Contra dancing is a fun style of dance that is enjoyed in many areas. It is considered to be a folk dance and it has mixed origins. It is an English, Scottish, and French style dance that was very popular during the 17th century, but it is done now in all areas of the world. It is often danced to Irish and Scottish tunes. One of the great things about it, is that you do not have to have a partner to dance with. Simply find someone and enjoy dancing with them, and all the others around you.
The Contra
Contra dancing is perhaps one of the earliest attempts at line dancing, but it also can be similar to a square dance routine. Groups of four people are formed. You have your partner and your neighbors. Women are always to the right of the man, but partners change hands throughout the dance. During the dance, you will swing your partner or your neighbor, twirl around each other, and then move to dance with the next neighbor. You simply move down the line and at the end of the line you will dance with your partner back to where you began.
Learning the Contra Dance
There are places all over the US and other areas that have contra dances. Lessons are often given if you have never danced the Contra before. It is a relatively simple dance to learn. The hardest part is remembering to stop with the female on the right and keeping your partner and neighbor in mind. Beyond that, when you are learning, the directions will be called out to you. As you progress in your skills, you may find that you have to rely on their calls less, but they may still be there.