dances on the 1st Sunday of the month in Petaluma.
• The Sacramento Country Dance Society sponsors contras dances on 2nd, 4th and most 5th Saturdays with some workshops on other dates and an occasional special dance.
• Dances in San Diego are sponsored by the San Diego Folk Heritage on the first, third, and fifth Fridays and the second and fourth Saturdays of the month (all this in general; check schedule for exceptions). Steve Barlow furnishes this information. San Diego Folk Heritage, is a nonprofit, all volunteer organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the folk arts in Southern California. In additional to the regularly scheduled contra dances, they hold an annual Folk Festival in early May.
• The Bay Area (San Francisco) Country Dance Society (BACDS) has information about their regular dance series along with information about special events, dance weekends, and week-long camps that the BACDS sponsors along with other events that the Society holds that are not related to contra dancing.
• The San Francisco Contra Dance is held on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month along with 4th Fridays.
• The San Francisco Folk Festival is held in mid-June each year.
• The North Bay (north of San Francisco) Country Dance Society (NBCDS) pages include information about a number of dances in the area including Sonoma, Marin and Mendocino County dances along with special events in the area.
• The South Bay dances in San Jose - happen on the third Sundays. Cosponsored by the Music Program of the First Unitarian Church of San Jose (sanjoseuu.org) and The Bay Area Country Dance Society. New entry (February 24, 2017)
• The California Central Coast Country Dance Society holds dances the second Saturday of most months in San Luis Obispo. Harold Hallikainen maintains the site.
• The North Bay Country Dance Society sponsors dances on the 2nd Saturday of the month in San Rafael.
• The Santa Barbara Country Dance holds dances on Sundays. In addition, they are a sponsor of the Harvest Moon Festival in Santa Barbara in October.
• The Traditional Dancers of Santa Cruz hold contra dances every month in Santa Cruz on 2nd Fridays and 4th Sundays. Updated schedule information (April 1, 2018)
• During the spring, the BACDS holds its Spring Weekend at Monte Toyon near Santa Cruz in March.
• And in the fall, the BACDS returns to Monte Toyon near Santa Cruz for the, mostly English, BACDS Fall Weekend in mid-October.
• The North Bay Country Dance Society sponsors dances on the 3rd Friday (and some 5th Saturdays) of the month in Santa Rosa.
• The North Bay Country Dance Society sponsors dances on the 4th Saturday of the month in Sebastopol.
• The BACDS sponsors the BACDS Family Week at Alta Sierra Camp near Sonora held in early July.
• The Tuolumne County Dance is held in Sonora with dances on the 3rd Saturday of the month. The dances are a variety of styles including contras.
• There are dances in Ukiah on the 2nd Saturday of each month at the Ukiah Methodist Church Social Hall. Change of URL (March 15, 2015)

Hawaii

• The Contradancers of Hawaii sponsor contra dances on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month on O'ahu.
• Dances at various locations, times and dates (usually in Pahoa at Polestar). A caller will teach and call all the dances, no experience is necessary. Couples, singles and families are welcome, fun for all. Alcohol free event. Contact: Oshi, 808-965-8685, oshi1950@gmail.com.
• Many years, the band Wild Asparagus sponsors an annual dance week in Pahoa each year, generally in the first half of March.

Oregon

• In Ashland, the Southern Oregon Contra Dance sponsors dances, usually on the 3rd Saturday of the month, from September to May. Revised text (September 20, 2017)
• Contra dances are now occurring at the Astoria Arts and Movements Center on the 2nd Friday of each month. Facebook group. New entry (April 10, 2017)
• The dances in Bend occur on the 2nd Saturday of each month at the Boys and Girls Club. Change of URL (March 21, 2020)
• Join the South Coast Folk Society for their 1st Saturday (and some 5th Saturdays) contra dances at the Bay Area Senior Center in Coos Bay.
• The Corvallis Folklore Society holds dances on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month in Corvallis except for the summer when dances are held on an irregular basis. In addition, they host the Corvallis Contra Weekend in mid-February. William Watson provides web support.
• The Eugene Folk Society holds dances on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays from September to June in Eugene and the Cascade Contras weekend in the first part of April. In addition, they hold the Midsummer Madness Camp at a camp east of Eugene at the end of July "the odd camp in odd numbered years".
• The Mid-Columbia Folklore Society presents dances on 2nd Saturdays in Hood River and their annual Annual Music & Dance Weekend north of Goldendale, Washington, in mid-September. Callie Jordan supports the site.
• The Northeast Oregon Folklore Society sponsors contra dances in La Grande on 2nd Saturdays. They also sponsor a Tuesday dance series with nights devoted to dances ranging from contras to international and hold a weekend or day-long event in the spring in La Grande. Change of URL for spring event (June 19, 2015)
• The Portland Country Dance Community (PCDC) sponsors the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Saturday dances in Portland. PCDC also sponsors the annual Portland Megaband Dance at Portland State University on the second Saturday in March and has information about other dances in Portland.
• The band Joyride hosts a contra dance on the 1st Wednesday of the month in Portland. Change of URL (October 31, 2016)
• The PCDC sponsors the Northwest Passage near Rhododendron in the Oregon Cascades in early September. Caroline Klug and Erik Weberg supply the information.
• The Eugene Folk Society hold the Midsummer Madness Camp in Sisters at the end of July every other year, I think (so the next one would be in 2015).

