Atlantic Stampede Dance Celebration in Washington, DC | Atlantic Stampede Country Dance Celebration

Join the Atlantic Stampede Dance Celebration

Our Artists

Meet the folks who are ready to share their love of music and dance with you.

SPECIAL ALERT: Due to a gift from an anonymous dance angel, we are able to offer a limited number of tickets for the final night of Atlantic Stampede at a 50% discount off the regular price. Enjoy the live music of The Wild Shoats and Jake Blount with calling by Janine Smith. Join us for a barn dance like no other as we enter the home stretch of World Pride 2025.

June 4, 5 & 6 • The Historic North Hall @ Eastern Market • Washington DC

About us

Cowpokes and Other Folks:

The Atlantic Stampede Dance Celebration is built around diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility. No experience is necessary; all evening dances are geared toward novice dancers and are taught as they are danced. Gender roles and labels are not necessary for our dance, so they are not used.

Each evening includes:

Warmup period of open country/western dancing, with an introductory lesson for the main evening dance at 7:30 p.m.
Building your skills by using the walk-thru teaching technique for every dance. You will learn as you dance, and dance as you learn.
Musical genres that encompass folk, country, and popular traditions for contra, square, barn, country, line, waltz, and other dance forms.
Dances are accompanied by live vocalists and musicians playing guitar, violin (fiddle), banjo, keyboards, etc.
Access to an expansive dance floor with moderate volume, high quality sound in a newly air-conditioned historic setting.

Daytime workshops are offered to add even more dance knowledge and skills to your repertoire. What you learn in the workshops you can use in the evening.

Come to share your pride.
Come to join and build our community.
Come to listen and enjoy.
Come to Dance and Celebrate!

Learn more

Proudly Celebrating Dance and Community Together

The Atlantic Stampede Dance Celebration is a three-day World Pride 2025 Official Partner Event, sponsored by the Atlantic States Gay Rodeo Association. Enjoy 4 dances over 3 nights with 2 full days of dance workshops. Evening events will feature community contra, square, circle and barn dances, plus open two-step and waltz, featuring live musical performances and calling from some of the most talented and highly regarded dance artists in the United States.

Event Schedule

Join us for a vibrant 3-day dance celebration with live music, called and open dancing, and dance workshops at Eastern Market.

Dance Workshops (confirmed running order)

Thursday, June 5

Dance Workshops A (50 minute sessions)

9:00 AM East Coast Swing

10:00 AM Slow Country Waltz Basics

11:00 AM Basic Country Two-Step and Flourishes

12:00 PM Line dance lessons - Barn Dance, Turn Up the Beat

1:00 PM Contra Dance Basics/Extensions class

2:00 PM Clogging/Flatfoot Workshop

Friday, June 6

Dance Workshops B (50 minute sessions)

9:00 AM West Coast Swing

10:00 AM Couple partnering Cha-Cha

11:00 AM Line dance lesson - Waltz Across Texas

12:00 PM Fast Waltz

1:00 PM Line dance lessons - El Paso couples, Barn Dance review

2:00 PM Country 2-Step - Beyond the Basics

3:00 PM Line dance lessons - Mambo Shuffle, Tahoe Kick

Full Event Schedule

Wednesday, June 4

• Atlantic Stampede - Cowpoke Contra Dance – 7 PM to 11 PM

Penelope Weinberger calling; music by Helen Kuhar & Kelsey Wells

Thursday, June 5

• Atlantic Stampede - Dance Workshops A– 9 AM to 3 PM

• (FREE) IGRA 50 Years of Gay Rodeo History - Reception & Concert/Dance - 4PM to 6PM

Musical performance by Justin Green with open dancing

• Atlantic Stampede - Capital City Square Dance - 7 PM to 10:30 PM

Becky Hill calling; music by Helen, Kelsey & David Courret-Knight

• Atlantic Stampede - Late Nite Contra Sonic Dance - 10:45 PM to Midnight

Penelope and DJ Mike Lentz calling to special retro and popular music sets

Friday, June 6

• Atlantic Stampede - Dance Workshops B - 9AM to 4PM

• Smithsonian National Museum of American History Archives Center Tours

• Atlantic Stampede - Hot Moon Hoedown - Barn Dance - 7 PM to 11 PM

Janine Smith calling; music by The Wild Shoats & Jake Blount

Let's Dance and Eat Too! Welcoming our guests to the Eastern Market neighborhood, Mr Henry's Restaurant (@ 601 Pennsylvania Ave SE) and Tunnicliff's Tavern (@ 227 7th St SE) are offering special discounts off your entire food and beverage check to Atlantic Stampede participants during our event window. Both offer daytime lunches and early dinners before the dancing and late-night options afterwards. Be sure to add them to your dance card!