cfs.peak.org

CFS home
CFS calendar
(many events of interest)
music and song
concerts
best cellar
usually 4th Fridays
local folk
open mike
house concerts
highly irregular
song circle
usually 2nd & 4th Sundays 6:30
produce a concert
help keep folk music alive
Alternative Strings
linking students to musicians
perform
(contact Chere)
Folk-announce list
(Folk events of any kind)
participatory dance
contra dances
dance calendar
contra weekend
weekend history
info ABOUT talent
info FOR talent
dance mail list
(dance announcements)
other efforts
high school
music contest
silver falls
Oct. retreat weekend
organizational stuff
the CorvallisFolklore.org site
newsletter
published monthly
meetings
usually 3rd Suns, odd months
by-laws
history
tax documents
contacts
membership
Other resources
GT calendar
Dick’s list
of local resources
local venues
links
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, September through June. (We take July and August off.) CFS is the official sponsor of contra dances in Newport on 5th Saturdays, roughly once per quarter. The calendar below lists upcoming CFS dances and other nearby dances of interest:
Corvallis Folklore Society Dances in Corvallis
CFS Dances in Newport
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. You can also watch some videos of dances across the continent (over 100!) and contra dance instruction videos.

All CFS contra dance evenings
  • feature live music (perhaps fiddle, guitar, bass, flute, drums, dulcimer, saxophone, accordion, concertina, bagpipes,...)
  • begin with a "newcomer’s session" at 7:30
  • run from 8 pm to 11 pm with an intermission
  • encourage newcomers to join the fun
  • draw dancers from teens to retirees
  • have a caller to "walk through" and call the dance sequences
  • charge $6 admission (Corvallis Folklore Society members, $1 more for non-members, "special" prices for some "special" dances)

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 eighth annual contra dance weekend February 17-19, 2012. We have a separate web page with more information.

CFS Dance Calendar

Date Location Talent Notes
Jan 7 Sat FCC Gatton Hall The Barnstormers w/Susie Kendig
Jan 14 Sat Eugene Unleashed! with Ruth Lowengart NEW LOCATION
Jan 21 Sat FCC Gatton Hall Zephyr with Marianne Tatom Letts
Jan 28 Sat Eugene Alan & the Agitators w/Erik Weberg
Feb 4 Sat FCC Gatton Hall The Nettles with Woody Lane
Feb 11 Sat Eugene Tapsalteerie w/ Kat DiFoxfire Wilson
Feb 17-19 Fri-Sun FCC Gatton Hall Corvallis Contra Weekend REGISTER IN ADVANCE
Feb 19 SUN FCC Gatton Hall Special dance with weekend talent: Perpetual e-Motion, Wild Hair; Seth Tepfer, Jeremy Korr. 7:00 intro session,
7:30-10:30 dance
Feb 18 Sat Coos Bay TBA with TBA
Feb 25 Sat Eugene Lanny Martin Revue w/Karen Marshall
Mar 3 Sat FCC Gatton Hall Red Crow with Lynn Ackerson
Mar 9 FRI Eugene Carr Family Band w/Marlin Prowell
Mar 10 Sat Portland Portland Megaband w/Erik Weberg 75 musicians, PSU ballroom
Mar 11 Sun Portland Portland Roadhouse: 8 bands/callers
Mar 17 Sat FCC Gatton Hall Mad Robin with Laurel Thomas
Mar 23 Fri Roseburg Irish Creme with Woody Lane At the Lookingglass Grange
Mar 24 Sat Eugene Mad Robin w/ Erik Weberg (Note: talent changed as of 10 March.) 6 pm potluck, Moshe hosts, 2870 Spring Blvd, 541-654-4000
Mar 31 Sat Newport The Steeltones w/ Rich Goss Pre-dance Potluck at 5:30 pm. 225 NE 10th Ct. Newport. Call Janet FMI or to arrange home stay: 541-961-1963
Apr 7 Sat Boys & Girls Club Unleashed! w/Tom & Amy Wimmer Potluck 6:00pm, Christine Arundell & Erik Knoder host, 2307 NW 12th St, 541-757-1211
Apr 13-15 Fri-Sun SKY Camp Latter Day Lizards & Joyride with Lisa Greenleaf & William Watson REGISTER IN ADVANCE
Apr 15 SUN Eugene Latter Day Lizards w/Lisa Greenleaf 5:30 potluck, David hosts, 1611 Lincoln St, 541-342-2772
7:00 intro session, 7:30-10:30 dance
Apr 21 Sat FCC Gatton Hall The Wisenheimers with Sue Baker Potluck Doreene Carpenter hosts, 4774 SW Birdsong Drive
please do not park in bike lane on Birdsong. Map fmi 541-753-4774
Apr 28 Sat Eugene The Nettles with Mary Devlin
May 5 Sat FCC Gatton Hall The Nettles with Stacy Rose Potluck 6:00pm Jo Catlin hosts, 2165 SE Crystal Lake Dr, Corvallis; 541-758-0243
May 12 Sat Eugene KGB w/ Woody Lane 5 pm Membership meeting,
6 pm potluck, Jacque hosts, 200 East 39th St., 541-302-2628
May 19 Sat FCC Gatton Hall Steeltones w/Cindy Rakowski Potluck 6 pm, Marfa Levine hosts, 650 SE Bridgeway; 541-754-1433
May 26 Sat Eugene NO DANCE: go to the Northwest Folklife Festival in Seattle
Jun 2 Sat FCC Gatton Hall Full Moon with William Watson Potluck 6 pm: Diane Rainsford hosts, 830 SE Bridgeway, Corvallis; 541-758-0243
Jun 9 Sat Eugene The Euphemists with Sherry Nevins 6 pm Potluck, William hosts, 1995 Tigertail Rd., 541-505-8930
Jun 16 Sat FCC Gatton Hall Cascade Crossing with Eric Curl Potluck TBA
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, 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, 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


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
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

Salem Unitarian Universalist Church

5090 Center Stree NE
7:30PM newcomers’ workshop, dance 8:00 to 11:00
For More Information, call 734-497-7287 or write q (dot) m (dot) smith (at) att (dot) net.

Green acres Grange Hall near Coos Bay

7:00 PM newcomers’ workshop, dance 7:30 to 10:30
on Green Acres Road, less than 1/2 mile off Highway 42, 3 miles east of US 101.
Google Map showing rough location.

Where else can I dance?

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

How about weekend events?

Check out the list of multi-day events in the CFS calendar


Corvallis Folklore Society
P.O. Box 1690
Corvallis, Oregon   97339


Send your CFS related announcements, volunteer opportunities, and comments to our president.
Send web page comments and contributions to: Frank or William
Send CFS newsletter information to Dick Theis. (Deadline is 2nd Wednesday of the month)

Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional