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This is where you will find contra dance music CD's from all over the United States.
Please browse the collection and listen to the Real Audio or MP2 samples. There are instructions below for getting the most out of this site, or you can get instant gratification by clicking the Random CD Link.

Updated 14 March, 2008:
The updates have been few and far between here, and I apologize (again). As some of you know, I have been overwhelmed by family responsibilities for quite some time. Well, my responsibilities are ending real soon, and I will be traveling to dances and festivals all over the country until I feel like stopping. I have a wireless broadband internet connection that should allow me to continue running Contracopia, though there may be an occasional delay of a day or two.

I will no longer be accepting mail orders. I know some of you prefer to mail in your order with a check, but my office is now on wheels and the mailing address will be changing frequently. If you would like to mail me a check, place your order using the shopping cart and select Check or Money Order as the payment method. I will email you with an address to mail the check to.

Updates will be coming more frequently, so please check back and see what's new. Thanks for your support. patrick.

Latest Additions:
Nightingale 3 by Nightingale
Becky, Keith, and Jeremiah never disappoint. A broad palette of styles including French Canadian, Cape Breton, and Acadian, blended together with care and skill. Sometimes true to tradition, sometimes boldly progressive and jazzy.

Lissa Schneckenburger by Lissa Schneckenburger
Lissa Schneckenburger has been busy, not only travelling all over playing for contra dances, but also developing her musical career. On this CD Lissa explores the spectrum of her talents: traditional tunes played with progressive flair, original tunes played in a traditional style, and songs sung with heart and soul.

Jiig by Ian Robb
Ian Robb plays with the contra dance group The Old Sod Band. Most of this CD celebrates the nautical heritage of the New World, with a bit of Irish, Acadian, Appalachian flavor mixed in. This CD has more vocals on it than most here at Contracopia, 10 of the 13 tracks are sung.

Picassiette by Betsy Branch and Mark Douglas
Betsy Branch and Mark Douglass are a fiddle and piano duo from Oregon. There music ranges from the traditional New England to jazzy and progressive.

CONTRA DANCE FILMS
Contra Connections by David Millstone
Vermont / New Hampshire caller David Millstone has created two wonderful documentary films which are now available on DVD. The films are Paid To Eat Ice Cream, a study of the fascinating musical career of contra dance musician Bob McQuillen, and What's Not To Like, which captures the spirit and enthusiasm of the Norwich, Vermont contra dance community.

This Month's Featured CD

Barn Owl Band / Barn Owls Live
The Barn Owls hail from Ames, Iowa, where they play for the local dance. They received some much deserved notoriety after appearing on Prairie Home Companion a while back. I had the pleasure of calling with them in Ames, what a fun dance that was! Have a listen and find out for yourself.

Real Audio sample
(requires Real Player installed on your computer)
MP2 sample
(should work with pretty much every computer)

How to find the CD's you want

Music Index Arranged in alphabetical order by band or artist, use this if you are looking for a particular CD, or to scan the whole list.

Search Engine If you have a favorite musician or band, search the site for it.

Category Listing In order to help you find CDs of a particular style, I have subjectively grouped the CDs into classes like Progressive, Old Time, Swingy, et cetera.

Listening to Music Samples

The music samples on Contracopia are available in two formats. The longer samples are in Real Audio format and you will need to have Real Player installed on your computer. The MP2 samples are shorter, but you should be able to download and listen with the basic Windows Media Player. Real Player is pretty useful, to download follow the link below. If you would like more information about our music samples, go to our Music Sample page.

Download Real Player

How to Order

You can order online using the shopping cart link on each CD page, or you can print out the Printable Order Form and do it the old fashioned way. It doesn't matter to me, I have even processed orders scrawled on scrap paper (no offense to the scrawlees, I still appreciate the order). Whatever the method, you can pay by Visa, MasterCard, American Express, personal check, or money order. Go to How to Order page for details.

Other Stuff

Contracopia is a tiny operation, dedicated to supporting and promoting contra dance. Take a minute to send an email to tell a friend about us. This is just an email link, the address will not be saved or used by us.

You can also help spread the word by joining Contracopia's Affiliate Program: With this program, you can earn a commission on every sale referred from your contra dance related web site. It just takes a minute to sign up, and it can earn you or your dance organization some extra income!

ContraNews: Contracopia deals with bands from all over the country, and these bands travel all over the place. ContraNews is a monthly email with information about where the bands you have heard here will be playing, as well as what new CD's are available.

As we have grown, customer comments have been an important source of guidance.
Do you know of a band we should contact, or have a comment about us or the music we carry? Looking for something special? Let us know! Contact Us.

Contracopia accepts personal checks, money orders, and these credit cards

How to Order Printable Order Form


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Welcome, Dancing Friends

Welcome,
Dancing Friends