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strathspey@strathspey.org:27661

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seonaid.gent

seonaid.gent

Re: Contra dancing

Oct. 2, 2001, 3:30 p.m. (Message 27661, in reply to message 27655)

Hi Jan,

I'm not an expert, but here's what I've picked up about contra on the
few occassions I've tried it.

Contra dancing is a type of dancing fairly similar to SCD.  It is
usually done in sets of long lines 'for as many as will'.  The term
contra comes from the fact that you face your partner (or are contra
to them).  Usually the odd couples start on the opposite side of the
dance, and the dances are normally for two couples.  A lot of the
basic figures are similar eg circle, stars/wheels, ladies chains,
swing/spin, but there are other more exciting ones too.  For some
dances a basic running step is used, and others use step-hop
(depending on the rythmn of the music used).  Contra tends to be more
tiring, in that you are dancing most of the time.

For a better description I suugest you look at 
http://www.sbcds.org/contradance/
or
http://www.freenet.hamilton.on.ca/link/jig/a_contra_dancers_primer.htm

Anyone wanting to give contra a shot could come to IVFDF in St Andrews
on March 1-3 2002.  There we will have a contra workshop on the
Saturday, and a ceilidh with a mixture of contra, SCD, ceilidh,
english ceilidh and probably other sorts of dance too on both Friday
and Saturday evenings and Saturday and Sunday afternoons! (There's
also a SCD on the Saturday night)

Cheers,

Seonaid

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