The Albany Contra Dance is held every second and some fifth Fridays of the month, September – June, in the large ballroom of the Albany Elks Lodge, located at 25 S Allen St, Albany, NY. Dancing goes from 8PM-11PM.
Now is a great time to be a beginner! Be sure to attend the 7:45 pre-dance Beginner Lesson where the dance caller will teach you some frequently used dance moves. Contra dancing has its roots in English country dancing, and may feel similar to line dancing & square dancing.
The Albany Contra Dance uses the calling terms of “Larks & Robins” to denote dancing roles. Masking for health safety is welcome, but not required. This is a chem. free, family friendly, all welcoming dance community.
We are currently scheduling Bands & Callers for the 2026-2027 Season, They will be updated below shortly!
Link to the Current Flyer (coming soon)
Scroll down for the list of 2026-2027 upcoming dates
Dance admission cost, to afford our excellent live music, skilled caller & air conditioned hall, is on a sliding scale basis depending on what you can comfortably afford. Please pay what you can in the range of about $8 to $25 & beyond. Thank you.
In partnership with the Dance Flurry Organization, we would like to remind all dancers that respect is vital to a safe and inclusive dance experience. In the contra dance community after each dance, it is normal and encouraged for dancers to change partners by inviting someone else to dance. Please understand that it is okay for anyone to respond with a “yes” or “no” when invited to dance. If you are dancing with an unfamiliar partner, please ask them if they are comfortable with fancier dance flourishes like dips, lifts, or twirls before trying them. If you feel uncomfortable with someone’s dance etiquitte & behavior towards you, please speak with an organizer or Dance Ambassador, who will be wearing a button. More information can be found at the DFO Principles of Community Respect page.