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Houston Area Traditional Dance Society

Houston Area Traditional Dance Society

Come Dance with Us!

HATDS sponsors contra dances and English Country dances, plus the occasional Old-Time Square dance, in Houston, Texas.

Contra Dances

At the dance

Contra dances are held on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of most months. Check our schedule page or sign up for email reminders to stay current. Updates will also be posted to our Facebook group and Instagram page.

Specifics about each dance are posted on our Google calendar.

Become a member to receive a $5 discount at every regular contra dance.

Volunteer!

HATDS members, please volunteer to be a door manager or hall manager at a contra dance. Sign up on our SignUp Genius page.

English Country Dances

English Country Dancing

HATDS English dances are on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Sundays with the occasional exception. For details, see our ECD page. To stay current with the ECD schedule, subscribe to the HATDS ECD mailing list and/or check the HATDS calendar.


Upcoming Special Events

Holiday Ball

HATDS Holiday Ball

The Holiday Ball will be on December 14 at Resurrection MCC, 2025 West 11th Street. It will begin with a potluck dinner followed by a combination of contra and English dances. Details are on the 2024 Ball page.

There's more work to be done at the Ball than at our regular dances. Please visit our SignUp Genius page and volunteer to help.

There is no contra dancing for the rest of the year after the Ball, but there is an English country dance the next day.

February 21-23, 2025 in Houston

Bayou Bedlam is Houston's contra dance festival, taking place a week later than usual in 2025. Visit bayoubedlam.org for details.

April 4-6, 2025 in OKC

Set for Spring is the English country dance weekend that rotates between Texas and Oklahoma cities. It returns to Oklahoma City in 2025. When the site is ready, details will be at setforspring.org.

When in Doubt, Swing!

April 25-27, 2025 in Dallas

When in Doubt, Swing! is Dallas's contra dance weekend. Visit nttds.org for details.



Location, Policies, and Prices

All HATDS regular dances are open to the public and are currently held at Dauntless Dance & Movement, 3221 Houston Ave, 77009.

Policies

  • No membership is required,
  • No prior dance experience is required,
  • No partner is required,
  • All dances are taught and called.

Health related:

  • Attend at your own risk.
  • Do not attend if you are not feeling well.
  • Masks are welcomed but not required.
  • Do not attend our dances smelling of alcohol, smoke, or fragrances .

Young dancers:

  • Children 13 and younger must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
  • Teens 14-17 may attend on their own but must provide an emergency phone number for a responsible adult.

To protect the floor and keep the space clean:

  • Do not wear street shoes for dancing. Bring clean, low-heel shoes that will not scuff or damage the floor, or dance in stocking feet.
  • You may bring water in closed containers—there's no water fountain. No other beverages are allowed.
  • You may bring snacks but they must be consumed outside.

Prices

  • Contra dances: $10 for members, $15 for non-members.
  • English Country dances: $10 for members and non-members alike.
  • Kids younger than 18 are free. Be sure to see the minors policy above.
  • Cash, credit cards, digital wallets, PayPal, and Venmo are accepted at the door. If paying cash, please bring correct change. No large bills accepted.
  • Special events have their own pricing structure.

Note: Admission prices cover only the cost of producing a specific dance, such as hall rent and talent payments. Membership dues support the additional administrative costs of HATDS. Although membership is not required for dance attendance, please consider becoming a member. Tap here to join.


Join HATDS!

Follow this link to learn about HATDS membership or click the button below to join now.

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No partner necessary | All dances taught and prompted