The Chicago Barn Dance Company
Contra and Square dancing in the Chicago metro area.
Events for February & March

 
Click here for a "monthly calendar" view of our dances.

Try Out a New Dance Hall
We’re trying out a new venue:
— On 30, it’s Ebenezer Lutheran Church, 1650 W. Foster, Chicago.  Just west of Ashland.  Convenient to public transportation and on-street parking.  Monday, March 10th: 7:30–10pm in the “Dining Room” (1st floor in the east-most building) and Sunday, March 30th (to replace the Monday dance on 3/31):  6–9 pm in the “Auditorium”  (2nd floor, east-most bldg.)

Monday Nights at Bethany United Church of Christ
Our Monday night dances are on the wooden floor at Bethany United Church of Christ, 4250 N. Paulina (one block west of Ashland and 1 1/2 blocks south of Montrose) with parking in the Ravenswood School lot across the street to the north.  Please bring clean shoes to dance in so that we don't haul in any grit.  For directions and maps, click here.

Warrenville / Fermilab
The Warrenville dances are held from September — June at the Warrenville Community Building at 3S240 Warren Ave., Warrenville, Illinois.   For more information check out the Fermilab Folkclub web site or call 630-761-0599. 

English Country Dances
Challenge yourself with English dancing – contra-type dancing at a more sedate pace, with both familiar and unusual figures.  For info call Tom Senior at 847-784-6739 or drop Tom an email message at seniort@newtrier.k12.il.us.

Hyde Park
Dances sponsored by the University of Chicago Folk Arts Community.  Usually the first Saturday of each month.  Click here for more information.

Guest & Local Talent

April 7 — Join the Cosmic Otters for a night of Irish, Scottish and French-Canadian music for contra dancing.  Tonight's band features Extra Otter Ed Wallace, joining Meg Dedolph and Jonathan Whitall for some twin fiddling.  The caller is special guest Adina Gordon (sister of our own Lisa Gordon)..

April 14 — It's Joe, Sam and Jerry tonight ... three names, one great band.  Come out and dance to the driving old-time sounds of Joe Samojedny on fiddle, joined by an able cast of characters and caller Tom Senior.

April 21 — The snow's all melted, and that means the creek is up.  Float down the dance floor to the melodious sounds of the Money Creek Boys, led by Fred Campeau.  The caller is Eric Zorn.

April 26 — Come out and hear the triparteid terror of Joe, Sam and Jerry at the Portage Park Center for the Arts, led by the able fiddling of Joe Samojedny, for a night of dancing with caller Bill Sudkamp.

April 28 — Stay on the sunny side, always on the sunny side ... get ready for some energetic dancing when White Mule — Genevieve Harrison, Smith Koester and Paul Harnik — team up with caller Bill Sudkamp for a night of contras and squares.

May 5 — It's the Flyboys tonight: Paul Tyler, Fred Campeau, Jordan Wankoff and Bill Taylor promise to put wings on your feet with the help of our own Jo Mortland.

May 12 — Steve Rosen has migrated north from his winter habitat, so you know warm weather's officially here.  He returns to the barn dance with the always-talented "& Friends" for a night of great old-time music.  Lisa Ornstein is the caller.

May 19 — Find your way to the dance tonight for an evening with the Range Finders.  Join Walter Hojka, Fred Campeau and Jordan Wankoff for a night of Illinois-flavored old-time music.  Paul Watkins calls.

May 26 — No dance tonight — it's Memorial Day.

May 31 — Spend a Saturday night on the dance floor at the Portage Park Center for the Arts with Genevieve Harrison, Smith Koester and Paul Harnik when White Mule joins Big Bill Sudkamp for a night of mostly square dancing.