This page tries to keep track of all contra dances, traditional square dances (but not Modern Western Square Dances), traditional waltz sessions and Scandinavian dances in New Jersey including dance camps and weekends along with other events in New Jersey which include contra dancing and these other forms. Because most of the information is gathered from web sites and the listings are not updated as frequently as the web sites, dancers should visit the web sites for up-to-date information. If you are aware of any dances, dance series or other events that should be included on this list, please e-mail me.
Schedule note:
As of January 1, 2021, the dance listings should be fairly up to date including whether dances are canceled although I am behind in keeping up to date with festivals, weekends, etc.. At this point, my assumption is that all dances and events are canceled unless they are virtual/on-line. Since we've entered the 2020-2021 "season" for many series and they never posted dates, information about evening/afternoon dances is getting "thin". Also note that some dance weekends, etc. are already postponing events from winter/spring of 2021 to similar dates in 2022.
Conversations and cancelations are happening every day in connection with dances as part of regular series and also weekends, festivals, etc. I'll try to keep current as much as possible, but please check the individual web sites, Facebook groups/pages, e-mail lists, etc. for the most up-to-date information about a dance or other event that you may want to attend.
Alpine: The Palisades Interstate Park will host an old-fashioned barn dance from 2 to 4 PM. Open to all, the dance will be held at the park’s Alpine Pavilion, an open-air covered structure built from native stone and timbers eighty years ago, during the “hard winter” of 1934, by New Deal workers. No reservations, experience, or partner are needed to attend, and visitors are welcome to stay for as long — or as short — a time as they like. $1 hot dogs will be on sale throughout the dance, with proceeds benefitting the restoration of the park's historic Kearney House, which was badly damaged during Hurricane Sandy, and is expected to reopen again for the first time later this spring. Alpine Pavilion is at the north end of the park's Alpine Picnic Area, adjacent to Alpine Boat Basin, accessible from the park’s Alpine entrance off U.S. Route 9W, about a mile north of Closter Dock Road, or from Exit 2 of the Palisades Interstate Parkway. The program is cosponsored by the Palisades Parks Conservancy. For more information, please call 201 768-1360 ext. 108. Web site: http://www.njpalisades.org.
Bloomingdale - Folk Project Fall Festival: Weekend music and dance camp in October. Register in advance. Web site: http://www.folkproject.org/.
Bloomingdale - Swingin' on a Star: Afternoon and evening of music and dancing (Scandinavian and contra with a catered dinner in the fall. Part of the Folk Project Fall Festival (but you can register for this one day portion). Pre-registration required. Web site: http://www.folkproject.org.
Bound Brook - Scandinavian - St. Lucia Celebration: Skandinoje dance is holding a special Santa Lucia celebration event from 7:30 – 10:00 pm, at Congregational Church in Bound Brook, 209 Church Street, Bound Brook, NJ 0880. Admission $10 – and please bring cookies to share. Festive Scandinavian holiday decorations, Scandinavian couple dances as well as easy couple mixer dances that will be taught that night – including the beautiful candle dance “Salut au roi Gustave”. Singing and Santa Lucia ceremony. Web site: https://www.facebook.com/groups/948063655282112.
Camden - Amherst Early Music Weekend: Baroque dance classes at the Amherst Early Music Winter Weekend Workshop in Philadelphia. The focus will be German Baroque dance and will include a Passepied (which uses minuet steps), a contredanse (historical version of contradance), and a rigaudon (includes a rigadoon step). Performance to live music. Ten classes (Saturday January 16- Monday January 18, 2016), taught by Kaspar D. Mainz (Leipzig University, Germany), and Dorothy Olsson (New York Historical Dance Company). All levels of dancers are invited to participate. Dancers may also attend on a part time basis. Cost: $240/10 classes (w/2 lunches), or $25/indiv class. Venue: Rutgers University Fine Arts Building, 314 Linden Street, Camden, NJ 08102. Sponsored by Amherst Early Music; for more information call (781) 488-3337, email director@amherstearlymusic.org, ror more dance program information: http://www.newyorkhistoricaldance.com/amherstimages/aem2016ww.jpg or visit Web site: http://www.amherstearlymusic.org/www.
