Here are our upcoming dances, but check out the latest news and band adventures at our Contratopia 2.0 blog.
October 19, 2012
Northfield Harvest Stomp! contra dance at the armory in Northfield, MN (7:00-10:30 w/Robin Nelson calling)
December 15, 2012
Contra dance at Tapestry Folkdance Center, Minneapolis, MN (w/David Kirchner calling)
January 19, 2013
Contra dance and Contratopia concert at the Elks Lodge in downtown Decorah, Iowa (w/Ted Hodapp calling)(Concert at 7:00 dance at 8:00)(map to Elks here)
February 9, 2013
Contra dance at Tapestry Folkdance Center (w/Ted Hodapp calling), Minneapolis, MN
February 22, 2013
Northfield Winter Stomp! contra dance at the armory in Northfield, MN (w/Robin Nelson calling)(find info and join the event on Facebook)
March 1-3, 2013
Mid-Atlantic Tour 2013 (w/Ted Hodapp calling):
The Friday Night Dance at Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo, MD (1st);
Shepherdstown Music and Dance Contra Dance, Shepherdstown, WV (2nd);
Waltz Time Sunday Afternoon Dance, Glen Echo, MD (3rd)
Folklore Society of Greater Washington Sunday Night Contra and Square Dance, Glen Echo, MD (3rd)
April 19, 2013
5th Annual Northfield Earth Day Community Contra Dance at West Gym, Division Street/Highway 19 (just north of 2nd Street East) in Northfield, MN (7:00-10:30: w/Robin Nelson calling and Ehler Orngard on fiddle)
April 20, 2013
Contra dance(s) at Tapestry Folkdance Center ), Minneapolis, MN
To help us remember where we've been we also have a
History page that contains a list of what we've been up to for the last few years.
It's probably worth noting that, apart from Contratopia, Pat and Patrice can often be found supplying great dance music with other excellent musicians at Tapestry throughout the year. John and Erik are regularly heard with the Western Home String Band in Decorah, IA providing tunes for regular contra dances at either the Winneshiek County fairgrounds, the Elks club in Decorah or the legendary Highlandville Schoolhouse.
Even if you have a hard time getting to hear us play live you can still enjoy our music on compact disc or by legally streaming or downloading our tracks from a number of e-music services (including iTunes, Rhapsody, eMusic, Napster, etc.). Check the CD
page to learn more about the availability of "Hands Four", "Ballroom Echoes", "Smitten" or the "Contra Roots and Branches" compilation CD from Great Meadow Music.
Erik and John have also recently (Jan. 2012) released their first duo CD, titled Notes from the Farm. You can find this CD at Contratopia dances and also buy or download it online from
CD Baby,
iTunes and more.
John released an instrumental CD of home recordings of original tunes in Fall 2011 titled Mandolin Tunes. It's also available at dances and from CD Baby.
Erik and John are still selling the Contratopia
Tunebook, a collection of over 50 original reels, jigs, waltzes and airs. Almost all of the
Goodin and Sessions tunes from Hands Four, most of the tunes from Smitten and four of the waltzes from Ballroom Echoes are included as well as many other tunes that the
group plays at dances and concerts. The tunes are in standard notation with chord symbols
included and the book is carefully assembled at home using a nifty hand-powered comb binding
gizmo. These are available for $10 each plus $2 shipping for each book. Contact John at
jgoodin@contratopia.com if you'd like to purchase a copy of the Tunebook. Or purchase a PDF copy online here.