Washington

• There are occasional dances on Bainbridge Island, many times on 3rd Saturdays.
• There are dances in Bellingham, usually on the 2nd, 4th and 5th Saturdays of each month, September through May or June with occasional special dances in the summer.
• The dances in Clinton, on Whidbey Island, happen on 1st Saturdays at the Clinton Community Hall. New entry (October 13, 2018)
• Dale Brubaker provides information about the 1st Saturday dances, November through April except for March, in Ellensburg.
• The Mid-Columbia Folklore Society holds their annual Annual Music & Dance Weekend north of Goldendale in mid-September. Callie Jordan supports the site. Change of URL (June 19, 2015)
• A new community dance series will be held every second Saturday at the Juanita Community Club in Kirkland.
• There are dances in Olympia on the 1st, 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month at the South Bay Grange.
• There is a 1st Saturday dance series in Port Angeles at the Black Diamond Community Hall.
• The Port Townsend Community Dances hold square dances on 2nd Saturdays and contra dances on 3rd Saturdays at the Quimper Grange with the occasional dance on other dates. Added link to the Quimper Grange (September 21, 2018)
• Also in Port Townsend is Centrum Arts which sponsors the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes Workshop in early July.
• The Tumbleweed Music Festival, sponsored by The Three Rivers Folklife Society (3RFS), is held in Richland in late August/early September and includes dancing (perhaps even contras).
• If you are interested in folk dancing of any kind in Seattle, Matt Fisher's Seattle Folk Dancing is an excellent place to start.
• There is an Old Time Country Dance on Thursday nights at the Lake City section of Seattle at the Seattle Latvian Center. Matt Fisher presents information on this dance.
• There is various open band/open mic (caller) opportunities at various times throughout the year in Seattle. As usual, Matt Fisher provides the scoop.
• The Emerald City Contra Dances holds dances at the Phinney Neighborhood Center in Seattle on Friday nights. Matt Fisher presents information on this dance.
• There is a Sunday (various, once a month) family dance on 1st non-summer Sundays in Seattle at the Phinney Neighborhood Center Community Room.
• The Northwest Folklife is a comprehensive multi-cultural arts organization in Seattle dedicated to serving the ethnic, traditional, and folk arts communities of the Northwest. Among their events is the Northwest Folklife Festival in the last part of May. Changed URL for festival (June 19, 2015)
• The Spokane Folklore Society is a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to the celebration of Folk Arts, particularly music and dance and sponsors a weekly dance on Wednesday nights and 2nd Saturdays. In addition, they hold an annual Fall Folk Festival with a mix of different music styles and dances. They also promote three dance camps a year at the Lady of the Lake Camps at Camp N-Sid-Sen located on Coeur d'Alene Lake in Idaho.
• The Tacoma Old-Time Dances are held on the 3rd Saturday of each month.
• The Seattle Fifth Saturday dance, sponsored by the Seattle Folklore Society, is held in Tacoma and the information is provided by Matt Fisher.
• "Contra in the Couve" is a new dance series on 2nd Fridays in Vancouver. No passports needed for residents from Oregon. Change of URL (October 20, 2017)
• The Seattle Folklore Society sponsors an annual Northwest New Year's Camp at Camp Sealth on Vashon Island. Change of URL (June 19, 2015)
• Friends of Acoustic Music is located in the Walla Walla in Washington State and among their activities sponsor contra dances on the 3rd Saturday of each month and on the 1st Wednesday of each month at Whitman College. Kathy Howard supports the page. Change in URL (June 19, 2015)
• The Apple Country Contra Dancers host a dance in Yakima on 2nd Saturdays at the Broadway Grange. Change in URL (October 10, 2017)

