Folk Dancing ’Round Boston

As a service to the recreational folk dance community, for many years the Folk Arts Center published Folk Dancing ’Round Boston, a printed two-month calendar that listed participatory folk dance events of all types by sponsors in the Greater Boston area. We are currently posting the series listings below instead.

See Folk Dancing in New England for lists of the regularly scheduled social dance series of recreational folk dance groups in each New England state.

See This month at FAC for the current schedule of FAC-sponsored dance and music programs.

See Selected regional events for news about concerts, dance performances, festivals, dance parties, and workshops that are of special interest to the FAC community and that may not be listed in FAC’s other calendars.

The FAC office maintains a master schedule of regional folk dance community events for several years ahead. Area folk events sponsors are encouraged to consult the online read-only Conflict Calendar when planning special events.

Please help us to keep this page accurate – contact the FAC office or the FAC web editor to add or update listings of folk dance series in the Greater Boston area.

The majority of these in-person events are on hold due to Covid-19 restrictions. Some groups are meeting on online platforms such as Zoom, others are on hiatus. We will update the listings as in-person events return.

Folk Dancing ’Round Boston listings

Balkan and international | English country | Family dance | Greek | Hungarian | Israeli | N.E. contras and squares | Scottish country | Swing, vintage, waltz

The listings below show the regularly scheduled social dance series of recreational folk dance groups in Greater Boston, mostly in the area within Route 495. See Folk dancing in Massachusetts for more listings. Check each group’s link or contact for updates, special events, and cancelations. Please help us to keep this page accurate - contact FAC to add or update listings of dance series.

Balkan and international folk dance

Arlington:
FAC Friday International Folk Dance (781-438-4387)
8-11 pm most Fridays, September-June,
Park Avenue Congregational Church, 50 Paul Revere Road, Arlington Heights, MA.

Arlington:
FAC Thursday Experienced International Folk Dance (781-438-4387)
8:15-10:45 pm most Thursdays, year-round,
Park Avenue Congregational Church, 50 Paul Revere Road, Arlington Heights, MA.

Arlington:
Tuesday Night Revival Balkan Dancing (781-648-6887)
8-11 pm on one or two Saturdays each month,
Church of Our Saviour, 21 Marathon Street, East Arlington, MA.

Belmont:
FAC International Folk Dance Party (781-438-4387)
8-11 pm on monthly Saturdays, most months, September-May (no dance in December or April),
Payson Park Congregational Church, 365 Belmont Street, Belmont, MA;
summer parties 8-11 pm on selected Fridays,
First Unitarian Society in Newton, 1326 Washington Street, West Newton, MA.

Cambridge:
MIT Folk Dance Club (617-253-FOLK)
8-10:30 pm most Sundays,
Stratton Student Center, MIT, 84 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA.

Framingham:
Framingham Folk Dancers (978-897-7549)
7:30-10 pm most Wednesdays, September-June,
Edwards Hall, Edwards Church UCC, 39 Edwards Street, Framingham, MA.

Newton (and Whately):
Zdravets: Dancing from Bulgaria and F.Y.R. Macedonia (617-964-2003)
8-11 pm on mostly 2nd Saturdays, September-June,
Grace Episcopal Church, 76 Eldredge Street, Newton, MA;
October dance at the Whately Dance Barn, Whately, MA.

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English country dance

Country Dance Society, Boston Centre
English country dance programs and events sponsored by CDS-Boston in the Greater Boston area.

Arlington:
CDS Boston Centre Wednesday English Dance (617-721-0600)
7:30-10:30 pm on Wednesdays, September-June,
Park Avenue Congregational Church, 50 Paul Revere Road, Arlington Heights, MA.

Brookline, West Newton, and Concord:
Experienced English Dance (617-721-0600)
7:30-10:30 pm on 1st Fridays or 1st Saturdays, October-May,
various locations.

