What is Contra Dancing?

What happens at a Glen Echo contra dance?

Depending on the weather, about 50 to 200 people show up to dance to a live band and a caller. We mainly dance in the Spanish Ballroom but occasionally in the open-air Bumper Car Pavilion. 

The band typically has a guitar and fiddle and something else–keyboard, mandolin, banjo, accordion, saxophone, flute, didgeridoo–really anything goes. The tunes are mainly traditional old American ones, with a lot of Irish, Quebecois, and other folk traditions, as well as occasional snippets of modern pop. The caller teaches each dance and calls each move so the dancers know what to do, as in square dancing.

The moves are mostly simple. In swing, waltz, or other partner dances, the lead dancer has to invent moves and lead a partner, but in contra dancing, the caller is doing that so there is no “lead dancer” in contra dancing.

For most dances, people partner up and progress up and down a line of dancers interacting with other couples and ultimately everyone in line. Most people come to the dance alone and find a new partner for each dance, and couples who come together usually switch partners for most dances. 

You will be interacting and smiling with everyone in the room. After each dance, people thank their partners, get a drink of water, and get a partner for the next dance. Each dance lasts about eight to ten minutes, and there’s about five to eight minutes between dances where the caller teaches the next dance.

 What should I know before coming to the dance at Glen Echo?

You can get a sense of what the dance is like by checking out some of these videos on YouTube:

You will see in the videos that contra dancers basically wear anything and everything. Contra is about fun and comfort, not fashion and looking cool. 

The Spanish Ballroom has no central heating or air conditioning, so in January people even start dancing in coats and gloves, but the dancing and crowds soon warm up the room. There are water fountains, but you may want to bring a water bottle–it is a real workout. In the summer, consider shorts, sweatbands, and even a change of shirt.

To protect the 100-year-old dance floor, we ask people to bring shoes that are not soiled by the dirty, grimy world outside the dance space. People dance in many types of shoes, or even barefoot, but for the best experience, we recommend shoes with a smooth leather sole so you can glide when swinging your partner. 

Contra involves a lot of circling and spinning moves, so people can get dizzy the first few contra dances they attend. Focusing on your partner’s eyes or ears can help. Beginners sometimes sit a dance out to recover. After coming to the dance four to ten times, you will get used to it, and maybe even crave more spinning! And you will see a lot of dancers in skirts at just the right length and shape to increase the joy of spinning.

What are some of the basic moves?

Before every dance evening, there is a beginner’s workshop where the basic moves are taught. Plan to arrive at least five minutes before the lesson at 7:30 pm so you can check-in. If you want to practice some beforehand, here are some videos introducing the basic moves.

Where does contra dancing come from?

Contra dance (also contradance, contra-dance, and other variant spellings) is a form of folk dancing made up of long lines of couples. It has mixed origins from English country dance, Scottish country dance, and French dance styles in the 17th century. Sometimes described as a New England folk dance or Appalachian folk dance, contra dances can be found around the world, but are most common in the United States (periodically held in nearly every state), Canada, and other Anglophone countries. (Taken from the Wikipedia article on Contra!)

Many callers and bands perform for local contra dances, and some are hired to play for dances around the U.S. and Canada. Many dancers travel regionally (or even nationally) to contra dance weekends and week-long contra dance camps, where they can expect to find other dedicated and skilled dancers, callers, and bands. There are no competitions, no prizes, and no ranking—contra dance is all about fun and being in the moment.

OK, I’m hooked. Where can I find out more about contra dancing?