Calendar & Events

Please feel free to add our CDNY Google calendar to your own in order to keep up with the latest Contra and English dances and special events!

You can also download a doc version of the calendar through the following link.

Summer 2026 Dance Lab

This summer, we're holding a series of workshops - The CDNY Dance Lab - in Contra and English. The goal is not only to have fun dancing, but to improve our dance skills by focusing on various elements, such as graceful recovery from mistakes, giving weight, helpful nonverbal communication, being a great partner, and more! Tickets can be reserved through the recurring Eventbrite link.

Please Note: The venues for these dances will be in studios and dance halls in Brooklyn and Manhattan, NOT at the Church of the Village.

Saturday, July 11th 12PM-2PM - Lessons Taught By Alex Deis-Lauby; Contra; Location: 138 South Oxford #3B The Great Room
Tuesday, July 21st 7PM-9PM - Lessons Taught By Jenny Beer; Contra and ECD Mix; Location: 520 8th Ave 3rd Floor, Leynse Studio
Saturday, August 1st 7:30PM-9:30PM - Lessons Taught By Anna Rain; Contra and ECD Mix; Location: 138 South Oxford #3B The Great Room
Tuesday, August 11th 7PM-9PM - Lessons Taught By Margaret Bary; ECD; Location: 520 8th Ave, Studio 17E (Ripley Grier Studios)

Fall 2026 Season Dances

Contra Dances

Contra Dances are held on most Saturday evenings from 7 – 10pm, with a beginner session at 6:30pm. (Note: Special timing for double dances!)

Saturday, Sept 19th - *Swing & Set DOUBLE DANCE* - Calling: Margaret Bary (afternoon English) and Alex Deis-Lauby (evening Contra); Music: New Amsterdam String Band - Jimmy Drancsak (fiddle), Lydia Becker (fiddle), Nathan Francisco (cello and tenor guitar), Logan Zaud (bass).
Saturday, Oct 3rd - Calling: TBA; Music: Torrent - Nadia Gaya (accordion), Ross Parker (piano), and Sarah Parker (fiddle).
Saturday, Oct 10th - *Fall Fling DOUBLE DANCE* - Calling: Michael Karcher; Music: Cojiro - Mark Price (guitar), Jess Newman (fiddle), Ben Graubart (fiddle).
Saturday, Oct 24th - Calling: TBA; Music: Brooklyn Swing Ensemble - Danny Elias (clarinet), Marco Brehm (bass), Norman Plankly (guitar), Sam Zygmuntowicz (fiddle).
Saturday, Oct 31st - Calling: TBA; Music: Box & String Quartet - Bill Quern and Sarah Gowan (guitar), Jared Bishop (fiddle), Laura Alexander (cello).
Saturday, Nov 14th - Calling: TBA; Music: Wissachickon Express - Chloe Mohr (piano & vocals), Rick Mohr (fiddle & vocals), Evan Mohr (precussion, guitar, & vocals), Cecelia Tannous-Taylor (fiddle & vocals).
Saturday, Nov 21st - Calling: TBA; Music: Cozy Socks.
Saturday, Dec 12th - Calling: Ben Sachs-Hamilton; Music: Raven and Goose - Corwin Zekley (fiddle), Grace Fellows (piano).
Additional Dances To Be Announced Soon!

English Country Dances

English Country Dances are held every Tuesday evening 7 - 10pm, with a Skills Session included. You can purchase tickets in advance to the Tuesday dance(s) of your choice through the recurring Eventbrite link.

