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