Country Dance & Song Society

06/24/2026

For our June Song of the Month, Richard Spencer introduces "Sweet Jenny of the Moor."

Richard says, "The song was collected by both Henry Hammond and Cecil Sharp from Amos Ash, of Combe Florey, in Somerset [UK]. It was fairly common on broadsides, but not so much in the tradition. There are several versions from the south of England, and several from Canada, two from Ireland, where the song is set, and one from the USA. I learned it from the late Tony Rose. The words and tune have changed a little in the years I have been singing it. It is one of my favorite songs, and as Jenny is my true love’s name, that makes it perfect."

Listen and learn (and submit your own favorite group singing song!) at cdss.org/song-of-the-month
[Image description: "Country Courtship" by Herbert Wilson Foster, a painting of a young man and woman courting in an English village.]

06/17/2026

We're excited to welcome Alex Cu***ng Music to Harmony of Song & Dance at Pinewoods Camp this summer!

https://camp.cdss.org/camp-sessions/harmony-of-song-dance-at-pinewoods/

Alex is leading a singing class, playing for morris dancing, and more!

This camp also includes contra and English dancing every day and a whole lot more singing and playing music. Hope you can join us there!
[Image description: a photo of Alex surrounded by a squiggly orange border. Text below reads, "Alex Cu***ng / Harmony of Song & Dance / August 8-13, Plymouth, MA."]

06/08/2026

We're excited to welcome Anna Patton back to Harmony of Song & Dance at Pinewoods Camp this summer!

https://camp.cdss.org/camp-sessions/harmony-of-song-dance-at-pinewoods/

Anna is leading the fabulous All-Camp Sing and the class "Swing Harmony Singing."

This camp also includes contra and English dancing every day and a whole lot more singing and playing music. Hope you can join us there!
[Image description: a photo of Anna surrounded by a squiggly orange border. Text below reads, "Anna Patton / Harmony of Song & Dance / August 8-13, Plymouth, MA."]

06/04/2026

Don't miss our 2026 compilation album! This compilation commemorates our 2026 membership drive: join or increase your support (by $25/year or $2/month) or refer a friend anytime in 2026, and you'll receive this digital album as a thank you.
https://cdss.org/support-our-work/become-a-member-renew/

We compiled these tunes from a broad sampling of musicians from across the US and Canada that represent the many traditions of dance music and participatory singing that we steward.
https://cdss.bandcamp.com/album/2026-membership-drive-compilation

06/03/2026

We're excited to welcome Saro Lynch-Thomason to Harmony of Song & Dance at Pinewoods Camp this summer!

https://camp.cdss.org/camp-sessions/harmony-of-song-dance-at-pinewoods/

Saro is leading the classes "Shaker Bangers, or, an Introduction to Great Shaker Songs," "Southern Appalachian Ballads & Their Ancient Folklore," and "Movement & Protest Songs."

This camp also includes contra and English dancing every day and a whole lot more singing and playing music. Hope you can join us there!
[Image description: a photo of Saro surrounded by a squiggly orange border. Text below reads, "Saro Lynch-Thomason / Harmony of Song & Dance / August 8-13, Plymouth, MA."]

06/02/2026

We're hiring!

The CDSS Store & Office Coordinator is an important part of CDSS operations, coordinating and administering product sales and providing crucial in-office support for our team of geographically-dispersed employees.

This is a part-time in-person position in Easthampton, MA.

Find more details and how to apply at https://cdss.org/about/jobs/store-office-coordinator/

05/28/2026

Contra callers - join us online next month for a chat with Maia McCormick, dance caller!

https://cdss.org/programs/contra-callers-corner/

This month’s topic is “Busload of Beginners: Calling to Beginner-Heavy Halls.”

What do you do when you’ve meticulously prepared your program, you’ve just finished teaching your lesson, and a literal busload of brand new dancers rolls up? Well, you make sure they have a good time! We’ll discuss how to program for varying levels of beginner-heavy halls, how to deal with a last-minute newbie influx, how to manage a really big pre-dance lesson, and more.

Expect a lively and thoughtful discussion, and be sure to bring your own questions!

For the privacy of participants, this session will not be recorded. Please join us next time!

This program is free and open to all; please register in advance.
Photo courtesy of Maia McCormick.
[Image description: a graphic with photos and text about the upcoming Contra Callers' Corner session. In the top third, the Contra Callers' Corner logo is to the right of a photo of Seth Tepfer. The space below has a photo of Maia McCormick and white text on a blue background saying, "Wednesday, June 10 / 8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT) / Guest: Maia McCormick / Topic: Busload of beginners."]

05/22/2026

We're excited to welcome Joe Zavaan Johnson to Harmony of Song & Dance at Pinewoods Camp this summer!

https://camp.cdss.org/camp-sessions/harmony-of-song-dance-at-pinewoods/

Joe is leading the classes "Four Elements of Hip Hop," "Banjo Through Time," and "Clawhammer Banjo."

This camp also includes contra and English dancing every day and a whole lot more singing and playing music. Hope you can join us there!
Photo by Snap Jackson Photography.
[Image description: a photo of Joe surrounded by a squiggly orange border. Text below reads, "Joe Zavaan Johnson / Harmony of Song & Dance / August 8-13, Plymouth, MA."]

05/21/2026

Last weekend, Jacob Chen shared some great songs for singing together in our second online singalong of the year. You can (re)watch it here anytime!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_UiohsEW6Q

(This recording and Jacob’s songbook are also available under "Past Programs" here: https://cdss.org/programs/online-workshops/ -- you can find many other recordings there, too!)

Join us for a springtime sing-along for the whole family, with easy...