Olympia Contra Dance

Community-oriented, social folk dancing to live music

Olympia Contra Dance

Next Dance

  • Saturday, June 13

    Contra Dance! Odd Sock with Eric Curl calling.

    Saturday June 13 @ 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm atSouth Bay Grange
More upcoming events ↓

Key Info

When:
Typically held on 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month.

  • Lesson: for new dancers at 7:00 pm
  • Dance: 7:30 pm to 10:00 pm

Cost:
Sliding scale, $10-25. NOTAFLOF. We prefer cash. We accept checks, and online payments at the door using your smart phone.

Where:
Unless otherwise noted, our regular dance is hosted at South Bay Grange, 3918 Sleater Kinney Rd NE, Olympia, WA 98506. There is a gravel lot just to the south of the building along Sleater Kinney. You may also use the school lot across the street.

What to bring:
Bring a water bottle. Wear comfortable clothes—you may get a little hot or even sweaty. To protect our floor, please wear clean, soft-soled shoes (no taps, spike heels, etc).

Ways to stay connected and learn about upcoming dances:

What to Expect

Role terms:
Our callers typically use non-gendered role terms (larks and robins) to identify the two dance roles.

Community & Conduct:
Contra dancing is not just about dancing to great music, it’s also about being part of a safe, supportive, and inclusive community. Please read our community standards and code of conduct. Use our feedback form to share any suggestions or requests, and to let us know if something happened that made you feel uncomfortable.

Health:
Well-fitting masks are encouraged and provided, but not required. We strongly encourage dancers to do all that they can to take care of their own health, and the health of those around them. For those who can, this could mean staying up to date on all available vaccinations (Influenza, COVID, etc.), wearing masks, and staying home when sick. Full COVID protocols here.

Who we are:
Since dancing restarted in 2021, these contra dances have been hosted by the Olympia Contra Dance committee, along with countless volunteers.

Questions or concerns:
Email us [email protected], or use our feedback form.

Upcoming

  • Saturday, June 13

    Contra Dance! Odd Sock with Eric Curl calling.

    Saturday June 13 @ 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm atSouth Bay Grange

  • Saturday, June 27

    Contra Dance! Riffraff with Liz Nelson calling.

    Saturday June 27 @ 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm atSouth Bay Grange

  • Saturday, July 25

    Contra Dance! Riffraff with TBD calling.

    Saturday July 25 @ 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm atSouth Bay Grange

  • Saturday, August 22

    Contra Dance! Riffraff with TBD calling.

    Saturday August 22 @ 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm atSouth Bay Grange
View All Events

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» View all our past dances »

Other Area Dances

Get Involved

Here are the roles we need to fill for each dance. If you want to help, email us [email protected], or use our feedback form.

Host
Open and closes the space, introduces the caller.

Setup
Volunteer crew helps arrange room for the dance.

Caller
Develops the program, teaches the dance.

Band
Works with the caller to develop a setlist of live music.

Sound
Sets up the stage and ensures a good sound experience.

Door
Welcomes dancers, answers questions, logs payments.

Cleanup
Volunteer crew restores room to its original condition.

Committee
Meets monthly to address dance-related issues.

Word of mouth
Nearly all folx that attend were first invited or informed by a friend. When you tell a friend, you help keep the dance alive!