In Contra
- Sarah Cleaver
- Apr 17
- 1 min read
This week, we have been dancing our first "in contra" dance - and now you know why the club is called "Laughter in Line"!
What is contra line dancing? It's a bit like a contra-flow on a motorway... you can do it, but it feels weird! Every second row turns around, so that instead of moving together, you'll be moving "against" the dancer in front of you.
Here are my tips for contra line dancing...
Find someone who has their back to you, and follow their feet. Don't look at the person in front of you, you'll end up going the wrong way. Hilarious, but chaotic!
Stand in front of a space, not a person. Why? You'll be moving through that space in a minute!
Just relax and enjoy yourself! It's a whole new way to enjoy line dancing!
Other options include dancing in a circle, but we'll save that for another day!
If you'd like to practice at home, the first contra line dance I usually teach is called the Symphony Shuffle. The music I've been using is Joe Nichol's Sunny and 75 (aka summer in a jar!)
I love the contra dance , it’s an edge of your seat, roller coaster , impending doom type thrill . I do feel for the person heading towards me at speed with a well intentioned shuffle or lock step . I’ll try to manage the space :-)
Yes we've all been there trying to follow the person opposite on your first attempt at a contra dance leading to more laughter than dancing!