Callers Choice Dances

Fourth (or Fifth) Sunday Open Calling Contra Dance

Adina Gordon choosing dances.

ALL CALLERS CHOICE DANCES ARE NOW CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

A Callers Choice Dance is a Contra Dance featuring open calling. Anyone can apply to call one or more dances at a Callers Choice dance (just send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). It's usually pretty much a straight contra dance, though the callers reserve the right (the "choice") to call whatever they agree is okay to call. Callers Choice dances tend to be really fun - the multiple voices add interest, and, since several of our callers are also kick-ass dance writers, new dances (after being vetted at Calling Parties) often make their first public appearance at these dances.

Starting in April, the Callers' Choice Dances will be on 4th or 5th Sundays (watch this space) from 7-9:30pm.

All Callers Choice dances are at the Monday Club, 37 S. Maple Avenue, Webster Groves, MO. Free basics workshop at 6:40pm. Admission sliding scale $7-$10, Under 30 $5.

Anyone can request a calling spot by writing to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Just be prepared to talk him into it.

Upcoming Open Calling dances in 2020

May 31, 2020 - Lukas Simpson & Friends CANCELLED

June 28, 2020 - TBA CANCELLED

July 26, 2020 - 3 Crooked Men CANCELLED

August 23, 2020 - Roger Wilco CANCELLED

September 27, 2020 - Lukas Simpson and Friends CANCELLED

October TBA, 2020 - Martha and the Troublemakers CANCELLED

November 29, 2020 - Mound City Slickers CANCELLED

December 27, 2020 - 3 Crooked Men CANCELLED

Past dances in 2020

January 4, 2020 - Blind Pig (Ellen Gomez, Dave Landreth, Keith Dudding and Lukas Simpson)
February 1, 2020 - Mound City Slickers
March 7, 2020 - Martha and the Troublemakers (Martha Edwards, Nathaniel Eulentrop and Billy Boyer)
April 26, 2020 - Rambling Rosies CANCELLED

Past dances in 2019

January 5, 2019 - Roger Netherton and Friends
February 2, 2019 - Mound City Slickers
March 2, 2019 - Cancelled! The callers want to go to Chance Dance - you should too! It's so fun
April 6, 2019 - Rich Egan, keyboard, Martha Edwards, fiddle and Alyssa Catlin, guitar
May 4, 2019 - Martha Edwards on fiddle, Roger Netherton on keyboard
June 1, 2019 - Boney Goat Band
July 6, 2019 - 3 Crooked Men
August 3, 2019 - Lukas Simpson and Friends
September 7, 2019 - Boney Goat Band
October 5, 2019 - Billy Boyer, keyboard, Roger Netherton, fiddle
November 2, 2019 - Mound City Slickers
December 7, 2019 - Rambling Rosies

Past dances in 2018

January 6, 2018 - Cancelled - all the callers want to go to Jan Jam in Champaign-Urbana, IL
February 3, 2018 - Blind Pig
March 3, 2018 - Cancelled - the callers are going to Chance Dance in Cape Girardeau.
April 7, 2018 - Ellen Gomez and Friends
May 5, 2018 - Boney Goat Band
June 2, 2018 - John Laufersweiler & Libby Swanger
July 7, 2018 - Martha Edwards and Billy Boyer
August 4, 2018 - Three Crooked Men
September, 2018 - Cancelled for the High Tea Weekend - but we held a Calling Party at the hall on Sunday afternoon.
October 6, 2018 - Roger Netherton and Friends
November 3, 2018 - Ryan Spearman and Friends
December 1, 2018 - Rambling Rosies (Ellen Gomez on fiddle, Amanda Jokerst on banjo, Anne Williamson on bass and Alyssa Catlin on guitar)

Past dances in 2017

January 7, 2017 - Ragged Robin (Billy Boyer and Martha Edwards)
February 4, 2017 - Roger Willco (Roger Netherton and Billy Boyer)
March Callers Choice Dance cancelled - we're all going to Chance Dance in Cape Girardeau
April 1, 2017 Hmm...April Fool's Day. What could go wrong? - Roger Willco (Roger Netherton and Billy Boyer)
May 6, 2017 - Ragged Robin
June 3, 2017 - Ragged Robin
July 1, 2017 - Three Crooked Men
August 5, 2017 - - Ragged Robin
September Callers Choice Dance cancelled - it's the High Tea weekend, and there's an English Ball that night - come!
October 7, 2017 Special Free Dance - it's Jim Hemphill and Mariah Fabry's 25th wedding anniversary, and Billy Boyer and Roger Netherton are playing!
November 4, 2017 - Ragged Robin (Billy Boyer, Aileen Murphy and Larry Boyer)
December 2, 2017 - Ragged Robin

Past dances in 2016

January 2, 2016
February 6, 2016
March 5, 2016
April 2, 2016
May 7, 2016
June 4, 2016
July 2, 2016
August 6, 2016
September 3, 2016
October 1, 2016
November 5, 2016
December 3, 2016

Past dances in 2015

January 3, 2015, music by Roger Netherton and Friends
February 7, 2015, music by The Coffee Zombies, from Louisville and Indianapolis
March 7, 2015, music by the Mound City Slickers
April 4, 2015, music by Ragged Robin
May 2, 2015, music by Ladies at Play from Oklahoma City (and we're celebrating Larry and Carol's wedding!)
June 6, 2015, music by Roger Netherton and Friends
July 11, 2015, music by Ragged Robin
August 1, 2015, music by Ragged Robin
September 5, 2015, cancelled
October 3, 2015, music by Ragged Robin
November 7, 2015, music by Ragged Robin
December 5, 2015, music by Ragged Robin

Past dances in 2014

February 1, 2014
March 1, 2014
April 5, 2014
May, 2014
June, 2014
July, 2014
August, 2014
September 6, 2014

6:30pm Family Dance with Ragged Robin
8:00pm Callers Choice Dance

October 4, 2014

6:30pm Family Dance
8:00pm Callers Choice Dance

November 1, 2014

6:30pm Family Dance
8:00pm Callers Choice Dance

December 6, 2014

6:30pm Family Dance
8:00pm Callers Choice Dance

Past dances in 2013

February 2, 2013 - Groundhog's Day (6 more weeks of Winter, or an Early Spring?)
March 2, 2013
April 5, 2013
May 4, 2013
June 1, 2013
July 6, 2013
August 3, 2013
September 7, 2013
October 5, 2013
November 2, 2013
December 7, 2013

Past dances in 2012

Feb 4, 2012 - Music from Roger Netherton and Friends
Mar 3, 2012 - Double Treble (Roger Netherton, Alice Sanvito and Rich Hibbs)
Apr 7, 2012 - Reel Women (Kristin Graham and Martha Edwards)
May 5, 2012 - Reel Women (Kristin Graham and Martha Edwards)
Jun 2, 2012 - Reel Women and the Jigelos (Kristin Graham, Ben Schreiber, Mike Brown and Martha Edwards)
Jul 7, 2012 - Reel Women and the Jigelos (Kristin Graham, Ben Schreiber and Martha Edwards)
Aug 4, 2012 - The Night Crawlers (Kristin Graham, Ted Vaszquez, Rich Hibbs)
Sep1, 2012 - No Callers Choice Dance - come to High Tea & Sarsaparilla instead
Oct 6, 2012 - Boney Goat Band
Nov 3, 2012 - Old Missouri (Roger Netherton and Rich Egan)
Dec 1, 2012 - The Lulus