Dance Organizations (and dance-related listings)
Dance Callers: see Ted Crane, Gail Griffith, John Kirk, Paul Rosenberg, Peter Stix in Performer section

Dance Bands: see Beverwyck, Bobba Culpa, Curragh, Heartsease, Illegal Contraband, Mountain Laurel Band, Please & Thank-You String Band, Nego Gato, Bill Spence & Fennig's All-Stars, Stillhouse Rounders & Wintergreen in Performer section

Ashokan Fiddle & Dance
Contact: Jay Ungar/Molly Mason
PO Box 49
Saugerties, NY 12477
Phone: (845) 246-2121
Fax: (845) 246-9121
E-Mail:
Website: www.ashokan.org/ashokan/camp.shtml

Ashokan Fiddle & Dance sponsors:
• Three 1-week music and dance programs during the summer featuring music and dance instruction by day, concerts and dances each night.
(2009 dates: Western and Swing Week 6/28-7/4/2009; Northern Week 7/19-7/25/2009; Southern Week 8/9-8/15/2009)
• New Years at Ashokan: Wednesday, December 31, 2008-Saturday, January 3, 2009. Three nights of Swing, Cajun, Contras & Squares, Waltzes & Blues! Plus daytime workshops in dance, fiddle, banjo, guitar, singing and more!
• New Years Eve at Ashokan—Couple dances in one room, called dances right next door... plus sumptuous snacks & refreshments. Wednesday, December 31, 8pm-3am.
All are held in a beautiful country setting near Woodstock, NY.

Friends of Fiddle & Dance sponsors monthly square/contra dances on the 2nd Saturday of each month in Woodstock, NY. FFD also publishes a newsletter on a quarterly basis that includes information about square, contra and swing dances primarily in the Hudson Valley region & appears online in the Mid-Hudson Dance Calendar at: www.ashokan.org/ashokan/fdndances.shtml

Capital English Country Dancers
Contact: Nancy Yule
20 Middlesex Rd.
East Greenbush, NY 12061
Phone: (518) 477-5684
Email:

Participatory English country dances on the first Sunday of each month from October to May. Location has moved to Albany from East Greenbush. New location is Channing Hall (at the First Unitarian Universalist Church) 405 Washington Ave, Albany, NY 12206 on the corner of Washington Avenue and Robin Street. Sunday parking in the University of Albany Hawley Lot or on the street. Directions: http://www.fuusalbany.org/directions.html. $9 - $11. Ice cream Social in May. $12-14. Fall Dance Party at a Germania Hall in North Troy as part of a Scottish - English dance weekend. $16 - $20. Introductory workshop on request 30 minutes before the dance program starts.

Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann
Contact: Jen Hedderman
399 Wellington Road
Delmar, NY 12054
Phone: (518) 439-6467

An international organization, Comhaltas is devoted to promoting traditional Irish culture, including music, dance and language. Set dancing instruction by experienced set dancers. Learn basic steps and terminology for traditional set dances. Beginners welcome. Wednesday evenings 7-9pm at AOH Irish Center.

The Dance Flurry
Contact: Rich Futyma
115 Hutchins Road
Ballston Spa, NY 12020
Phone: (518) 885-4430
E-mail:
Website: www.danceflurry.org

A festival that presents participatory dance in a multitude of areas for all levels of experience. Includes contras, squares, swing, ballroom, English, Scottish, Cajun, Latin, Scandinavian, International Folk, African & other dancing, singing, family activities, workshops in dance music & calling. Held in February, usually on the weekend nearest Valentine's Day. 2006 dates: February 17-18-19. Saratoga Springs City Center, Saratoga Springs, NY.

Dance Flurry Festival
Contact: Sue Mead
791 Swaggertown Rd
Scotia, NY 12302
Phone: 518-384-3275
Email:
Website: www.danceflurry.org/festival

A dance and music festival that presents participatory dance in a multitude of areas for all levels of experience. Includes contras, squares, swing, Latin, English, Scottish, Cajun, International Folk & other dancing. Also offered are instructional workshops in dance, instruments, singing and dance calling, as well as scheduled and open jamming and events for teens and families. Concerts all weekend. Held every February, President's Day weekend, in several venues throughout Saratoga Springs. Headquarters at Saratoga City Center, Saratoga Springs, NY.