Cinnaminson - Vintage and Traditional Couple Dancing: An afternoon of Vintage and Traditional Couple Dancing at the Westfield Friends School, 2201 Riverton Road, Cinnaminson, NJ. Air conditioned, no partner needed, dress is causal to dressy casual. 2:00pm - 3:00pm Lesson. 3:00pm - 5:00pm Open Dancing to recorded music - Victorian, Ragtime and Traditional Couple Dances: Waltz, Galop, Polka, Two-Step, Schottische, Tango, One-Step and other favorites... $5 admission / includes light refreshments. For your safety, we recommend flats or low heels Info - betz.mc@verizon.net or mellorcr@yahoo.com - Web site: None.
East Hanover - Swingin' Tern: The dances are sponsored by The Folk Project and held on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month at the The First Presbyterian Church Parish House, 14 Hanover Road. Admission is $12 per adult, $5 per student with Student ID. The beginner's workshop starts at 7:30 PM with the dance following at 8 PM - 11 PM (unless otherwise indicated). [Beginning on April 6, 2019, the beginners' lesson will be at 7pm followed by the dance from 7:30pm to 10:30pm.] INFORMATION: (973) 535-3274. Web site: http://www.folkproject.org/.
East Hanover - Swingin' Tern - New Year's Eve: This annual dance is sponsored by The Folk Project and held on New Year's Eve at The First Presbyterian Church, 14 Hanover Road with a potluck supper at 7pm and dancing from 8pm to 1am. Advanced registration recommended. Tickets: $20 if purchased by 12/24, $25 after 12/24; [Students: $12 advance $15 door] Tickets & Info: (973) 635-3274. Web site: http://www.folkproject.org/.
Elmer - Fall Fling: Weekend run by volunteers with workshops and events in folk arts, music, dance, hiking, swimming, etc. in September. Register in advance. Web site: http://www.pfs.org/page/fall-fling.
Farmingdale - Historic Village at Allaire: 19th Century Barn Dance at the Historic Village at Allaire 4263 Atlantic Avenue, Farmingdale New Jersey 07727. Concert at 4pm, dance at 6:30pm. The Concert only is $20 per person. The Barn Dance only is $5 per person. A combined ticket for both events can be purchased for $22.50. Tickets are available online at https://allairevillage.org/event/barn-dance/ or at the event. Web site: https://allairevillage.org.
Lambertville - Howell Living History Farm: Barn dance at Howell Living History Farm, 70 Woodens Lane, Hopewell Township at 7:30pm. $5 donation suggested. Web site: http://www.howellfarm.org/.
National Park - Ancient Order Of Hibernians: Dance at the Richard Rossiter Memorial, Ancient Order Of Hibernians, 200 Columbia Boulevard, National Park, NJ from 8pm to midnight. Everyone welcome, No experience necessary. Tickets are $25 and include full buffet dinner (roast beef and turkey, veggie dishes and salads) and draft beer, soft drinks. Web site: None.
Newark - Squares - Newark Museum: Square dance as part of an afternoon's activities with a mountain theme. Event is from noon to 5pm (dance is from 2:30pm to 4:30pm) at the Newark Museum, 49 Washington Street, Newark, NJ, 07102-3176. Web site: https://www.newarkmuseum.org.
Port Murray - Folk Project Spring Festival: Weekend music and dance camp in May at YMCA Camp Bernie. Register in advance. Web site: http://www.folkproject.org/.
