What’s New

Contra Dance, Friday Nov. 16th  – Snor T Horse with Claire Baffaut calling.

Check out the Fall 2018 Contra and English Country Dance Schedule! Click on tab above.

Mark your calendars! Spring Dance 2019 at the Capital City Ritz (Jefferson City), March 29 – 31, 2019. More details coming……

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2018 Spring Breakdown Dance Weekend photos and videos. Thank you Jan Harcourt!!!

2017 Spring Breakdown Dance Weekend photos and videos are available on our Spring Breakdown Community page on Facebook!  You can also see the coverage KOMU did of the event there or click here.  If you have photos or videos from the event we encourage you to share them there as well, so everyone can enjoy the memories!

Contra Dance – Nov 16, 2018 with Snor T Horse

Contra Dance – Friday, Nov 16th.  Come join us Friday, Nov 16th for a contra dance at  3906 Peachtree Drive. Our lively music will be provided by Snor T Horse, with Cathy Barton on hammered dulcimer and banjo, Dave Para on guitar, Tenley Hansen on keyboards, and Michael Fraser on fiddle.  These are two duets who share very similar musical interests, one of them being the joy of old-time dance music.  As a quartet they bring more instruments into the mix for variety and dynamics, swapping melodies and harmonies, while leaning on powerful rhythm.  Snor T Horse plays dynamic and energetic old traditional and new folk tunes.

Cathy Barton and Dave Para at the Big Muddy 2007

Our caller will be Claire Baffaut.  “I call because I want to make people happy. That is what dancing does to me so I think it might do the same to others. I want dancers to feel connected to each other and to the musicians. After dancing for >20 years, I first gave a thought to calling in 2012. I tried at a party (a calling jam), in November 2012. I felt exhilarated and I still get that feeling whenever I call. I like to have a variety of dances during an evening, often a mix of modern contra dances, circle dances, and triplets. Perhaps a square or a triple minor. I also call community dances (longways, circle dances, and simple squares).”

Beginners are encouraged to come to an introductory lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Everything is explained.  You do NOT need to know how to dance before you come.  You also do NOT have to bring a partner.

Dancing starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Ballroom Academy of Columbia, 3906 Peachtree Drive.  Admission is $8 for the public, $5 for students and ages 16-25, with free admittance for children 15 and under.

No dance experience is needed and folks of all ages are welcome! No partner is necessary, as dancers switch partners for most dances. Every dance is taught and called throughout the evening to live music. Dancers should wear lightweight, comfortable clothing and soft-soled or leather-soled shoes to preserve the floor—no spike heels or cowboy boots. (Please carry-in appropriate dance shoes as needed.)

Concert and Contra Dance – Nov 2, 2018 with the Volo Bogtrotters

Concert and Contra Dance – Friday, Nov. 2nd.  Mark your calendars now for this special treat! The Volo Blogtrotters will be bringing their unique and high energy style old-time string band music for both a concert AND contra dance on Friday, Nov. 2nd. The concert will be 7:30pm – 8:30pm and the dance 8:30pm – 10:30pm. Please note this will be at a special location – Locust Street Expressive Arts Elementary School on 1208 Locust Street, Columbia, MO. Come early to find parking. Tickets will be $15, students – $10.

Members of the band include Lynn Smith (fiddle, mandolin, and vocals), Fred Campeau (fiddle, banjo, guitar, slide guitar, ukulele, and vocals), Steve Rosen (Banjo, fiddle, guitar, and vocals), Tony Scarimbolo (bass and vocals), Jim Nelson (guitar and vocals) and Paul Tyler (guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and vocals).

 The Volo Bogtrotters are an old-time American string band, based in the Chicago area, that played songs and tunes from the string bands of the 1920s and fiddle music from the Midwest, as well as from other new and traditional sources. The band was together from about 1984 to around 2002 and during that period made four recordings on the Marimac Label. They played at many music festivals and traditional dance venues and were known for their driving twin fiddle sound and old songs gleaned from 78 rpm recordings. Six members of the band have recently united again (2011) to play occasional dances and festivals

Jim Thaxter, our caller, developed an interest in traditional dancing about the same time he was discovering the banjo. One thing led to another and he was a regular on the dance floor at the old-time contra dances about 40 years ago. Calling started about 10 years later. Numerous calling workshops at dance camps and dance weekends helped hone his skills. Calling for beginners groups made him more aware of the needs of the dancers for clear instruction. Calling is a great way to bridge the gap between listeners’ tapping toes and the lively rhythms from live musicians.

 

Contra Dance – Oct 19, 2018 with Three Around Three

Contra Dance – Friday, Oct 19th.  Come join us Friday, Oct 19th for a contra dance at  3906 Peachtree Drive.  Our lively music will be provided by the band Three Around Three, a Columbia old-time band featuring Bill Foley on banjo, Cliff White on guitar, and Pippa Letsky on fiddle.  They like to play for fiddle jams and contra dances, maybe some American old-time tunes, maybe some original tunes, and maybe even a touch of Irish tunes.

