Contra Dancing

Being one to try almost anything new, this evening I was somewhat roped into going to a Contra dance evening in West Ashley. Having heard of this style of dancing a couple of times, I was somewhat curious as to what it was like - with previous definitions ranging from 'like square dancing' to 'Pride and Prejudice style formation dancing'. I thought it sounded very similar to country dancing back in the UK - something that i had done as a youngster - and wondered if the whole country-contra thing was just the result of some verbal mishap along the way. Thus, dancing shoes in hand (not really - i just had comfortable shoes as it promised to be a long and energetic evening), off I went. Looking back at the history of contra dance, (for you Tracey), it seems that at the end of the 17th century, English country dances were taken-up by French dancers and were so named contra-dance or contredanse. As time progressed, these English country dances were spread and reinterpreted throughout the Western world. Ultimately, the French form of the name came to be associated with the American folk dances, especially in New England. So, it seems that contra dance is something of a descendant of country dance to the point where they are reasonably distinct.

Y'see, the thing with country dance in the UK is that are different styles - there are those where everyone is in a line facing each other or in circles facing in, in circles of couples facing in opposite directions, in squares and so on - it goes on. Contra dance always takes place in lines of two - yourself and your partner - and nearly always involves groups of four (thus, rather oddly, there are nearly always odd couples left out at the top and bottom of the line during the dance - perhaps a good thing as you can rest a little). A lot of the moves are similar - right and left hand stars, do-sei-do etc. etc. - but there seems to be a more formal style to it as, for example, when swinging your partner/neighbour, there is a particular stance and so on. Ultimately, i had a very good evening - albeit completely exhausting - and also spent a reasonable time trying not to tread on my various partner' dance toes. When you have your big size 12s, and they have bare feet - it's perhaps not the BEST thing to do.