dances


Here are our upcoming dances, but you can always check out the latest news and band adventures at our Contratopia 2.0 blog.


2011/2012 Season: When & Where

October 21, 2011
Northfield Harvest Stomp! contra dance at the armory in Northfield, MN (7:00-10:30 w/Robin Nelson calling)

November 12, 2011
Contra dance at Tapestry Folkdance Center, Minneapolis, MN

January 21, 2012
Contra dance and Contratopia concert at the Elks Lodge in downtown Decorah, Iowa (Concert at 7:00 dance at 8:00, w/Robin Nelson calling)(map to Elks here)

January 28, 2012
Contra dance at Tapestry Folkdance Center (w/Ted Hodapp calling), Minneapolis, MN

February 17, 2012
Northfield Winter Stomp! contra dance at the armory in Northfield, MN (info here on Facebook)

March 10, 2012
Contra dance at Tapestry Folkdance Center (w/Ted Hodapp calling & Linda Breitag on fiddle), Minneapolis, MN

March 22-25, 2012
Mid-Atlantic Tour 2012 (w/Ted Hodapp calling & Linda Breitag on fiddle):
Thursday Night Contra Dance in Glenside, PA (22nd);
The Friday Night Dance at Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo, MD (23rd);
Frederick, Maryland Contra Dance(24th);
Folklore Society of Greater Washington Sunday Night Contra and Square Dance, Glen Echo, MD (25th)

April 13-15, 2012
2nd Annual Call of the Loon Weekend at Tapestry Folkdance Center, Minneapolis, MN

May 12, 2012
Private event near Afton, MN

June 23, 2012
Wedding dance near Maiden Rock, WI

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.

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