Bands

• The Portland Country Dance Community includes information about bands and callers in the Pacific Northwest.
• The California Dance Co-op in Los Angeles has listings of bands in the area.
• The Spokane Folklore Society provides a list of bands including contra dance groups.
• Jeff Spero, on his site, has a list of regional (southern CA) bands.
• 3 O'Clock Shadow is a Ex-Post-Neo Contradance Experience! from the San Francisco Bay area.
• Kevin J. Anderson plays piano with a number of people on the West Coast.
• A member of The Free Raisins, Amy Englesberg plays across the country and teaches piano in Washington State. New entry (May 29, 2016)
• The California version of Atlantic Crossing was started in 1987 to share traditional music from both sides of the Atlantic and points beyond. Over the years, they have played traditional American music from the Appalachians and Louisiana, the Balkans and Middle East, and now, are playing primarily Celtic music. Slight change in URL (June 20, 2015)
• The Atlas Stringband plays old-time southern music in Seattle, Washington.
• One of the hottest bunch of musicians in the Pacific Northwest: Bag o' Tricks, a contra dance band, and their (almost) mirror image, the English country dance band, Tricky Brits, include Dave Bartley, Anita Anderson, and Sande Gillette (Bag o' Tricks), and sweet tunes, new and traditional, when Betsy Cooper joins the band and they morph into Tricky Brits. Slight change in URL (June 20, 2015)
• Eric J. Anderson and Lee Anne Welch are Bandemonium, a fiddle and piano duo from California and no relation to the East Coast based Big Bandemonium.
• The Barn Owls from Washington State, is a vintage country and old-timey band which includes Brittany Newell, Hanna Traynham, Kate Lichtenstein and Katy Harris. Facebook page. New entry (January 2, 2016)
• The Barnstormers play at contra dances in the Eugene, Oregon area. (e-mail only)
• Washington State based Randal Bays plays Irish fiddle and fingerstyle guitar with a number of musicians and appears at contra dances from time to time.
• Ray Bierl plays everything from cowboy ballads, Appalachian fiddle tunes, vintage rock and roll hits, Tin Pan Alley songs to country classics. He is based in Oakland, California.
• Rex Blazer plays music with a variety of musicians and bands and is based in Alaska.
• Bluegrass Stomp for dances and other events as a duet, trio or a full bluegrass band. They are based in California.
• Bonnie Insull and Richard Scher play together as Bonfire, by themselves or with other musicians from time to time. The band is based in California. (e-mail only)
• Christa Burch gives voice and plays bodhran for the band, the California band, The Syncopaths.
• Susan Burke lives in Duvall Washington and performs actively around the Puget Sound area and at contra dances at much of the Pacific Northwest.
• Calliope Creek (Janet Ashford on violin and Chet Boddy on guitar and banjo) plays sweet and lively Celtic and American folk music for weddings, parties, dances, receptions and fund-raising events in Mendocino. Slight change in URL (June 20, 2015)
• The Canote Brothers, are from Seattle, Washington. Greg on fiddle, and Jere on guitar, and both on banjo ukes, perform zany concerts, play for dances, lead songs and promote a good time!
• Washington State-based Carolina Rowdies love to play just about anywhere: bars, festivals, community dances, parties, or on your front porch. To boot, we are like a square dance in a box, and come complete with our own caller. New entry (July 9, 2016)
• The Carr Family Band plays contemporary/traditional music with drive. Kevin Carr and Josie Mendelsohn and their offspring Daniel and Molly Carr have a trunkful of tunes and songs collected over the years in dance halls, festivals and along the byways of America, Europe and Quebec. They are based in Oregon. New entry (July 2, 2016)
• Cascade Crossing plays contra dance music that touches on many styles of music, from baroque to klezmer to hard driving reels to smooth mysterious jigs and is based in Oregon and Washington State.
• Celtic Spring is six siblings who play the fiddle and step-dance, backed by their mom on the keyboard and their dad on percussion. Their music hails from Ireland, Scotland and Cape Breton and the band is based in California.
• Chopped Liver is a Santa Barbara / Los Angeles based band featuring Michael Mendelson on fiddle, Jeff Spero on piano, Suzanne Duffy on flute and Bill Flores on mandolin, banjo, dobro and tenor sax. They play music from many traditions (including quite a few original compositions) with a driving groove and shameless improvisation.
• Ciunas is a San Diego area band of four young musicians sharing the tradition and innovation of Celtic music.
• The California band, The Cobb Stompers play music for hoedowns, shindigs, and hootenannies. New entry (June 30, 2016)
• Sarah Comer plays fiddle for contra dances along at other venues and teaches private lessons and a beginning American fiddle class in the Puyallup, Washington area. Slight change in URL (June 20, 2015)
• Contra Sutra is composed of Dave Bartley, Ryan McKasson, Marni Rachmiel and Russell S. and is based in Northern California.
• Countercurrent is a contra dance and folk music band from western Washington, featuring driving guitar, foot percussion, lyrical fiddle, and harmony vocals. New entry (June 30, 2016)
• Country Capers plays lively New England, Cape Breton, and Irish reels and jigs, beautiful and intricate Scandinavian melodies, pulsating Cajun tunes, and stompin' Appalachian hoedowns in Washington State.
• The Crabapples are a lively contra dance band known up and down the central coast of California and play a variety of traditional tunes with a highly danceable spirit.
• Crooked Kilt, based in Spokane, Washington, is a unique source of Celtic and other styles of music.
