Events

Please see our detailed calendar for the most up-to-date information.

Weekly Wednesday Contra Dance

Join us every Wednesday from 7:30–9:30 p.m. at Harmony School (909 E. 2nd St., Bloomington, IN). A beginner lesson starts at 7:00 p.m. and is highly recommended if you’re new. Enjoy live music, friendly callers, and a welcoming, intergenerational crowd—no partner or experience needed. Just bring comfy shoes, a water bottle, and a smile! We suggest a sliding scale donation of $3–$20. (A couple of times a year, we dance at a different location—check the calendar to confirm.)

Monthly Open Mic Night

On the first Wednesday of the month (typically), you can bring your instrument and join the dance band! Or, bring your calling cards and sign up to call one of the dances!

Annual Sugar Hill Dance Weekend

Each August, about 400 people gather for a weekend of dancing and community. In addition to plenty of old-time music and dancing, the weekend includes hiking, swimming, camping, and great food.

Monthly Old-Time Jam

On the second Monday of the month from 7 – 9 p.m., grab your instrument and head to The Runcible Spoon to play old-time tunes in a friendly, welcoming setting.

Monthly Callers’ Collective

Callers (including aspiring callers!) are invited to bring dances to practice teaching and prompting. Dancers are invited to walk through those dances, dance them, and give feedback to the callers. Musicians are invited to play music for the dances. We usually wrap up with a potluck.

Tune Classes for Dance Musicians

Musicians gather weekly for 6-8 weeks to practice tunes that they then perform at a Wednesday night dance.

Sugar Hill Volunteer Celebration

After Sugar Hill, Lead Volunteers are invited to a celebratory dinner to honor the weekend’s success.

Winter Caroling

Contra dancers meet up to carpool around to other members’ houses who might be less able to get out to the dance. Everyone sings a few winter songs together.

Monthly Board Meeting

Our 12-person Board of Coordinators meets monthly, and meetings are open to members. Check the calendar or email communications@bloomingtoncontra.org for more information.

Annual Membership Meeting

Held each January, typically before a dance. We gather to reflect on the past year, elect new Board members, and share free pizza.

Occasional Saturday Dances

We no longer dance every fifth Saturday, but we do host one or two special Saturday dances each year, often featuring traveling bands and callers.

Other BOTMDG events

Throughout the years, we’ve hosted a variety of community gatherings, such as:

  • Waltzing workshops and parties
  • Calling workshops
  • Potlucks and ice cream socials
  • Town hall meetings
  • English Country Dances
  • Family dances
  • A spring dance weekend first called “Swing Into Spring” and later “Mad Robin Romp”
  • And more!

 

 

Non-BOTMDG Events

Some local and regional events that aren’t organized by Bloomington Old-Time Music and Dance Group might be of interest to contra dancers and musicians.

  • Bean King Party (January 6): Bloomington-area contra enthusiasts celebrate Twelfth Night with a “Bean King” cake. Whoever finds the bean in their slice is crowned Bean King for the year and takes on the joyful duty of hosting parties. Each Bean King gets their own verse in a special group song!
  • Nearby Contra Dances
  • Irish Session: every Tuesday at 7 p.m., at The Runcible Spoon – open to musicians and listeners alike.
  • Morris Dance Team
  • Plus, join our Facebook Group, where people often post about
    • Occasional one-off contra dances and fundraisers
    • Bloomington Queer Contra
    • Square Dances at houses, bars, and other venues
    • Birthday and other celebratory dances
  • Finally, some local callers also include events on their websites.

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