Contra dancing · Third Fridays · Grand Rapids
A live string band plays, a caller teaches every dance as we go, and you’ll swing with half the room by the end of the night. No partner and no experience needed.
How an evening goes
We walk through the basic moves together. Come even if you plan to “just watch.”
The caller teaches each dance, then calls it out loud while the band plays. Partners change every dance.
We wind down around ten. By then you’ll have danced with most of the room.
Also from GRFAS
Next concert
Saturday, November 28, 2026
Listening-room folk concerts at the Wealthy Theatre Annex, 7:00 pm. $15 general, $10 members.
Membership
$15 single · $25 family
Members save at every dance and concert, and keep traditional music going in Grand Rapids. Join at the door.
First time?
If you can walk, you can contra dance.
What to wear, what to expect, and answers to the questions newcomers ask most.
Third Fridays, September–May
Live bands, a caller who teaches every dance, and a crowd aged 6 to 92. Come alone, with friends, or bring the family.
When
3rd Friday of the month
Beginner lesson 7:00 pm. Dancing 7:30–10:00 pm.
Where
Fifth Street Hall at St. Adalbert’s
701 5th St NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504, at 5th and Davis. Get directions
Admission
Bands and callers can change. Check back the week of the dance.
The January 15, 2027 dance is at Fountain Street Church in downtown Grand Rapids, not our usual hall. Get directions
Fifth Street Hall is on the second floor, up a long staircase, with no elevator. If stairs are hard for you, contact us before you come and we’ll help you plan.
Want to play or call a GRFAS dance? Get in touch. Callers, please give us at least 10 days’ notice.
More dancing nearby: Contra GR hosts dances on first Fridays, so there are two chances a month to get on the floor in Grand Rapids. There’s also Country Dancing in Kalamazoo and the Macatawa Contra Dance in Holland. See the for more.
Saturdays at the Wealthy Theatre Annex
Touring and regional folk musicians in an intimate listening room. Music starts at 7:00 pm unless the listing says otherwise.
Where
Wealthy Theatre Annex
1110 Wealthy St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506, just west of Fuller Ave. Get directions
Admission
Performers announced as they’re booked. Dates can change, so check before you plan a trip.
We’re a volunteer nonprofit with a modest budget, so we usually offer a small guarantee plus a share of the door. Send a recording or a link to your music to our concert booker.
Your first contra dance
Contra looks complicated from the doorway and feels easy once you’re in line. Every dance is taught, the music carries you, and the whole room is on your side.
That’s when the free beginner lesson starts.
$12, or less for seniors, students, members, and families.
Partners change every dance. Coming alone is normal.
Each dance is walked through first, then called out loud while the band plays.
No. Partners rotate throughout the night, and lots of people arrive on their own.
Yes. Our dances welcome ages 6 to 92 and up. Children should be able to follow simple spoken directions and stay with a partner through a dance. The family rate is $20.
Always. A simple “no thank you” is enough, and sitting one out is completely normal.
Fifth Street Hall is up a long staircase with no elevator. Contact us before the dance and we’ll help you plan. The January 15 dance is at Fountain Street Church.
No. The caller teaches every dance before the music starts, and experienced dancers are happy to steer you.
Draft awaiting board adoption.
If something doesn’t feel right, tell any board member or the person running sound that night. We’ll listen.
Membership & volunteering
GRFAS is run entirely by volunteers. Members keep dances and concerts affordable, and save at the door.
Single
$15 / year
One person.
Family
$25 / year
Everyone in your household.
Fill out a short form at the door of any dance or concert. You’ll get a wallet card showing your expiration date.
A few hours a month makes a real difference. We regularly need help with:
Hear about upcoming dances and concerts. Ask to join the email list (cal.mi.mpc@gmail.com).
Who we are
We enrich people’s lives and foster a sense of community through traditional music, dance, and song.
The Grand River Folk Arts Society is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has presented contra dances and folk concerts in West Michigan for decades, serving the Grand Rapids–Kalamazoo area. Our monthly dances returned in January 2024 after the pandemic break.
Everything we do, from booking bands and callers to running sound and staffing the door, is done by members and volunteers.
Board meetings are open to all members. Contact us for the next meeting date.
Grand River Folk Arts Society
Attn: Roger Plaxton, Treasurer
10886 Treetop Lane
Lowell, MI 49331
Friends & neighbors
More folk music, dance, and song around Michigan and beyond. Know a group we’re missing? Let us know.