Outdoor Summer Dances

Schedule Archives

2023 (Dancing on the Greenway, Dewey Square)

July 11: English Ceilidh

  • leader: Alex Cumming
  • music: Alex Cumming, Crispin Youngberg, Max Newman

July 18: International Folk Dancing

  • leader: Andy Taylor-Blenis

July 15: CANCELLED due to bad weather: Cape Breton Set Dance

  • leader: Jen Schoonover
  • music: Rachel Reeds, Gawain Thomas

August 1: New England Contra Dancing

  • leader: Nils Fredland
  • music: Stomp Rocket

August 8: CANCELLED due to bad weather: Irish Céilí

  • leader: Rebecca McGowan
  • music: Devin McCabe, Nathan Gourley, Dan Accardi

August 15: International Folk Dancing

  • leaders: Jonathan Young, Andy Taylor-Blenis

August 22: Middle Eastern/North African Dancing

  • leaders: Origins Folkloric Dance Company and special guests

August 29: New England Contra Dancing

  • leader: Wendy Graham
  • music: Eric Boodman & Sam Zakon-Anderson

2022 (Folk Dance by the Fountain, Copley Square)

July 5: International Folk Dancing

  • leader: Jonathan Young, Andy Taylor-Blenis

July 12:International Folk Dancing

  • leader: Andy Taylor-Blenis and Yaron Shragai

July 19:International Folk Dancing

  • leader: Yaron Shragai and Jonathan Young

July 26:Contra/English Country Dancing

  • leader: Don Veino
  • music: Chimney Swift

August 2:International Folk Dancing

  • leader: Andy Taylor-Blenis

August 9:International Folk Dancing

  • leader: Yaron Shragai and Jonathan Young

August 16:Ceilidh Dancing (a mix of circles, squares, longways, reels, and jigs)

  • leader: Alex Cumming
  • music: Alex Cumming band

August 23:International Folk Dancing

  • leader: Tom Roby and Jonathan Young

August 30:International Folk Dancing

  • leader: Jonathan Young and Andy Taylor-Blenis

2020 and 2021 (virtual dances on Zoom)

  • Folk Dancing by the Virtual Fountain - live on Zoom

2019 (Copley Square)

July 2: New England contras and squares

  • leader: Steve Zakon-Anderson
  • music: Polaris

July 9: International Folk Dancing

  • leaders: Andy Taylor-Blenis and Jonathan Young
  • music: the Cambridge Folk Orchestra

July 16: International Folk Dancing

  • leaders: Andy Taylor-Blenis and Jonathan Young

July 23: International Folk Dancing

  • leaders: Yaron Shragai and Janet Yeracaris

July 30: New England contras and squares and International Folk Dancing

  • leader: Marcie Van Cleave
  • music: Kingfisher (Jeff Kaufman and Cecilia Vacanti)

August 6: International Folk Dancing

  • leaders: Jonathan Young and Yaron Shragai

August 13: Canceled due to weather

August 20: International Folk Dancing

  • leaders: Jonathan Young and Janet Yeracaris
  • music: Yaron Shragai and Friends

August 27: International Folk Dancing

  • leaders: Andy Taylor-Blenis and Yaron Shragai

Sponsors: City of Boston Parks Department’s Michael Francis Cahill Fund and to Financial Framework LLP

2018 (Copley Square, 48th year)

July 10: International Folk Dancing

  • leaders: Andy Taylor-Blenis and Jonathan Young
  • with student teachers Sarah Bustin, Masha Schmitt, and Jordan Young

July 17: Canceled due to weather

July 24: International Folk Dancing

  • leaders: Andy Taylor-Blenis and Jonathan Young
  • music: Yaron Shragai, Gawain Thomas, David Skidmore, and Max Rothman

July 31: New England Contra and International Folk Dancing

  • leaders: Don Heinold (contra), Marcie Van Cleave (international)
  • music: Julie Vallimont and Ed Howe

August 7: Ceilidh dancing

  • leader: Alex Cumming
  • music: Alex Cumming Dance Band (Alex, accordion; Carol Bittenson, fiddle; and Stephen Thomforde, flute)

August 14:International Folk Dancing

  • leaders: Andy Taylor-Blenis and Jonathan Young

August 21: Mostly Balkan Dance

  • leaders: Andy Taylor-Blenis and Janet Yeracaris
  • music: Gogofski (Dave Golber (clarinet); Gawain Thomas (accordion); Henry Goldberg (tapan); and Kasia Sokalla (vocals))

August 28: International Folk Dancing

  • leaders: Andy Taylor-Blenis

2017 (Copley Square)

Download the 2017 Folk Dancing by the Fountain schedule flier.

July 11: Techno Contra and International Folk Dancing (special opening night)

  • leaders: Angela DeCarlis (techno contra) and Marcie Van Cleave (international)
  • music: Cosmic Echo (Julie Vallimont, keyboard, and Ed Howe, fiddle)

July 18: Balkan Dancing

  • leader: Janet Yeracaris
  • music: Zdravets

July 25: International Folk Dancing

  • leaders: Andy Taylor-Blenis and Jonathan Young

August 1: Contra and International Folk Dancing

  • leader: Chris Ricciotti
  • music: Chimney Swift

August 8: International Folk Dancing

  • leaders: Janet Yeracaris and Jonathan Young
  • music: Blajini

August 15: International Folk Dancing

  • leader: Andy Taylor-Blenis

August 22: International Folk Dancing

  • leaders: Jonathan Young and Andy Taylor-Blenis

August 29: Balkan Dancing, special closing night

  • leader: Andy Taylor-Blenis
  • music: Gogofski Trio

2016 (Copley Square)

July 5: Contra Dancing and International Folk Dancing (special opening night)

  • leader: Nils Fredland (techno contra) and Lynn Heinemann (international)
  • music: Cosmic Echo (Julie Vallimont, keyboard, and Ed Howe, fiddle)
  • Sound: Ed Howe, Sound of Perfection

July 12: International Folk Dancing

  • leader: Andy Taylor-Blenis
  • music: Skorosmrtnica

July 19: International Folk Dancing

  • leaders: Jonathan Young and Dana Sussman

July 26: International Folk Dancing

  • leader: Andy Taylor-Blenis

August 2: International Folk Dancing

  • leader: Yaron Shragai
  • music: Sladka

August 9: International Folk Dancing

  • leader: Jonathan Young

August 16: Contra Dancing and International Folk Dancing

  • leader: Angela DeCarlis (contra) and Andy Taylor-Blenis (international)
  • music: Chimney Swift

August 23: International Folk Dancing

  • leader: Tom Roby

August 30: International Folk Dancing, Special Closing Night

  • leader: Andy Taylor-Blenis