• Grounded in the family's Celtic and Nordic roots, The Crow Valley String Band performs a remarkable variety of original and traditional tunes and songs from North America and the British Isles. It is based in Washington State. New entry (January 2, 2016)
• The Dam Beavers are Ben Schreiber on fiddle and Scotty Leach on piano. The band is based in California. New entry (November 7, 2017)
• Danance, featuring Pete Gregory, Frank Javorsek, Doug Moon, Wayne Slater-Lunsford, Marsha Trochim plays at the Lancaster, California dance on a regular basis. Slight change in URL (June 20, 2015)
• Santa Barbara's Dannsair plays Irish music with jazz, classical and traditional Irish sensibilities.
• Ruthie Dornfeld, fiddle player, is fluent in a wide range of styles, from Celtic and old-time to Scandinavian and Eastern European and is based in the Pacific Northwest.
• Driving With Fergus, is a Northern California band featuring Lewis Santer (guitar and Irish bouzouki) and Vince Wolfe (flute, whistle, pipes, drum) which plays the traditional dance music and songs of Ireland.
• Eel House is a quartet from Fairbanks, Alaska which melds Irish fiddle with an unapologetic dose of fusion jazz, classical, and hard rock. Facebook page. New entry (January 2, 2016)
• The Celtic/Appalachian band, The Electrodes are based in Seattle, Washington and play for contradances around the Northwest. New entry (July 2, 2016)
• The Eugene City Barnstormers play at square dances, contra dances, weddings, parties in and around Eugene, Oregon. Change of URL (July 9, 2016)
• Oregon-based Europa Duet plays Classical Music, Jazz Standards, Celtic Gypsy Jazz, and Old Timey Feel-Good Classics along with providing music for contra dances. New entry (October 10, 2016)
• Extended Roots is an acoustic band comprised of 13 women from the East (San Francisco) Bay Area playing predominately traditional music from the roots of America such as 'Old-Time', 'Celtic' and 'Bluegrass'.
• La Famille Leger is a family band playing the music of Quebec and New Brunswick and is based in Seattle, Washington. Change in URL (June 20, 2015)
• Fat Weasel has been playing in Anchorage and around Alaska for a few years now and it features Steve Montooth, guitar; Jason Bent, fiddle; Brian DeMarcus, banjo-bass-caller-clogger; Aileen McInnis, bass; and Christy Williams, vocals and banjo-uke. They play hard driving Appalachian Old Time String Band Music. (e-mail only)
• Fiddle Tunas based in Santa Barbara / San Luis Obispo. Members are Michael Mendelson on fiddle, Amber Roullard-Mueller on piano, and Tom Wolverton on banjo and dobro.
• Robin Fischer s a fiddler and square dance caller based in Berkeley, CA. Her fiddling is rooted in old-time, bluegrass, and country styles. She calls square dances in the traditional southern fashion - no levels, no prerecorded music, just a live band and emphasis on the party. New entry (September 25, 2016)
• The Flat Rock Stringband plays Old-Time American stringband music, includes Brooks Masten, Robin Wilcox, Linnea Spitzer, and Eric Bagdonas, and is based in Portland, Oregon. New entry (May 13, 2016)
• Spokane, Washington-based multi instrumentalists Don Thomsen and James Hunter have joined forces with guitarist Rick Rubin and fiddler Morgan Andersen in the configuration known as Floating Crowbar. New entry (July 2, 2016)
• Robin Flower and Libby McLaren play for contra dances in northern California.
• Portland, Oregon's Foghorn String Band's line-up fiddle, banjo, mandolin, bass and guitar - is reminiscent of early bluegrass, but their powerful approach is whole-heartedly old-time, centered largely by the fiddle.
• Four Shillings Short is rooted in Celtic and American folk, is inspired by Indian Raga and ethnic idioms, and plays a diverse and inventive traditional music adventure. They are based in California, but play all over the country.
• Gaelic Fusion is a metamorphicizing band of long time Fairbanks, Alaska Celtic musicians.
• Alan Garren has played with bands such as the Rose City Aces in the Portland, Oregon area.
• Topher Gayle plays guitar, mandolin, bass and percussion in groups such as The Rosin Doctors, along with writing funny songs. He is based in San Jose, California.
• Growling Old Geezers (e-mail only) from Central California.
• The band, Hands4 is based in Portland, Oregon. and plays 99% original music written by band members. The music is in a variety of styles including French Canadian, New England, Celtic, Eastern European, and some Caribbean. Instruments include fiddle, mandolin, keyboard, flute, penny whistle, and percussion.
• Harmon's Peak is to bring you American and Celtic folk music. The band members live in San Lorenzo, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Sunnyvale and Saratoga, California and play music from early America and from the Celtic tradition.
• Based in Seattle, the old-time string band Hart & Blech has been playing the traditional music of the Southern Mountains and Plains together since 1985.
• The Hat Band is a three-piece all-purpose string band that includes dual fiddles Sue Gray and Syd Newell; and Jon Neff, melody and rhythm guitar. They are based in Portland, Oregon. New entry (May 13, 2016)
• The Hillbillies From Mars have been rocking the contradance scene in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1983. They combine their love and dedication to Celtic and American traditional fiddle music with a healthy dose of their own "folk roots" of rock 'n' roll, swing, Latin and African beats, forging a new tradition of dance music.
• Erik Hoffman plays fiddle in three California bands, 3 O'Clock Shadow, The OpporTunists and The Repercussions.
• Charlie Hunt is a mandolin player living in Fairbanks, the Northern most city in Alaska and plays at contra dances on occasion. Change from URL to e-mail (November 29, 2015)
• Ice Jam is Skip Nodler, Sarah Garland & Seth Danielson, an Alaskan band with a unique combination of hammered dulcimer, banjo and guitar.
