This page is an historical archive, and therefore is out of date and will not be updated. Please visit our updated homepage at http://mit.edu/fdc for current information about the MIT Folk Dance Club.

MIT Folk Dance Club presents--

Contra Dance for All: @ MIT
Several Tuesdays per month.

Great live music every time!

MIT students and the general public are welcome at all our dances.

Most dances are in the Student Center (84 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge MA).
Click here for directions and parking information.

No partner or experience is necessary. All dances are taught.

Free snacks at the break!

Want to play in the band or learn to call?
Students and others are welcome to sit in with the band or call dances.
To find out more, and for booking inquiries, email contra-request [at] mit.edu

Check out our Photo Gallery.

Schedule

All dances are from 8:00 to 10:30 PM.

September 2, 2014
Pre-Fall Introduction
Caller: Don Veino
Music: Carol Bittenson, Steve Bittenson, & Debby Knight
In Kresge Auditorium Rehearsal Room B (air conditioned, with a wooden floor)


September 9, 2014
Beginner & All Special
* Register for Fall Contra Class, beginning now! Earn a certificate in Contra Dance; attend 6 of the next 8 dances! Deal: Pay for 6, get 8!
Caller: Dave Eisenstadter
Music: Jonathan Cannon, Audrey Knuth & Friends
In the Student Center Coffeehouse (3rd floor)
Dave Eisenstadter pic Jon Cannon pic Audrey Knuth pic

September 16, 2014
Forget-me-Not Gala
Caller: Daniel Friedman
Music: Velocipede with Julia Plumb (fiddle, foot percussion) & Baron Collins-Hill (tenor guitar, mandolin)
In Student Center 407 (4th floor)
Daniel Friedman pic Velocipede pic


September 23, 2014
Equinox Gala
Caller: Ben Sachs-Hamilton
Music: Julie Vallimont, Audrey Knuth, & Jonah Sidman
In Student Center 407 (4th floor)
Ben Sachs-Hamilton pic Julie Vallimont pic Audrey Knuth pic Jonah Sidman pic


September 30, 2014
Harvest Fiesta
Caller: Laura Johannes
Music: Rick Kaufman (fiddle), Stephen Thomforde (bagpipes & flute), Kira Treibergs (cello), & Jeff Kaufman (piano & feet)
In the Sala de Puerto Rico (Student Center 2nd floor)

October 7, 2014
Autumn Leaves
Caller: Angela DeCarlis
Music: Jonah Sidman & Bethany Waickman
In Lobdell Dining Hall (Student Center 2nd floor)
Angela Decarlis pic Jonah Sidman pic Bethany Waickman pic

October 14, 2014
Columbus Day Festival
Caller: Dereck Kalish
Music: Julie Metcalf, Larry Unger, & Joel Wennerstrom
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)
Dereck Kalish pic Julie Metcalf pic Larry Unger pic Joel Wennerstrom pic

October 21, 2014
Klezmer Style Contra Dance
Caller: Jacob Bloom
Music: ContraKlez with John Chambers, Ben Pasamanick, & Cal Howard
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)

October 28, 2014
Halloween Party
Caller: Ann Cowan
Music: Audrey Knuth & Mike Sokolovsky
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)
Audrey Knuth pic Mike Sokolovsky pic

November 11, 2014
Peace Day Celebration
Caller: Susan Elberger
Music: Jumpstart
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)
JumpStartPic

November 18, 2014
Thanksgiving Dance
Caller: Chris Lahey
Music: Jeff Kaufman (piano & foot percussion), Stephen Thomforde (Scottish small bagpipes, recorder & brass), Emily Liss (fiddle), and Friends
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)
Chris Lahey pic Jeff Kaufman pic Stephen Thomforde pic Emily Liss pic

December 2, 2014
Early Winter Festival
Caller: Dereck Kalish
Music: FloorPlay with Debby Knight (piano), Carol Bittenson (fiddle), & Paul Lizotte (fiddle)
In Lobdell Dining Hall (Student Center 2nd floor)
Dereck Kalish pic Floor Play pic

December 9, 2014
Holiday Party
Caller: Ben Sachs-Hamilton
Music: Jonah Sidman (fiddle), Eric Eid-Reiner (piano), & Friends
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)
Ben Sachs-Hamilton pic Jonah Sidman pic Eric Eid-Reiner pic

January 13, 2015
New Year's Party
Caller: Dereck Kalish
Music: Carol Bittenson, Steve Bittenson, & Max Newman
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)
Dereck Kalish pic Carol Bittenson pic Steve Bittenson pic Max Newman large-format pic

February 3, 2015 [rescheduled from January 27 due to snow]
Spring Anticipation
Caller: Dereck Kalish (filling in for Chris Lahey)
Music: Jon Cannon, Audrey Knuth, Dave Cory, & Friends
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)
Jon Cannon pic Audrey Knuth large-format pic Dave Cory pic

