Port Angeles Contra Dance

At the Black Diamond Community Hall

2025 Contra Dance
Black Diamond Schedule

1/4/2025
The Contraband
Lindsey Dono calling

2/8/2025
Chicken Feathers
Joe Michaels calling

3/8/2025
Na Mara
Caller TBA

4/12/2025
The Contraband
Eric Curl calling

5/10/2025
The Canote Brothers
Laura Me Smith calling

6/14/2025
Band and Caller TBA

Dances held at

Black Diamond
Community Hall

1942 Black Diamond Rd.,
Port Angeles, WA 98363

2nd Saturday of every month

Free Lesson begins at 7pm,
Dance 7:30-10:30pm

Sliding Scale Admission
Adults $10-20
Under 18 1/2 price

Upcoming Events

Contra Dance Saturday, October 6, 2018

Susan Michaels

Calling to the tunes of

Kate Powers, David Bartley & Fred Nussbaum

Susan Michaels has been calling squares, contras, and family dances for more then 30 years, building community, facilitating joy, and just plain having fun. Susan believes it is her calling in life to teach people how to hold hands in a circle and move to music. She loves all kinds of choreography… but specializes in dance with drive and flow that hold on to the roots of barn dancing but take off in new directions. Susan brings her special brand of dry quirky humor with her to every dance event and has a unique gift for making newcomers, 2 left-footers, and shy persons blossom through dance.

Kate Powers, Dave Bartley & Fred Nussbaum

Kate Powers was first introduced to the violin through a scholarship from the Washington Old-Time Fiddlers in 2010. Some of her most recent paths include becoming part of the PC College Jazz Ensemble. Kate enjoys composing and writes much of the music she plays. She teaches herself fiddle and also takes Classical lessons with Ronald Patterson in Seattle.

Fred Nussbaum played cello, mandolin, and drums in the Portland Oregon area contra dances for years. Then he retired to Port Townsend, and plays mostly English Country Dance music.

Dave Bartley plays guitar, mandolin, cittern, and several other stringed instruments. He has played many styles of music over the years and continues to range over several genres. He has performed throughout the US and Canada, and in England, Australia, France and Greece. It is difficult to count the number of bands in which he plays.
Dave has composed over 300 dance tunes. A waltz he wrote and KGB recorded, The Clock Stopped, is used to teach cross-step waltz in much of the U.S. and other parts of the world. A reel he wrote, Vladi on the Trans-Siberian, seems to be popping up at dances and jam sessions all over the place.

Please Note that the Fall Potluck has been postponed to the November Dance… Thanks much and see you soon!

The intro class begins at 7:30, like usual, and our dance will begin at 8.

All other dance details are on the “About Our Dance” page on this website.

Saturday, Sept. 1st, 2018 Abigail Hobart and The Electrodes

Abigail Hobart calling to The Electrodes

Abigail Hobart hails from Bellingham Wa. though she considers parts of New England to be home as well. Abigail has been a dancer, fiddle player and organizer of sorts since childhood and brings a deep love of the tradition, personal warmth and joie de vivre to her calling and interactions both on and off the dance floor. Check out the article in the Sequim Gazette for the story of how she got started — calling contras at a punk rock dance!

The Electrodes are Joe Bowbeer on the electric 5 string fiddle, Marcy Kubbs on piano, and Joe Michaels on guitar. They play an exciting mix of Celtic, Appalachian, and original tunes.

Contra Dance, June 2nd 2018

Michael Karcher

calling to

David Bartley and Brandon Vance

Michael Karcher hails from Seattle and has been having the time of his life calling around the Pacific Northwest over the last few years – including calling at the infamous Northwest Folklife Festival and other contra camps. When wasn’t isn’t calling, he was pursuing a PhD in statistics at the University of Washington and dancing in and around Seattle.

Internationally acclaimed Scottish fiddler and violinist, Brandon Vance, is the recipient of Scotland’s 2017 Royal National Mòd “Sutherland Cup” in Scottish Fiddle, as well as being the youngest to win the U.S. National Open Scottish Fiddling Championship in both 1999 and 2001.

With a M.M. from the Cleveland Institute of Music, one of the continent’s most distinguished conservatories, Vance performs with Seattle-based Pacific Music Works, Early Music Vancouver, Northwest Sinfonietta, mandolinist John Reischman, vocalist Nadia Tarnawsky, Alex Fedoriouk, uilleann piper Eliot Grasso, and composer Stephen Rice.

He will be slinging tunes with the always lovely David Bartley who joined us earlier this year. The duo will surely bring fun tunes that will keep your feet flying all night long.

This is our last Contra dance till September so come on down and get your dance on!

There is a workshop at 7:30pm. The dances begin at 8:00. All other dance details are on the “About Our Dance” page on this website.