Contra Dancing

[jkkhalaf]

For the first time, i danced contra dance last Saturday. I had tons of funning, and there was a lot of spinning. I look forward to going again :D

[peachplum12]

This looks just like the place I contra dance at in Chattanooga, TN! I love contra dancing! :D

[musicmyfriend007]

I am supposed to go to a dance like this and now i am just utterly confuddled. What the heck am i gonna do?!?!?! I don't know how to do this!

[Pianoluvr3]

Brown shirt guy is pretty good!

[MTJLT]

@Pianoluvr3 I thought that myself. I love the variety of people.

[Intrabeldin]

I'm assuming the person filming knew the girl in the white shirt. Even if not, thanks for following the best lookin butt in there haha oh and it looks like it's just a more complex version of square dancing.

[TheChaz10]

I ain't dancing no dance where another man touches me. No sir! All them men holding hands, no telling what they want to try next. Yo know what i mean? Now if I could dance only with them pretty ladies, that's a whole nother ball game.Sorry guys, keep your hands to yourself when i'm a dancing.

[generalgibberish]

Looks like FUN! I never learned to dance, but this looks like something i'd love to try! I'm moving to ithaca, n.y. asap, & it has a VERY heavy folk scene, & contra dancing is VERY popular part of the culture. After seeing what it is, i can't WAIT to move!!! Thanks so much for sharing this. :)

[Cantkillmenow]

Ah this video makes me proud to be white 

[gapagos]

@Cantkillmenow

Uhm do I smell some racism there? :-P I'm pretty sure people of all colors have fun dancing this, and certainly afroamericans too since the 19th century at least.

[Cantkillmenow]

@gapagos uuuuuuuuuuhm are you telling me that having pride in my cultural background is being racist? In that case, February is the African American racist bonanza. The people of the one true race, Humans , need to start thinking for themselves rather than their "politically correct" leaders. Please think twice before you post ignorant shit like this on another person's comment, it may give a little rattle in their humanitarian faith as it did mine.

[Tokorai]

So the separation is based off gender? What if you have more gals than guys, or vice versa?

[Christof1887]

@Tokorai At least back when I was dancing, it was rare to have more gals than guys. Oftentimes, there would be a basket with ties up front. "Extra" girls would put a tie on and dance the man's role. Of course, in any given dance, several people are probably dancing the "other" role just to mix things up a little bit.

[twirlyskirts]

@Tokorai the younger generation is definitely focusing more on the lead/follow dynamic and less on gender. Most places I've danced people engage in the game "pass the penis" where the two dancers of any gender switch off leading and following down the line.

[wmloving4]

@Tokorai Most dances are called as men/women or ladies/gents, but the only real difference is who ends the swing. At least where I dance in New England, It's very common for people to dance with someone of the same gender or to dance reverse roles. Some experienced dancers will even switch roles continuously through the dance just for the extra challenge/fun of it. There are also regular contra dance series that are advertised as "gender-free" where arm bands are used to designate the roles.

[Greenleaf117]

Wow the young guy in the brown tee is fun to watch - very confident :) Makes me want to learn!!!

[ShandaLately]

Freaking love contradancing.

Its so much fun to do.

Hard to learn, but once you get it, its the best.

[Kavion]

Looks like a lot of fun. I am going to try it next Monday night!!

[esamorenasexi]

i wanna play! i wanna play!

[CookieToddo]

Looks fun!

[nightshade010101]

I wouldn't mind dancing with that girl in the white shirt and jeans.

[NottaVictim]

Looks like square dancing to me.

[Christof1887]

@NottaVictim The two are pretty similar from what I've seen. Contra is usually compared to line and square dancing.

[GaaaaspAsp]

@Christof1887 Ive been told that Contra dancing is Swing and Square dancing mixed.

[djnunnelly]

@Christof1887

you can always think of it like this, contra is a couple of steps with a lot of people, square dancing is a lot of steps with a couple of people. they are very different but a lot of the steps are similar.

[timrprobocom]

@NottaVictim, yes, they use the same basic moves, except that contra is called from long facing lines instead of from a square of 4 couples. Contra uses fewer moves, so it's possible to bring first-timers into a contra dance and have them dancing with the pros in the same evening. With modern square dancing, it takes a series of lessons before you can participate fully.

[darkLightMusicLover]

i love the dance.. so classy and enjoyable

[dancenut449]

Good video to start so a new person can see clearly and simply how to dance. Then go to a video from a festival with name bands and party atmosphere where you can see how good it gets. Contra Carnivale 2010 is a good place to go. Three great bands.

[dancenut449]

This is a really good way to see how it is done. There are others, with bigger "name" bands and more party atmosphere that will show the new person just how fantastic this can be. This is a good place to start Then go to Contra Carnivale 2010

and see

[theweakwillwalk]

guy with the striped polo shirt... he doesn't live in ruckersville, VA by any chance?

[Christof1887]

@theweakwillwalk I don't know about now. He was a regular in Cincinnati at the time (4 years ago). First name was Roger, not sure about a last, if that helps at all.

[ge12ka54hd]

do you know the name of the dance? What is the starting position, eg. couples facing couples or 1,3,5 active and crossed over? Thanks for answering in advance.

[biaahqq]

--''

[LocomotiveDave]

Holly long ....

[NSResponder]

The way I describe it is, if you picture a timeline from medieval English country dance to modern American square dance, contra developed about two hundred years back.

