Contra Dance!

Contra Dancing is a dance for people of all ages. The youngest person I have seen was a lump on her mom, and is now scampering around, playing and drawing at the dance. Soon she will probably join us at age 5 or maybe 7 and she could dance with us until 85! It is a community dance, with nobody smoking, nobody drinking (you would fall over), lots of exercise, great music and everybody having a good time.

What it is Contra dancing is well described at that web site. There is a lot to explain, but briefly here goes. You can ask anybody to dance. They usually are of opposite sex, but this is not required. When you find someone, take hands, lady's left, men's right; ♂H♀ this is a signal that you are partners. (Beginners will be excused for trying to shake hands the first time!) Partners join a line with men on the left, facing the always live band.
```
     ♀ ♀  ♀ ♀  ♀ ♀  ♀ ♀
band H  H   H  H  H  H  H  H
     ♂ ♂  ♂ ♂  ♂ ♂  ♂ ♂
```
The caller will say "Hands four" meaning that the first four people should hold hands, then the next four, and so on, all the way down the line. This organizes the line.
```
     ♀H♀  ♀H♀  ♀H♀  ♀H♀
band H  H   H  H  H  H  H  H
     ♂H♂  ♂H♂  ♂H♂  ♂H♂
```
Within a set of 4, the two people closer to the band are 'active' or 'Ones'; the other two are 'inactive' or "Twos". In many dances the "Ones" switch places, making the dance "improper", because men are alternating with ladies!
```
     ♂H♀  ♂H♀  ♂H♀  ♂H♀
band H  H   H  H  H  H  H  H
     ♀H♂  ♀H♂  ♀H♂  ♀H♂
```
The caller then steps everybody through the dance; then the dance begins. IT IS LOTS OF FUN! Amusingly, one dances with everybody in the entire line! That's because Ones will progress away from the band and Twos progress toward the band. At the ends you turn around and come back in. You only need to be able to walk, so if you can do that, then yes, you can join us. Even a blind lady dances with us, and she does quite well.
Why Dance? A nice discussion about what dancing means to people after they have gotten beyond the fear of the social situation. JUST RELAX! People who have been around a while will know in 2 seconds that you are a beginner, and our goal is to help you.
What it is - the short answer (There are notes about how I recovered this page from the void.)
Contra Dance at Glen Echo Park: Jump up and down, stomp, and spin around until you're dizzy. By Bill Jaeger, Urban Jetset.

Example contra dances at YouTube:

Where to find Contra Dances

Kiran's Contra Dance Page

Contra Dances in the Washington DC/Baltimore area

A good list: www.contradancers.com
Glen Echo Park, Maryland (next to the Potomac, just inside the beltway of Washington DC)
On the google map, the arrow points exactly to the entrance. Go down Oxford Rd, STOP AT THE STOP SIGN (! the police are watching!), go nearly to the end, turn left and you will see the large parking lot.
- Friday Night Dances at Glen Echo 7:30 lessons, 8:30 dance $8. You can't beat that! (Note: they give directions and maps.)
- The Folklore Society of Greater Washington holds Sunday Night Dances at Glen Echo: 7:30 pm, dance $10, $8 for members (if you go a few times you make this up quickly, and it helps at a lot of other events).
- Glen Echo Park Spanish Ballroom, the beautiful building where the dance is held
- Glen Echo Park Has been Saved!
Frederick Maryland Contra Dance
Baltimore Contra Dances
- Wednesday Night Square & Contra Dances
- Second Saturday Square & Contra Dance

Come join us!

Tom Schneider's Home Page
origin: 2001 September 25
updated: 2007 Oct 16