Welcome to the Thursday Contra! See the schedule of upcoming bands and callers below.
Location: The Irish Center (a.k.a. Commodore John Barry Arts and Cultural Center),
6815 Emlen St., Philadelphia, PA 19119.
Look for the signs, and use the ballroom entrance, furthest from Carpenter Ave.
Beginner lesson: 7:30pm
Dance: 8:00pm to 10:30pm
Admission: sliding scale, pay what you wish. Suggested $10/$15/$20+.
Our community standards seek to ensure a positive and safe experience for everyone.
Questions or concerns? You can meet with a member of our Safety Committee at any event, or report something online (can be anonymous).
Snacks are welcome. Please bring finger foods to share! (No peanuts or peanut butter please, due to allergies in our community.)
Our Thursday night dances strongly encourage up-to-date COVID vaccination. Masks are optional and welcome. If you test positive for COVID a few days after a dance, please send email to so we can alert others to a potential exposure. Please read more info about health precautions. We're looking forward to dancing with you!
| Date | Caller | Band | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 1 | Greg Frock | Spintuition: Silas Hamilton (guitar, piano, fiddle, vocals, feet), Willy Clemetson (fiddle, vocals, feet), and Samuel Foucher (accordion, piano, vocals) | |
| Jan. 8 | Donna Hunt & Justin Kauker | Allemande: Chris Germain (fiddle), Kellie Allen (guitar), Pete Petersen (banjo), Paul Sidlick (mandolin), Heidi Germain (bass) | |
| Jan. 15 | Alyssa Adkins | Live Wire: Sarah Gowan (guitar), Ben Kennedy (keyboard), Laura Alexander (cello), Jared Bishop (fiddle), Bill Quern (mando/banjo/melodeon) | |
| Jan. 17 | Caroline Barnes |
3rd Saturday at Summit Church with Raise the Roof: Mat Clark (fiddle), Judi Stellar (hammered dulcimer), Kathy Talvitie (guitar), and Bob Pasquarello (bass) | |
| Jan. 22 | Dave Rupp coordinating other callers | TWeLve: Nathalie Levine (fiddle), Miranda Weinberg (fiddle), Kathy Talvitie (piano) | |
| Jan. 29 | Perry Shafran | Torrent: Nadia Gaya (accordion), Sarah Parker (fiddle), Ross Parker (piano) | |
|
Feb. 5 |
Sue Gola coordinating | SPUDS: Philly's phabulous open contradance band! | |
|
Feb. 12 |
Jan Alter coordinating | Raise the Roof: Mat Clark (fiddle), Judi Stellar (hammered dulcimer), Bob Pasquarello (bass), Kathy Talvitie (guitar) | |
|
Feb. 19 |
Alexandra Deis‑Lauby | Kingfisher: Jeff Kaufman (piano), Cecilia Vacanti (fiddle) | |
|
Feb. 21 |
3rd Saturday at Summit Church hosts Medley Marathon: six callers, four bands, three hours of non-stop dancing! You've danced contra medleys before, but not like this. The dance changes. The caller changes. The band changes. You keep dancing! This is a benefit dance to support PATMAD activities including the Thursday Contra and 3rd Saturday dances. Musicians, callers, and sound crew are generously donating their services. More details coming soon. |
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Feb. 26 |
John Krumm coordinating | Joy Factor: Gianna Marzilli Ericson (fiddle) Rebecca Rose Weiss (fiddle), Henry Yoshimura (guitar) | |
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Dances continue every Thursday (except Thanksgiving and Christmas). |
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But wait, there's more! PATMAD also sponsors
- The 3rd Saturday Contra Dance in Mt. Airy, continuing on January 17 with Caroline Barnes and Raise the Roof at Summit Church.
- Allons Danser, Philadelphia's home for Cajun/Zydeco music and dance, continuing on Saturday, January 17 with Corey Arceneaux and The Zydeco Hot Peppers at the Holy Saviour Club, Norristown, Pa.
(3rd Saturday and Allons Danser may have different COVID precautions from the Thursday night contra dance. Check their pages for the most up-to-date schedules and information.) - SPUDS, Philly's phabulous open contradance band, playing on February 5 at the Thursday Contra.
- A Center City Contra series in Rittenhouse Square in the heart of Philadelphia, generally on fourth Saturdays most months. See the calendar for upcoming dances.
Donations to Philadelphia Area Traditional Music and Dance, the nonprofit which sponsors the Thursday Contra dance, are always appreciated! (Link)
Contributions to the 100% free platform we use for donations are optional, and may be set to "Other" including zero.
Our community standards seek to ensure a positive and safe experience for everyone.
All Hands In has been presenting games nights and other community-led events, along with some fun online dances with fantastic live calling. Tune in most Tuesday nights.
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