April Contra Dance

Flourish into spring with our last contra dance of the semester! Beginner's lessons starts at 7:00 and dancing from 7:30 to 10:00pm in the Blanchard Great Room.

Live folk music will be played by our lovely guests (including a Mount Holyoke alum who used to run FMDS!!!) with Eileen O'Grady '18 on fiddle, Gus Cantieni on banjo, and Casey Murray on guitar. Our whimsical friend Julian Blechner will be calling and teaching the dances! Get hype.

Contra dance is a type of traditional New England social dance. No experience is necessary! Dancing consists of simple walking figures with a partner and other dancers, however no one is required to bring a partner, and a caller prompts each figure of the dance. The caller will teach a beginner's workshop from 7:00pm to 7:30pm and all dances during the evening will feature a walkthrough (or two). Each dance usually lasts from 8-10 minutes. You may ask anyone to dance, and you are not required to say yes. The caller will use gender-neutral terms, larks and robins, to call partner roles. There will be a break with a waltz halfway through the evening. We recommend you bring soft-soled shoes and a water bottle. Masks are not required, but encouraged if preferred. Please do not attend if you feel unwell. If you feel uncomfortable at any point during the dance, let the caller know.

*Notes on accessibility: contra dancing is fairly active as it requires long periods of walking, however wheeled mobility aids can work well for various figures. The Blanch Great Room is wheelchair accessible. If any other mobility concerns are present, dance figures can be modified to suit. There will be amplified sound and funky lighting present. Any questions or concerns can be inquired with Sam at thibe22s@mtholyoke.edu

Mount Holyoke Folk Music and Dance Society | Website | View More Events

Contact the organizers