Contra dance choreography


Contra dance choreography specifies the dance formation, the figures, and the sequence of those figures in a dance. The figures repeat, ideally, in a graceful flowing pattern, and ideally, aligned with the phrasing of the music. Notably, contra dance figures do not have defined footwork; within the limits of the music and the comfort of their fellow dancers, individuals move to the beat and embellish according to their own taste. Much of the dance is done as a walking movement, one step for each count of the music, while the arms and hands do most of the changing, most of these involving connecting with others' hands.
Most contra dances consist of a sequence of about six to twelve individual figures, prompted by the caller in time to the music as the figures are danced. As the sequence repeats, the caller should be able to cut down his or her prompting, sometimes to a single word for every figure, and eventually stop calling, leaving the dancers to each other and the music.

Fundamentals

A figure is a pattern of movement that typically takes eight counts, although figures with four or sixteen counts are also common. Each dance is a collection of figures assembled to allow the dancers to progress along the set.
A count is one half of a musical measure, such as one quarter note in time or three eighth notes in time. A count may also be called a step, as contra dance is a walking form, and each count of a dance typically matches a single physical step in a figure.
Typical contra dance choreography comprises four parts, each 16 counts long. The parts are called A1, A2, B1 and B2. This nomenclature stems from the music: Most contra dance tunes have two parts, each 8 measures long, and each fitting one part of the dance. The A and B parts are each played twice in a row, hence, A1, A2, B1, B2. While the same music is generally played in, for example, parts A1 and A2, distinct choreography is followed in those parts. Thus, a contra dance is typically 64 counts, and goes with a 32-measure tune. Tunes of this form are called "square"; tunes that deviate from this form are called "crooked". Crooked tunes are more commonly used in square dancing, where the phrasing of the dance does not have to align as closely with the phrasing of the music.
To give weight in figures such as an allemande, rollaway or swing, lean slightly away from your partner and maintain a distinct resistance in your arm, hand and fingers; don't squeeze, but don't let your arms go limp or fully extended, either. This helps you and your partner move in unison. It also allows such figures to be done faster and with extra flair, and may enhance the sense of dancing with the other person and not just near him or her. Weight can also be thought of as springiness or tension.
Same-sex partners are increasingly common in contra dancing, either by preference or to accommodate different numbers of men and women attending; in the descriptions that follow, gentleman and lady refer to roles, rather than sexes.

Contra dance figures

Basic figures for singles and pairs

; Allemande : Two dancers join either right or left hands in a thumbs-up, palms-together grip and walk around each other.
; Balance : The couple faces each other with one or both hands joined and, in time to the music, take a step toward each other and a closing step, then a step apart and a closing step. It is typical in some areas to replace the closing steps with a stomp, kick, or jump, giving the figure a strong rhythmic feel. A balance is often followed by a swing. Balances may also be done in lines or circles, with very similar choreography.
; Butterfly Whirl : The gentleman and lady turn around, each while keeping hold of their partner's waist. Facing the same direction, with inside arms reaching across their partner's backs, the lady walks forward in a circle and the gent backs up. This often leads into a figure with the ladies in the center, such as a ladies chain. A common precursor to this figure is the following: gentlemen do a left hand allemande, then "scoop up" their partner by putting their arm around their lady's waist. Next the gents drop left hands and the two couples butterfly whirl back to place, facing each other.
; Courtesy Turn : The gentleman takes the lady's left hand in his left hand, and puts his right hand behind her back to take her right hand. The dancers are side by side as they turn around to face back across the set; the gentleman walks backward as the lady continues to walk forward.
; Do-Si-Do : Two dancers begin by facing each other, then move in a clockwise fashion so as to first pass right shoulders, then slide back-to-back, then back up, passing left shoulders, to end where they began. Sometimes they do-si-do times, exchanging places and ending back-to-back. As an embellishment, experienced dancers will often add a spin while performing this move.
; Gypsy : This relatively recent addition to the repertoire was adapted from English country dancing. A pair of dancers look each other in the eyes and walk around each other in the designated direction, without touching each other. In this way, the gypsy is somewhere between a do-si-do and a swing. The amount of eye contact depends on various factors including individual comfort and local tradition. In response to some ethnic objections, callers have been using a number of new terms for this, primarily right shoulder round.
; Promenade : Facing in the same direction, shoulder to shoulder with the lady on the right, a couple walks where the caller directs. There are several different handholds:
The gent may choose to spin the lady under his arm at the end as a flourish; in some areas this spin is practically a rule, while in others it is unheard of. As with twirls, flourishes can add some fun, but can also slow things down and affect the timing of the dance. Promenades are frequently used to move a couple to the opposite side of the set, or to bring dancers back to place.
; Roll Away with a Half Sashay : Two dancers facing in the same direction, holding hands. One dancer spins with a full turn towards and in front of the other dancer, who sidesteps behind to exchange places. At the end of the figure, the dancers have changed places but are still facing in the same direction as initially.. Giving weight is of key importance in this figure.
; Sashay : Partners face each other and hold both hands. They then move sideways moving their feet out in the direction they want to go, and then together to prepare for the next step.
; Swing : A standard ballroom swing. The couple takes a modified ballroom position, with the lady's left hand on the gent's shoulder, the gent's right hand on the lady's left shoulder blade, their free hands clasped together in the air. One can either walk or use a buzz-step; one partner may walk while the other uses the buzz-step. For the buzz-step, the right foot takes only small steps, with the partner's right foot to the right of it. The left foot pushes against the ground repeatedly, moving the dancer in a circle clockwise. Weight is very important in this figure. A swing usually ends facing across the set, sometimes down the set, rarely up the set, but always with the gent to the left and the lady to his right. It is generally recommended that newcomers get an experienced dancer to teach them this figure before the dance begins.
; Turn Alone : Each person turns around in place. It is polite for dancers to turn towards the person they are currently interacting with. This often follows "Down the Hall Four In Line,".
; Turn as a Couple : In this figure a couple with hands joined turns around in such a way that the ladies remain on the same side of their gent, normally the right hand side. The California Twirl is commonly used to turn as a couple.
; Twirl to Swap : This is a generic term for a number of dance moves which begin with a couple holding hands. They raise their joined hands, and the lady walks under them while the gent passes behind her, to trade places. There are a number of variants of this, depending on facing and on which hand is joined:

