Come try contra dancing in Ottawa!

Dances feature fabulous live music and calling from the Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, the New England states, and beyond.

Whether you are in your 20s or in your 60s, traveling solo or bringing your partner/family - come out for a great evening of big smiles and community fun.

Beginners are super welcome & dances are taught!

We have lots of visitors from out of town. If you are one and need billeting, email us!

Contra dancing doesn't require fancy footwork - all you need is to be able to walk forward and feel a beat. There's lots of room to grow as a dancer, naturally picking up flourishes and groove from other dancers.

If you're into traditional-groove style of Irish, Quebecois, or Appalachian music, you would probably enjoy coming just to listen to the music - we hire top trad bands.

Dates: Every 1st and 3rd Saturday, September-June. We also host the occasional special workshop or dance weekend. See the schedule.

Time: Dance 8:00pm-11:00pm with free beginner lesson at 7:30pm where basic moves are taught.

Location: We are at the Churchill Rec Centre in Westboro, one of the great dance floors in the city. Click here for directions.

Admission: $12; members & students (with ID) $10; youth 16 and under free.
First-time contra dancers receive a card to attend their second dance free.
Interested in becoming a member? Visit our membership page.

What to bring: Light casual clothing as you will probably get a bit warm and regular indoor shoes with non-marking soles and low heels for easier dancing. And ... if you remember, bring a water container. We provide cups for free refreshments but bringing your own container helps us be more environmentally friendly.

More info: To learn more about our dances, check out the schedule, about contra, or links page.
You can also watch a few videos of contra dancing in Ottawa here.

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