Country Dance & Song Society

Individuals nourished and communities strengthened by dancing, singing, and making music together

We connect and support people in building and sustaining vibrant communities through participatory dance, music, and song. We steward the living traditions of English country dance, contra and square dance, morris and sword dance, and the music that is an integral part of these traditions. Learn more

Help us reach our 2026 membership drive goal! Join or increase your membership today.

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Coming Soon

Segregating Sound: Inventing Folk and Pop Music in the Age of Jim Crow
Segregating Sound: Inventing Folk and Pop Music in the Age of Jim Crow
By Karl Hagstrom Miller

Tuesday, December 8, 2026
8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT)

Register here

Read More
CDSS Web Chats Return!
November 10, 2026

Postponed
Please check back soon for the new date and time.

What’s New

October 2026 Song of the Month
Claudia Schmidt introduces “Horse Thief,” the story of a woman who cleverly outwits three gentlemen and comes away one horse richer.
From the Mic Episode 36: Emily Rush
In this episode of From the Mic, Mary Wesley talks with Emily Rush, a contra caller, organizer, and DJ from Durham, North Carolina. Emily is especially known for Rushfest—her signature blend of contra dancing to recorded pop music, which she mixes herself—and she has brought it to dance weekends and events across the country.
Join the CDSS Book Club!
Join us for a discussion of Hoedowns, Reels, and Frolics: Roots and Branches of Southern Appalachian Dance with author Phil Jamison.

Tuesday, October 13, 2026
8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT)

Register here or learn more about the club.
Fall 2026 CDSS News
The latest issue of the CDSS News is out now! Celebrate the lives of Dudley Laufman, Sharon McKinley, and John Seto; learn to create dance videos and archive your group’s history; and more!