Contra dance!

Tamara and I went contra dancing last night. It was amazing. If you've spent much time with me, you've probably heard this dozens of times over, I'm not sorry. What is contra dancing? I'm glad you asked!

No. It has nothing to do with a certian video game. (Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, Start. Yeah, I'm that cool.) Nor does it have anything to do with Nicaraguan rebels.

That's what it's not, but what is it?

The simple answer is that you just have to experence it for yourself. Go contra dancing.

My favorite answer is that it's an amusement park ride we make with our bodies.

For an attempt at a more complete answer: contra dancing is a form of early American social dance. Ever seen Pride and Prejudice? It's almost like the dancing in that movie, except that it's more lively and less refined. The dance is in two long lines down the hall, and you dance primarily with your partner, but also with those around you and the entire line.

Ever been square dancing? It's kind of like that, only a whole lot less hick. Like square dance it is a walking dance: no foot work required. Also, it is a called dance. A caller tells you what step is next so you don't need to know any dances ahead of time. Thankfully, contra dancing is not sqare dancing. Instead of country/western music, you dance to bluegrass, Irish jigs and reels. (It's not what you might call a "traditional" instrumentation, but here is a link to my favorite contra dance band.) Square dances are for the caller, they keep calling new thing, the dance keeps changing, and the dancers have to pay attention. Contra dances are for the dancer, the dance repeats itself as you progress through the line and the caller eventually shuts up and lets the dancers enjoy the dance. Whereas square dances only involve the eight people in the square, contra dances involve everybody in the line, allowing you, over the course of an evening, to dance with everybody in the hall.

The wonderful thing about contra dances is the progression. You dance primarily with your partner (the person you ask to dance and line up next to) and your neighbors (the partners next to you in line). I already mentioned that the dance repeats itself, the fun part is that everytime it does, you and your partner find youselves having moved either up or down the line, and facing a new pair of neighbors. The whole thing, when done well, is a fantastic bit of clockwork with dancers for gears and cogs. Everybody does the right steps at the right time to find themselves facing the right person at the right time. A well written dance flows from one step to the next seemlessly. A really well written dance makes you wonder how you'll ever find your new neighbor (or sometimes even your partner) and then makes them magically appear.

Interested? If you want to go, here's what you need to know:

There is generally a teaching session an hour or so before every dance. Each dance is also walked through before the music starts. Not knowing what you're doing is no excuse to not go to a dance. How else will you learn?

Wear comfortable cloathes and shoes. It is an aerobic work out, you will get hot, dress appropriately. Tennis shoes work well enough, just make sure you can pivot on the balls of your feet. Women (and some men!) often wear hippie skirts, they breathe well and it's fun to twirl in them. Just remember to wear something modest underneath to avoid embarassing moments if you get carried away in a twirl.

Don't be afriad to come without a partner, there are plenty of people already there who would love to dance with you. Ladies, it's more than acceptable to ask men to dance. If you're new, seek out partners who are experienced, they are more than willing to help you. Try not to dance with other new people! I know this is tempting, expecially if you and your SO decide to try it out together, but trust me new person + new person = mess. Remember the clockwork idea. Even if you get lost, a more experienced partner can keep you on track. Wait until the second half to dance with someone else new, by that point you'll both have a little better understanding of what you're doing.

Dance every dance. Sitting out is no fun, and the dances generally get slightly more difficult as the evening goes on. If you sit out a dance, especially early on, you might find yourself behind later. Remember, don't be afraid to ask people to dance.

Where can you find a contra dance? Links, yay!

http://www.contracorners.net/contra/links/dancemap.html

http://www.thedancegypsy.com/

http://neohiocontradance.org/

http://www.pittsburghcontra.org/