Columbia Traditional Music and Dance

Next Contradance - Saturday, March 10, 2012

2012-01-11T22:52:00.002-05:00

March 10, 2012 - Cabin Fever & Caller Jennie Wakefield

6:15 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Beyond Beginner’s Workshop - How to become Columbia’s favorite dance partner.

7:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

New Dancer's Workshop - Learn Contra dance basics for a more enjoyable experience.

7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

Dance

1800 Lincoln Street - Arsenal Hill Park
Corner of Laurel and Lincoln Sts
Columbia, SC 29201

For directions, visit our website at http://www.contracola.org/.

Admission $8*
Please bring clean, soft-soled, non-marking shoes. Thanks!

*Prepaid admissions may be purchased for future dances at the discounted rate of $7. Prepaid admissions can be given as gifts and are good for up to a year after purchase.

Schedule

2011-08-01T23:25:00.032-04:00

All dances below are held at Arsenal Hill.

Sep 17, 2011 - Cabin Fever w. Marolyn Floyd calling
Oct 15, 2011 - BonneTerre w. Charley Harvey calling
Nov 19, 2011 - BonneTerre w. Gretchen Caldwell calling
Dec 17, 2011 - Corner House w. Dean Snipes calling
Jan 14, 2012 - Sons of the Full Moon w. Lesly Bowers calling
Feb 18, 2012 - Hungry Monks w. Marolyn Floyd calling
Mar 10, 2012 - Cabin Fever w. Jennie Wakefield calling
Apr 21, 2012 - BonneTerre w. Kenny Greer calling
May 19, 2012 - INexplicabillies w. Marolyn Floyd calling
Jun 16, 2012 - TBA w. TBA calling
Jul - no dance
Aug - no dance

Video - Columbia Contra Dance April 2010

2010-04-23T23:00:00.008-04:00

Thanks, Mike, for making this video!

You can watch this video in full-screen mode by clicking on the set of four arrows beneath the picture, on the right.

Contact Us

2010-04-03T13:03:00.002-04:00

Hello dancers,

My dad organizes an annual 10-mile hike to commemorate some of our acestors who served in the Civil War, and I would like to send out an invitation to those of you interested in joining us. The purpose of the hike is really just to get outdoors and enjoy friends, so I want to invite my fellow dancers. The hike will be on Saturday, April 24th. We usually meet at the Piney Grove Waffle House off of I-26 somewhere between 8:30-10:00AM for breakfast and drive to the location to hike. We walk on country roads where traffic is very sparse. You will need comfortable walking shoes, your own lunch, and whatever else you think might be useful. I would recommend a hat and sunscreen. If you are interested and would like more details, please email me using the form on this page. I look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,

Stephanie McCravy

10-Mile Hike

2010-04-03T00:32:00.008-04:00

If you are coming on the hike, be sure to see Stephanie's comment at the bottom of this page.

Hello dancers,

Sincerely,
Stephanie McCravy

Splash Dance (formerly "Reunion")

2009-09-29T00:52:00.002-04:00

When: August
Where: Camp Merrimac, Black Mountain, NC
Sponsoring Group: Old Farmer's Ball

Monster Mash (Saturday only)

2009-09-29T00:49:00.001-04:00

When: October
Where: Table Rock State Park, SC
Sponsoring Group: Charlotte Dance Gypsies & Harvest Moon Folk Society

Feet Retreat

2009-09-29T00:44:00.001-04:00

When: September
Where: Camp Sertoma, Winston-Salem, NC
Sponsoring Group: Fiddle and Bow Country Dancers

Spring Dance Romance

2009-09-29T00:42:00.001-04:00

When: April
Where: Camp Sertoma, Winston-Salem, NC
Sponsoring Group: Fiddle and Bow Country Dancers

Moondance

2009-09-29T00:41:00.000-04:00

When: June
Where: Table Rock State Park, SC
Sponsoring Group: Harvest Moon Folk Society

Summer Soiree

2009-09-29T00:39:00.001-04:00

When: June
Where: Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa, NC
Sponsoring Group: Old Farmer's Ball

Lake Eden Arts Festival

2009-09-29T00:37:00.001-04:00

When: May, October
Where: Camp Rockmont, Black Mountain, NC
Sponsoring Group: LEAF

Palmetto Bug Stomp

2009-09-29T00:33:00.001-04:00

When: March/April
Where: Charleston, SC
Sponsoring Group: Charleston Folk Society

Gypsy Meltdown

2009-09-29T00:30:00.002-04:00

When: March
Where: Camp Thunderbird, NC
Sponsering Group: Charlotte Dance Gypsies

Nearby Dances

2009-09-29T00:10:00.004-04:00

The following groups sponser dances within 3-4 hours driving distance of Columbia:

South Carolina

North Carolina

Old Farmer's Ball - Asheville
Fiddle and Bow Country Dancers - Winston-Salem & Greensboro
Charlotte Country Dancers and Charlotte Dance Gypsies - Charlotte
Research Triangle Park area - Chapel Hill, Durham, & Raleigh, NC including dances by Triangle City Dancers.
Cape Fear Contra Dancers - Wilmington

Georgia

Savannah Folk Music Society - Savannah
Chattahooche Country Dancers - Atlanta
Athens Folk Music and Dance Society - Athens

Fliers

2009-09-24T01:59:00.005-04:00

Here is a full-page flier for downloading and printing, posting, emailing, etc.:
One-page Flier for 2011-2012

We have been maintaining fliers in a variety of formats, including 2-page (double-sided tri-fold), 1-page (large flier), half-page (small flier), and bookmark. All of our fliers are available here:
All Fliers

Contra Dancing in the USA

2009-09-05T00:20:00.003-04:00

For information about contra dances anywhere in the USA, organized by region and state, see Charlie Seelig's pages at www.contradancelinks.com. Other resources for locating dances nationwide are the contra dance map created by Dwayne Johnson, and Ted Crane's contra dance database, which also contains contact info for bands and callers.

And don't forget to look at the Country Dance and Song Society (CDSS) webpages. You'll find some historical perspective there, as well as information on dance camps, links to related websites, and an online catalog for dance and music.

What is Contra Dancing?

2009-09-04T23:24:00.009-04:00

People of all ages and lifestyles are welcome. A dancer and his or her partner dance a series of figures, or moves, with each other and with another couple for a short time. They then repeat the same figures with another couple, and so on.

A caller, working with a group of live musicians, guides new and experienced dancers alike through a variety of dances. The caller teaches each dance before it is actually done to the music. This gives everyone an idea of what to expect so the movements can be easily executed.

The figures are similar to those of old-time square dancing. The figures are combined in different ways for each different dance. After teaching a dance, the caller continues to call the figures while the music plays and the dancers dance, until the dancers appear to have mastered the figures.

Directions to Arsenal Hill

2009-09-03T17:28:00.007-04:00

The Arsenal Hill Park Building is a small light-colored brick building across the street from Finlay Park, on the corner of Lincoln St. and Laurel St., facing the park. There is limited parking in front of the building, and lots of parking available in a free public parking garage right next door. You can also park across the street at Finlay Park. 1800 Lincoln Street, Columbia, SC 29201 - Directions are below the map.

View Larger Map

Directions From Out-of -Town

From Charlotte, take I-77S to 277S into Columbia, where 277S becomes Bull St. Turn right onto Elmwood Ave. (76), and after a few traffic lights, turn left onto Assembly St. Turn right onto Laurel St. The Arsenal Hill Park Bldg. will be on your right at the corner of Laurel and Lincoln Sts.

From Asheville, Greenville, or Spartanburg, take I-26E to I-126 into Columbia. Take the Elmwood exit and follow Elmwood Ave. to Assembly St. Turn right on Assembly St., then turn right onto Laurel St. The Arsenal Hill Park Bldg. will be on your right at the corner of Laurel and Lincoln Sts.

From Augusta or Atlanta, take I-20E to I-26E to I-126 into Columbia. Take the Elmwood exit and follow Elmwood Ave. to Assembly St. Turn right on Assembly St., then turn right onto Laurel St. The Arsenal Hill Park Bldg. will be on your right at the corner of Laurel and Lincoln Sts.

From Aiken, take Route 1 N. into Columbia (Gervais St.). After crossing the river, go through a few traffic lights and turn left onto Assembly St. Proceed through several more traffic lights, and turn left onto Laurel St. The Arsenal Hill Park Bldg. will be on your right at the corner of Laurel and Lincoln Sts.

From Charleston, take I-26W and take Route 21 into Columbia (Knox Abbot/Blossom St.). After crossing the river, turn left onto Huger St., then turn right on Gervais St., and left on Assembly St. Proceed through several traffic lights, and turn left onto Laurel St. The Arsenal Hill Park Bldg. will be on your right at the corner of Laurel and Lincoln Sts.

Directions From Northeast Columbia

From northeast Columbia, take I-77S to 277S into Columbia, where 277S becomes Bull St. Turn right onto Elmwood Ave. (76), and after a few traffic lights, turn left onto Assembly St. Turn right onto Laurel St. The Arsenal Hill Park Bldg. will be on your right at the corner of Laurel and Lincoln Sts.

Directions From Downtown Columbia

From east of the Capitol Building on Gervais St., turn north on Assembly St. Proceed through several traffic lights, and turn left onto Laurel St. (just after the U.S. Post Office on your left). The Arsenal Hill Park Bldg. will be on your right at the corner of Laurel and Lincoln Sts.

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