Toronto Contra Dance

05/26/2026

Another clip from the May 23rd Toronto Contra Dance — a wonderful night to end the season!

Thanks to Drew Delaware for the fantastic calling of some mighty exciting dances. This season wouldn't have felt complete without the amazing music by members of Medusa Quartet (Geo Hathaway, Lea Kirstein and Saskia Tomkins)! Their album can be purchased at https://medusaquartet.bandcamp.com/album/weaving-gold-in-broken-places-2

📢 Volunteer Callout:
Toronto Contra Dance runs on community heart and helping hands. Want to join the team? Send us a message or chat with a floor manager — we’d love to have you! ❤️
👉 www.tcdance.org

🗓 Next Dance: in September!

05/24/2026

May 23rd Toronto Contra Dance — a wonderful night to end the season! (despite the challenging weather)

Once again, thanks to Drew Delaware for the fantastic calling of some mighty exciting dances. This season wouldn't have felt complete without the amazing music by members of Medusa Quartet (Geo Hathaway, Lea Kirstein and Saskia Tomkins)! Their album can be purchased at https://medusaquartet.bandcamp.com/album/weaving-gold-in-broken-places-2

💖 Behind-the-scenes heroes:
🔹 Floor Managers: Annie, Cathy and Elly and everyone who jumped in to help!
🔹 Wesley — for bringing the ever-popular samosas (and to those who sold them!)
🔹 Don and Mitch — for keeping the sound running smoothly (or on at the very least)
🔹Wilfred - for making those announcements!
(Apologies if we missed anyone — it truly takes a village!)
Speaking of...

📢 Volunteer Callout:
Toronto Contra Dance runs on community heart and helping hands. Want to join the team? Send us a message or chat with a floor manager — we’d love to have you! ❤️
👉 www.tcdance.org

🗓 Next Dance: in September!

05/23/2026

Last Toronto Contra Dance of the Season tonight!

May 23rd – Toronto Contra Dance on the Danforth!
Make your Saturday night count - join us on the Danforth for live tunes, lively dancing, and a room full of good energy.

✨ On stage:
Caller Drew Delaware guiding the dances, with Medusa Trio setting the pulse and keeping the floor in motion all night long.

🕖 Evening timeline:
7:00 PM – Beginner lesson (no partner or experience needed)
7:30 PM – Dancing gets underway

😷 Mask-Optional
💧 Bring a refillable water bottle
🥟 Samosas will be ready (arrive early if you want one!)

Sliding scale: $7–$35 (kids 16 & under free)
It costs about $22 per dancer to make these nights happen—your support, generosity, and word-of-mouth keep the community strong.

📍 St. Barnabas Church Hall
175 Hampton Ave (near Chester Station)
🌐 https://www.tcdance.org/

Whether it’s your first dance or your fiftieth, we’d love to see you there. ❤️

Medusa played The Driven Bow Festival at The Rogue folk Club in Feb...

05/20/2026

This Saturday evening, 3 of the 4 members of The Medusa Quartet will be digging into some great tunes for the final Toronto Contra Dance of the season!

And we’re delighted to have Drew Delaware calling for the night and keeping the floor moving.

Come out, dance, connect, and help us close out the season in style!

Medusa Quartet (Toronto) takes UK audiences around the world with s...

05/19/2026

Another video by Simon Chambers!
Caller Alexandra Deis-Lauby and tunes by Les Quatres Patates kept the Toronto Contra Dance's Spring Thaw hopping last weekend!

Caller Alexandra Deis-Lauby and tunes by Les Quatres Patates kept the Toronto Contra Dance's Spring Thaw hopping last weekend!

05/13/2026

Caller Alexandra Deis-Lauby and band Les Quartes Patates led the dancing for the TCD's 2026 Spring Thaw.

Video: Simon Chambers
https://www.youtube.com//videos

Caller Alexandra Deis-Lauby and band Les Quartes Patates led the dancing for the TCD's 2026 Spring Thaw.

05/13/2026

In Owen Sound, June 6th is the year end dance celebration with potluck snacks at break! The musicians will be Maureen Keating and Dan MacDonald with caller, Lyn Allan.

Centre, 890 4th Ave E, Owen Sound

05/13/2026

Thanks so much to everyone who was able to share the weekend at our Spring Thaw!

It's a time when people have a chance to look past their differences and share in an act of togetherness and joy! Toronto Contra Dance is so happy to provide a place and space where people from the GTA and beyond can "balance and swing" together.

Special thanks to Alexandra Deis-Lauby for the spectacular calling, to Les Quatre Patates from la Belle Ville de Montréal for bringing so much colour to our dance as well as the local trio, Adam Iredale-Gray, Jon Cannon and Áine Schryer-O’Gorman!

As we are wrapping up the season soon, we'd like to thank the TCD Committee for making all this happen!
Aaaaaannnnd...
- all of the dancers that came, from near and far
- Floor managers - Elly, Gary, Annie, Jennie and Wilfred
- Sound crew - Mitch, Mark, Natalie and Neil
- Photos and video - Simon
- Lights / Decorations - Simon, Julia, Wilfred
- Snack Crew - Karen, Elisa, Elly, Maxine, Annie, Jennie, Wilfred
- Jocelyne for all of the wonderful samosas
- Maxine for hosting Les Quatre Patates and Alexandra
- Scott for booking the bands and caller
- Walter for chauffeuring Alexandra to and from the airport

Everyone who helped in any way - from showing up early to help setup, refilling the water jugs when they were running low to sitting out a dance at the door.

Until next year!!

05/08/2026

Are you ready to attend Spring Thaw? The musicians sure are! 40 minutes until the first balance and swing!!

05/02/2026

Exciting news from our friends at Ottawa Contra Dance.

Registration has opened for Ottawa’s Hey Fever! contra dance weekend October 30-November 1, 2026!

It promises to be a high energy, twirling, foot stomping weekend featuring bands The Engine Room and Calico, led by callers Liz Nelson and Adina Gordon! As usual, larks & robins role terms will be used.

We anticipate another sold out weekend, so get your tickets early! Early bird registration ends June 30th.

Don’t forget your Halloween costume for the evening dance on Saturday, October 31st (optional, of course)! 👻🎃💀

https://ottawacontra.ca/heyfever/

La période d'inscription est ouverte pour « Hey Fever! » - la fin de semaine de contra américaine à Ottawa qui aura lieu du 30 octobre au 1 novembre 2026 !

Un week-end festif et dynamique en perspective ! Ça promet!! Avec les groupes The Engine Room et Calico, animés par Liz Nelson et Adina Gordon au call. Comme d'habitude, les termes Larks & Robins seront utilisés.

Nous prévoyons un autre week-end à guichets fermés, alors achetez vos billets tôt ! Billets à rabais en pré-vente jusqu'au 30 juin.

N'oubliez pas vôtre déguisement d'Halloween pour la danse samedi soir le 31 octobre (facultatif, bien sûr!) 👻🎃💀

https://ottawacontra.ca/heyfever/