CFS Dances

The Corvallis Folklore Society hosts a series of contra dances. All dances are open to the public and feature live music. Corvallis contra dances usually occur on the 1st and 3rd Saturday evenings of each month. CFS is the official sponsor of contra dances in Newport on 5th Saturdays, roughly once per quarter. The calendar below lists upcoming CFS dances upcoming CFS dances and other nearby dances of interest:

Corvallis Folklore Society Dances
Eugene Folklore Society Dances
Other dances of likely interest
Weekend events requiring advance registration
English Country Dances
CANCELLED Dances

You can subscribe to CFS dance announcements sent out in mail messages.

A local dancer has set up a web log (blog) for announcements and discussions related to Willamette Valley contra dances.

So what's "contra dance"?

Contra dances are traditional American folk dances, related to English Country Dances, Square Dances, and "whole set longways" dances such as the Virginia Reel. The "living tradition" of contra dances includes tunes and dance sequences as new as last week, and some more than 200 years old. You can find more definitions on the WWW. Wm Leler has several on-line photo albums from a number of dance camps.

All CFS contra dance evenings

We suggest that dancers wear "cool, comfortable, casual clothes" and flat, soft-soled shoes. (Tennis or gym shoes are fine.) Please refrain from wearing fragrances, perfumes, and colognes. Some of our dancers have chemical sensitivities.

Quite often, a CFS member will host a potluck before the evening dance. At the end of the night, after the chairs get put away and the cords wound up, several dancers will head out for a late bite or beverage. The most frequesnt destination is McMinnamin's, 420 NW 3rd Street (just north of Harrison).

For more information, contact Frank or Karen at (541) 745-1002 or cfs.contradances @ gmail.com

Did you say Swing?

CFS has held occasional series of swing dances. If you have interest in organizing one, please get in touch. Send a message to us at "cfs.contradances @ gmail.com".

Corvallis Contra Dance Weekend

The Corvallis Folklore Society will host its fifth annual contra dance weekend February 13-15, 2009. We have a separate Web site with more information.

CFS Dance Calendar

Date Location Talent Notes
Jan 5 Sat FCC Gatton Hall The Barnstormers with Holly Berry
Jan 11 Fri FCC Gatton Hall Three Fingered Jack with Woody Lane New friday dance series
Jan 12 Sat Eugene Wild Hair with Sue Baker This is Dot's 90th Birthday Party. There will be a potluck at the school prior to the dance.
Jan 19 Sat FCC Gatton Hall Cascade Crossing with William Watson
Jan 25 Fri FCC Gatton Hall The Nettles with Holly Berry CAAIR Benefit dance
Jan 26 Sat Eugene Full Moon with Ruth Lowengart
Feb 2 Sat FCC Gatton Hall The Nettles with Barb Kirchner Special Hambo workshop, 6:30 to 7:30, extra charge.
Feb 2 Sat Mt. Angel Oktoberfest Building The Flying O'Carolan Brothers with Todd Silverstein Benefit dance for Holy Family Academy (dinner, dance & auction: $25, w/o dinner: $10)
Feb 8 Fri FCC Gatton Hall Hands4 with Barb Kirchner New friday dance series
Feb 9 Sat Eugene Unleashed! with William Watson
Feb 15-17 FCC Gatton Hall The Great Bear Trio and The Kitchen Band with Beth Molaro and Jeremy Korr Corvallis Contra Weekend
(advance registration required)
Feb 17 Sun FCC Gatton Hall The Great Bear Trio and The Kitchen Band with Beth Molaro and Jeremy Korr 7:00 intro session, dance 7:30 to 10:30 pm
Feb 22 Fri McMinnville Grand Ballroom "The Muse of McCamley" plays for an English Country Dance Ball 7-10 pm, Formal/period attire. Info: 971-237-6147
Feb 23 Sat Eugene Marni Rachmiel, Dave Goldman, and Dick Weissman with Lynn Ackerson
Mar 1 Sat FCC Gatton Hall Rad Francine with Carol Piening
Mar 7 Fri FCC Gatton Hall Three Fingered Jack with William Watson New friday dance series
Mar 8 Sat Eugene Molasses with Jana Rygas 5:30 pot luck hosted by Jacque, 541-302-2628
Mar 8 Sat Portland Portland Megaband with Erik Weberg Advance tickets available
Mar 15 Sat FCC Gatton Hall Joyride with Sandy Strand 5:30 pot luck hosted by Dan, 541-501-6184.
Mar 22 Sat Eugene Full Circle with Mary Devlin 6:00 pot luck hosted by Jenny, 541-343-6049
Mar 29 Sat Newport Calico with Sue Baker 5:30 pot luck hosted by Catherine, 316 SE Penter Lane
April 3 Thu FCC Gatton Hall Lift Ticket with Woody Lane Special Thursday dance, 7:30-10:30 (no intro session).
Pot luck hosted by Diane, 541-753-0762
April 4-6 SKY Camp Lift Ticket and Cammy Kaynor (MA), Laurie Andres (WA), and Frederick Park (NC) with callers Woody Lane and Frederick Park Cascade Contras weekend
Advance registration required
April 5 Sat Corvallis No dance Dance Thursday instead
April 11 Fri FCC Gatton Hall CANCELLED The friday dance series has been cancelled
April 12 Sat Eugene The Nettles with Gordy Euler 5:30 pot luck hosted by Stephen & Linda, 541-688-3155
April 19 Sat FCC Gatton Hall The Nettles with Rich Goss
April 26 Sat Eugene Rad Francine with Stacy Rose 6:00 pot luck hosted by Sue, 541-345-3270
May 2-4 Camp Westwind "Campers' Camp" Advance registration required (large PDF flyer).
May 2-4 Portland New Portland "Raindance" (urban contra weekend) Advance registration required
May 3 Sat FCC Gatton Hall The Water Tower String Band with Drew Tronvig
May 9 Fri FCC Gatton Hall CANCELLED The friday dance series has been cancelled
May 10 Sat Eugene Jigsaw with David Kaynor, The Nettles with Laura Mé Smith, and KGB with Woody Lane Special 12 hour dance (noon to midnight) to comemorate 30 years of EFS.
May 17 Sat FCC Gatton Hall Betsy Branch, David Kaynor, Sue Songer, Fred Nussbaum with William Watson
May 24 Sat Eugene Canceled Go to NW Folklife instead
May 31 Sat Newport The Nettles with William Watson
June 7 Sat FCC Gatton Hall Wild Hair with Erik Weberg
June 13 Fri FCC Gatton Hall CANCELLED The friday dance series has been cancelled
June 14 Sat Eugene The McKassons with Warren Argo
June 21 Sat FCC Gatton Hall Full Moon with Cindy Rakowski
You can also find
Some historic information for our dances on Ted Crane's DanceDB.

Dance Locations

FCC Gatton Hall (First Congregational Church)

4515 West Hills Road, Corvallis, Oregon

From downtown Corvallis, head west on Western Avenue. Shortly after the four-way stop at 35th Street, Western Avenue veers left, but you should stay right on what becomes West Hills Road. In less than half a mile the road goes downhill, and you pass the first driveway for the church, then the church itself. Enter on the second driveway, follow it to the parking lot behind the church, and park. From the east end of the parking lot, you can enter Gatton Hall (the fellowship hall) where we dance.

You can find several on-line maps to the church: (Google, Yahoo, Mapquest, MapsOnUs )

FUMC Community Hall

1166 NW Jackson Avenue. We use the community center, on the southwest corner of 11th and Jackson. It has a large parking lot directly on the corner.

You can find several on-line maps to this location: (Google, Yahoo, Mapquest, MapsOnUs )

Boys & Girls Club of Corvallis

1112 Northwest Circle Blvd, 757-1909

You can find several on-line maps to this location: (Google, Yahoo, Mapquest, MapsOnUs )

Cheldelin Middle School

987 NE Conifer, between Hwy. 99 and Hwy. 20.

You can find several on-line maps to this location: (Google, Yahoo, Mapquest, MapsOnUs )

Newport High School, West Gym

322 NE Eads Street
7:30 Newcomers' workshop, dance 8:00 to 11:00
$7 admission at the door (maximum $25 for families)
Please bring snacks to share.
For More Information, contact Evelyn Brookhyser: brookhyser (AT) newportnet (DOT) com or 541-265-8023
Homestays available; call Janet 541-265-9514
(For the 29 March 2008 dance: Potluck at 5:30 pm at 316 SE Penter Lane, Newport)

Click for online maps from Google, Yahoo, MapQuest.com, MapsOnUs.com

Newport Senior Center

20 SE Second Street (opposite the Rec. Center)
7:30 Newcomers' workshop, dance 8:00 to 11:00
$7 admission at the door
For More Information, contact Evelyn Brookhyser: brookhyser (AT) newportnet (DOT) com
Click here for a map from MapQuest.com

Mohawk Valley Grange

Mohawk Grange Road, Marcola, OR, 97454 Get a map from
Google, Yahoo, Mapquest, or MapsOnUs.

Coming from I-5 (Eugene or south or west)
126 E towards springfield
Exit 42 street exit to Marcola.
Turn left at end of ramp go N on 42nd st
Right on Marcola road.
17 miles to Shotgun recreation area.
Go past shotgun and look at first road on the right. Mohawk Grange road.
Take a right.


Coming from I-5 from the north
Exit Brownsville exit Rd 228 E
Go through crawfordsville.
First Right after crawfordsville is Brush Creek Rd
Turn Right
Approximately 15 miles roadsign will say Mabel
Look on left for Mohawk Grange road.
If you see shotgun recreation area, you've gone too far.
If you get to Marcola, you've gone way to far.

Salem Knights of Columbus Hall

725 Shipping NE (off Broadway)
7:30PM newcomers' workshop, dance 8:00 to 11:00
$3 - Students
$6 - Adults
Donations Appreciated
For More Information, contact Rosalie Schele: rschele (AT) willamette (DOT) edu
Click here for a map from MapQuest.com

Where else can I dance?

We will eventually add links to other Corvallis dances (square, folk, swing, etc.)


CFS Home Page
This page created 30 September 2003.

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