• The California band, Jax, includes Christa Burch, Kira Ott, Steve Shapiro and Jeffery Spero. (e-mail only)
• Jigsaw plays traditional and contemporary folk music from different parts of the world and includes Dan Compton on fiddle, guitar, and button accordion, Clyde Curley on powerhouse mandolin, banjo, and tenor guitar, George Penk on fiddle, and Heather Pinney on piano and is based in Portland, Oregon.
• The Portland, Oregon based group Joyride includes Sue Songer's swinging piano, Jeff Kerssen-Griep's flywheel guitar, Kathleen Towers' hot fiddle and Erik Weberg's fluid flute, punchy harmonica and stunning bombarde. Change of URL (October 31, 2016)
• As they say, KGB is not a spy organization, but a band from Seattle that plays for New England style contradance. Dave Bartley supports the site.
• The Knuckle Knockers hail from San Francisco and play from the vintage American musical tradition. Change of URL (December 1, 2015)
• Paul Kotapish is known for his inventive rhythmic accompaniment and incisive melody playing on mandolin and guitar with Wake the Dead, Euphonia, Hillbillies from Mars, and with noted fiddlers such as Kevin Burke and Rodney Miller. He lives in California.New entry (June 16, 2016)
• The Kuffel Creek Band includes Marie Bruno, Emil Olguin, Nathan Olguin and Susan Platz and is based in Pasadena, California.
• La Famille Leger play the dancing music of French Canada - the music handed down through generations in the New World, the music of back porches and kitchen parties in Washington State. New entry (July 2, 2016)
• Michelle Levy plays classical viola, old-time fiddle/banjo and medieval vielle with a number of groups and bands. She lives in Oakland, California. New entry (May 14, 2016)
• Ryan McKasson plays fiddle and viola for a number of bands in the Pacific Northwest and California. He is based in Washington State. New entry (June 28, 2015)
• A little information is available about the California band, Michael's Mixed Nuts, made up of some combination of musicians from the Chameleons, often joined by other outstanding musical guests (as of January 2012, the line-up is Michael Gutin, Mike Mullins, Patrick Wood, Sean Wood). They play in a variety of styles, from Old-Timey to swing, from Latin to Klezmer, demanding only that the result is fun and danceable.
• The Mill Creek String Band plays at dances in the Portland, Oregon area. (e-mail only)
• The Modal Tease String Band is an old time string band servin' up sizzling hot slices of American Folk Tradition to Music Lovers in Southern California and beyond. New entry (May 15, 2016)
• The More the Merrier is the San Diego Contra Dance community band which periodically plays at the dance series.
• The Nettles play exciting contradance medleys throughout the Pacific Northwest.
• The New Young Buzzards feature Frank Hoppe on fiddle, Steve Lewis on banjo, and Barbara Richer on piano and are based in Los Angeles, California. (e-mail only)
• Nine-8ths Irish is based in Sacramento, California and is made up of four unique musicians (Chris Dunlap, Linda Relph, Bo Bowen, and Kathy Barwick) with extremely diverse backgrounds. band blog.
• Cellist and percussionist Fred Nussbaum is a member of a number of Pacific Northwest Contra and English Country dance bands, including Full Circle (with George Penk and Heather Pinney) and Calico. He is based in Port Townsend, Washington. Change of URL (June 28, 2015)
• Masha Goodman and Geff Crawford play together asOld Soles. Toe-tapping good-time old-time fiddle and banjo duets, songs from the silly to sublime, and red-hot traditional flatfoot clogging. Over 30 years experience (60 if you add them up) playing and calling for dances, festivals, inaugurations and cattle drives. They are based in California.
• The Old Twine String Band features Jeff Bratt (hammer dulcimer, recorder, concertina and percussion), Karen Croot (fiddle), JoAnn Koppany (banjo) and Martha Wild (piano and mountain dulcimer) and is based in San Diego, California.
• The Onlies (Sami, Leo and Riley) have been playing music together since we were little. We hale from Seattle, and play gigs from places like the Northwest Folklife Festival to the Muddy Rudder restaurant in Sellwood, Portland.
• Pied-a-Terre features Dan Compton, Fran Slefer and Rob Barrick and can be heard on the Pacific coast, especially in Oregon.
• Plaid Menagarie is Sonoma County Wine Country's Celtic band for your Irish, Scottish, Renaissance or Maritime themed entertainment. New entry (July 5, 2016)
• The Portland Megaband, in Oregon, is comprised of over 70 musicians ranging in experience from professional to beginner including more than 30 fiddles along with banjos, mandolins, concertinas, saxophones, clarinets, flutes, whistles, autoharps, celtic harp, keyboards, bass, guitars, and a lively percussion section. They are best known for their annual concert each spring.
• The Pub Scouts are a traditional Irish music group located in Chico, California who host sessions on a regular basis and play at the contra dances in Chico. Change of URL (June 28, 2015)
• Ranting Banshee, with members Marci Phelan, Carla Blackmar and Martha Wild on piano play Irish with a bit of English, Scottish, Quebecois and New England-style tunes tossed into an eclectic mix. The band is based in San Diego, California. Change of URL (June 28, 2015)
• W.B. Reid and Bonnie Zahnow play together, separately with others and together with others at contra dances and other events. They are based in Seattle, Washington.
• The Remnants include Don Noon, Given Harrison, John Wright and Rick Johnson and are based in San Diego, California. Change of URL (June 28, 2015)
• The Retrospectacles started playing music together and somehow wound up becoming a contradance band. The band is based in Olympia, Washington. Facebook page.
• Mike Richardson, a caller and musician from the Seattle, Washington area.
• The Screaming Earwigs are Pat Sauber, Tom Sauber with other musicians. The band is based in Los Angeles, California. (e-mail only)