Cambridge:
CDS Boston Centre Beginner-Friendly English Country Dancing (617-744-5331)
7:30-9:30 pm on 2nd and 4th Fridays, September-June,
Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church, 1555 Massachusetts Avenue, Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA.

Jamaica Plain:
Boston Gender Free English Country Dance (617-522-2216, 617-512-5554)
7:30-10 pm on 2nd and 4th Tuesdays (5th Tuesday, Experienced),
First Church in Jamaica Plain, 6 Eliot Street, Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA.

West Newton:
CDS Boston Centre English Country Dancing Summer Series (617-744-5331)
7:30-10:30 pm on most Wednesdays in July and August,
First Unitarian Society in Newton, 1326 Washington Street, West Newton, MA.

Family dance

Westford:
Family Barn Dances at the PCA (978-692-6333)
3-5 pm on 2nd Sundays, November-March,
Parish Center for the Arts, 10 Lincoln Street, Westford, MA.

Greek dance

Cambridge:
Boston Lykeion Ellinidon (508-393-3563)
7-9 pm on Wednesdays and 12 noon-2 pm on Saturdays,
Greek American Political Center, 2nd floor hall, 288 Green Street, Central Square, Cambridge, MA.

Marblehead:
Greek Folk Dancing Workshop (781-631-1215)
1-3 pm on second Sundays,
Unitarian Universalist Church of Marblehead, 28 Mugford Street, Marblehead, MA.

Hungarian dance

Arlington:
Improvisational Hungarian Dancing (781-648-6887)
6:30-8:30 pm most Sundays,
Church of Our Saviour, 21 Marathon Street, East Arlington, MA.

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Israeli dance

Israeli Folk Dancing in Boston
List of Israeli dance sessions in Brookline, Cambridge, Chestnut Hill, Marblehead, Newton Centre, North Andover, Peabody, and Sharon, MA.

Brookline:
Israeli Folk Dancing
7:30 pm-12 midnight on Mondays,
Temple Kehillath Israel, 384 Harvard Avenue, Brookline, MA.

Cambridge:
MIT Folk Dance Club Israeli Dancing
8-11:30 pm most Wednesdays,
Stratton Student Center, MIT, 84 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA.

Lexington:
Israeli Folk Dancing
8-9:45 pm on Mondays,
Temple Emunah, 9 Piper Road, Lexington, MA.

Marblehead:
Israeli Folk Dancing (781-631-8330)
6:30-8 pm on Sundays,
JCC of the North Shore, 4 Community Road, Marblehead, MA.

Newton:
Israeli Folk Dancing (617-254-HORA)
7-9:30 pm on Sundays (September-June) or Thursdays (July-August),
Temple Emeth, 194 Grove Street, Chestnut Hill, Newton, MA.

North Andover:
Israeli Folk Dancing
7-8:15 pm on Sundays,
Osgood Landing (SE entrance, Building 30, upstairs), 1600 Osgood Street, North Andover, MA.

Peabody:
Israeli Folk Dancing (978-532-1293)
8-9:15 pm on Tuesdays (early teaching 7 pm once a month),
Temple Ner Tamid, 368 Lowell Street, Peabody, MA.

Sharon:
Israeli Folk Dancing (781-784-3986)
8-9:30 pm on Thursdays,
Temple Israel, 125 Pond Street, Sharon, MA.

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New England contra and square dance

NEFFA: New England Folk Festival Association
Regularly scheduled contra dances in eastern Massachusetts.

Cambridge:
BIDA (Boston Intergenerational Dance Advocates) Sunday Contras
7:30-10:30 pm on 1st and 3rd Sundays,
Masonic Hall, 1950 Massachusetts Avenue, Porter Square, Cambridge, MA.

Cambridge:
Fourth Saturday Contra Dances (617-547-7781, 978-369-1232)
8-11 pm on 4th Saturdays, September-June,
Cambridge Friends School, 5 Cadbury Road, Cambridge, MA.

