This page is an historical archive, and therefore is out of date and will not be updated.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.

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.

Come join us in dancing to the music and calling of our fine artists!

Schedule

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

September 15, 2015 - air conditioned

Welcome & Beginner Special
Caller: Ben Sachs-Hamilton
Music: The Utilities Are Here with Jon Cannon, Jonah Sidman & Sara Mann
In Lobdell Dining Hall (Student Center 2nd floor)

September 22, 2015

Equinox Gala
Caller: Dereck Kalish
Music: Debby Knight (piano), Paul Lizotte (fiddle), & Catherine Miller (fiddle)
In Student Center 407 (4th floor)

September 29, 2015

Harvest Festival
Caller: Angela DeCarlis
Music: Audrey and Clayton with Audrey Budington (fiddle), Clayton Clemetson (piano), & McKinley James (cello)
In Student Center 407 (4th floor)

October 13, 2015

Columbus Day Party
Caller: Don Veino
Music: Audrey Knuth (fiddle), Rebecca McGowan (flute), & Michael Friedman (piano)
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)

October 20, 2015

Klezmer Style
Caller: Paul Wilde
Music: ContraKlez with John Chambers and Friends
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)

October 27, 2015

Halloween Gala
Caller: Ann Cowan
Music: The Utilities Are Here with Jon Cannon (guitar), Sara Mann (clarinet), & Audrey Knuth (fiddle)
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)

November 10, 2015

Peace Day Party
Caller: Chris Lahey
Music: Ishmael the Fiddler (fiddle, mandolin, whistle), Jean Monroe (keyboard), & John Chambers (accordion)
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)

November 17, 2015

Thanksgiving Party
Caller: Jacob Bloom
Music: JumpStart with Victor Troll (piano) & Friends
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)

December 8, 2015

Early Winter Festival
Caller: Dereck Kalish
Music: Jeff Kaufman (piano) & Alex Cumming (accordion)
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)

December 15, 2015

Holiday Party
Caller: Laura Johannes
Music: Carol Bittenson (fiddle), Steve Bittenson (frets), Alex Cumming (accordion), & Rick Kaufman (bass)
In Lobdell Dining Hall (Student Center 2nd floor)

January 12, 2016

New Year's Party
Caller: Dereck Kalish
Music: Audrey Knuth, Clayton Clemetson, & Dave Cory
In Student Center 407 (4th floor)

January 26, 2016

Spring Anticipation Gala. Old-time jam before the dance, at 6:30!
Caller: Chris Lahey
Music: Max Newman (guitar), McKinley James (cello), and Audrey Knuth (fiddle)
In Lobdell Dining Hall (Student Center 2nd floor)

February 2, 2016

Ground Hog Day & Welcome Dance
Caller: Don Veino
Music: The Utilities Are Here with Jon Cannon, Jonah Sidman & Sara Mann
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)

February 9, 2016

Mardi Gras Party & Welcome Beginner Dance
Caller: Laura Johannes
Music: The Dead Sea Squirrels with Cathy Mason (fiddle), Henry Yoshimura (guitar), and Tim Rowell (banjo)
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)

February 16, 2016

Valentine's Day Party
Caller: Paul Wilde
Music: Clayton Clemetson (piano), Kathleen Fownes (fiddle), & Galen Fraser (fiddle)
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)

February 23, 2016

Levi Strauss Birthday Festival
Caller: Chris Ricciotti
Music: Techno Modified (with CD's)
In Lobdell Dining Hall (Student Center 2nd floor)

March 1, 2016

March Winds
Caller: Ann Cowan
Music: Bruce Randall (trombone & whistles), Ishmael Stefanov-Wagner (fiddle & whistles), & Deborah Gerstein (piano)
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)

March 8, 2016

Klezmer Style
Caller: Jacob Bloom
Music: ContraKlez
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)

March 15, 2016

St. Pat's Day
Music: REELATION with Carol Bittenson (fiddle), Steve Bittenson (frets), Alex Cumming (accordion & piano), & Rick Kaufman (bass)
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)

March 29, 2016

Spring Fling
Caller: Chris Lahey
Music: Max Newman (guitar), Clayton Clemetson (piano), & Elizabeth Anderson (fiddle)
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)

April 12, 2016

Pre-NEFFA Gala
Caller: Laura Johannes
Music: Eric Boodman (fiddle), Jon Cannon (guitar & fiddle), & Emily Troll (fiddle)
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)

April 19, 2016

Earth Day Party
Caller: Ann Cowan
Music: Elizabeth Anderson (fiddle), Tom Krumm (fiddle), Ben Anderson (cello), & Conor Hearn (guitar)
In Lobdell Dining Hall (Student Center 2nd floor)

May 3, 2016

May Day Festival
Caller: Dereck Kalish (filling in for Ron Blechner)
Music: JUMP START
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)

May 17, 2016

End of Semester Fiesta
Caller: Dereck Kalish
Music: Carol Bittenson (fiddle), Debby Knight (piano), & Bruce Rosen (guitar)
In Lobdell Dining Hall (Student Center 2nd floor)

June 14, 2016

Arbor Day Party
Caller: Ron Blechner
Music: The Whom with Clayton Clemetson (piano) & Kathleen Fownes (fiddle), plus Cecile Leroy (cello)
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)

June 28, 2016

Summer Solstice Party
Caller: Clinton Ross from Tennessee
Music: Eric Boodman & Jon Cannon
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)

July 12, 2016

Bastille Day Gala
Caller: Paul Wilde
Music: Eric Boodman (fiddle), Elizabeth Anderson (fiddle), & Debby Knight (piano)
In Student Center 491 (4th floor)

July 26, 2016

Mid-Summer Festival
Caller: Yaron Shragai
Music: Chimney Swift with Cecile Leroy (cello), Zoë Madonna (accordion), & Daniel Ley (cittern), plus Eric Boodman (fiddle)
In Student Center 407 (4th floor)

August 9, 2016

Fall Anticipation Party
Caller: Chris Lahey
Music: BiCoastal Band with Bonnie Insull (flute), Julia Hartman (fiddle & baritone fiddle), & Jean Monroe (piano, melodica, & percussion)
In Student Center 407 (4th floor)

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

Optional suggested donation

Free for MIT and Wellesley Students!
Optional suggested donation: $5 from other students; $8-$10 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:

Updated 24-August-2015.

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