Contra Dances

Contra Dances are canceled.  Our March 28 dance will be rescheduled when it is safe to do so.

BarnArts Community Contra Dance and Potluck
with Old Sam Peabody and caller Delia Clark

If you can walk, you can dance!

All dances taught – family friendly – just fun!

Partners mix and match with each new dance – everyone included!

Barnard Town Hall

Potluck 6:00 pm
Music and Dancing 6:30-9pm
BYOB

Admission is Free

(Donations to BarnArts welcome at the door)

What is a Contra Dance?

“Considered a social dance that one can attend without a partner, but is danced in pairs, contra dancing is danced in long lines of couples/pairs formed starting from the stage and down the dance hall. Throughout the course of a dance, couples progress up and down these lines, dancing with each other couple in the line. The dance is led by a caller who teaches the sequence of figures in the dance before the music starts. Callers describe the series of steps called “figures”, and in a single dance, a caller may include anywhere from 6–12 figures which are repeated as couples progress up and down the lines. Each time through the dance takes 64 beats, after which the pattern is repeated.

“The New England contra dance tradition was maintained in Vermont by the Ed Larkin Old Time Contra Dancers, formed by Edwin Loyal Larkin in 1934.  The group he founded is still performing, teaching the dances, and holding monthly open house dances in Tunbridge, VT. ” more info