-jcr

[nhbright]

Thanks for posting. This is a good way to explain whats going on- In other vid its hard to see.

[nergvol]

Have seen Arlene Hoiland do this with grace and poise

[TehShush]

I've been contra dancing since I was a little kid (about 7), I'm 20 now but I still love the dance. If you're ever in central Florida, we have the Tampa Friends of Old Time Dance group and we'd love to meet new people.

[sparkleriot]

Tonight was my first time out, and it was a lot of fun (admittedly slightly unexpected, too). Maybe I'll see you out there one of these days, as I'm from Tampa, too. :)

[dp01772]

While Concord MA and Greenfield MA are not featured in this video, many people enjoy the dances in those, and other locations. The sequence is "Trip To Lambertville" by Steve Zakon-Anderson.

[rabidbadger73]

i love that blonde girl's sexy big ass

[snake2006]

It feels great to be an asshole.

You should try it.

This isn't Contra, Contra is a game where you shoot things constantly, no do gay dancing.

[IJethrobot]

Then go watch videos that look like video games and not like people dancing.

Oh, and for the record, contra dancing is awesome.

~ Jethro.

[StandOut369]

My mom wants me to take this with my friend Max. xDD I dunno if I want to yet or not but she'll probably make me anyway.

It looks fun, though. xD

[bistro39]

You should at least try it out! It's a lot of fun. It sometimes takes several dances before you really start getting into it, but once you do - you'll be hooked!

[alienhunter3]

seconding this, give it a try, it is a LOT of fun.

[Smithra]

I don't know what the name of the dance is, but it's definitely the Wyoming Fine Arts Center in Cincinnati, and I'm pretty sure it's Mike Boerschig calling, and not just because he's the only caller I know who calls it a Women's Chain

[blindwolf14]

Snake in the Hey.

[Smithra]

I'd almost believe you if there were a hey in this dance. Similar dances in a lot of respects. This one's a little better for a less-experienced crowd, though.

[folkheart2]

Great video. Love to watch people contra dancing, but what is the name of the tune the fiddlers are playing? I hear it a lot but don't know what it is called.

[folkie55]

It's a really good video to show newcomers or those just curious about what it is that I LIVE to do!!!!!

[xanshriekal]

Yay Cinci! This is my hometown contra group. I saw the video and almost right away recognized the hall.

[valkyrie607]

Nope, it really is Greenfield MA.

[monica8473]

This is sooooo NOT Greenfield, MA. It's not the hall, it's not the dancers, it's nothing like Greenfield except there are people doing contra dance moves.

Who misled you into thinking it was Greenfield. I would believe the person who can claim this as their home dance...they should know.

[niledeathmetal]

can anyone please tell me what the type of folk dance where you link arms with each other is called.

[cbrodows]

LOL, I'm such a moron.

When I clicked on this, I assumed it had to do with the old NES game!

God, I feel dumb.

[AndromedaPeace]

I'm the opposite kind of dork, I was trying to look up contra dancing and couldn't figure out why I kept finding video game references.

[mlgav]

Yes, Asheville and the surrounding area have so many dances. Don't forget about the local group in Jonesborough, TN.

[Radar2500]

I really don't like dancing, but I love contra dancing. I've got to find the place in Asheville NC. They have dances during the week there.

[surferzero]

That would be the Grey Eagle.

[blondiechic0]

My friend goes to school there. If you haven't found it yet, I'll ask her for you.

[ArsArtisGratia]

the Grey Eagle is alright, but Warren Wilson has a contra every Thursday night. Good people tend to show up for it.

[iamthepinkylifter]

greenfield, massachusetts is the mecca of contra.

[TheTapedCrusader]

I'm pretty sure you meant to say Concord, not Greenfield. Concord has dances three times a week.

[dustinmennie]

I know not what happens during the days between Contras.

[writerserenyty]

Yay, Contra.

I was watching this, and I just thought: wait a minute, I know those steps! I've danced that dance; that was the one I liked best. I haven't gone Contra dancing much, but it's amazingly fun.

[johnhildreth]

nice to see another contra dance video on YouTube. echoing civics123, berea, KY, runs a contra dance seminar each year -- it's kind of a dance workshop. i think it runs over a long weekend, though i'm not sure what time of year it happens (early fall or winter?).

[jmdyck]

The dance they're doing is "Trip to Lambertville" by Steve Zakon-Anderson.

[civics123]

This is an allright video. The people don't look that much into it.  Come to Berea, KY sometime and see how professionals do it. Also, this was a very short dance.

[Christof1887]

The video is nothing fantastic at all. It just happens to be the only one of the dances I've bothered recording. The dances here vary from really good to... well... not so good. I hope to get down to Berea for a contra dance sometime soon -- possibly over the summer. I've heard nothing but good things about it.

[Christof1887]

oh... and the girl in white had only danced once before that night

[elgenubi]

Can you say where this was?

[Christof1887]

The Wyoming Center for the Arts in Wyoming, Ohio (about fifteen minutes north of Cincinnati).

[rolfdenver]

Great job of showing the spirit of contra dancing!

[rfagen]

Thank you so much for recording & putting this on YouTube! I've been contra-dancing for six months and plan to do it for the rest of my life. ;) Isn't it funny how all granges look the same?

[djadious]

contra dancing = life