What Was That Step? A Guide for New Contra Dancers
Source: www.twodogwaltz.com
Topic: Ballroom
Sort Desciption: What Was That Step? A Guide for New Contra Dancers Definitions Contra Dance instruction starts with the men lining up on the ... Southern Swing ( a.k.a. Western Swing, Walk Around Swing): take ballroom ...
Content Inside:
What Was That Step?
A Guide for New Contra Dancers
Definitions
Contra Dance instruction starts with the men lining up on
the callers right and women lining up on the callers left.
Before the walk-through starts, the first two couples take
Hands Four by holding hands in a circle, then the next
two couples and so forth all the way down the lines. The
sooner you take hands four, the sooner the dance starts.
The Head or Top of the set is the end closest to the caller
and the band. Up is the direction of the Head. Down is
the away from the Head. In or Inside is between the two
lines of dancers. Out or Outside is beyond the two lines.
Across is from one side of the set to the other.
The Actives are the odd numbered couples at the start of
the dance, counting from the head of the line. Also
called Ones or Odds . Actives progress down the set
during the dance.
The Inactives are the even numbered couples at the start of the
dance, counting from the head of the line. Also called Twos or
Evens . Inactives progress up the set.
In an Improper Dance , the actives change places with their
partners before the walk-through starts, so each line alternates
man, woman, man, woman etc. A Proper Dance starts with all
the women in the same line, facing all the men in the other line.
Your Partner stays with you for the whole dance as you
progress from one group of four to another. Its customary to
change partners between dances. Your Opposite or Neighbor is
the person of the opposite sex in your group of four who is not
your partner. Unless otherwise specified, the woman on the
mans left is his Corner, and the man on the womans right is her
Corner.
Basic Steps
To Allemande Left , take left hands with the other dancer
in a "pigeon-wing" grip, hands up, thumbs together and
elbows down. Walk counterclockwise around each other,
leaning back with sl ...
contra