Tuesday, Sept 8th - Calling: Paul Ross; Music: Peter Roberts (piano), Minda Cowen (violin), Sue Polansky (clarinet); mix of gender-free and gendered calling
Tuesday, Sept 15th - Calling: Alex Deis-Lauby; Music: Mixolydians - Cynthia Shaw (piano), Lydia Becker (violin), Tom Phillips (mandolin); gender-free calling
Saturday, Sept 19th - *Swing & Set DOUBLE DANCE* - Calling: Margaret Bary (afternoon English) and Alex Deis-Lauby (evening Contra); Music: New Amsterdam String Band - Jimmy Drancsak (fiddle), Lydia Becker (fiddle), Nathan Francisco (cello and tenor guitar), Logan Zaud (bass); gender-free calling
Tuesday, Sept 22nd - Calling Helen White; Music: Cynthia Shaw (piano), Danny Elias (clarinet), Lisa Terry (viola da gamba); gender-free calling
Tuesday, Sept 29th - Calling: Margaret Bary; Music: Peter Roberts (piano), Sarah Parker (vioin), Sue Polansky (clarinet); gender-free calling
Tuesday, Oct 6th - Calling: Dorothy Cummings; Music: Robin Russell (piano), Matthew Christian (violin) , Diane Fedora (bassoon); gendered calling
Tuesday, Oct 13th - *Gene’s 80th Birthday Celebration* - Calling: Gene Murrow; Music: Guest Musicians from California - Chip Prince, Audrey Jaber, Laura Osborn; mix of gender-free and gendered calling
Tuesday, Oct 20th - Calling: Daniel Popowich; Music: Sara Banleigh (piano), Minda Cowen (violin), Helen White (flute); gendered calling
Tuesday, Oct 27th - *Halloween Dance* - Calling: Elizabeth Freedman; Music: Peter Roberts (piano), Dominik Landowne (violin), Dominique Gagné (flute); mix of gender-free and gendered calling
Tuesday, Nov 3rd - Calling: Orly Krasner; Music: Robin Russell (piano), Lisa Bueno (violin), Lisa Terry (viola da gamba); gender-free calling
Tuesday, Nov 10th - Calling: Helen White; Music: Sara Banleigh (piano), Dominik Landowne (violin), Danny Elias (clarinet); gender-free calling
Tuesday, Nov 17th - Calling: Dorothy Cummings; Music: Cynthia Shaw (piano), Dominique Gagné (flute), TBD; gendered calling
Tuesday, Dec 1st - Calling: Daniel Popowich; Music: Sara Banleigh (piano), Sarah Parker (violin), Gene Murrow (recorders, concertina); gendered calling
Tuesday, Dec 8th - Calling: Orly Krasner; Music: Mixolydians - Cynthia Shaw (piano), Lydia Becker (violin), Tom Phillips (mandolin); gender-free calling
Tuesday, Dec 15th - *End of Year Dance* - Calling: Gene Murrow; Music: Peter Roberts (piano), Jimmy Drancsak (violin), Zara Lawler (flute); mix of gender-free and gendered calling
Tuesday, Jan 5th - *Happy New Year Dance - 2027* - Calling: Margaret Bary; Music: Guest Musicians - The Turn Signals - Aaron Marcus, Grace Hendrickson-Jones, Cecily Mills; gender-free calling
Saturday, Jan 9th - *Twelfth Night SPECIAL DANCE* - Calling: Joanna Reiner Wilkinson; Music: TBA; gender-free calling
Tuesday, Jan 12th - Calling: Elizabeth Freedman; Music: Sara Banleigh (piano), Helen White (flute), Diane Fedora (bassoon); mix of gender-free and gendered calling
Tuesday, Jan 19th - Calling: Alexandra Deis-Lauby; Music: Dominique Gagné (piano), Lisa Bueno (violin) , Zara Lawler (flute); gender-free calling
Tuesday, Jan 26th - *Paul & Faina’s Birthday Celebration* - Calling: Paul Ross; Music: Cynthia Shaw (piano), Jimmy Drancsak (violin), Gene Murrow (recorders, concertina); mix of gender-free and gendered calling

Community Beyond the Dance Floor

A core tenet of CDNY is to share the love we have for Contra and English Country Dancing with the community, creating spaces where everyone feels safe and appreciated for their unique identities as they come to share in that joy with us. We wouldn't be who we are without the wonderful members, bands, and various sponsors who make up our diverse community. An important thing about community: It doesn't end on the dance floor.

From board-game nights, picnics, and live concerts to dancer group chats and community events/walks, our community members look for new ways to make memorable experiences to give back to our larger communities in hopes of making the world a better place one connection at a time. In this section, you'll find events that are being planned that you can get involved in, helping to further strengthen our connections as a community both on and beyond the dance floor.

Sunday, October 19th, 2025
Rolling Start: 8:00AM-12:00PM
Walk Team Starting to Gather as of 9:00AM
Team Commencing the Walk at 10:00AM
Naumburg Bandshell - Central Park
Terrace Drive Near W 72nd Street
New York, NY 10019
United States (map)

American Cancer Society - Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Central Park

For those who are not familiar, The ACS Making Strides movement raises lifesaving funds that support breast cancer patients, survivors, thrivers, and caregivers through every step of the journey. It’s a celebration of courage and hope, a movement uniting communities to end breast cancer as we know it, for everyone.

They also go above and beyond in the ways that they support the patients and their families such as through the Hope Lodges Program - providing a free home away from home for cancer patients and their caregivers to make the challenges that come with treatments a little lighter. For more about the American Cancer Society, please visit their website and find out more about how you can get involved with their causes.

One of our members has regularly helped to organize teams across the Americas for this walk through the company they worked at for the last four years. This year, we're looking to partner with them in raising awareness for a cause that affects thousands each year. Whether you choose to participate, spread the word about the walk or donate to the ACS foundation, you are aiding in reaching a future where cancer isn't something to live in fear of as we will have even better means to treat it. Where a potential friend, family member, love interest, co-worker or fellow dancer can breathe a little easier as we have the means to support them if they end up being diagnosed with it.

Please feel free to join Dexter Raphael's JLL Team; he and others will be representing CDNY at the walks. We may all attend for our own individual reasons, but we will be joined in our shared desire to celebrate life and hope for a future where cancer is a disease relegated to the annals of history. We hope to see you there with us!

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