Community Contra Dances

Fourth Friday of the month,  7-10pm

Second Sunday of the month 2-7pm

 $12 general / $8 students. No partner is needed!

Potluck supper at 6:00 before the dancing starts at 7pm.  If you are new to Contra Dancing, join the Beginners Lesson at 6:40pm.  

Revolving live musicians and professional dance callers make this family-friendly contra dance a really good time. 

Contra dancing is a form of traditional American set dance, with its roots in the French and English country dancing of the 17th and 18th centuries.  The dances are done in longways sets of couples, in which you and your partner do a short series of dance figures or moves with each other and another couple, then each couple moves along the set to a new couple and repeats the figures, and so on.  The figures are similar to those used in Square dances-- for example, do-si-do and swing your partner. A Caller teaches the dances and prompts the moves to live music: Celtic jigs and reels, Klezmer, Old-Time, Bluegrass or something else.  The evening has multiple Contra dances and a couple of Waltzes.  When a dance is over, you thank this partner and ask someone new to dance. Experienced dancers will ask new folks to dance, to help them learn the ropes.

Bring your dance shoes and a water bottle. Potluck snacks at the break. Wear comfortable clothes and low-heeled non-marking shoes (preferably that slide). Come alone, with a partner or bring friends! 

Learn more at http://santacruzdance.org/wp/