Contra dancing is a style of partner dancing with roots in English country dancing. It evolved in New England during the early colonization of North America, and has survived through the generations because it is a great way to maintain community, make friends, and keep traditional fiddle tunes relevant . Contra dancing is a “called dance” like line dancing or square dancing, meaning that there is one person giving directions to a group of dancers during the dance. Contra dancing is composed of a series of nested figures. There are figures that one person alone will perform, figures that partners will perform, figures that groups of four will perform, and figures that the entire line of dancers will perform. These nested interactions make contra dance a rich opportunity for dancers to interact with everyone in the hall in a structured way. Although Contra dance has many aspects that have remained the same for more than a century, it is also constantly adapting to suit the needs and desires of new dancers. Contra dancing has grown over the years in ways that represent North America’s changing understandings of gender roles, gender, relationships, consent, and community.

I started contra dancing when my college roommate (who is now a professional contra dance musician) took me to a dance. I immediately fell in love. Five years of dancing later, that same roommate suggested to me that I should learn to call contra dances, after I complained to her about the lack of contra callers in the Victoria area.