February 10, 2015: CANCELLED due to snow
Welcome & Beginner Special
Caller: Ben Sachs-Hamilton
Music: Audrey Knuth (fiddle), Dave Cory (tenor banjo & guitar), & Max Newman (guitar)
In Lobdell Dining Hall (Student Center 2nd floor)
Ben Sachs-Hamilton pic Audrey Knuth pic Dave Cory pic Max Newman pic

February 17, 2015
Gala Mardi Gras & Valentine's Day Party
Caller: Angela DeCarlis
Music: The Dixie Butterhounds
In Lobdell Dining Hall (Student Center 2nd floor)
Angela Decarlis pic Dixie Butterhounds pic

February 24, 2015
Levi Strauss Birthday
Caller: Ann Cowan
Music: Contraindicated with Eric Mumpower (bass clarinet), Johanna Bobrow (fiddle), & Victor Troll (subbing for Julie Vallimont, piano)
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)
Eric Mumpower pic Johanna Bobrow pic Julie Vallimont pic

March 3, 2015
March Winds & Purim Gala
Caller: Don Veino
Music: Carol Bittenson, Steve Bittenson, & Debby Knight
In Lobdell Dining Hall (Student Center 2nd floor)
Don Veino big pic Carol Bittenson pic Steve Bittenson pic Debby Knight pic

March 10, 2015
Klezmer Style
Caller: Jacob Bloom
Music: Contraklez
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)

March 17, 2015
St. Pat's Day Party
Caller: Ben Sachs-Hamilton
Music: JumpStart
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)
Ben Sachs-Hamilton pic

March 31, 2015
April Fool's Day
Caller: Ben Sachs-Hamilton
Music: Audrey Knuth (fiddle) & Max Newman (guitar)
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)
Max Newman pic Ben Sachs-Hamlton pic Audrey Knuth pic

April 7, 2015
Caller: Laura Johannes
Music: Audrey and Clayton with Audrey Budington (violin) and Clayton Clemetson (piano)
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)
Audrey and Clayton pic

April 21, 2015
Earth Day - Pre-NEFFA Gala
Caller: Angela DeCarlis
Music: Don Stratton & Max Newman
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)
Don Stratton pic Max Newman pic Angela Decarlis pic

May 5, 2015
May Day - Cinco de Mayo Fiesta
Caller: Susan Elberger
Music: Debby Knight (piano), Carol Bittenson (fiddle), & Bruce Rosen (guitar). Sit-in musicians welcome.
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)

May 19, 2015
End of Semester Fiesta
Caller: Paul Wilde
Music: Audrey Knuth (fiddle), Dave Cory (banjo), & Mike Sokolovsky (guitar, foot percussion)
In Lobdell Dining Hall (Student Center 2nd floor)
Audrey Knuth pic Dave Cory pic Mike Sokolovsky pic

June 16, 2015 - air conditioned
Early Summer Party
Callers: Dereck Kalish & Angela DeCarlis
Music: Nova with Kathleen Fownes (fiddle), Guillaume Sparrow-Pepin (accordion, piano), & Everest Witman (guitar, foot percussion)
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)
Nova pic Dereck Kalish pic Angela Decarlis pic

June 30, 2015 - air conditioned
Summer Solstice
Caller: Chris Lahey
Music: No Strings Attached with Bruce Randall, Ray Salvo, & Deborah Gerstein
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)

July 14, 2015 - air conditioned
Bastille Day
Caller: Dereck Kalish
Music: John Chambers (accordion), Paul Lizotte (fiddle), & Deborah Gerstein (piano)
In Lobdell Dining Hall (Student Center 2nd floor)
Dereck Kalish pic

July 28, 2015 - air conditioned
Mid-Summer Gala
Caller: Paul Wilde
Music: Dave Reiner (fiddle, mandolin) & Eric Eid-Reiner (piano)
In Lobdell Dining Hall (Student Center 2nd floor)

August 11, 2015 - air conditioned
August Chill
Caller: Zoe Madonna: Welcome this new caller from Oberlin, Ohio!
Music: Snow Date with Julia Hartman (fiddle), Jean Monroe (piano), & Bruce Randall (recorders, whistles, trombone, coconuts)
In Lobdell Dining Hall (Student Center 2nd floor)

August 18, 2015 - air conditioned
Fall Anticipation
Caller: Paul Wilde
Music: Paul Lizotte (fiddle), Debby Knight (fiddle), & Victor Troll (piano)
In Student Center 407 (4th floor)
Debby Knight and Paul Lizotte pic Victor Troll pic


Trying to remember who that awesome band was a few years ago? Check out our web archive at http://mit.edu/fdc/www/old/ .


 

Suggested donation

Free for MIT and Wellesley Students!
Suggested donation: $3 from other students; $6 from the general public.

For More Information

Send an email to contra-request [at] mit [dot] edu

See the Folk Arts Center's website Folk Dancing 'Round Boston for a guide to other folk dances in this area, including contras.

E-mail List

To subscribe to our email list, send a blank email to fdc-contra-dance-subscribe[at]mit[dot]edu , or fill out this form:

Your email address:  
Your name (optional):  


Updated 18-June-2014.

Back to MIT Folk Dance Club Home Page

hitcounter