New resource!

Codes of Conduct

Looking for inspiration for creating or updating your group's safety policy? Check out our new list of some of our favorite codes of conduct from dance and music groups like yours.

Have a great policy you'd like to share? Submit it here!

Plus, find more resources like this in the organizer's section of our Resource Portal.

Looking for a caller? A band? A workshop leader?

Did you know that we can help connect you with dance leaders, musicians, and other instructors? Whether you need a caller for a special event or a training for your board (or anything in between!), we can recommend potential partners in your area. Just get in touch at resources@cdss.org.

And we still have some specific grant funds available this year. If you're planning any of these projects in 2024, get in touch!

• dance and music research
• training for English country dance leaders
• training for English country dance musicians

Find out more and apply for a grant here, and contact resources@cdss.org if you have any questions.

Photo from a musicians' workshop hosted by the Traditional American Dance and Music Society (Richmond, VA), supported by a CDSS grant.

Promote Your Events

Our crowdsourced community calendar is one of the most-visited pages on the CDSS website. It's a great place to let folks know about your group's upcoming events! List your events here! (It's free!) Local dances, special events, festivals, concerts, and more are all welcome.

The CDSS News is another great place to advertise your events! There's just one more issue this year, and prices for affiliates start at $20. Reservations for the September issue are due August 1. Find out more here.

Help Us Share CDSS!

In the next couple of weeks, we'll be mailing some CDSS promo materials to the person listed as your group's General Contact. We know some one-time events or affiliates like morris teams may not have as much use for this material. Our hope is that you will share it with your members, local dance groups, or other interested parties regardless. Right now, it's more cost-effective for us to send this material to all affiliates than to only some, so we appreciate your acceptance of it, even if it's not all directly applicable to your group. Thanks for helping more people learn about CDSS!

New in the store!

A Musician's Guide to Contra Choreography

Andrew VanNorstrand, guitarist and fiddler from the beloved contra dance band Great Bear, brings his insight from more than 18 years of playing to this new booklet. Useful for both new and veteran musicians, A Musician's Guide to Contra Choreography dives into exactly how to play for contra dances, including connecting with dancers, working with callers, and taking your playing from ordinary to extraordinary (as anyone who has danced to Andrew's playing can attest!).

Find it in the CDSS Store as a physical booklet or as a downloadable pdf.

Catch Up on These Recent Programs

Code of Conduct photo by Doug Plummer. A Musician's Guide cover art by Anna Droege.