We are Hartford Community Dance, but you can call us by our nickname, HCD. We are a nonprofit, educational organization with one main goal—to provide folks in central Connecticut who love to dance as much as we do with opportunities to satisfy their dancing needs. We do this by having dances—lots and lots of alcohol-free and smoke-free swing, contra, Cajun/zydeco, and mostly-waltz dances in Central Connecticut. Except for our Scandi events and one of our two monthly swing dances—the one we affectionately call Swing Jam—we enjoy live bands at our dances. (At Swing Jam we feature professional disk jockeys). Our bands are the very best and come to us from near and far. We’ve been putting together dances for more than thirty years, bringing the joy of dancing to literally thousands of Connecticut dancers, and we’re delighted to have you join us.
During this phase of the ongoing pandemic, restrictions related to Covid depend upon the particular HCD dance you are attending. For this reason, consult this website’s page of the dance you will be attending to find out what the pandemic related restrictions for that dance are. However, whichever HCD event you attend you will be asked to sign a waiver/contact-tracing form acknowledging that you are not sick, that you understand you are dancing at your own risk, and that you will follow the safety and other instructions of the organizers. HCD reserves the right to change these policies at any time. For everyone’s safety, if you are experiencing any Covid symptoms and/or are not feeling well, please stay home.
UPCOMING HCD DANCES
Saturday, Mar. 25: Swing Jam (more info).
Saturday, Mar. 25: Scandi (more info).
Sunday, Apr. 2: Mostly Waltz (more info).
Friday, Apr. 7: Quiet Corner Contra (more info).
Saturday, Apr. 8: 2nd-Sat. Contra (more info).
Friday, Apr. 14: 1st-Friday Swing (more info).
Saturday, Apr. 15: Scandi (more info).
Saturday, Apr. 22: Swing Jam (more info).
Friday, May 5: Quiet Corner Contra (more info).
Sunday, May 7: Mostly Waltz (more info).
Friday, May 12: 1st-Friday Swing (more info).
Saturday, May 13: 2nd-Sat. Contra (more info).
HCD EMAIL LIST
Sign up here to receive email announcements of dance related information, including notices of special events and weather cancellations. We need only your name and email address, which will be used only by HCD and only for dance related announcements. You may unsubscribe at any time.
PAYMENT FOR ENTRY TO HCD EVENTS
HCD is a nonprofit, but admission to most HCD events requires a small payment that’s used to cover expenses such as rental of the venue where the event takes place, musicians or DJs who supply the music, insurance, etc. At most events volunteers are admitted free or at a reduced rate; others may make payment either by cash or check. Consult the page of the event you’ll be attending to find out how to volunteer and the amount of the admission fee, if any.
HCD 1ST-FRIDAY SWING & HCD SWING JAM
Whether you enjoy east- or west-coast swing, or maybe something in between, you’re gonna love our two swing dances every month. If live music is your preference, swing with us at the West Hartford Town Hall on the first Friday evening of each month. New to swing? Come for a free lesson before the dance begins. Learn more about HCD 1st-Friday Swing dance here. You say you enjoy swinging to DJ music? Then HCD Swing Jam is just the dance for you. It’s on the fourth Saturday evening of each month (except July and August) at Temple Beth Torah in Wethersfield. Learn more about HCD Swing Jam here.
HCD QUIET CORNER CONTRA & HCD 2ND-SATURDAY CONTRA
HCD has two monthly contra dances—HCD Quiet Corner Contra dances on the first Friday of every fall, winter, and spring month at Patriots Park Lodge in Coventry, and HCD 2nd-Saturday Contra dances at Temple Beth Torah in Wethersfield on the second Saturday of every month. Both feature live music and a free lesson preceding each dance. Learn more about the 2nd-Saturday Contra dances here and Quiet Corner Contra dances here.
HCD CAJUN/ZYDECO
No, you don’t have to live in a Louisiana bayou to enjoy dancing to this toe-tapping live-band music: you’d be surprised how many Connecticut Yankees enjoy this high-energy dance form. HCD Cajun/Zydeco dances are held at Temple Beth Torah in Wethersfield on the third Saturday of autumn, winter, and spring months (no Cajun/zydeco dances during the summer). Come for a free lesson at the start of these dances to learn what you’ve been missing, and read more about these popular dances here.
HCD MOSTLY WALTZ
These more relaxing dances are held when we should be relaxing—Sunday afternoons—at Temple Beth Torah in Wethersfield. We call it mostly waltz because though most of what the live bands play are indeed waltzes, there are plenty of other dance forms to let you practice your other moves, too. Bring a partner or come alone; there will be plenty of others to dance with. HCD Mostly Waltz dances are are held on the first Sunday of each month, though not during the summer. Find out more about these dances here.
HCD SCANDINAVIAN DANCE
Scandi events feature dances popular in the Scandinavian countries of Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. These are couple turning dances, some of which even resemble swing dances, and they’re taught by Charlie, who’s been an instructor of this dance form since 1977. The dances are free of charge on Sundays at Temple Beth Torah in Wethersfield, but they are not held on a regular schedule so check here from time to time to find out about upcoming HCD Scandinavian Dance events.
