Schedule

December 13th: Williamstown. Luke Donforth will call to music by George Wilson and Selma Kaplan. Larks and Robins role terms.
January 10th: Williamstown. Liz Nelson will call to music by Eric Buddington and friends. Larks and robins role terms.
February 14th: Williamstown. Music by Seamus Connor and friends.
March 14th: Williamstown.
April 11th: Williamstown. Music by The Vintons (George Wilson, Andy Davis, Marko Packard)

We send a quick email reminder once a month before each dance. If you would like to be included, you can subscribe here.

North Berkshire Community Dances are held on the second Saturday of the month, from 7:30 to 10:30 PM in **EITHER** the community hall of the First Congregational Church, Williamstown, MA, **OR** in the community hall of the All Saints Episcopal Church, in North Adams, MA.

Admission is “pay what you can”. An average donation of $12 per person will ordinarily cover our major expenses: rent for the hall, and payment for musicians and callers. Contributions of volunteer time are always welcome — possibilities include simple jobs such as sweeping the floor, and (in non-pandemic times) bringing potluck snacks to share at the break.

October 11th: Williamstown. Quena Crain will call, using Larks and Robins role terms. Music by Rebecca Weiss and Seamus Connor.

November 8th: Williamstown. Music by Raven & Goose, all the way from the west coast! Calling by Ben Sachs-Hamilton, Larks and Robins role terms.

September 13th: Williamstown. Jeff Walker will call, music by Kathy and Jeff Walker. Gents and Ladies role terms.

August 9th: North Adams. Andy Davis will call. Music by mixer bands facilitated by Seamus Connor. Gender neutral calling terms. Calling playgroup in afternoon(3-5PM) preceding dance (7:30PM)

July 12th: North Adams. Liz Nelson will call. Larks and Robins role terms. Music by mixer bands facilitated by Seamus Connor. Calling workshop in afternoon(3-5) preceding dance (7:30PM)

June 15th: North Adams. An unusual Sunday afternoon dance (3:30 – 6:30 pm) Hannah Johlas will call with Larks and robins role terms. Open Band anchored by Becky Hollingsworth on keyboard and Van Kaynor on fiddle.

May 10th: Williamtown. Music by Joy Factor, calling by Peter Stix. Larks and Robins role terms.

PLUS: informal calling playgroup preceding the dance, 2-3:30 in the Williamstown Public Library. Join us to practice calling dances! No calling experience required. Biddable dancers welcome.

April 12th: Williamstown. Open band anchored by Seamus Connor and Eric Buddington (all musicians with acoustic instruments welcome to join). Jonathan Greene will call, using Larks and Robins role terms.

March 8th, 2025: Williamstown. Music by Spare Parts. Luke Donforth will call using Larks and Robins role terms.

February 8th, 2025: Williamstown. Calling by Liz Nelson; music by “The Vintons” (Marko Packard, George Wilson, Andy Davis). Larks and Robins role terms.

January 11th, 2025: Williamstown. Caller, Julian Blechner. Music by George Wilson on fiddle and Selma Kaplan on piano. PLUS: informal calling workshop preceding the dance, 2-3:30 in the Williamstown Public Library.

December 14, 2024: Williamstown. Caller Maggie McRae. Music by three out of “Four Musicians Walked into Thirty Two Bars“. The three musicians are George Wilson, Rebecca Weiss, and Becky Hollingsworth.

November 9, 2024: Williamstown. Andy Davis will call and, likely, play accordion. Music by Laurie Indenbaum on fiddle and Mary Cay Brass on piano.

October 12, 2024: Williamstown. Quena Crain will call using “larks and robins” role terms. Music by Cedar Stanistreet and Michael Sokolovsky – the duo version of Sycamore!

September 28, 2024: We return to Williamstown on an unusual fourth Saturday in September. (We usually dance on the 2nd Saturdays). Calling by Jeff Walker using “gents and ladies” role terms. Live music by Jeff and Kathy Walker.

September 14th, 2024: North Adams. Dance: 7:30 – 10:30. Caller TBA. Live music by “mixer bands” under the guidance of Eric Buddington. Also, 3-5 PM musicians’ workshop taught by Eric.

August 10, 2024: North Adams. Andy Davis will call using gender-neutral language. Live music by volunteers (mixer bands) loosely organized by Eric Buddington. This dance will be preceded, from 3-5 pm, by a calling workshop led by Andy Davis. The dance will be at the usual time: 7:30 to 10:30.

July 13, 2024: North Adams. Fern Bradley will call with “Larks and Robins” role terms. Live music by volunteers under the guidance of Eric Buddington. This dance will be preceded, from 3-5 pm, by an introductory calling workshop led by Fern Bradley. The dance will be at the usual time: 7:30 to 10:30.

June 8, 2024: North Adams. Peter Stix will call, with an open band (possibly including you!) led by George Wilson and Becky Hollingsworth. Larks and Robins role terms. This dance will be preceded, from 3-5 pm, by an introductory calling workshop led by Peter Stix. The dance will be at the usual time: 7:30 to 10:30.

