The Peterborough dance primarily uses the gender-neutral role terms Larks and Robins; a Lark indicates the left position and a Robin indicates the right position. When: Every First Saturday, 7:30 – 11:00pm
Where: Peterborough Town House, 1 Grove Street, Peterborough, NH
Cost: $12-20 sliding scale adults, or ask! $30 family
Group Rates: [email protected]
What Is Contra Dance? Contra da
nce is a fun, easy style of folk dance which has flourished in New England since the 1700s. Partners form lines and dance a short sequence of steps with their neighbors. At the end of the sequence, each couple progresses on to meet new neighbors. Over the course of the dance, each couple travels the length of the line and dances with every other couple. From 7:30 – 8:00pm before every dance, the evening’s caller offers a workshop on the basic steps used in contra. Then, as the evening progresses, each new dance is taught with a brief walk-through. We also have a wonderful community of friendly, experienced dancers who welcome new dancers. You are welcome to bring a dance partner or a group of friends with you, but it’s not necessary – traditionally, dancers are encouraged to change partners throughout the evening. You can ask anyone you’d like to dance, you can accept a dance invitation from whomever you like, and you can also decline to dance as well. If you can walk and smile, you can contra dance! Live Music
Our first Saturday contra dance always features wonderful live music drawn from the Irish, Scottish, English, and French Canadian traditions. Our live contra bands are drawn from regional and national touring groups, usually featuring fiddle, flute, or accordion, backed by piano, guitar, and/or bass. We have one August dance that uses the legacy roles of Ladies and Gents. Anyone is always welcome to dance in any role. Our May '24 caller Chloe Levine shared her bullet list of points she mentions at the end of her new dancer workshop, excellent thoughts for new - and all dancers!
1. Everyone makes mistakes (including me) and mistakes are okay
—just move on and keep going
2. In contra, better never than late—let it go and find your partner / neighbor on time
3. Maybe you came here with someone, but you'll learn faster and have more fun if you take a risk and ask some other people to dance for the first few times—then come back together and impress each other with your skills
4. Subpoint: It's okay to ask anyone to dance, even and especially folks who seem really experienced; it's also okay to say yes or no to anyone who asks you to dance, for any reason, and you don't owe them an explanation—come to me or organizers if any issues arise
5. You learn as you go, so resist the temptation to sit out
6. Prioritize safety and communicate with the people around you about your needs
7.
