Calendar

Online Song Circle

Share a song, lead a song, request a song, or listen as we go around the circle. Song Circle is free and open to all who wish to participate.  Play your instrument or just sing.

The song circle is conducted on Zoom (you can download the app to your laptop, tablet or smart phone at https://zoom.us/ ).   You can play or sing along as others perform with your microphone muted.  If you plan to sing, please set your audio settings to

• Original sound for musicians: on   (if this is available on your Zoom version)
• Automatically adjust microphone volume: off
• Echo cancellation: checked
• Suppress background noise: low  (if this is available on your Zoom version)

You can access the audio settings in a Zoom meeting by pressing the ^ next to the microphone icon and clicking audio settings.

You can join the song circle by clicking here.

Gnoss

Newcomers lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers encouraged)
Dance starts at 7:30pm.
Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary
(it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner).

Starshine

From Portland, Starshine brings the lively spirit of traditional country music to the forefront, inviting everyone to join in the fun! With an infectious energy, they guide audiences through vibrant dances, blending classic tunes with modern flair. Their concerts are not just performances; they’re community celebrations where music and movement intertwine.

TBD

TBD is a rarely-seen caller who is generally replaced before the actual dance.

We are still seeking new volunteers to help with dances in the fall! If you are interested in volunteering this fall, please see role descriptions and tell us how you would like to help by taking our volunteer survey at:

Come to play or listen.

All instruments and abilities welcome.

Session leaders David Greenberg and Maria Blair have developed a list of Scottish tunes, but feel free to bring your favorites to share.

The Scottish session is every 4th Sunday.

Online Song Circle

Share a song, lead a song, request a song, or listen as we go around the circle. Song Circle is free and open to all who wish to participate.  Play your instrument or just sing.

The song circle is conducted on Zoom (you can download the app to your laptop, tablet or smart phone at https://zoom.us/ ).   You can play or sing along as others perform with your microphone muted.  If you plan to sing, please set your audio settings to

• Original sound for musicians: on   (if this is available on your Zoom version)
• Automatically adjust microphone volume: off
• Echo cancellation: checked
• Suppress background noise: low  (if this is available on your Zoom version)

You can access the audio settings in a Zoom meeting by pressing the ^ next to the microphone icon and clicking audio settings.

You can join the song circle by clicking here.

Newcomers lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers encouraged)
Dance starts at 7:30pm.
Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary
(it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner).

Cucanandy

Cucanandy is a Corvallis band with Katie Maxey on fiddle, Beth Brown on cello and pennywhistle, Van Fister on Guitar and Laureen Urey on Bodhran. They play an eclectic mix of traditional and modern Celtic and Celtic inspired tunes.

Kelsey Hartman

Since I am a “contraholic,” I can often be found any given weekend dancing or calling a contra dance. My inspiration for calling comes from Nils Fredland, whose callers’ workshop at American Week (BACDS) in 2012 spurred me down the caller’s path.

When calling, I consider myself a conduit between the dancers and the band, helping to channel the joy of the musicians’ music through flowing, interesting dances.

We are still seeking new volunteers to help with dances in the fall! If you are interested in volunteering this fall, please see role descriptions and tell us how you would like to help by taking our volunteer survey at:

Online Song Circle

Share a song, lead a song, request a song, or listen as we go around the circle. Song Circle is free and open to all who wish to participate.  Play your instrument or just sing.

The song circle is conducted on Zoom (you can download the app to your laptop, tablet or smart phone at https://zoom.us/ ).   You can play or sing along as others perform with your microphone muted.  If you plan to sing, please set your audio settings to

• Original sound for musicians: on   (if this is available on your Zoom version)
• Automatically adjust microphone volume: off
• Echo cancellation: checked
• Suppress background noise: low  (if this is available on your Zoom version)

You can access the audio settings in a Zoom meeting by pressing the ^ next to the microphone icon and clicking audio settings.

You can join the song circle by clicking here.

Newcomers lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers encouraged)
Dance starts at 7:30pm.
Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary
(it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner).

The Overtones

The Overtones is a Corvallis-based band whose sound was born in the rivers and woods of the lush Willamette Valley. Its musical versatility ranges from Irish to Quebecois, Old Time to funky modern tunes, and features Shari Ame kicking a serious backbeat on fiddle, Evelyn Idzerda wading deeply into rhythm and rhyme on piano, Bo Leydon rocking octave mando and wooden flute, Marjorie Sandor coaxing luscious new chords from DADGAD guitar and harmonium, and Tracy Daugherty keeping it steady on bodhran and cajon. Together, the Overtones whip up a danceable storm!

Qwill Duvall

Qwill discovered contra dancing when they moved to Chicago in 2015, drawn by its welcoming, intergenerational community, culture of dancing both roles, and the joy of connecting with everyone in the room. They were inspired to start calling in 2019. Qwill has been touring nationally since 2023 — primarily along the East Coast, but also bringing their dynamic calling to the Midwest and the West Coast. Along the way, they’ve shared the stage with beloved bands such as Eloise & Co, Countercurrent, Northwoods, Cojiro and Daybreak Trio.