DanceFlurry - Albany Contradance
Contact: Peter Stix
21 Lenox Ave.,
Albany, NY 12203-2005
Phone: (518) 489-9066
E-mail:
Website: www.danceflurry.org/new/albanycontra.html

Contra and square dancing to live music; everyone welcome. 8:00pm, 2nd & some 5th Fridays. Teaching session for newcomers at 7:45 on second Fridays. Albany Hibernian Hall, 375 Ontario Street, five blocks south of Madison Avenue, in Albany. (The Hibernian Hall is just past the Playdium Bowling Alley.) Parking and entrance are in rear of Hibernian Hall.., Albany, NY

DanceFlurry - Buhrmaster Barn Dances
Contact: Bill Newman
Website: www.danceflurry.org

Contra & Square dancing to live traditional music; everyone welcome. Usually 2nd and 4th Sundays. Dance @ 6pm. Potluck @ 5:00 p.m., (May through September); No potluck in October. Burhmaster Barn at Pruyn House, 209 Old Niskayuna Rd., Colonie, NY

DanceFlurry - Family Dance
Contact: Paul Rosenberg
538 Providence St.
Albany, NY 12208-3223
Phone: (518) 482-9255 or Dance Hotline (518) 292-0133
E-mail:
Website: www.danceflurry.org/new/familydance.html

Traditional American and international folk dancing in circles, lines and squares. 4 PM, 2nd Sundays. Delmar Reformed Church, 386 Delaware Ave, Delmar, NY

DanceFlurry - First Friday Capital Swing Dance
Contact: Heather Coleman-Ibrahim
Email:
Website: www.danceflurry.org/new/capitalswing.html

1st Fridays. Beginners workshop - 7:30 PM; Dance - 8:30.
A non-dancer or beginning dancer can come to a one-hour workshop, learn some basic East Coast Swing and jitterbug steps and moves, and then apply this new knowledge at a real dance to a live Swing Band alongside experienced dancers. DJ music during the breaks. Expert dance demos many months. This event occurs on the first Friday of each month. Albany Elks Lodge, 25 South Allen St, Albany (one block south of Rt. 20 where Madison & Western meet).

DanceFlurry - Glens Falls Contradance
Contact: Bill Schwarz
Phone: (518) 307-6091
E-mail:
Website: www.danceflurry.org/new/glensfalls.html

3rd Saturdays, October through April, featuring local callers and musicians.
Dances are held at Temple Beth El, 3 Marion Ave., Glens Falls. 7:30 lesson, regular dance 8--11pm.

DanceFlurry Saratoga Contradance & Scandinavian Folk Dance
Contact: Richard Futyma
166 Church Ave.
Ballston Spa, NY 12020
Phone: (518)885-4430
E-mail:
Website: www.danceflurry.org/new/saratogacontra.html

Presents contra dances on the third Saturday of each month (Sept. through May; 4th Sat. in Feb.), featuring callers and musicians from Eastern New York and Western New England area. Dances are held at the First Presbyterian Church, 22 West High St., Ballston Spa, NY.

The Dance Gypsy
Contact: Greg Scagg
2518 Sunset Lake Rd.
Dummerston, VT 05301
Phone: (802) 257-4478
E-mail:
Website: www.thedancegypsy.com

Formerly a paper-based newsletter describing folk and traditional dance events in New England, The Dance Gypsy now provides a complete on-line directory to dance related information. They have two major listings:
The Dance Schedules are a New England-centric listing of all regularly scheduled dances (including contra, Scottish, English, international, Balkan, Israeli, squares, ballroom, swing, tango and other traditional dance forms) in the Northeast. It currently lists over 500 events each month.
The Festival Planner lists as many festivals “special” events (less frequent than “monthly”) as possible. This section includes dances across the entire 50 states plus Canada. The Festival Planner now includes over 450 events annually.

DanceDB
(huge on-line dance data base)
Contact: Ted Crane
PO Box 6886
Ithaca, NY 14851
Phone: (607) 273-8678

Website: tedcrane.com/DanceDB/

The DanceDB contains information about dances, venues, bands, people, and the events that link them together. Covers the entire U.S. and some of Canada, including a clickable map for finding dances. On the web at above address.

East Durham Feis (Irish Step Dancing competition)
Location: Michael J. Quill Irish Cultural & Sports Centre
Route 145, East Durham, N.Y.
Contact number for more info: (518) 634-2286
Contact Person: Kevin Roe
Fax: (518) 634-2058
Website: www.east-durham.org

19th Annual Feis date: Saturday, Aug. 27, 2009. An Irish step dancing competition for children aged 3 on up to adults that attracts more than 600 competitors from the Northeast and Canada.