• Charmaine Slaven is a musician, flatfooter, and caller based in Seattle. New entry (September 25, 2016)
• Smoke Creek features Mike Murray, Jim Murray, Peggy Sullivan, Ted Briggs-Comstock and Elizabeth Gale on Fiddle. The band plays an unpredictable mix of award-winning original songs, ballads, country-western songs and old-time instrumentals. They are based in Port Townsend, Washington. Site has problems (January 30, 2010)
• Alan Snyder plays fiddle with bands up and down the Pacific coast. Slight change in URL (June 28, 2015)
• Spud Mountain, while no longer a performing old time country music band, did work out of Portland, Oregon.
• Sharing a mutual love of old time music, Charlie Beck and Charmaine Slaven began performing together as the duet, Squirrel Butter, in spring of 2005. The band is based in Washington State. Change in URL (June 28, 2015)
• The Squirrel Heads are an old-time string band playing reels to waltzes are are based in southern California.
• The Stairwell Sisters are San Francisco's all-gal urban old-time teardown with a deep and rowdy repertoire of timeless tunes plus a solid standing of smart, original material.
• Star Thistle plays for contradances in and near Sacramento, Auburn, Reno, and the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Dave Kistler, David Wright, Lonna Whipple, and Cheryl McKinney combine forces on fiddle, mandolin, guitar, banjo, whistles, drum and piano -- and have at least as much fun as the dancers. Change from e-mail to URL (June 28, 2015)
• The Steeltones feature Keith Moe, Dave Hamlin and Jon Neff playing 18 strings that will make you dance, especially in Oregon and other parts of the Pacific Northwest.
• The Striped Pig Stringband frequently plays at dances in Humboldt, California. New entry (May 29, 2016)
• Ray Frank (guitar) and Dan Engle (fiddle), the members of the California band Stump Tail Dog blend many different styles and traditions to create a bold and exciting performance all their own.
• Sugar on the Floor plays for a variety of occasions and at different venues in Washington State.
• The Syncopaths are a vibrant West Coast band from California, offering a fresh, contemporary take on Celtic music. Fiddler Ryan McKasson, pianist Jeffrey Spero, bodhran player and vocalist Christa Burch and multi- instrumentalist Bill Flores make up this energetic and inventive quartet.
• Along with playing at plenty of square dances in Washington State and elsewhere, The Tallboys Old Time String Band plays at a contra dance, on occasion.
• Tapsalteerie is a five-member band (two fiddles, guitar, concertina, and stand-up bass). We play topsy-turvy music for contradances in the Seattle area.
• Treehouse is comprised of Bo Leyden (mandolin, banjo, flute), Becky Dorsey (fiddle), Benjamin Young (banjo, whistle), and Rachael Young (piano). Between them they bring a mix of Irish, Quebecois, and New England style, and put it together with Pacific Northwest flair. The band is based in Corvallis, Oregon. New entry (February 2, 2017)
• Carl Thor plays with Vancouver Celtic and folk group Talisman and Portland contra dance band Hands4, Carl also plays in Cascade Crossing, the Portland Megaband, in other groupings for folk dancing, and as a soloist.
• Tipsy House, in various configurations and combinations as a traditional Irish music band, has played in the San Francisco area for a variety of events for more than 10 years.
• One of the hottest bunch of musicians in the Pacific Northwest: Bag o' Tricks, a contra dance band, and their (almost) mirror image, the English country dance band, Tricky Brits, include Dave Bartley, Anita Anderson, and Sande Gillette (Bag o' Tricks), and sweet tunes, new and traditional, when Betsy Cooper joins the band and they morph into Tricky Brits. Slight change in URL (June 20, 2015)
• Triple Chicken Foot plays at square dances in California and believe highbrow, lowbrow - it really doesn't matter because it is music.
• Turtle Creek includes Steve Lewis, Gaili Shoen, Daniel Slosberg and is based in California. (e-mail only)
• Uncle Farmer is Ben Schreiber on fiddle and Michael Sokolovsky on guitar. With an Irish and New England sound at its core, the duo is known for its original dance tunes, modern twists on old favorites, and sets mixed with pop rhythms and improvisational flair. The band is based in the San Francisco Bay area. New entry (May 29, 2016)
• Uncle Wiggily plays on a regular basis for square dances in Portland, Oregon.
• From Sherman Oaks, California, Unsafe at Any Speed. (e-mail only)
• The Water Tower Bucket Boys were brought together by their love of string band music play classic old-time and bluegrass tunes with a relentless youthful exuberance. They are based in Eugene, Oregon.
• Since 1979, Lee Anne Welch has focused on traditional Celtic and American folk music. A mainstay on the California Bluegrass scene, Lee Anne is also a Contra dance fiddler and teacher. New entry (July 5, 2016)
• Based in the Los Angeles, California area, Patty McCollom, Bob Altman, and David James make up Whirled Peas which plays for English Country Dance, Civil War Reenactments and Contradances. New entry (May 29, 2016)
• In Hawaii, Whiskey Starship plays traditional and contemporary music in the Celtic, New England, and Old Time style: jigs, reels, hornpipes, waltzes.
• Wild Hair is a contra-dance band of fur, fun, and festivity and has been Wiggling fannies on the dance floor since 2006! The band is based in Oregon. Change in URL (June 28, 2015)
• Zollo consisting of Cathie Whitesides, Anita Anderson, Nova Devonie and frequently Christian Green plays contra dance music for music lovers and dancers of all levels. The music world is our oyster! Flavors of Ragtime, Swing, Pop, Balkan and Greek music inform our original tunes, tricks and irresistable rhythms. Your feet will sail over the floor! The band is based in Washington State.

