Every week
Join us for our regular Wednesday evening English Country Dance at Merion Friends Meeting Activities Building. (logistical details below).
We dance through the summer. Note that the dance space has good ventilation, but no air conditioning. 1st Saturdays and the Barn Dance will start up again the first weekend in October.
Looking at this on your phone? Jump to the upcoming events calendar.
Annual Members' Meeting,
Wednesday, June 4th
Picnic (weather permitting): 6:15
Meeting for all Germantown Country Dancers members: 7:00
Dance: 8:00
Please bring your own dinner, also if the weather is good, a blanket or chair for meeting outside. We will
- Review the financial and attendance data and highlights from the 2024-2025 year,
- Review the proposed budget for 2025-26,
- Vote on the nominating committee's proposed 2025-26 slate of board members up for new terms, and also hear who will be in charge of various committees, events, and tasks.
- There may also be time to discuss relevant questions and issues to help inform decisions we make in the coming year.
PROPOSED BOARD SLATE for 2025-2026
Jenny Beer: President (1st term)
James McPeak: Vice President (1st term)
At Large: Tristan Morris (2nd term)
Continuing Board Members:
Bob Pollack: Treasurer
Cecily Selling: Secretary
Judy Kleppel: At Large
Judi Stellar: At Large
Next Open Band: Wednesday, June 11th
Co-led by Kathy Talvitie and Miranda Weinberg. Joanna Reiner Wilkinson will be calling.
Join in! Even if you can only play one tune and want to dance the rest. Musicians of all skill levels are invited to participate.
See the Open Band page for the program, sample video/audio tracks, and other details about how to participate.
Dance camp time!
It's time to register for your summer fun. Weeks with English Country Dancing and weeks for families tend to fill up fast. CDSS Camp Weeks.
You might also enjoy the dance camps Hey Days, run by the Bay Area Country Dance Society (BACDS) in June, and Ashokan Northern Week in July.
GCD organizational matters
GCD Code of Conduct: This year, the GCD Board formalized a code of conduct which reflects the values that have always been a part of our community. Please read them now and again!: Code of Conduct PDF.
COVID guidelines (11/2024): Masks are optional but welcome for all GCD dances. Please stay home if you have potential symptoms. Also if you or a household member has had a positive test within 10 days, unless you have tested negative. We inform our participants if anyone tests positive following a GCD event. Thus 1) you will be asked to sign a contact information form the first time you attend a GCD event, and 2) If you test positive within 3 days of attending a GCD event, you must let the board know (your identity will not be revealed in the public email sent out). Full COVID policy PDF.
Regular Dances and Events
| When? | What? | Where? |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesdays Year round (occasional exceptions) 7:30 pm – Arrive for new dancers' orientation |
English Country Dancing
Sliding scale Admission: |
Merion Friends Meeting Activities Building |
| First Saturdays October - May 3:00–5:30 pm – Afternoon Workshop | ECD for intermediate and experienced dancers** see below
Sliding-Scale Admission: |
Summit Church, Mt. Airy |
| Mt. Airy Barn Dance 1st Sundays, November – April 2:00–3:45 pm |
Old time fun for all ages: FaceBook page
Adults $5-10, kids and teens (age 4-18) $3-5. |
Summit Church, Mt. Airy |
Before you come...
On Wednesday evenings and at the Mt. Airy Barn Dance, new dancers are always welcome! Each dance is taught, then prompted. You don't need to bring a partner, as we change partners throughout the session. Friendly folk will ask you to dance. English Country Dancing is community dancing, where one of the pleasures is interacting with everyone in the room.
Please wear flat-soled shoes.
** First Saturday workshops and evening programs are more difficult than on Wednesdays. The programs are intended for intermediate and experienced dancers who know standard figures, such as casts and leads, siding, single and double figures of eight, and all manner of heys.
Venues
Germantown Country Dancers holds dances in two locations:
Merion Friends Meeting Activities Building 615 Montgomery Ave, Merion, PA 19066 (on the Main Line)
Summit Church, Mt. Airy, Westview & Greene Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19119
Join us!
Do you appreciate the events GCD sponsors for dancers and musicians? For a small amount, you can become an Official Member of this great organization! (With the side-benefit of guaranteed Ball admission if you register in time.)