Princeton - Community Dance: Come one and all to join in the fun of an old-fashioned barn dance for all ages! There is always live music & professional calling. All Dances are taught; no experience or partners are necessary! Great fun for the whole family, from toddlers to grandparents! Dances are from 4:00pm to 6:00pm (or 3:00pm to 5:00pm, check site for details). All Dances are held at the Suzanne Patterson Center Monument Drive, Princeton, NJ (behind Princeton Borough Hall & police station, near intersection of Routes 27 & 206). Admission: $5/person, $15/family. A potluck follows the community dance and is before the evening dance. Web site: http://www.princetoncountrydancers.org.
Princeton - Wednesday: The Princeton Country Dancers sponsor dances on Wednesdays at Suzanne Batterson Center on Monument Drive, behind Borough Hall and the police station, near the intersection of Routes 27 and 206. All dances taught/prompted. New dancers welcome. No partner needed. Please bring soft-soled shoes to dance in. No fragrances please. Regular admission is $10 and the Limited Income Rate is $5-$10. The Pick-Up Band (PUB) is open to all. Introduction to Basics at 7:40 pm, followed by dancing from 8:00 to 10:30 pm. Dances may get progressively more difficult, so come early if you want practice! Contact leader for information. Contra dances may include traditional & modern contras, squares, mixers and couple dances. Web site: http://www.princetoncountrydancers.org.
Princeton - Saturday: The Princeton Country Dancers sponsor contra dances on 4th Saturdays at Suzanne Batterson Center on Monument Drive, behind Borough Hall and the police station, near the intersection of Routes 27 and 206. All dances taught/prompted. New dancers welcome. No partner needed. Please bring soft-soled shoes to dance in. No fragrances please. Introduction to Basics at 7:40 pm, followed by dancing from 8:00 to 10:30 pm. Dances may get progressively more difficult, so come early if you want practice! Regular admission is $11. Limited Income rate for Saturday dances is $5-11. The Pick-Up Band (PUB) is open to all. Unless otherwise stated, the dance begins with an Introduction to Basics at 7:40pm. Dances may get progressively more difficult, so come early! Contact leader for information. Contra dances may include traditional & modern contras, squares, mixers and couple dances. Web site: http://www.princetoncountrydancers.org.
Princeton - Community/Family Dances: The Princeton Country Dancers sponsor dances on various Sundays during non-summer months at Suzanne Batterson Center on Monument Drive, behind Borough Hall and the police station, near the intersection of Routes 27 and 206. Band practice at 2pm with the dance form 3pm to 5pm. All dances taught/prompted. New dancers welcome. No partner needed. Please bring soft-soled shoes to dance in. No fragrances please. Cost is $5/person; $15 per family. The Pick-Up Band (PUB) is open to all. Contact leader for information. Contra dances may include traditional & modern contras, squares, mixers and couple dances. Web site: http://www.princetoncountrydancers.org.
Princeton - New Year's Eve: Dance (contras and English) at the Suzanne Patterson Center(behind Borough Hall in Princeton, near the intersection of Rt. 206 and Nassau St.) Admission at the door: $20 regular admission, $10 for students, $15 seniors (65+) - with ID. Discount for advance sales. No Partner required! To protect the floor of the hall, please bring clean soft-soled shoes to dance in. Decorating at 7pm; beginners' workshop at 7:30pm; dance begins at 8pm. Web site: http://www.princetoncountrydancers.org.
Princeton - Adult School: PCD is happy to announce that the Princeton Adult School is offering a class in contra dancing. This is a great opportunity to introduce your non-contradancing friends and family members to your favorite dance form and to fine tune your own dancing. In the heat of the moment at a contra dance, it's not always easy to pick up fine style points to add finesse to your dancing, so don't miss this chance to expand your horizons! This class will provide a solid grounding in basic contra dance figures and on the elements of good dance style. We'll dance to exciting live music, with sweet Irish jigs, driving Scottish tunes, and boisterous French-Canadian reels. No partners are needed. Beginners and people with two left feet are absolutely welcome. Classes are every Tuesday from 7:30pm-9:30pm at the Littlebrook School, Princeton. Web site: http://www.ssreg.com/princeton/.