Callers

• Harold, as part of the California Dance Cooperative, provides a wide range of contact information for a number of callers in the Central California area.
• The Portland Country Dance Community includes information about bands and callers in the Pacific Northwest. Slight change of URL (June 28, 2015)
• The California Dance Co-op in Los Angeles has listings of callers in the area.
• The Spokane Folklore Society provides a list of callers including contra dance groups.
• Jeff Spero, on his site, has a list of regional (southern CA) callers.
• Lynn Ackerson calls all over Northern California, and has also called in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Atlanta, GA, Bloomington, IN, and Ottawa, Canada. Her motto is "Have cards, will travel." (e-mail only)
• Ginger Alberti is a caller in the Los Angeles, California area. (e-mail only)
• Bob Archer is a caller, formerly based in the UK, now in Washington State.
• The caller Steve Barlow is based in San Diego, CA. (e-mail only)
• Lynn Basham (e-mail only) is a caller in Alaska.
• Along with clogging and being out on the dance floor for international and ballroom dancing, Ron Bell-Roemer, calls from Oregon. Change of URL (June 28, 2015)
• Eric Black calls in the San Francisco Bay, across the U.S. and across the world.
• Robert Bley-Vroman is a caller in Hawaii.
• Warren Blier is a contra dance caller based in Carmel-by-the-Sea, on the coast of central California. (e-mail only) Change from URL to e-mail (March 14, 2015)
• Evo Bluestein calls at dances in northern California along with playing a variety of instruments including oldtime fiddle, button accordion, guitar and banjo.
• Barbara Braley calls in Alaska. (e-mail only) (take the (at) out)
• Amy Carroll calls dances for folks of all ages and abilities including kindergarten classes, family weddings, corporate events, bars and at contras and squares at community dances large and small around the Pacific Northwest. She is based in Washington State. New entry (September 19, 2015)
• Yona Chock calls some of the dances in Hawai'i. Added caller URL (June 28, 2015)
• Dan Clark is a caller from the Walla Walla, Washington area. (e-mail only)
• Betty Connor is a caller in Alaska. (e-mail only) (take the (at) out)
• Bill Connor (e-mail only) is a caller in Alaska.
• Susan Dankovich calls in the Spokane, Washington area. (e-mail only)
• Brian DeMarcus lives in Eagle River, Alaska and has been calling contra and square dances since 1971. In addition, he plays in several old-time, cajun and zydeco bands. (e-mail only)
• Mary Devlin calls contra dances and English country dances in the Portland, Oregon area and other parts of the country.
• Joseph Erhard-Hudson calls in Moscow/Pullman, Idaho and in Spokane, Washington. (e-mail only) Change in e-mail (January 22, 2020)
• Leonard Ellis calls from the Los Angeles, California area.
• Nan Evans calls contra dances and English Country dances in the Pacific Northwest. (e-mail only)
• Charlie Fenton is a caller from the San Francisco, California area. (e-mail only although the web page has other contact info)
• Robin Fischer s a fiddler and square dance caller based in Berkeley, CA. Her fiddling is rooted in old-time, bluegrass, and country styles. She calls square dances in the traditional southern fashion - no levels, no prerecorded music, just a live band and emphasis on the party. New entry (September 25, 2016)
• Penn Fix resides in Spokane, Washington and calls contras and New England squares as well as composes contra dances. He is the founder of Lady of the Lake Dance and Music Camps. (e-mail only) New entry (April 2, 2015)
• Brooke Friendly has been folk and country dancing for more than 30 years and has taught since 1982. She is based in Oregon.
• Chuck Galt calls in and around Petaluma, Santa Rosa, San Rafael, San Francisco, and other places in California.
• Not limiting herself to contra dance calling, Suzanne Girardot also teaches clogging and other step-dance styles, as well as some couple dances and Cajun dance in the Seattle, Washington area. (e-mail only)
• Ric Goldman calls at dances in the San Francisco bay area.
• Mark Goodwin has been calling contras since 2001 and calls at the monthly contra dance series on second Saturdays in Chico, California, along with other contra dance series in Northern California, and for occasional barn dances and parties. (e-mail only)
• Jean Gorrindo is a caller in California. Change to URL (June 18, 2015)
• Rich Goss is a caller and musician based in Portland, Oregon who calls on the West Coast, Texas, and all over.
• Jacqui Grennan regularly calls contra dances in the Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, CA, area. She likes to travel for dancing and calling. New entry (February 24, 2017)
• When Kelsey Hartman is calling, she considers herself a conduit between the dancers and the band, helping to channel the joy of the musicians' music through flowing, interesting dances. She is based in Hayward, California. New entry (September 25, 2016)
• From Oakland, California, Erik Hoffman calls dances, especially in Berkeley, but also from California to Alaska to Denmark and England, and writes about contra dances.
• Talib Huff calls in California. (e-mail only)
• Michael Karcher has been having the time of his life calling around the U.S. and Canada since 2011. He has honed a warm and concise style of teaching and calling, to the delight of dancers across North America. He is based in Washington State. New entry (May 14, 2017)
• Susie Kendig often calls in the Santa Cruz, California area. (e-mail only)
• Caller Jeremy Korr is based in the Los Angeles, California area. (e-mail only)
• Kirston Koths calls on a regular basis at the East Bay dance in California. (e-mail only)
• Oregon's Woody Lane is an accomplished percussive dancer and usually does some stepdancing when he calls. Change of URL (June 11, 2016)
• Tom Lehmann began contra dancing after many years of "Modern Western" square dancing as well as occasional folk dancing, round dancing, etc. and now calls on a occasion. He lives in the San Francisco Bay area.
• Carl Magagnosc calls from Santa Barbara, California. (e-mail only)
• Frannie Marr has been regularly calling for contra dances since 2008. She started out calling in the Los Angeles area and now call all over the country. She has called weekends in Seattle, Oregon and the SF Bay Area along with NEFFA, NW Folklife and CATAPULT! Change from e-mail to URL (June 8, 2016)
• Kim McCall calls from San Francisco.
• Mavis McGaugh calls contras in Northern California and Nevada along gender-free dances, family dances and dance parties. (e-mail only)
• From California, Greg McKenzie calls contra dances. (e-mail only).
• Susan Michaels calls in the Los Angeles area and at camps and festivals up and down the Pacific coast. (e-mail only)
• Joyce Miller calls from the Sierra foothills to the San Francisco Bay area to Reno, Nevada with contras, squares, easy longways dances and mixers in her repertoire. (e-mail only)
• Becky Nankivell, is based in Long Beach, California and calls in the area. (e-mail only) Change in location (July 19, 2017)
• While based in Seattle, Sherry Nevins has called as far east as Rochester, NY. (e-mail only)
• David Newitt calls at dances in Northern California.
• Caroline Oakley is a square dance caller and fiddler in Portland, Oregon.
• Bob O'Brien teaches waltz workshops and has called a first Friday monthly contra dance with his band, the Coyote ContraBand, since 1996 in Sacramento, California. (e-mail for caller; web site for band)
• Ken Olcott calls in and around San Francisco. (e-mail only)
• Howard Ostby calls in the Walla Walla, Washington area. (e-mail only)
• While Chris Page originally learned to dance and call in Glenside, Philadelphia, he now lives and calls in the San Diego area.
• Susan Petrick is a caller based in Santa Cruz, California, but calls all along the Pacific coast and has called in the Ohio River valley. (e-mail only)
• Carol Piening called at the Olympia, Washington dance on May 7, 2015.
• Elinor Preston has been calling contras, squares, circles and English Country Dances since 1988 and is from Portland, Oregon.
• Marlin Prowell from Bellingham, Washington, calls there and elsewhere in the area. (e-mail only)
• Celia Ramsay calls at a wide variety of venues in California along with playing jazz and Scottish music. Change from e-mail to URL (January 6, 2017)
• Mike Richardson, a caller and musician from the Seattle, Washington area.
• John Rogers calls in the area of Los Angeles, California. (e-mail only)
• Stacy Rose calls contra dances, leads International folk dancing, and plays hammered dulcimer/whistle for contra dances. She is based in Oregon. (e-mail only)
• Jim Saxe calls in California. He is the author of Words and Confusion in Teaching and Calling. (e-mail only)
• Nora Scott from the Spokane, Washington area has been calling contras and circle dances around the Inland Northwest since 1995 and enjoys teaching beginners and beginning groups. (e-mail only)
• Along with explaining contra dancing to a wide audience, Gary Shapiro, from the Santa Barbara, California area, also calls contras and leads some English Country Dances. He especially enjoys leading simple dances at wedding receptions or any other kind of party. Change of URL (June 29, 2015)
• Leda Shapiro calls from California. (e-mail only)
• Andy Shore calls contra dances as well as Modern Western squares (intro through C1). He is based in Santa Cruz, California. Change in location (January 19, 2016)
• Paul Silveria calls traditional square dances in the Seattle, Washington area.
• Charmaine Slaven is a musician, flatfooter, and caller based in Seattle. New entry (September 25, 2016)
• Jon Southard is a caller of contra and traditional square dances, based in Santa Barbara, California.
• Jeff Spero calls in California and has information about his dances and links to dance resources in southern California.
• Amy Steiner calls in Alaska. (e-mail only) (take the (at) out)
• Barbara Stewart calls dances all over California. (e-mail only)
• Claire Takemoricalls a variety of dances including Contras and some Squares. She specializes in family and community dances and enjoys dancing with children. She is located in Campbell, CA and available to travel. New entry (February 24, 2017)
• William Watson started his calling career in Texas but now is based in Corvallis, Oregon.
• Along with helping folks keep track of the contra dancing scene in Portland, Oregon, Erik Weberg also calls dances in the area.
• Martha Wild calls dances in San Diego, California. (e-mail only).
• Andy Wilson calls at dances, camps and festivals across the country and when not calling, many times can be found at the sound board. He is based in Santa Cruz, California.
• Alan Winston calls contra, community dancing, English, and historically-informed Regency, Early American, and Civil War dances in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. (e-mail only) New entry (June 18, 2015)
• Having lived in west Texas for more than 13 years, Reine Wonite now calls in Sitka, Alaska and other venues. New entry (July 16, 2015)