Jug End Mountain Morris
Contact: Gail Cashen
118 Old Ox Road
Ghent, NY 12075
Phone: (518) 392-5771
E-mail:

Jug End Mountain Morris is a team of women Morris Dancers newly formed in the Berkshire/Taconic Region. We welcome novice and experienced dancers and musicians. Our name comes from the area in which we practice on Tuesday evenings. Call or e-mail for more information.

The King's Dancers
1648 Foster Ave
Schenectady, NY 12308
Phone: (518) 209-7848
E-mail:
Website: www.kingsdancers.com

Christian school of dance located in Schenectady, NY. Offering dance lessons in Hip Hop, Ballet, Worship/Praise. Giving you and/or your child the chance to glorify the Lord with dance as well as being taught professional technique.

Old Songs Contra Dances
Contact: Old Songs, Inc.
PO Box 466
Voorheesville, NY 12186
Phone: (518) 765-2815
E-mail:
Website: www.oldsongs.org

Sponsors monthly contra dances November through May on the first Saturday of the month. Dances are held at 37 S. Main St., Voorheesville, New York. 7:30pm dance instruction; 8:00pm dance.

Pittsfield Contradances
David O'Connor
Phone: (413) 499-7105
Email:  
Website: www.berkshire.net/CLDMS

Participatory dances to beautiful acoustic music, from 8-11pm on 3rd Saturdays, October to June, at the grange hall on West Street in Pittsfield, MA.

Pokingbrook Morris Dancers
Contact: Larry Syzdek & Ruth Olmsted
PO Box 3839
Albany, NY 12203-0839
Phone: (518) 383-3482
E-mail: or
Website: http://home.nycap.rr.com/pkb/

English Morris Dance taught and performed by Pokingbrook. Call for information.

Rensselaer English Country Dancers
Don Bell
66 Pinewoods Ave
Troy, NY 12180
Phone: (518) 273-5172
E-mail: 
Website: http://www.danceflurry.org/new/rpi.html

Gentle participatory dances to beautiful acoustic music, from 2-5pm on 3rd Sundays, September to June, on the RPI campus in Troy, NY. 

Tompkins County Country Dances - the Ithaca Dance
Contact: Ted Crane
PO Box 6886
Ithaca, NY 14851
Phone: (607) 273-8678
E-mail:
Website: http://tedcrane.com/TCCD/

New England Contra and Square Dancing. Participatory dancing, Contra, Square, Circle, and Couple Dances. All dances taught, beginners welcome. Every Friday night, 8 PM, Bethel Grove Community Center, 1825 Slaterville Road (Rt.79), about 4 miles east of the Ithaca Commons. In addition, every Monday during the summer months, 7:30pm on the Ithaca Commons.

Traditional Dance Hotline of the Capital Region
Contact: Paul Rosenberg
538 Providence St.
Albany, NY 12208
Phone: (518) 482-9255 (Paul)
E-mail:
Websites: www.danceflurry.org   www.homespunoccasions.com

(518) 292-0133 Call 24 hours a day for schedules, directions, admission fees and general information for local, tradiitonal dances including contra, swing, folk, English, Scottish, Irish, Cajun, Scandinavian, Dance Flurry Festival, family dances, jam sessions, special events and more!

Tri-City Folkdancers
Contact: Bob Schulz
8 Victoria Drive
Guilderland, NY 12084
Phone: (518) 452-1154
E-mail:

Folk dancing includes the traditional dances of many countries and cultures done to authentic music in a variety of formations (lines, partners, circles). It is done by men and women (singles and couples) of all ages. The Tri-City group meets weekly on Fridays at 8:30 PM at the Schenectady YWCA.

Veena Chandra Dance & Music School of India
25 Garling Dr.
Latham, NY 12110
Phone: (518) 786-1309

Performing and Teaching dances of India: kathak and folk.

Welsh Barn Dances
Contact: Gail Griffith
Phone: (518) 674-3052

Please join us at 2:00 pm on second Sundays 9/13/09, 10/11/09, 11/8/09, and 12/13/09 at the Ancient Order of Hibernians Hall, 375 Ontario St, Albany NY 12208, 438-8230 (Next to the Playdium Bowling Alley--use rear entrance) No partner is needed, and no experience is required. There is always live music, by the Merry Frog band. Welsh barn dances are taught and called in circles, squares, or lines, and are suitable for all ages. Wear cool, comfortable clothes suitable for dancing. Admission is $10 per person. Questions? Call Gail Griffith, the caller, at 518-674-3052 Sponsored by the St. David's Welsh Society of the Capital District.