Basic figures for four or more

; Star : The four dancers in a minor set all join either right or left hands in the center of the set and walk around the set. A star usually turns one full-time around; less commonly stars will turn or turns. There are two styles of stars, and which style of star is used generally depends upon local custom, although there are some dances that require one or the other:
; Ladies Chain : A half ladies chain, which is more common and usually what a caller means when they just say "ladies chain," has the ladies joining right hands in the center and pulling past each other to the opposite gent; the gents then give the ladies a courtesy turn. This causes the ladies to trade sides in the set. A full ladies chain is two half-chains in succession, with everyone winding up where they started.
; Long Lines Forward & Back : All dancers face toward the dancers across the set from them, and join hands with the dancers beside them to form "long lines" on the sides of the set. These two lines then, in unison, take four steps together, and then four steps backward.
; Right & Left Through : Both couples face each other across the set. They walk toward each other, passing through in the center such that the ladies pass left shoulders with each other and right shoulders with the opposite gent. The gents then give the ladies a courtesy turn. The effect is that the couples trade sides of the set. The older tradition, still prominent in some regions, includes doing a right pull-by with the person opposite you as you pass by.
; Petronella Turn : Four dancers, equally spaced around a small ring, move into the position of the dancer on their right in four steps while rotating individually clockwise. This movement is adapted from the eponymous dance "Petronella," a traditional contra dance derived from a Scottish country dance of the same name. As a controversial embellishment, the folk process has added a "clap-clap" of hands on beats 3.5 and 4 of the 4-beat movement.
; Hey For Four : The dancers execute a series of passes and turns with the other dancers in their minor set, crossing to the opposite side of the set and then returning. In this version of the hey, assume that neighbors are standing next to each other on the side of the set, facing their partners:
; Half Hey : Half a hey for four. Instead of crossing the set and returning, the dancers merely cross the set once, ending with the couples on the opposite sides of the set.
; Figure Eight : a weaving figure in which dancers pass between two standing people and move around them in a figure 8 pattern. A full figure of 8 returns the dancer to original position; a half figure of 8 leaves the dancer on the opposite side of the set from original position. In doing this figure, the gent lets his partner pass in front of him.
; Circle Left Circle Right: Four people join hands and walk around in a circle in a clockwise counterclockwise direction. Circling can be of a circle, , , once around,or , each of these choreographing the dancers into a specific placement needed for the flow and pattern of the dance. Giving weight in this figure makes it significantly more interesting. The vast majority of contra dance circles are to the left.
; Down the Hall Four In Line: Two couples join hands so that they form a line of four, and walk down the hall, or away from the music. Sometimes the two people in the center twirl those on the side, but this is optional.
; Pass Through : Two facing dancers walk across the set, passing each other by the right shoulder, without touching. Even though the dancers may be in side-by-side couples, they act as individuals when passing through. This move frequently follows either a circle or a neighbor do-si-do. A pass through along the set is often used to progress, as one couple will move down the hall while the other will move up.
; Give and Take : When facing another couple, take two steps forward and then take two hands with the person across from you. One person then brings the other back to his/her own side. It is usually followed by a swing. Invented by Larry Jennings as a swing/swing connector. The move is meant to take only four beats. The named person is the person who steps backwards in the second part of the figure, pulling the other person back.
; Cross Trail : A pass through followed by the lady crossing in front of the gent to her left, turning counterclockwise. The gent then turns clockwise to the right. They end up facing directly away from each other; if they began on one side of the set facing across, they will end on the other side with one facing up the set and one down. Can be used to progress, if the lady is the neighbor of the gent in each pair doing the figure.

Advanced and rare figures

; Turn Contra-Corners : Contra corners is a figure involving six dancers and taking a full 8 bars of music to complete. The center couple of the group of six dancers is the active couple; the other four dancers in the group are the corners. As each member of the active couple looks across the set to his partner, he looks to his right to sees his first corner. On the other side of his partner is his second corner. Typically, one's corners are of the opposite role to oneself.
; Right Hand High, Left Hand Low : This figure begins with three dancers holding hands in a line. The middle dancer raises his/her right hand; the dancer on the left walks under the raised hand, followed by the middle dancer, while the dancer on the right walks behind. The effect is to turn the line around as a unit, as a sort of three-person California Twirl.
; Dixie Twirl : In a line of four dancers, the center pair arches. The extreme right person leads through the arch while the left person walks to the right. This results in a line now facing the opposite direction.
; See Saw : Instead of starting the do-si-do with the right shoulder, the dancer starts with the left shoulder.
; Make a Basket : Ladies join hands in the center. Gents join hands on the outside. Then the ladies raise their arms above and around the gents' heads. Then all circle left or right in this position.
; Mad Robin : Two dancers do-si-do on the side while facing the person across the set.
; Swinging star : Two couples make a right hand star, take left hands across, and move clockwise with a buzz step.
; Cozy Line : In a line of four dancers, the center pair lift their joined hands and turn away from each other, while the outer pair, without letting go, turn in and join hands behind the center pair's backs.
; Clover-leaf: Starting from a Cozy Line, the center pair duck down while the outer pair pass their joined hands over the center pair, forming the clover-leaf.