Downtown Amherst Contradance Most Wednesdays (exc 2nd), 7:30-10:30 Beginners Lesson at 7pm

Beginners welcome: Intro lesson at 7pm at every dance.

Masonic Lodge 99 Main Street - Amherst, MA

(near the Black Sheep Deli and the Police Station)

Admission: $10, Students: $8 , High School: $6

Please bring water and clean, soft-soled shoes to protect the wood floor. Also please refrain from wearing perfumes, colognes and other highly scented products. All dances smoke, drug and alcohol free.

Dance Schedule

April 23, 2014

Music: Nor’easter

Calling: Nils Fredland

“ toe-tappin', foot-stompin', shoe-shufflin', heel-clickin', booty-shakin' ”
the fabulous Nor’easter returns to Downtown Amherst. Nor’easter has the distinction of playing the first ever Burning Man contradance in addition to wowing dancers all over the country. Nor’easter features Julie Vallimont on keyboards, Cedar Stanistreet on fiddle and Max Newman on guitar and mandolin. Come hear one of the finest bands in the Northeast with calling by the equally fine Nils Fredland calling. Nils teaches a great beginning workshop so bring your friends at 7 for a great intro to contra dancing.

April 30 - FREE Swing Dance workshop - 6-7pm

with Greg Perham

All levels are welcome. No partner is necessary. Basic east coast swing moves will be taught. Experienced dancers are encouraged to support beginners' practice, but will also get to work on intermediate/advanced moves in Lindy and Charleston. Donations appreciated.

April 30, 2014

Music: Swallowtail

Calling: George Marshall & Tim Van Egmond

An evening with a group that has been making sublime dance music together for over 30 years: David Cantieni - winds, Ron Grosslein - fiddle, Timm Triplett - keyboards, Tim Van Egmond - hammer dulcimer and calling, George Marshall - concertina, bodhran and calling. A night not to be missed.

May 7, 2014

Music: Stuart Kenney & Friends

Calling: Mary Wesley

Some of our favorite local musicians come together. Stay tuned for details.

May 21, 2014

Music: Firefly

Calling: Tavi Merrill

Wonderful trio featuring Cedar Stanistreet (of Nor’easter) on fildde, Rebecca Bosworth-Clemens on clarinet, Jon Cannon on guitar. Caller Tavi Merrill returns to the East Coast to bring us his special style of calling.

May 28, 2014

Music: The Gaslight Tinkers

Calling: Quena Crain

A spoonful of afro-pop, a pinch of jam band, a teaspoon of funk, two cups New England fiddle tunes, mix it up and you got another Valley creation. Veteran mandolin, guitar, banjo player and singer songwriter Peter Siegel has joined forces with the Alchemystics’ founder and bass player Garrett Sawyer to shake things up in the valley. Joined by percussionists, local fiddler Zoe Darrow and the wonderful Quena Crain calling, this looks to be a great night of dancing in Amherst.

June 4, 2014

Music: Techno Contra with Julie Vallimont

Calling: Will Mentor

Julie Vallimont and special guests will provide another amazing techno contra evening with the fabulous Will Mentor calling.

June 11, 2014 - NO DANCE

June 18, 2014 - NO DANCE

June 25, 2014

Music: Light Reaction

Calling: George Marshall

Light Reaction is a family affair, featuring Kathleen Fownes, a fabulous young fiddler and well-known dancer in Greenfield and Amherst. If you’ve never heard Kathleen play, don’t miss this chance before she heads to Northeastern in the fall. She’s joined by her dad Jim Fownes on piano and mom, Robin Harrington on guitar. The reknowned George Marshall returns with another great evening of inspired dances.

July 2, 2014 - NO DANCE

July 9, 2014

Music: Stuart Kenney & Friends

Calling: Frannie Marr (from CA)

Stay tuned for details.

July 16, 2014

Music: The Free Raisins

Calling: Quena Crain

The popular, Boston-based Free Raisins return to Amherst for another evening of energetic New England dance music. With:

Audrey Knuth — Fiddle

Amy Englesberg — Piano

Jeff Kaufman — Mandolin, Octave Fiddle

July 23 - FREE Irish Step Dance workshop - 6-7pm

with Rebecca McGowan

Irish step dancing was long the domain of dance masters who traveled and taught their repertoire to students in each town they visited. Their steps are danced low to the ground and feature rhythms that match the music beautifully. Learn some steps in this style! All backgrounds welcome, bring a pair of flat hard-soled shoes. Donations appreciated.

Rebecca McGowan began Irish step dancing as a child in Boston and has since developed a love of the musicality of older-style steps and sean-nós dance. Her dancing is also informed by the joyful traditions of American, Irish, and English social dance. She currently performs with the New Century American Irish-Arts Company and teaches sean-nós dance in Washington, DC.

July 23, 2014

Music: Nova

Calling: Nils Fredland

Fiddler Kathleen Fownes leads this group of very talented, young, local musicians, including Everest Whitman and Guillaume Sparrow-Pepin. The ever popular Nils Fredland will teach, call and play trombone.

July 30, 2014

Music: Dragonfly

Calling: Quena Crain

Terrific music from more of the valley’s up and coming talent: Everest Witman, Emma Snope, Matthew Kenney and Kyra Bleicher!

August 6, 2014

Music: Techno Contra with Julie Vallimont

Calling: TBA

Stay tuned for details.

August 13, 2014

Music: Atlantic Crossing

Calling: Ron Blechner

Stay tuned for details.

August 20, 2014

NO DANCE

August 27, 2014

Music: TBA

Calling: TBA

Stay tuned for details.

September 3, 2014

Music: Velocipede

Calling: TBA

Stay tuned for details.

September 17, 2014

Music: Stuart Kenney & Friends

Calling: TBA

Stay tuned for details.

4th Anniversary Celebration

September 24, 2014

Music: Perpetual e-Motion

Calling: Lisa Greenleaf

Dance to one of the most progressive contra dance bands playing today. Maine-based Ed Howe (electric fiddle) and John Cote (guitar, digeridoo and foot percussion) bring together superb musicianship and stack of custom-built electronics to create some of the most infectious dancing music you’ve ever heard. John and Ed easily flow from traditional, unadorned fiddle and guitar tunes to their own unique mix of looped and live layers. You won’t believe that two guys can make that much sound and it’s guaranteed to keep you moving all evening. The master caller Lisa Greenleaf joins us for our grand celebration.

October 1, 2014

Music: The Gig Hunters

Calling: Melanie Axel-Lute

Stay tuned for details.

October 15, 2014

Music: TBA

Calling: TBA

Stay tuned for details.

October 22, 2014

Music: Techno Contra with Julie Vallimont

Calling: Will Mentor

Stay tuned for details.

October 29, 2014

Music: Perpetual e-Motion

Calling: Dave Eisenstadter

Stay tuned for details.

November 5, 2014

Music: The Moving Violations

Calling: Linda Leslie

Driving double fiddle harmonies, strong rhythm, affectionate abandon and occasional silliness prevails. Original compositions as well as Celtic, Eastern European, Swedish, Klezmer, and Classical are all fair game for The Moving Violations: Van Kaynor - fiddle, Ron Grosslein - fiddle, mandoliin; Chuck Corman - bass, guitar, percussion; Eric Eid-Reiner - piano!