Contra dance is an American form of folk dancing done to jigs, reels, marches,
and hornpipes. The oldest contra dances and tunes date back over 200 years. For
each dance, the caller walks the dancers through the figures, cues the band to
start, and calls the moves the first few times through the music. During the
course of each dance, every couple dances a series of moves with all the other
couples in the line. At the end of every dance, you thank your partner, find
another, and get ready for the next dance.
There are no bandoliers or automatic weapons, and Oliver North won't show up.
No experience is necessary, all dances will be taught. Wear comfortable, flat
shoes (no heels!) and casual attire. Come alone, bring a partner, or better
yet, several friends.
Click here
for a more complete description of contra dancing.
Where can I dance?
You can find a calendar of Austin and special Texas events and dances at
Texas Calendar.
Features contras and occasional traditional squares, with live music provided
by a pick-up "old-time" string band (The Local On-Call Orchestra), Wednesdays 7:30 - 10:00 pm, $3 donation requested, no partners needed, at the
Hancock Recreation Center, 811 East 41st Street.
The Austin Barn Dancers webpage can be found at
Austin Barn Dancers. From the main page you can find links to the Wednesday night calling
schedule, English Country dance schedule, pictures of the Dance in the Park,
dances by Texas choreographers and other links.
Contact:
Dale or Sharon Rempert,
drempert@ix.netcom.com, (512) 453-4225, musicians contact Tim or Angie Wooten, (830) 825-3108, Tim.Wooten@cpa.state.tx.us.
The Austin Area First Friday Contra Dance
Holds dances from 8:00 - 11:00 pm, on the first Friday of each month, featuring
local callers and musicians. $8 admission to the dance, with everyone welcome.
No experience or partners necessary, all dances taught. The dances will be held
at Carpenter's Hall - 400 Josephine.
Contact:
Nana Lopez at (512) 328-9650
for more information.
Holds dances from 8:00 - 11:00 pm on the third Saturday of each month at
St. Paul Lutheran Church, 3501 Red River.
The dance features various bands and callers from around the region.
$7 admission ($1 discount for AFTM
members and full-time students, $2 discount for first-timers). No experience or partners are necessary, and
all dances are taught. Introductory teaching starts at 7:30. This dance is a function of
The Austin Friends of Traditional Music
who also put on concerts and music events.
Contact:
Call Chuck Roth at (512) 453-8936 or send an e-mail to
austincontradance.org
for more information.
Special Events
Dance in the Park
The Austin Barn Dancers Present the
Dance in the Park
every Spring and Fall at Zilker Hillside Theater.
Come and discover the fun of contra dancing outdoors on a wood floor, or just
sit, watch, and listen to some great live music. No partner needed. No dance
experience necessary. Bring your own drinks, snacks, and chairs or quilts.
The dance features several callers and two bands from Austin.
The Bryan/College Station dances meet second Saturdays, 3-6 pm at the
Unitarian, Universalist Fellowship Hall,
305 Wellborn Road
(FM 2154), 1/2 block South of George Bush Drive.
(NTTDS)
holds their regular dances on the first, third, and fifth Saturdays of each
month. Admission runs $6 for visitors and $5 for members. They dance at
Lakeview Christian Church at the corner of Diceman and OldGate Lane east of
White Rock Lake. All dances start at 8:00 pm.
Check out the complete NTTDS schedule and maps on their
website. You can call their dance hotline at (214) 357-8213 for the latest details, or
send mail to
Glenn Manuel.
Glenn has also put together a photo album for NTTDS on Yahoo at http://photos.yahoo.com/nttds and will continue to add pictures randomly.
NTTDS also holds a quarterly series of English Country dances at the Forcher's Dance Studio in Irving. Phyllis Richmond and Martha Quigley will lead the dances.
The Dallas contra dance weekend, When
in Doubt, Swing
(HATDS)
holds dances on the second and fourth Saturday of each month,
8:00 to 11:00 pm at
Central Presbyterian Church, 3788 Richmond near the Compaq Center.
Admission is $5 for members, $6 for non-members.
Contacts:
Visit the HATDS webpage,
send them an e-mail,
call Roy Simmons at (713) 921-7387 or Bill Budell at (713) 270-8670,
or write to
HATDS
PO BOX 701235
Houston, TX 77270-1235
English Country Dancing in Houston
Dances are held on the Sunday after each Houston contra dance,
2 to 5 pm at 1135 Oxford in the Houston Heights. $3.00 donation.
All experience levels are welcome,
all dances will be taught and no partners are necessary.
The next HATDS dance weekend will be in mid-January 2006.
The weekend starts with a Friday evening dance party,
includes workshops all day Saturday (with lunch), a dance party Saturday evening,
and a Sunday brunch that usually devolves into a dance.
For more information visit the
Bayou Belam website
or contact Mike Head.
Dana Nicolay, a professor in the
Sam Houston State University
Dance Department, leads and calls a contra dance series, usually on the third Saturday of the
month. They meet in the
dance building
on the Sam Houston State University Campus. They start at 6:00 and dance until
9:00. Admission is $4, or $3 if they dance to recordings.
On the second and fourth Saturdays, the San Antonio Contra Dancers meet at the
International Folk Culture Center, 411 SW 24th. The dances run from 7:30 to 10:30 pm.
(Doors open at 7:00.) Admission is $6 ($3 for full-time students).
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This page last updated
April 8, 2005
by
Rick Piel.