Organizations

• The Dancing Bears in Anchorage is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of traditional music and dance in Alaska.
• The Mid-Columbia Folklore Society is a non-profit, all volunteer organization dedicated to the preservation and performance of traditional dance and acoustic music. Callie Jordan maintains the page.
• The Corvallis Folklore Society now has a maintained web page, including contra dance and schedule information.
• The Northwest Folklife Society is a comprehensive multi-cultural arts organization dedicated to serving the ethnic, traditional, and folk arts communities of the Northwest.
• The Three Rivers Folklife Society (3RFS) was organized in 1988. It is a non-profit (501c3) organization dedicated to promoting folk music in the Tri-Cities (Richland, Kennewick, and Pasco) in the southeastern corner of Washington (state). They call themselves "three rivers" because their community is located at the confluence of the Yakima, Snake, and Columbia rivers.
• The purpose of the Seattle Folklore Society is to preserve and foster awareness and appreciation of folk and traditional arts in the Seattle area.
• The Spokane Folklore Society is a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to the celebration of Folk Arts, particularly music and dance.
• The Fresno Folklore Society (FFS) is a non-profit corporation founded for the purpose of preserving folk arts, especially traditional music, in California's San Joaquin Valley.
• The North Bay (north of San Francisco) Country Dance Society (NBCDS) is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization teaching and promoting traditional American dance such as New England contra dance, New England and Southern square dance, and English country dance in the San Francisco North Bay Area.
• The Bay Area (San Francisco, California) Country Dance Society lists plenty of information about dances in the area.
• The Traditional Dancers of Santa Cruz hold contra dances on twice a month along with various special events throughout the year.
• The Walla Walla Friends of Acoustic Music is an organization which supports and promotes acoustic music in many forms; folk, traditional fiddling styles, jazz, chamber music, string band music, Irish, Scottish, bluegrass and many others. They also support many forms of folk and traditional community dance including sponsoring contra dances on the 3rd Saturday of each month.
• The Eugene Folk Society holds concerts and dances in Eugene.
• The San Diego Folk Heritage is a nonprofit, all volunteer organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the folk arts in Southern California. Karen Rodgers furnishes this information.
• The Living Tradition is a non-profit organization working to support and preserve traditional music and dance. The Living Tradition sponsors regular contra dances, folk music concerts, and folk music jams.

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.

**As far as I know, there are no regular dances or events in Mississippi, South Dakota or Wyoming, but I have created pages if something changes in the future.

http://www.contradancelinks.com/pacific.html
Produced by Charlie Seelig
Last updated on March 21, 2020