Southern Illinois Community Contra Dance

04/19/2026

In story after story last night, a compelling theme came through- contra dance is life affirming. Contra Dance 'is' community. It in one dance does so much of what trauma experts suggest for healing. With so many families experiencing estrangement and so many people in epidemics of loneliness, contra dance is that place and space where people come-touch-smile-spin.... contra dance is a whole adult playground.

04/14/2026

Line dance. Chicago Step.

What does your dance form carry as a story?

Bomba. Lindy. Polka.

What do you carry in your steps? These didn’t just appear—they migrated here through people, memory, and survival.

Bhangra. Fan.

We’re creating space for real voices across Illinois—stories that live in our bodies, our homes, our histories… and yes, even in our dance.

Square. Hora.

What did your dance form have to live through to survive? Did it survive?

Your story will be recorded and featured in a traveling museum and preserved in an upcoming podcast sharing one migration story each week.

As migration is more than geography and dance is storytelling we will explore on the floor.

Dance is an artifact.

Come tell us, show us what moved you to where you are now using dance or an object representing dance in your life. Come watch, come learn -new dance steps and new stories.

Blues. Salsa.

Hear how others with their soles, look back and wonder how they got over and where they went back to get it.

Dance is memory. Come back, go back and fetch it.

Saturday, April 18 4:30– 6:30

Dinner served at 6:30 PM

Community Dance from 5:45- 7:30

First Christian Church (Southern Illinois)

306 W. Monroe

03/22/2026

I put together a "zine" to help crystalize the notion that the work of the caller is field work. For historical Black callers, this takes on many meanings. But for all organizers, callers, musicians who are bringing more folks in o the fold...it's all field work. Stay tuned to learn how you can get a copy.

03/22/2026

In case you haven't seen it. Check out pic in first comment.

This program of the Fort Worth African American Roots Music Festival aims to (re)connect Black people to the practice of traditional dance calling.

03/22/2026

Funny story in post below.

03/22/2026

This is the very first image we had for the then Carbondale Community Contra Dance. I couldn't find any images that had both Black musicians and dancers. So I went to Canva and did this overlay with the wonderful Justin Robinson.
This weekend I am in the same Bed and Breakfast as he is. Since 2023 when SICCD started as CCCD so many good things have happened to tell a more complete story of dance and music traditions.

03/21/2026

03/21/2026

What is a Luthier?

These women are fiddle players. One of them is the first Black female violin maker on record. The other two commissioned violins from her- also a first and historic. Here they are playing a song by The Carolina Chocolate Drops. Likely making them the first Black women playing a song by Black string artists on violins made by a Black luthier.

03/20/2026

So I asked these musicians, many young and diverse, what brought them to contra dance. They said "the music". They came as musicians and stayed for the dance.