Emerald city

(Last update: December 13, 2025)

 

Emerald City Contra Dance

with the Seattle Folklore Society present

Contra dancing nearly every Friday night at the

Phinney Neighborhood Center

6532 Phinney Avenue North, Seattle (98103)

 

in the Community Hall of the brick building, near the lower parking lot

 

Beginner’s workshop at 7:00 pm. Dance from 7:30 pm to 10:00 pm.

We no longer require masks while dancing – however, we still encourage you to wear them if you can.  We still require you to sign a registration form (for contact tracing) and waiver upon entry.  If you have attended a dance elsewhere, you’ll still need register at this dance as well.

We also recommend that you keep up-to-date with vaccinations. We may reinstate mask and vaccination requirements at a later date, if  COVID conditions change or we receive more reports of illness within the community.
– As always, we suggest you check Public Health – Seattle & King County for more information about COVID.
– For information about COVID practices and cases from earlier dances, check here.

Admission prices (cash, check or Venmo only):
– Sliding scale $10-$20.
– Students $5 with a school ID.
– Free for people under the age of 16.

Admission limited to 125 people. This total includes paying & non-paying dancers, children, and adults acting like children.

If this is your first contra dance ever you’ll get a coupon for free admission to your next dance.
Coupon redemption limited to first five coupons on any single night.

Follow us on Facebook. There’s a Lost and Found “Featured” file on that page where you can find items that you left behind at the dance.

 

Please help the PNA achieve their sustainability goals. Consider carpooling, walking, biking, or riding the bus to the dance. If you drive, please park in the PNA parking lots.

All dances taught. No partner necessary.
Light, comfortable clothing recommended.
Please join us without perfumes, colognes, aftershave, scented lotions, etc.

 

More information for dancers.
Information for bands and callers.
Past caller set lists.
Bands and callers: please contact us at ECContraDance@GMail.com

For information not already posted here: 206-440-9839 or ECContradance@Gmail.com

Enough of the suggestions, disclaimers, and notifications. Here is what you really want to know…

Callers will use the terms “larks” and “robins” for dance roles.

  • December 19 – Bang bang, you’re dancing. Watch out for the Bazooka Band, whose propulsive beats and melodies brook no argument. They may be scattershot sometimes, but the combined effect makes a hell of a noise. Claude Ginsburg, unfretted strings (possibly concertina); Dave Bartley, fretted strings; and Anita F. Anderson, keys. Sarah Trop calls.
  • December 26 – Chicken Feathers specializes in traditional New England contra dance music. Laurie Andres (accordion, piano), WB Reid (banjo-guitar, guitar, fiddle) , and Bonnie Zahnow (fiddle, guitar). Kelly Tabor calls.
  • January 2 – Anglerfish: Hayden Stern on fiddle, Alex Sturbaum on guitar, Rae Eaton on upright bass, with special guest Steve Cifka on cello.  Elisabeth Monica calls.
  • January 9 – What’s the buzz? Hummingbird is Koren Wake on viola da gamba and fiddle; Melissa Coffey on electric sax and whistles; and Nick Leininger on guitar. Some slinky, some driving, some good beats.  Morna Leonard calls.
  • January 16 – Night Heron.  Lindsey Dono calls.
  • January 23 – Dave Bartley (fretted instruments), Jesse Partridge (fiddle), and Marni Rachmiel (flute & electronic whatsamaphone).  Abigail Golden calls.
  • January 30 – Whimbrel is Ezra Jane Landsman on guitar and Hayden Stern on fiddle.  Isaac Banner calls.

  • February 6 – No dance

    We take the night off because a lot of you will be at Supersonic 2026.
  • February 13 – Contra Quartet is Jesse Partridge on fiddle, Jay Finkelstein on guitar, Steve Cifka on cello, and Julie Bennett on a wide variety of percussion.  Craig Wolfe calls.
  • February 20 – To be determined.  However, we know Caitlin Bannan calls with guest caller Marshall Gould.
  • February 27 – Joyride: George Penk on fiddle, Erik Weberg on flute and maybe some other wind instrument, Sue Songer on piano,  and Jeff Kerssen-Griep on guitar and a little bit of percussion.  Tom Wimmer calls.
  • March 6 – Dave Bartley and friends.  Jesse Partridge calls.
  • March 13 – Natterjack is Hayden Stern on fiddle, Ezra Jane Landsman on guitar, and Alex Sturbaum on accordion.  Susan Petrick calls.
  • March 20 – Reindeer Cyclone: Melissa Coffey – spaceship, Ali Webb – piano, Ruthie Carroll – fiddle.  Koren Wake calls.
  • March 27 – Patrick Gunning and friends.  Victoria Fox calls.
  • April 3 – Countercurrent is Alex Sturbaum on guitar & maybe accordion, with Brian Lindsay on fiddle.
  • April 10 – Hot Seat is Alex Sturbaum on guitar and related instruments, Jesse Partridge on fiddle,  Julie Bennett on percussion, and a musician to be named later.  Who will be on the hot seat for this dance?
  • April 17 – Odd Sock is Billy Simmons – keyboard; Michael Arslanian – mandolin, bouzouki, & guitar; Henry Plewa – guitar & fiddle; Kathy Brown – fiddle.  They all sing, too.  Eric Curl calls.
  • April 24 – Hayden Stern and friends.