May 11, 2024: Quena Crain will call to music by Andy Davis, Laurie Indenbaum, and Mary Cay Brass. Larks and Robins role terms.

April 13, 2024: Jonathan Greene will call using Gents and Ladies role terms. Music by Spare Parts (Bill Matthiesen, Liz Stell, and Eric Buddington).

March 9, 2024: Maggie McRae will call, using “Larks and Robins” role terms. Music by The Vintons (George Wilson, Andy Davis, and Marko Packard)

February 10, 2024: Liz Nelson will call using “Larks and Robins” role terms. Music by Cider Mountain (Tony Pisano, Doone MacKay, Seamus Connor, and Butch DiGiorgis), joined by Bill Matthiesen on piano.

January 13, 2024: Paul Rosenberg will call one of his “beginner specials”. Music by Eric Buddington, Seamus Connor, Jimmy Bergin — joined by Patricia Kernan. Gender neutral calling.

December 9th: Andy Davis will call New England classics, including some “old chestnuts,” using gender-free terms. Music by George Wilson and Selma Kaplan (and Andy too, as calling permits). Sadly, Tony Parkes, whom we’d originally booked for this dance is suffering from poor health and unlikely to be able to join us.

November 11th: Andy Davis will call. You are welcome to join the open band led by Becky Hollingsworth and Rebecca Weiss.

October 14th: Quena Crain calls to music by The Three Potatoes, who are Gianna Marzilli Ericson, Rebecca Weiss, and Rebecca Hollingsworth.

September 16th (a 3rd Saturday!): Jeff Walker will call, with Kathy Walker on fiddle.

No Dance in August. Monthly dances will resume in September.

July 8, 2023: Peter Stix will call. An nice full band this month, with Eric Buddington and Doone MacKay on fiddle, Tony Pisano on accordion, Seamus Connor on guitar, and Butch DeGiorgis on mandolin. This year we will dance the old chestnut, “Chorus Jig”, every month.

June 10, 2023: Maggie McRae will call, with master musicians Mary Cay Brass on piano and Laurie Indenbaum on fiddle. This year we will dance the old chestnut, “Chorus Jig”, every month.

May 13, 2023: Featuring an open band, anchored by Susan Conger on fiddle and Becky Hollingsworth on piano. Bring your instrument and join the band! Andy Davis will call. This year we will dance the old chestnut, “Chorus Jig”, every month. (Musicians can find sheet music in the “New England Fiddler’s Repertoire” or the “Fiddler’s Fakebook”.)

April 13, 2023: Paul Rosenberg calls a “beginner special”, with music by Patricia Kernan on flute, Eric Buddington on fiddle, and Tony Pisano on guitar and accordion.

March 11, 2023: Quena Crain calls a program specially suited to families with children. Music by Marko Packard on guitar and George Wilson on fiddle. This year we will dance the old chestnut, “Chorus Jig”, every month.

February 11, 2023: Dave Eisenstadter calling. Music by George Wilson on fiddle and Selma Kaplan on keyboard. This year we will dance the old chestnut, “Chorus Jig”, every month.

January 14, 2023: Andy Davis will call, music by Cedar Stanistreet on fiddle and Arthur Davis on keyboard and banjo. This year we will dance the old chestnut, “Chorus Jig”, every month.

CANCELED due to Covid-19: March 14, 2020 — Music by Karen Axelrod on keyboard and Dave Langford on fiddle. Liz Nelson will call, starting with a lesson for beginners at 7:15. Larks and Ravens role terms.

February 8, 2020 — All-comers band. All musicians are welcome to join the band, which Annika Amstutz and Becky Hollingsworth will anchor. Caller Andy Davis will open with a lesson for beginners from 7:30 – 7:45.

January 11, 2020 — Paul Rosenburg will call; Eric Buddington & Todd Reynolds on fiddle, with Tony Pisano on guitar and accordion.

December 14, 2019 — Tony Parkes calls Squares and Contras; music by George Wilson and Selma Kaplan and David Kaynor.

November 9, 2019 — Will Mentor will call, using “Larks and Ravens” role terms; music by Marko Packard and George Wilson.

October 12, 2019 — Sarah VanNorstrand calls. Music by David Kaynor on fiddle, Becky Hollingsworth on keyboard, Tony Pisano on accordion, and Doone MacKay on fiddle.

September 14, 2019 — Quena Craine calls. Music by Annika Amstutz on fiddle and Peter Madsen on guitar.

July 13, 2019 — Live music by Matthew Christian and Max Carmichael, calling by Steve Howland. The driving Celtic folk music of Matthew and Max summons shimmering dance energy, with tight harmonies and danceable up-tempo rhythm. Steve’s calling and fidlling have been a mainstay of the local dance and folk music scene for decades, and he can be counted on to lead a comfortable, well balanced, evening of engaging dance.

June 8, 2019— Luke Donforth calling, music by Cloud Ten

May 11, 2019— Our inaugural event: Tony Parkes called, music by George Wilson, Selma Kaplan, and Andy Davis.