Contra Dances

Please send contra information and/or links to promn8@newnorth.net
Updated August 17, 2012

Special Week and Weekend Dances:

Barn Dance - September 8, 2012
Part of the Antique Tractor Show at the Pinecrest Historical Village with the Twin Hills String Band
4:00 - 7:00 p.m.
http://www.mid-lakesrusticiron.org/

Illinois All Weekend Barn Dance - October 7-8, 2012
Urbana Country Dancers at Anderson's Barn, Bonfire, Contra Dancing, Community Band, Oct. 7
Contra Dancing, Kalyx Center, Band - Wabash Valley Cannonballs, Oct. 8
http://www.urbana-contra.org/barndanceweekend.html

Shaw/Folk Reunion - date to be announced 2013
The Outpost in Denver, CO
Contact Bob Riggs at Bob@sde-co.com

Cumberland Dance Week - July, 2013
Lake Cumberland Educational Center, Nancy, KY
http://www.cumberlanddanceweek.org/

Ongoing Dances:

Kettering - CityFolk holds dances on the 1st Friday of the month from September to May (except December) with waltzing at 6:30pm, instruction at 7:30pm, and contra dancing at 8:00pm. The dances are held at the Michael Solomon Pavilion, 2917 Berkley Avenue (behind the Community Golf Course off Dorothy Lane). Admission is at the Door: $7 adults, children 12 and under free. No experience is necessary, all ages are welcome and you don't need to bring a partner. The caller teaches all dances before they start. Web site: http://www.cityfolk.org/socialDance.htm.

Antigo - North Country Contra, (4th Friday); 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.; Casual dress; Antigo United Methodist Church, 2034 W. 5th Ave., Antigo, WI; Pat Kelm - caller - 715-623-4523 or promn8@newnorth.net
Friday, August 24, 2012
Friday, September 28, 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
Friday, November 23, 2012
Friday, December 28, 2012
(Always looking for available local musicians.)

Links:
http://www.contradancelinks.com/festivals.html
Contralab (International Association of Contra Callers) http://www.contralab.net/

Contra Program at the 51st National Square Dance Convention, June 27, 28, 29, 2002 included a seminar led by Art Harvey called "How Contras Fit in Square Dances". To read the text of his seminar, click on the title.

Below are several easy traditional contras:

Dumbarton Drums - Traditional
Formation: Lines of four facing lines of four, in columns. with the line nearest the caller (head of hall) having their backs to the caller. An even number of lines is not required as the lines progress toward the next facing them each time the dance is repeated. Partners are not required as each line may be composed of any grouping of dancers, however, where the dancers attend as couples the line should be two couples in line - facing two couples in line.
Music: Shaw 172 (This dance appears in The Caller/Teacher Manual for Contras by Don Armstrong)
1-8 WITH THE MUSIC FORWARD AND BACK (lines move toward each other and back in 8 counts)
9-16 RIGHT COUPLE IN FRONT SASHAY OVER (each half of the line exchanges places with the other half with sliding sideways steps with right hand half passing in front of left hand half)
17-24 WITH THE MUSIC FORWARD AND BACK (as above)
25-32 RIGHT COUPLES IN FRONT SASHAY BACK (as above, with "new" right hand half passing in front)
33-40 WITH THE OPPOSITES RIGHT HAND STAR (each half of the line makes a four-handed right hand star with facing couple around to place)
41-48 SAME FOUR LEFT HAND STAR
49-56 BACK TO LINES THEN FORWARD AND BACK
57-64 ARCH TO THE HEAD, DIVE TO THE FOOT (each half of the line facing the head of the hall where the caller is will make an arch with their joined hands moving it over the couple facing the foot. That couple ducks under the arch moving towards a new line)

Virginia Reel - Traditional (one of several versions)
Formation: Two rows of dancers - one of ladies, the other of gents - each facing their partner. Rows are from the head of the hall - close to caller/music - and extends towards the foot of the hall. Ladies are on the caller's left side. Dance works best with no more than six couples in each set.
Music: Mac Gregor 7345 "Haste to the Wedding"
1-8 EVERYBODY DOSADO PARTNER
9-16 EVERYBODY TURN PARTNER BY THE RIGHT ARM
17-24 EVERYBODY TURN PARTNER BY THE LEFT ARM
25-32 EVERYBODY TURN PARTNER WITH BOTH HANDS
33-40 FIRST COUPLE SASHAY DOWN (couple closest to the caller joins both hands and slips sideways down between the two lines)
41-48 FIRST COUPLE SASHAY BACK (same couple comes back in the same way to top)
49-64 FIRST COUPLE REEL THE SET (same couple turn partner by the right arm once and a half to extend left arm to next person down the line of the opposite gender, turning that person by the left, then coming back to turn partner by the right, going back to turn the next person by the left - gradually working their way down the lines towards the foot) Note: this may take more than the indicated amount of music.
65-72 FIRST COUPLE SASHAY BACK TO TOP
73-80 FIRST COUPLE CAST TO THE FOOT (they roll out and head down behind their respective lines leading all the others in their lines towards the foot)
81-88 MAKE AN ARCH, COME UP TO TOP (first couple makes a two-handed arch at the foot, as they others come around they take their partner's hand and duck under the arch and move all the way up to the top leaving the original first couple at the foot)
Dance begins again with a new first couple.

Thady You Gander - English Folk Dance
Formation: Row of four ladies facing a row of four gents - each facing their partner. First couple is the couple closest to the caller/music.
Music: Folkraft #1167 B
1-4 FIRST COUPLE DOWN THE MIDDLE (first gent lead partner down the middle of the set.
5-8 FIRST COUPLE CROSS OVER AT FOOT - OTHER WAY BACK (first couple crosses over changing places and comes back up the outside to finish in partner's place)
9-16 FIRST LADY LEAD LINE OF GENTS (first lady holds hands with the line of gents leading them forward and around behind the opposite line and all the way back to place)
17-24 FIRST GENT LEAD LINE OF LADIES (first gents holds hands with the line of ladies leading them forward and around behind the opposite line and all the way back to place)
25-40 FIRST COUPLE REEL THE SET (first couple turns partner by the right half-way, then reaches for the next one - opposite gender- in the line to turn by the left arm, coming back to turn partner again by the right - continuing down the set until they turn their partner right half-way and back up to stand in their same gender lines at the foot) Each couple does the same in turn. Fourth couple finishes as the music finishes.

For more information e-mail: promn8@newnorth.net

Back to Northland Notes or to Camp Sweat or Bob's Corner perhaps Pat's Place or we also suggest Square Dances and then there's always Mixed Pics