Princeton - Contra/International: The Internationals meet the Contras! Princeton Friday Night Folk Dancing and Princeton Country Dancers. Share some fun! 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. - Contras for Everyone. 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. - Request Dancing. Location: Suzanne Patterson Center. Admission: $5.00. Web site: http://www.princetoncountrydancers.org.
Princeton - Callers' Workshop: Bob Isaacs will lead a series of workshops for anyone interested in calling contra dances. No previous calling experience is necessary. Each session will address a specific topic and include some calling practice. Topics include teaching walkthroughs, working with musicians, choreography; but, there's much, much more! Interested students can pursue further development in PCD's caller training program. The workshops will be held at Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540, before the regularly scheduled Wednesday and Saturday dances. More details: Contact Bob at isaacsbob@hotmail.com. Please register by 1/20. Students will receive a course manual (over 80 pages of great stuff!), and we need to be sure to have enough copies. The cost is $50 for the series; a limited number of scholarships are available. For more information on scholarships, contact Larry at lkoplik@comcast.net. Web site: http://www.princetoncountrydancers.org.
Princeton - English as a Second Language Program: Join the students of the YWCA Princeton's English as a Second Language Program from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at 59 Paul Robeson Place, Princeton, NJ. PCD is scheduled to do an outreach dance from 3:00 to 4:00 at International Day at the Princeton YWCA. PCD contra dancers are welcome and encouraged to come for all or part of International Day but especially to the outreach dance at 3:00 to help the new dancers. International Day is sponsored by the YWCA's English as a Second Language Program and is free to all. For more info, contact Larry at lkoplik@comcast.net - Web site: http://www.princetoncountrydancers.org.
Princeton - Waltz: Event from 2:30pm to 6:30pm including class and open waltzing. Web site: http://www.princetoncountrydancers.org.
Princeton - Electric Blizzard: A Midwinter (Techno) Birthday Contra presented by Rowan Lupton at the Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive, Princeton, NJ from 6:00pm to midnight. The night will start with two hours of dancing to traditional contra music, followed by an hour-long break in which to eat food you bring, hang out, and/or dance to recorded music. After this will be three hours of techno, with tunes ranging from what you'd find at your weekly dance to the hottest of modern music, all held together by fabulous live instrumentation. The techno segment of the evening is likely to start with an hour-long medley. The event will be lit by fancy lights, including blacklights — keep this in mind when picking your wardrobe! There will be no strobes or fog machines. Admission for the event is, as yet, undecided. There will definitely be a student rate, and it will unquestionably be affordable. There will be a half-hour beginner's lesson at 5:30, but it's recommended that this not be anybody's first contra dance. There will be housing available, be it billeting or motels, if you're coming from out of town; similarly, it should be possible to work out carpooling for those who need it. Please contact me with any questions at all — glassboro42+EB@gmail.com - Web site: https://www.facebook.com/events/182391391896101/.
Princeton - Community Dance: Come one and all to join in the fun of an old-fashioned barn dance for all ages! There is always live music & professional calling. All Dances are taught; no experience or partners are necessary! Great fun for the whole family, from toddlers to grandparents! Dances are from 3:00pm to 5:00pm, check site for details). All Dances are held at the Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive, Princeton, NJ (behind Princeton Borough Hall & police station, near intersection of Routes 27 & 206). Admission: $7 per person, $20 per family. Web site: http://www.princetoncountrydancers.org.
