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$5,000 Goal
The Sacramento Country Dance Society (SCDS) was founded in 1986 to foster traditional contra dancing in the Sacramento region. SCDS is a member of the Country Dance and Song Society, Inc., a national organization that researches and promotes song and traditional dance, including both contra dancing and English country dance, in more than 250 cities and towns in the USA and Canada. The contra dance tradition dates to the American Revolution, while English country dancing goes back to an even older tradition of the English countryside of the 1600s and 1700s.
From our beginning with a single contra dance a month, the SCDS has, in recent years, supported hundreds of participants at four dances each month: two contra dances held in Sacramento, and two English country dances: one held in Roseville and one in Sacramento. SCDS also sponsors an annual contra dance weekend at Camp Sacramento in the Sierras. Extra dances are scheduled for special occasions, such as New Year's Eve, and outreach events. We have also offered workshops that build the skills of musicians and dance leaders in the community. These events provide multiple opportunities for local, regional, and nationally known musicians to perform for appreciative dancers.
Dancers come from throughout the multi-county Sacramento region; all ages can participate, and newcomers are welcomed at every dance. A half-hour beginner's lesson is held before each dance. Our volunteer board and many committee members donate many hours to organizing and holding dances, as well as hosting and transporting guest callers and musicians.
The SCDS mission is to foster the preservation, study, teaching, and continuing enjoyment and evolution of traditional and historical dance, music, and song traditions, primarily American and English. Our mission is further to support and build vibrant communities through these participatory dance, music, and song traditions.
As with many arts organizations, attendance at our events has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. Therefore, our primary need at this time is to acquire adequate funding to pay for the facility rental and band costs at our regular dance events. For most of the organization’s history, we have self-funded these expenses, while using fund-raising donations solely for outreach, workshops, special events, and equipment needs. However, due to the financial headwinds imposed by post-pandemic economic changes, we currently are relying on donations to fully support these dances. In the last year we were able to return to our full dance schedule. This year we hope to be able to resume conducting workshops.
The Sacramento Country Dance Society is committed to inclusion, diversity, equity, and access as fundamental to our mission of using traditional country dance to improve the quality of life in the Sacramento area.
Organization name
Sacramento Country Dance Society
other names
SCDS
1986
Tax id (EIN)
68-0261960
Mission Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities
Operating Budget
$50,001 - $100,000
Organization Need
Funding: Unrestricted
Demographics Served
Seniors, Youth & Children, General population
Local Counties Served
El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Yolo
Address
8609 Spring House WaySacramento, CA, US
Yolo, CA, US
Placer, CA, US
El Dorado, CA, US