This page details the folk dances (Contra, Scottish and English Country, Irish Ceili, etc.) in the Triangle area of North Carolina -- Chapel Hill, Durham, and Raleigh. Please send me any updates, notices, etc. you would like to see here.
There is a new Triangle Contra Dance mailing list for dancers to tell each other what is going on in the Research Triangle Park (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill) area of North Carolina, USA. Contra dancers, Scottish and English Country dancers, and anyone involved in related activities are invited to subscribe and to post.
Dances usually run from 8:00 - 11:00 pm unless otherwise noted. Location and sponsor abbreviations are defined below. Instruction 30 minutes before most contra dances. Directions to some of the dance locations are available. Contact sponsors for more information.
Each group has requested that clean shoes be taken, not worn, to the dance and that dancers change into these clean shoes once they are inside the dance hall. Dirt on shoes can destroy a floor and lead to a group losing the use of that hall. NOTE: Even if you have dedicated dancing shoes, please make sure they are clean before your next dance. You might end up tracking dirt from the last dance to your next one.
REMEMBER: Bring clean shoes to every dance - Thanks
Triangle Area Dance Schedule | |||||
| Date | Location | Sponsor | Caller | Band | Special Information |
| Friday, 05/23 | PleasantGreen | TCD | David Glick | Steam Shovel | |
| Friday, 05/30 | PleasantGreen | TCD | Beth Molaro | TBA | EXPERIENCED DANCERS ONLY—NO LESSON and NO WALKTHROUGH |
| Dance sponsors and regular schedules and locations | |
|---|---|
| CFSA | Carolina Farm Stewardship Association CFSA's Mission is to support and expand local and organic agriculture in the Carolinas by inspiring, educating, and organizing farmers and consumers. They hold special dances from time to time. See: http://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/ for more information. |
| Chatham | Chatham Education Foundation holds dances to support local public schools. $7 at door / $4 children under 12. Call Louise Barnum at 542-4685 for info. |
| CSDA | Carolina Song and Dance Association holds dances, once per month, on the 3rd Friday at the Carrboro Century Center, 100 N. Greensboro St. between Weaver St. & E. Main St. in downtown Carrboro. (See schedule for specific location), instruction 7:30, dancing 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM, $8, 919-967-9948. |
| F&B | Fiddle and Bow Country Dancers - See Fiddle and Bow page for more information on Winston-Salem and Greensboro dances. (336)299-0587. See: http://members.aol.com/contrac925/fiddlebow.html for more information. |
| FCCS | FootLoose/Contrazz Contra Series sponsors dances at the Carrboro Century Center which is loacated at 100 N. Greensboro St. (between Weaver and Main), downtown Carrboro, NC on the 1st Saturday of each month. See: http://www.daviddg.com/contra.html for more information. |
| NCSquares | NC Squares - a Durham / Chapel Hill group that holds Old-Time Square Dances the 2nd Saturday of Every Month.
7:30pm lesson, 8pm dance - $7 Admission, $5 Students See: http://www.ncsquares.com/ for more information. |
| RSCD | Raleigh Scottish Country Dancers holds dances in the area. There are also Scottish Country Dance Classes every Monday at 7:30 pm at the Jo Moore School of Scottish Dance, 1401 SE Maynard Rd., Cary. All levels welcome. No partner needed. For more information, call 467-3390. |
| SUN | Sun Assembly English Country Dancers sponsors English Country Dances at the
Freedman Center, Beth El Synagogue, 1004 Watts St., Durham. 683-9672. $5 suggested. Beginners welcome; all dances taught; no partner necessary. Bring non-street shoes. Every Thursday; 7:30-9:30 p.m. (Live music every 2nd and 4th Thursday.) See: http://www.tcdancers.org/english.html for more information. |
| TCD | Triangle Country Dancers holds dances on the 2nd/4th Fridays at either Pleasant Green Community Center, Pleasant Green Community Rd near Cole Mill Rd. (north of I-85 between Durham and Hillsborough) or Carrboro Century Center located at 100 N. Greensboro St. in Carrboro, instruction 7:30, dancing 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM, $9 ($7 members), Questions: (919) 220-8411. See: http://tcdancers.org for more information. |
| Location | Description |