Qwill brings an upbeat, playful energy to every dance, making the experience both welcoming and exciting. With clear, relaxed teaching and an eye for the skill level in the room, they keep dancers engaged — whether with creative choreography, unusual figures, or simply a well-chosen, satisfying dance. Expect a fun, inclusive atmosphere where beginners feel supported, experienced dancers stay intrigued, and everyone leaves smiling.

We are still seeking new volunteers to help with dances in the fall! If you are interested in volunteering this fall, please see role descriptions and tell us how you would like to help by taking our volunteer survey at:

Come to play or listen.

All instruments and abilities welcome.

Session leaders David Greenberg and Maria Blair have developed a list of Scottish tunes, but feel free to bring your favorites to share.

The Scottish session is every 4th Sunday.

Online Song Circle

Share a song, lead a song, request a song, or listen as we go around the circle. Song Circle is free and open to all who wish to participate.  Play your instrument or just sing.

The song circle is conducted on Zoom (you can download the app to your laptop, tablet or smart phone at https://zoom.us/ ).   You can play or sing along as others perform with your microphone muted.  If you plan to sing, please set your audio settings to

• Original sound for musicians: on   (if this is available on your Zoom version)
• Automatically adjust microphone volume: off
• Echo cancellation: checked
• Suppress background noise: low  (if this is available on your Zoom version)

You can access the audio settings in a Zoom meeting by pressing the ^ next to the microphone icon and clicking audio settings.

You can join the song circle by clicking here.

Newcomers lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers encouraged)
Dance starts at 7:30pm.
Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary
(it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner).

Pringle Creek Band

Pringle Creek, the house band for Salem contra dance, is (from left), Dennis Rothrock on accordion & clawhammer banjo, Shawn Morford on piano & whistle, Mark Babson on fiddle and Louise Rothrock on bass. With a violin professor playing fiddle, a talented singer-songwriter on piano and Dennis & Louise providing additional melody and rhythm on a variety of instruments, this multi-talented quartet is everything you could want in a contra dance band!

We are still seeking new volunteers to help with dances in the fall! If you are interested in volunteering this fall, please see role descriptions and tell us how you would like to help by taking our volunteer survey at:

Online Song Circle

Share a song, lead a song, request a song, or listen as we go around the circle. Song Circle is free and open to all who wish to participate.  Play your instrument or just sing.

The song circle is conducted on Zoom (you can download the app to your laptop, tablet or smart phone at https://zoom.us/ ).   You can play or sing along as others perform with your microphone muted.  If you plan to sing, please set your audio settings to

• Original sound for musicians: on   (if this is available on your Zoom version)
• Automatically adjust microphone volume: off
• Echo cancellation: checked
• Suppress background noise: low  (if this is available on your Zoom version)

You can access the audio settings in a Zoom meeting by pressing the ^ next to the microphone icon and clicking audio settings.

You can join the song circle by clicking here.

Newcomers lesson starts at 7:00pm (experienced dancers encouraged)
Dance starts at 7:30pm.
Each dance is taught.  No partner necessary
(it’s traditional to dance each dance with a different partner).

Bandwidth

Bandwidth brings together three of Portland’s contra dance music veterans, Gordy Euler (fiddle, piano), Keith Moe (fiddle), and Carl Thor (piano, mandolin) in a new configuration.

Their list of band affiliations reads like a “Who’s Who” of the Portland folk music scene, including: Hands4, Full Moon, The Steeltones, Shanghaied on the Willamette, Stepwise, Cascade Crossing, Celtinalia, Tunestruck, and, of course, the bodacious Portland Megaband. Be ready for a satisfying spectrum of contra dance music when these gents take to the stage.

TBD

TBD is a rarely-seen caller who is generally replaced before the actual dance.

We are still seeking new volunteers to help with dances in the fall! If you are interested in volunteering this fall, please see role descriptions and tell us how you would like to help by taking our volunteer survey at:

Come to play or listen.

All instruments and abilities welcome.

Session leaders David Greenberg and Maria Blair have developed a list of Scottish tunes, but feel free to bring your favorites to share.

The Scottish session is every 4th Sunday.

Online Song Circle

Share a song, lead a song, request a song, or listen as we go around the circle. Song Circle is free and open to all who wish to participate.  Play your instrument or just sing.

The song circle is conducted on Zoom (you can download the app to your laptop, tablet or smart phone at https://zoom.us/ ).   You can play or sing along as others perform with your microphone muted.  If you plan to sing, please set your audio settings to

• Original sound for musicians: on   (if this is available on your Zoom version)
• Automatically adjust microphone volume: off
• Echo cancellation: checked
• Suppress background noise: low  (if this is available on your Zoom version)

You can access the audio settings in a Zoom meeting by pressing the ^ next to the microphone icon and clicking audio settings.

You can join the song circle by clicking here.