Our caller will be Paula McFarling. She began calling contra dances in Missouri and Kansas after taking a calling class with Jim Thaxter in 1997. She considers calling and dancing to live music a wonderful way to spend an evening. She especially likes calling dances with moves that flow into each other and delights in helping new dancers find the joy in contra dancing.

 

Beginners are encouraged to come to an introductory lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Everything is explained.  You do NOT need to know how to dance before you come.  You also do NOT have to bring a partner.

Dancing starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Ballroom Academy of Columbia, 3906 Peachtree Drive.  Admission is $8 for the public, $5 for students and ages 16-25, with free admittance for children 15 and under.

No dance experience is needed and folks of all ages are welcome! No partner is necessary, as dancers switch partners for most dances. Every dance is taught and called throughout the evening to live music. Dancers should wear lightweight, comfortable clothing and soft-soled or leather-soled shoes to preserve the floor—no spike heels or cowboy boots. (Please carry-in appropriate dance shoes as needed.)

Contra Dance – Oct 5th, 2018 with Amber and Dave

Contra Dance – Friday, Oct 5th.  Come join us Friday, Oct 5th for a contra dance at  3906 Peachtree Drive. Our lively music will be provided by Amber and Dave, with Amber Gaddy on accordion, Dave Cavins on guitar, and Angie Lennie on fiddle.

Our caller will be Claire Baffaut. “I call because I want to make people happy. That is what dancing does to me so I think it might do the same to others. I want dancers to feel connected to each other and to the musicians. After dancing for >20 years, I first gave a thought to calling in 2012. I tried at a party (a calling jam), in November 2012. I felt exhilarated and I still get that feeling whenever I call. I like to have a variety of dances during an evening, often a mix of modern contra dances, circle dances, and triplets. Perhaps a square or a triple minor. I also call community dances (longways, circle dances, and simple squares).”

Beginners are encouraged to come to an introductory lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Everything is explained.  You do NOT need to know how to dance before you come.  You also do NOT have to bring a partner.

Dancing starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Ballroom Academy of Columbia, 3906 Peachtree Drive.  Admission is $8 for the public, $5 for students and ages 16-25, with free admittance for children 15 and under.

No dance experience is needed and folks of all ages are welcome! No partner is necessary, as dancers switch partners for most dances. Every dance is taught and called throughout the evening to live music. Dancers should wear lightweight, comfortable clothing and soft-soled or leather-soled shoes to preserve the floor—no spike heels or cowboy boots. (Please carry-in appropriate dance shoes as needed.)

Potluck and Contra Dance – Friday, September 21, 2018

Join us for the beginning of the Fall season of dancing with a potluck and dance at Columbia’s Cosmo Park, in the Dexheimer Shelter, on Friday, September 21. The potluck is scheduled for 6:00 pm and will be followed by a dance at 7:00 to traditional music. Calling will be provided by MMTD dance callers. All are welcome at this free event (although donations will be kindly accepted)!

Mark your calendars now with the Fall 2018 schedule here.  Most dances are held at the Ballroom Academy Center at 3906 Peachtree Dr, Suite E. (Same building as Bower’s Chiropractic and Cheer.)

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Cooper’s Landing – Tuesday, August 21st

Dance by the riverside and watch the glorious sunset and at Cooper’s Landing this Tuesday! Join us on August 21st from 6:45 to 8:45 for easy, family-friendly dancing to music by Three Around Three (with Pippa Letsky on fiddle, Cliff White on guitar, and Bill Foley on banjo). Calling will be provided by MMTD callers.  Food will be available at the Thai Kitchen or at the Cooper’s store. Please, no carry-in food or drink (water bottles should be okay).

Watch Facebook and this website for any cancellations due to the river stage or rain.

If you haven’t been to a Cooper’s Landing Dance, it’s on a beautiful bend of the Missouri River between Columbia and Jefferson City. It’s a short drive to a special place well worth the trip! For directions visit their website.

See you there!

Cooper’s Landing – Tuesday, July 17th

Dance by the riverside and watch the glorious sunset and at Cooper’s Landing this Tuesday! Join us on July 17th from 6:45 to 8:45 for easy, family-friendly dancing to music by  Amber and Dave (Amber Gaddy on accordian and Dave Cavins on guitar). Calling will be provided by MMTD callers.  Food will be available at the Thai Kitchen or at the Cooper’s store. Please, no carry-in food or drink (water bottles should be okay).

Watch Facebook and this website for any cancellations due to the river stage or rain.

If you haven’t been to a Cooper’s Landing Dance, it’s on a beautiful bend of the Missouri River between Columbia and Jefferson City. It’s a short drive to a special place well worth the trip! For directions visit their website.

See you there!