Downtown Amherst Contradance Most Wednesdays - 7:30-10:30 Beginners Lesson at 7pm - bring your friends!
 
 
Newcomers and beginners ALWAYS welcome! 
Intro lesson at 7pm at every dance FREE ADMISSION for new dancers who attend Intro Lesson! 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. This is a Fragrance-Free and Substance-Free event. Please refrain from wearing highly scented products. Dances are smoke, drug and alcohol free. Dance Schedule March 4, 2015 Music: ELIXIR Calling: Nils Fredland The amazing Elixir returns to Amherst for an unforgettable evening. Elixir blends driving fiddle and guitar with the rich texture and rhythmic excitement of a full horn section, deftly weaving brassy riffs and daring solos in and out of traditional Irish, French Canadian and New England tunes. Elixir trombonist and caller extraordinaire Nils Fredland calls for you.  March 18, 2015 Music: The Irregulars Calling: Steve Zakon-Anderson A young new New England band, the Irregulars includes: McKinley James on cello; Oliver Scanlon on fiddle, feet and mandolin; and Guillaume Sparrow-Pepin on accordion and keyboard. Our wonderful Steve Zakon-Anderson calls for you.  March 25, 2015 Music: Ruby’s Garden Calling: Quena Crain Ruby’s Garden is a new trio of some our favorite New England musicians: Mark Roberts - flute, penny whistle, banjo, bouzouki; Julie Metcalf - fiddle; Andrea Cooper - banjo, flute whistle. Touring nationally they bring “double” fun with Andrea and Mark playing two flutes, twin penny whistles and double banjos to the stage.  Friday, March 27 8–11pm  Challenging Contras  Guiding Star Grange, Greenfield, MA March 27, 2015 Music: The Clayfoot Strutters Calling: Steve Zakon-Anderson The legendary, six-member CLAYFOOT STRUTTERS take to the stage for a rare one-night appearance, featuring: Jeremiah McLane on accordion and keyboards; fiddler Ethan Hazard-Watkins; drummer, vocalist and guitarist Lee Blackwell; Peter Davis on clarinet, sax, piano, and guitar; bassist Will Patton; and Mark Roberts on banjo and flute. Local caller Steve Zakon-Anderson has been bending minds of Concord’s experienced dancers at their 2nd Friday “Challenging Series” and we’re very excited to see what he has in store for us! This dance is open to anyone but will be geared toward experienced dancers so it’s probably not the best night to introduce someone to contra (there will not be a beginner lesson). "Experienced" means: You know how to do a roll away, California twirl, pass through to a wave, contra corners, and the basic moves without being taught You know where to be at the start of each dance phrase and how to recover from a lapse You assist your partner and neighbor to the next move You execute flourishes safely and on time without disturbing others The Greenfield Challenging Contras 4th Friday series is managed by Will Loving. For further information see the series Facebook page.  April 1, 2015 Music: Cedar Stanistreet, Corey Walters and Roger Kahle Calling: Ron Blechner Another great trio of Western New England talent with our own Ron Blechner calling. April 15, 2015 Music: Audrey Knuth, Everest Witman, Guillaume Sparrow-Pepin Calling: Steve Zakon-Anderson NOVA fans take note: Audrey Knuth of the Free Raisins sits in Kathleen Fownes on fiddle for what will be a very hot dance. April 22, 2015 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.   Friday, April 24 8–11pm  Challenging Contras  Guiding Star Grange, Greenfield, MA April 24, 2015 Music: Pete’s Posse Calling: Mary Wesley This dance is open to anyone but will be geared toward experienced dancers so it’s probably not the best night to introduce someone to contra (there will not be a beginner lesson). "Experienced" means: You know how to do a roll away, California twirl, pass through to a wave, contra corners, and the basic moves without being taught You know where to be at the start of each dance phrase and how to recover from a lapse You assist your partner and neighbor to the next move You execute flourishes safely and on time without disturbing others The Greenfield Challenging Contras 4th Friday series is managed by Will Loving. For further information see the series Facebook page.   April 24-26, 2015 - Mansfield, MA New England Folk Festival Association (NEFFA) Weekend NEFFA Website  April 29, 2015 Music: Pete’s Posse Calling: Adina Gordon Pete’s Posse is composed of multi-instrumentalist and troubadour Pete Sutherland (fiddle, piano, banjo and vocals), Oliver Scanlon (fiddle, mandolin, dobro, foot percussion and vocals) and Tristan Henderson (guitars, mandolin, jaw harp, bodhran, foot percussion and vocals). Twin fiddles in tight, wild harmony over hi-powered guitar and pounding footwork with mandolin, clawhammer banjo, jawharp and rocking keyboards adding their voices to the mix. Old songs and tunes, lyrical and driving, along side brand new ones. That’s the multi-generational heart and mind of “Pete’s Posse”, at work and at play. And, we’re very pleased to have Adina Gordon joining us again to call.  May 6, 2015 Music: Swallowtail Calling: George Marshall & Tim VanEgmond 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.   Click here to download a PDF of the current Amherst flyer Dances organized by Amherst Area Contradances, a group of local dance enthusiasts. For information, contact Will Loving This dance series is funded in part by the New Leaders, Good Leaders Fund of the Country Dance and Song Society https://www.facebook.com/groups/greenfieldchallenge/https://www.facebook.com/groups/greenfieldchallenge/http://www.neffa.org/What_is_Festival.htmlhttp://amherstcontra.org/Flyer.pdfmailto:will@dedicationtechnologies.com?subject=AmherstContrahttp://www.cdss.orgshapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1shapeimage_2_link_2shapeimage_2_link_3shapeimage_2_link_4shapeimage_2_link_5
 Beginners
Welcome! ----- All Dances
Taught! ----- No Partner
Needed! ----- Please Bring Clean, soft-soled Shoes! ----- Download the current Flyer Here http://amherstcontra.org/Flyer.pdfhttp://amherstcontra.org/Flyer.pdfhttp://amherstcontra.org/Flyer.pdfshapeimage_3_link_0shapeimage_3_link_1shapeimage_3_link_2