Welcome to the Country Dance Society, Boston Centre

Programs and Events

CDS Boston Centre sponsors numerous dances and events; follow the links below for more details.
• Summer Dance Camps
  • includes NGI scholarship information
  
  
• English Dance Programs
  
  • Wednesday dances for all
    
  • First Friday dances for experienced dancers
    
  • Second and fourth Friday Harvard Square dances for all
    
  • Wednesday summer series
    
  • English dance archives
    
  • Special dance events — Upcoming:
    • Saturday, March 3, 2012 - Playford Ball
      • pre-ball workshops Saturday February 4, Sunday February 12 & Sunday February 26, 2012
    • Saturday February 4, 10-1: Veronica's Attic
    
    Calendar of all (not just CDS BC) English events in Massachusetts:
       January • February
  
  
  • Ritual Dance
    
    • Dave Stryker Send a Youth to England Memorial Scholarship
    • Laurel Swift: Big Morris (article)
    
    
  • Annual General Meeting
  
  
  • American Dance Program
      Second Saturday dances at the Concord Scout House - on hiatus for the fall
  
  

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CD and Book Publications

The Boston Centre is producing a series of compact discs, "The English Country Dance Collection," featuring Bare Necessities. Fifteen volumes are now available. Volume 14 was released in May 2011, and Volume 15 was released in June 2011. The recordings are available from selected dealers and from the performers and producer (Gene Murrow). Ordering information and audio clips can be found here.

To accompany the compact discs, the Boston Centre and the Country Dance and Song Society are producing a series of dance booklets. Booklets are now available through Country Song and Dance Society (CDSS). The booklets contain instructions for all the dances on the cd.

Two other books are also available. CDS BC is pleased to publish Country Dances from Colonial New York: James Alexander's Notebook, 1730. The book is by Kate Van Winkle Keller and George Fogg. 24 dances are included, with interpretations for historical performance as well as modern alternatives. Musical notation, biographical essays, and notes are included for each dance. The book also presents a glossary of figures and a short discussion of appropriate steps and period movement. This book may be purchased at from CDSS.

CDS BC also has republished the old favourite Hudson Barn and Other Dances from the Boston Centre in the form of Hudson Barn II. This book contains many favourite modern dances of the Boston Centre, many of which were written by Boston Centre members. Helene Cornelius is the editor, and the book includes dance instructions and written music. All of the dances from the original edition are reprinted, and several new dances have been added as well; a list of dances is available. This book is available at the Wednesday evening CDS BC dances and from CDSS.

Endowments, Grants, and Other Funding

CDS Boston Centre has several funds from which grants can be made. Money is available to qualified groups and people for a number of purposes.

About the Society

Membership

Become a member of CDS Boston Centre! Benefits include reduced admission to dances and events, a newsletter, preferred admission to residential programs, and much more. Discount rates available for students, seniors, and organizations. Please send e-mail to < membership at cds-boston dot org > with any questions about CDS membership.

People

Officers, the Board of Directors, Committees, Event Chairs, and Staff.

Meetings

Meetings of the Board of Directors and of the Executive Committee are open to all members, and to other persons by invitation. Committee meetings are open to all interested persons.

Annual General Meeting

Reports from the Annual General Meeting.

Contact Information

Addresses and telephone numbers.

By-laws

History

Read how and when CDS Boston got started, why, and about major events in our history, including memories from the 90th anniversary party in 2006.

Related Information

CDS Boston Centre is but one of several organizations in the Boston (Massachusetts) area dedicated to folk dance and folk music. We are also affiliated with national and international organizations and, by extension, with other local groups in other areas, all with similar or related goals and purposes. Some of these organizations include:
• The Country Dance and Song Society (CDSS) — USA-based umbrella organization for English and Anglo-American folk dance and music.
• The Folk Arts Center of New England (FAC) — For a recorded listing of area dances (including weather cancellations), call the Folk Arts Center's Folk Fone at 781-438-4389. This recording is updated several times each week & includes contra, English, Scottish, and international dances.
• The New England Folk Festival (NEFFA)
• The Dance Gypsy — Information on dances, bands, and callers of contra, english and other traditional dance forms in New England.

• Amherst Area English Country Dancers
• Boston (Jamaica Plain) Gay and Lesbian Contra Dancers
• Boston (Jamaica Plain) Gender-Free English
• Challenging Contra Dance Series at the Scout House
• Greater Boston Ritual Dance & Drama
• The New Hampshire English Country Dance Society
• Kingston Rhode Island English Country Dancing
• Wondering what english country dancing looks like? Lots of videos here: http://www.videosurf.com/videos/English+Country+Dance
• Video from one of our ECD & ice cream dances in 2009

• Monthly calendar of all English events in Massachusetts and Rhode Island
• Join us on Facebook