| Ark | The Ark Dance Studio The Ark Dance Studio is located on Duke East Campus, in Durham, NC. See: http://www.duke.edu/web/Archives/holdings/campus/the_ark.html for more information. Click here for directions. |
| Armory | The Civic Center Armory The Civic Center Armory is located at 220 Foster Street, in Durham, NC. See: 220 Foster Street, in Durham, NC for more information. Click here for directions. |
| BethEl | Beth El Synagogue's Freedom Center |
| BigBarn | The Big Barn The Big Barn, Daniel Boone Village, just N. of the Hillsborough Exit off 1-40 or I-84, Hillsborough, NC. |
| Binkley | Binkley Baptist Church Binkley Baptist Church, located at 1712 Willow Dr, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514 See: http://www.binkleychurch.org/ for more information. |
| Carrboro | Carrboro Elementary School Gymnasium Carrboro Elementary School Gymnasium (behind school) at the corner of Ashe and Shelton St. (Two blocks North of the Carrboro Town Hall, Carrboro, NC. |
| CCC | Carrboro Century Center Carrboro Century Center: Greensboro St., between Weaver and Main, Downtown Carrboro, NC. |
| Duke | Duke School for Children Duke School for Children at 1516 Hull St (off Swift) in Durham. |
| DukeMiddle | Duke Middle School Duke Middle School is located at 3716 Old Erwin Road in Durham. Take I-40 West to Durham Freeway. Take Exit 16B (Highway 15-501 South toward Chapel Hill). Take Exit 107 (Highway 751 and Duke West Campus). Turn right at the end of the ramp. Take the first left onto Erwin Road. Go 100 yards, and the school is on the right Click here for directions. |
| ERUC | Eno River Unitarian Church Eno River Unitarian Church is located at 4907 Garrett Rd, Durham. |
| Estes | Estes Hills Elementary School Gym Estes Hills Elementary School Gym, 500 Estes Drive (at Caswel Rd), Chapel Hill, NC. |
| Freedman | Freedman Center, Beth El Synagogue The Freedman Center at Beth El Synagogue is located at 1004 Watts St., (corner of Watts and Green), Durham, NC. |
| Grange | The Grange Grange: Guilford School Road off Lindley Rd, Greensboro, NC. From I-40, take the Guilford College Rd exit. Turn North. Cross W. Market St. Look for Lindley immediately on the left. Turn and go a mile or so to Guilford School Rd., turn right. The Grange is a white building on the right. |
| Horton | The Horton Middle School Gym The Horton Middle School Gym(Pittsboro, NC), Highway 15-501 south from Pittsboro on left. Gym is in the back of the school. |
| JoMoore | Jo Moore School of Scottish Dance Jo Moore School of Scottish Dance, 1401 SE Maynard Rd., Cary. All levels welcome. No partner needed. For more information, call 467-3390. |
| Kildare | Kirk of Kildare Presbyterian Church Kirk of Kildare Presbyterian Church, 200 High Meadow Rd. (just off Kildare Farm Rd.), Cary |
| McDougle | McDougle Elementary School McDougle Elementary School Click here for directions. |
| NewHope | Camp New Hope Camp New Hope |
| Pilgrim | Pilgrim United Church of Christ Pilgrim United Church of Christ, 3011 Academy Road, Durham, NC (across from Durham Academy). |
| PleasantGreen | Pleasant Green Community Center Pleasant Green Community Center, Pleasant Green Community Rd near Cole Mill Rd. (north of I-85 between Durham and Hillsborough). |
| Saxapahaw | Saxapahaw Saxapahaw Community Center is located at the town end of the Haw River bridge downtown Saxapahaw (which is halfway between Burlington and Chapel Hill). Take US 54, turn south on Melbane Oaks/Saxapahaw-Bethlehem Church Rd. |
| Sertoma | Camp Sertoma Camp Sertoma 4-H Camp in Danbury, NC. From the Triangle area, take I40 west to NC 66 in Kernersville. Take NC 66 North to Rural Hall. Continue on NC 66 North for about 12 miles to Moore's Springs Rd. Turn Right on Moore's Springs Rd and go about 2 miles. Camp Sertoma will be on your left. See: http://www.campsertoma.org/ for more information. Click here for directions. |
| Southgate | Southgate Residence Hall Gym Southgate Residence Hall Gym: To get to the dance from the corner of Main and Broad, go southwest on Main and turn left after about 200 feet into a large semicircular driveway. That leads to Southgate Residence Hall. Park on the side of the building; the entrance is in the rear. The dance is in the gym; same place the Duke Ballroom Society dances. |
| VGRC | Village Green Retirement Center Village Green Retirement Center, 310 West Meadowview Rd., Greensboro, NC. |
| Vintage | Vintage Theatre Vintage Theatre on Main St. in Winston-Salem, NC. |
Directions to some dance locations
General contradance information