Shall we contemplate contra dancing in February? The weather is… Oh, enough of the preliminaries! Let’s skip to the good bits.
On Saturday, February 14th, 2026, Steve Howland will call for our Williamstown dance. The evening will open with an introductory lesson for beginners at 7:15, and the main event starts at 7:30. Steve is a cheerful, homespun sort of caller. He’s been calling dances and playing fiddle for years, and has a bunch of fun dances to share. We hope you’ll come!
Music will be provided by Seamus Connor and Alex Moon, and possibly some additional musicians. Seamus and Alex are relatively young and relatively new to contra dancing, and both are enthusiastic musicians, ready to support the dance with a reliable beat and melodic flair. You’ll almost certainly enjoy listening quite as much as dancing.
Someone volunteered to possibly bring cookies. Besides that, here are the double-U(s). (Ws? How do you spell that letter, in the plural, for easy reading?)
–Where: In the Community Hall of the First Congregational Church, 906 Main Street, Williamstown, MA
–When: 7:30PM (7:15 for introductory lesson), on Saturday, February 14th
–Who: Steve Howland calling to music by Seamus Connor and Alex Moon, and you dancing with lots of other, similarly fun and interesting people
–Why: Entertainment we make for ourselves is a fine thing, and so are socializing, good cheer, and a bit of exercise in a warm place on a cold winter night
–How much: $12 – $20 suggested donation; no one turned away for lack of funds
–Role Terms: non-gendered, probably Larks and Robins
AND there will be a Calling Playgroup, from 2-4PM. Come if you’ve any interest at all in learning to call, in seeing what calling involves, or in helping newer callers learn by dancing obediently. This will be in Goodrich Hall, 863 Main St, Williamstown, MA 01267. The main door for the building is under the bell tower, near the driveway. We’ll be in the first floor meeting room, which has a piano. When you walk in, use the door to the left. You can park in the WCMA parking spots or on Spring Street.
As always, you can help us out by printing and posting our dance flyer:
More dancers means more fun.
Join us this Saturday, June 10th, for a delightful community contra dance! Maggie McRae will call (teach), starting the evening with easy dances accessible to novices and families with children. The hall will fill with lively, energetic dancers, new skills will be taught as needed, and by the end, we’ll have danced the old chestnut, “Chorus Jig”, to the traditional reel of the same name. (Trust us, Chorus Jig is fun! That’s why people have been dancing it since 1820, at least.) Come alone, or with friends.
Music will be provided by two masters of New England’s traditional dance music: Laurie Indenbaum on fiddle, and Mary Cay Brass on keyboard. Mary Cay has been a foundational performer and teacher in the traditional dance and music community for many years. In addition to teaching choral singing, she has supplied a vital pulse in various beloved dance bands, including “The Greenfield Dance Band” with David Kaynor, and “Airdance” with Rodney Miller. Laurie Indenbaum has been fiddling for dances in Vermont and surrounding states since 1976, with many fine callers and bands, including “Applejack” and “The Full Catastrophe”. 
North Berkshire Community Dance 