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WHAT IS CONTRA DANCING?
Contra dancing is a form of North American folk dance in which the
dancers form two parallel lines that run the length of the hall. In its
simplest form, it is danced by pairs of couples. One lady and gent face another
lady and gent. Under the direction of a caller, each couple dances a sequence
of figures with each other and with the other couple, for 64 beats of live
music. Then each couple moves forward to meet another couple, and they repeat
the same figures. When a couple reaches the end of the line of couples, it
turns around and comes back the other way. Eventually each couple dances with
every other couple in the set.
Normally, the caller teaches each dance
before it is actually done to music. This gives everyone an idea of what to
expect, and an opportunity to practice the figures. The caller calls each
figure just before it is about to begin, hence the dancers can perform the
figures in time to the music. Once the dancers appear to have mastered a
particular dance, the caller may choose to stop calling, leaving the dancers to
enjoy the movement with music alone. Many of the basic figures in contra
dancing are similar to those in square dancing. Here are some of the most
common contra-dance figures. When a couple stand side by side, normally the
lady is on the right and the gent on the left.
FIGURES for TWO DANCERS
BALANCE: Holding one or both hands,
each dancer takes two steps toward the other, and two back.
SWING: In ballroom position, each dancer walks around the
other. Optionally, this can be performed more like a pivot, with the right foot
held in and a scooter-like "buzz" step used. There are several variants to the
ballroom position. A swing always ends with the lady on the right and the gent
on the left.
ALLEMANDE: The dancers walk around each
other, holding right (left) hands with fingers pointing up.
GYPSY: Similar to a swing or allemande, but with eye contact
only.
DOS-à-DOS: (also known as do-si-do) The dancers walk around
each other, remaining back-to-back, passing right shoulders as they move
forward and left shoulders as they return.
SEE-SAW: A dos-à-dos in the opposite direction.
BOX the GNAT: Holding right hands throughout, lady and gent
face each other. Each moves forward and makes a half turn (lady to the left and
gent to the right) until they finish in each other's original places.
CALIFORNIA TWIRL: Lady and gent begin side by side facing in
one direction, and finish side by side facing in the opposite direction. They
raise their joined hands, and both walk forward in a semicircle, the lady
passing under the raised hands and the gent passing outside the lady.
FIGURES for FOUR
DANCERS
BALANCE the RING: Hands held in a ring, all four
dancers take two steps forward and two back.
CIRCLE: Holding hands in a ring, all four walk to the right
(left).
STAR RIGHT: Holding right hands in the center, all four walk
to the left.
STAR LEFT: Holding left hands in the center, all four walk to
the right.
PROMENADE: Two couples face each other. In skater's position
(left hand in left, right hand in right), each couple crosses to where the
other couple was standing, the gents passing left shoulders.
LADIES' CHAIN: With two couples facing each other, ladies pass
each other, taking right hands and giving the left hand to the opposite gent,
who turns the lady forward while he walks backward, until both once again face
the other couple. The turn portion is called a Courtesy Turn.
RIGHT and LEFT THROUGH: Two couples face each other. Each
dancer passes the opposite dancer by the right shoulder, optionally taking
right hands, then each couple takes left hands for a courtesy turn.
DOWN the HALL: Four dancers in line (in an order specified by
the caller) walk together away from the music.
HAY: All four dancers, with eye contact only, simultaneously
dance a figure-eight pattern in which each one returns to the starting place.
This is easier to demonstrate than to describe.
Prepared by Peter Calingaert.
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