Cambridge:
MIT Tuesday Contra Dance (617-354-0864)
8-10:30 pm on several Tuesdays per month,
Stratton Student Center, MIT, 84 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA.

Carlisle:
Carlisle Contra Dance (617-661-1865, 617-965-0542)
8-10:30 pm on 2nd Fridays, October-June,
First Religious Society in Carlisle U.U. Church, 27 School Street, Carlisle, MA.

Concord:
Challenging Contra Dance Series for experienced dancers (978-779-6077)
8-11 pm on selected first Fridays,
Concord Scout House, 74 Walden Street, Concord, MA.

Concord:
Monday Contras (978-341-4143)
7:30-10:30 pm on Mondays,
Concord Scout House, 74 Walden Street, Concord, MA.

Concord:
NEFFA Thursday Contras
7:30-10:30 pm on Thursdays,
Concord Scout House, 74 Walden Street, Concord, MA.

Gloucester:
Cape Ann Contra Dance
7 pm (instruction at 6:30) on selected Sundays,
First Baptist Church, 38 Gloucester Avenue, Gloucester, MA.

Jamaica Plain:
Boston Gender Free Contra Dance (617-522-2216, 617-852-4042)
Usually 7:30-10:30 pm on 2nd and 4th Saturdays, September–July,
First Church in Jamaica Plain U.U., 6 Eliot Street, Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA.

Lexington:
Roaring Jelly Contras (781-235-0713)
7:45-11 pm on 3rd Fridays, September–June (no dance in April 2016),
First Parish in Lexington U.U. Church, 7 Harrington Road, Lexington, MA.

Westford:
Barn Dances at the PCA (978-692-6333)
7:30-10 pm on 4th Saturdays, October-April,
Parish Center for the Arts, 10 Lincoln Street, Westford, MA.

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Scottish country dance

Royal Scottish Country Dance Society, Boston Branch
List of Scottish country dance classes in the Northeast.

Arlington:
RSCDS Boston Challenge Scottish Country Dance Classes (617-864-8945, 781-643-3977)
7:30-9:30 pm on monthly Fridays,
Calvary Church, 300 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, MA.

Brookline
RSCDS Boston, Brookline Class (617-661-5899, 617-244-6914)
7:30-9:30 pm on Sundays, September–May,
Church of Our Saviour, 25 Monmouth Street, Brookline, MA.

Newton
Scottish Country Dancing (call to confirm: 617-244-6914)
10:30 am-12 noon on Wednesdays, September–mid-June,
The Hut, 69 Tyler Terrace, Newton, MA (September-May;
VFW Post 440, 295 California Street, Newton (June-August).

North Chelmsford
RSCDS Boston, Nashua Class, North Chelmsford (978-764-4538, 508-574-1533)
7-9 pm on 1st Fridays, year-round,
31 Princeton Street, North Chelmsford, MA.

Salem
RSCDS Boston, Salem Class (617-462-1925)
8 pm (beginners 7:30) on Thursdays, year-round,
First Universalist Society of Salem, 211 Bridge Street, Salem, MA.

Stow
RSCDS Boston, Stow Class (978-897-2466)
7:30-10:30 pm (children 7-7:30; adult beginners 7:30–8) on 2nd and 4th Fridays, September-June,
Old Stow Town Hall, 375 Great Road, Stow, MA.

Watertown
RSCDS Boston, Cambridge Class
7:45-10:15 pm most Mondays,
Canadian-American Club, 202 Arlington Street, Watertown, MA.

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Swing, vintage, waltz

Swing - List:
DanceNet: Swing Dancing in Boston and Beyond
Listings for Greater Boston and New England.

Vintage:
Commonwealth Vintage Dancers
Various classes and special events in eastern MA.

Waltz, Concord:
FAC Mostly Waltz for Boston (781-438-4387)
2-5:30 pm on monthly Sundays, September-May,
Concord Scout House, 74 Walden Street, Concord, MA.

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