Princeton - Sound Workshop: Sound Workshop for anyone interested in learning how to set up and run the PCD sound system from 2:00 to 4:30 PM at the Suzanne Patterson Center. Please let Larry
Princeton - Scandinavian - ScandiDance: Dance series featuring traditional couple dancing, mainly from Sweden and Norway. All are welcome. No need for a partner. Learn the leader and follower roles. We will start with the basics and go on from there. Wear clean, smooth-soled shoes with a low heel to make these lovely turning dances easier and protect our floors. 8pm to 10pm. Admission $10. Bring something to share for refreshments. Schottische, reinlender, polska, slangpolska, snoa, waltz, and hambo. For more information: ktalvitie@comcast.net - Location: Christ Congregation, 50 Walnut Street, Princeton, NJ 08540. Web site: http://www.princetoncountrydancers.org.
Princeton - Rum and Onions: The Princeton Country Dancers sponsor this annual Halloween dance on or near the night of Halloween at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton, 50 Cherry Hill Road, Princeton, NJ. Experienced dance at 3pm, potluck at 6pm, lessson at 7pm, parade at 7:30pm, dance at 8pm. Location: Web site: http://www.princetoncountrydancers.org.
Princeton - Piano Workshop for Contra Dancing: 3:15-4:10 Intermediate and Beginner, 4:15-5:10 Intermediate and Advanced, 5:15-6:10 Band Coaching Session. The cost for each workshop will be $20. Please contact Janet Mills (janetlpmills@gmail.com) if you are interested in any of these workshops. At Suzanne Paterson Center, 1 Monument Drive, Princeton, NJ from 3:15pm to 6:10pm. Web site: https://www.facebook.com/events/347452642818604/.
Princeton - Gauthier/Weinberg Marriage Celebration: Marriage Celebration of Jeff Gauthier and Miranda Weinberg at the Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive, Princeton NJ - behind Borough Hall, 2:00 - 5:00 pm. Admission FREE! There will be cake at the break! Web site: http://www.princetoncountrydancers.org.
Robbinsville - Rum and Onions: The Princeton Country Dancers sponsor this annual Halloween dance on or near the night of Halloween at the Pond Road Middle School, 150 Pond Road, Robbinsville, NJ. There is an afternoon dance (basics workshop at 2:30pm) from 3:00pm to 5:30pm followed by a pot-luck supper, starting at 6:00pm, then an evening dance (basics workshop at 7:00pm) from 7:30 until 11:00pm. Web site: http://www.princetoncountrydancers.org.
Stockton - New Jersey Farm to School Network: Fundraiser, including dancing for the organization. At Woods Edge Wools Farm, 78 Bowne Station Road. Food and drinks for sale. 5pm to 9pm. Admission: $10 is advance, $15 at the door. Web site: http://www.njfarmtoschool.org/.
Titusville - Lambertsville Country Dancers: sponsor dances at the Titusville United Methodist Church, 7 Church Road (off Rt. 29/River Road). Starting with our January 1st, 2010 dance, LCD dances will be moving, as the Titusville United Methodist Church will no longer be available to us. Please stay tuned for more information as we look for a new location. Dance from 8:00pm-10:45pm, newcomers session at 7:30pm. Admission $8, students $5. Home-made tasty treats for the break are always appreciated. Please bring clean non-marking shoes for dancing. Questions about the dance? Want to volunteer to be a dance manager or run the sound system? Call or email: Susan Pierson at ecokids-AT SIGN-verizon.net or (215) 348-8471. Web site: http://www.lambertvillecountrydancers.org/.
Trenton - Winter Cotillion: The Princeton Country Dancers sponsor this annual event in December. 5:00 pm Candlelit Pot-Luck Dinner; 6:30 pm Seasonal Entertainment by Local Dance Teams + Carol Singing for All; 7:00 - 10:00 pm Contra and English Dancing + Concert by the Cotillion Singers. Bring a ready to serve (pre-cut) dessert to share at the break! Festive or spiffy dress encouraged + Admission $17, Students/Limited Income $10-$17. Web site: http://www.princetoncountrydancers.org.
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 Iowa link will bring you to the Central Iowa Barn Dance Association. 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.