Contra dance tonight! + Greetings from Charleston Folk board members

[Charleston Folk Contra Club]

Charleston Folk board members meet monthly to organize and plan our dance events.  Board members are volunteers and serve as hosts for each dance.  Please welcome our newest board member, Justin Hough! 

Chair: Kelly Macklin

Vice Chair: Ann Birdseye

Secretary: Aurora Thompson

Treasurer: Joel Wilder

Band and Caller Contracts:  Ann Birdseye

Marketing: Aurora Thompson

Callers Collective: Kelly Macklin

Palmetto Bug Stomp Registrar: Joel Wilder

Email and Website Publicity: Laura Moses

Bug Stomp Volunteer Coordinator: Chloe Harris

Marketing Promotion: Carolyn Macklin

Monthly Dance Volunteer Coordinator: Emily Rettberg

Instagram Publicity: John Basil Cox

Board Member: Troy Thieszen

Board Member: Justin Hough

 

Please email charlestonfo...@gmail.com if you have a question or comment for the board!

Please join us at our upcoming Contra Dances:

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TONIGHT!  Friday, January 2, 7:30 pm (Doors open at 7:15) The Honeymeads with David Glick calling at Ballroom Dance Charleston, 2408 Ashley River Road, Charleston, SC  29414   
The Honeymeads are Ellie Jos on fiddle, Matt Masie on drums, and Bart Saylor on mandolin, playing originals and covers in the Americana genre.  David Glick is a North Carolina dance caller.

1/17/26    Zephyr with Chris Hernandez calling at Lance Hall, Circular Church -- NOTE NEW LOCATION FOR SATURDAY DANCES

See our full calendar of upcoming dances here.

DANCE INFO AND PRICES:
Admission is $15 cash, check, or Venmo (@chscontra $15.50 on Venmo).  Doors open at 7:15 and the dancing begins at 7:30 pm with a beginners' walk-through (highly recommended!).  Children aged 6 to 12 accompanied by a paying adult dance for $5. Children 5 and under are free. Teens 13 and over pay full price, still a deal at $15.  Family Rate:  $40 for one or two adults and their children under 18. Children 12 and under must be supervised by an adult at all times. Children who are not able to participate in the dance must stay off the dance floor. 
Please wear non-marking, soft-soled shoes.  Bring a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated.  Wear your name button!

COMFORT and SAFETY:  We are a community and want everyone to feel welcome and comfortable.  If you have a suggestion, comment, concern or question, please bring it to one of our board members (wearing a board member button at the dance) or email us at charlestonfo...@gmail.com.

HEALTH POLICY:  Masks welcome and optional.  Please stay home if you are sick!

A TIP FOR NEWCOMERS: Don't dance with another newbie! Ask an experienced dancer to show you around.  Anyone can ask anyone to dance. It is customary to ask a different person for each dance.  By the end of the evening, you will have danced with everyone in the room, and you will see why contra dance is so much fun.  : )

SNACKS!  Our dance community takes turns bringing finger-food snacks to each dance.  Please consider bringing something to contribute to the snack table at the back of the hall.

Volunteer opportunity:  Get in free by helping the board host at the front desk.  We have two shifts, early (6:30-9) and late (9:30-11).  You can dance and then work, or work and then dance, and the dance portion of your evening will be free.  Duties are arriving early or staying later for setup or cleanup, assisting the board host with the box office as people arrive, and managing tasks as they come up.  Emily Rettberg is coordinating this – if you can help out, please visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0A49ABA729AAF49-58693201-contra#/ to sign up.  THANK YOU!  

Learn more about contra at ABOUT CONTRA DANCING  or LOTS OF TIPS. Check out some great contra videos and photos here.

Join our Facebook group to receive updates and event invitations.  Follow us on Instagram.

Get your tickets for Palmetto Bug Stomp!  February 27 – March 1, 2026
Notorious and ContraForce!  Seth Tepfer and JJ Luxe!  >>See PBS page for details and registration