USING CONTRAS IN YOUR SQUARE DANCE PROGRAM (From Callerlink 103 February 1994)
By: Jeff Garbutt, Western Australia

DO YOU USE CONTRAS?

Do you use Contra dances at any of your normal square dance nights? Chances are that you don't. You have either tried once or found that you didn't have much success, or you heard from another caller that dancers don't like them. Maybe you use a contra at a one night stand but you wouldn't dare use on at a normal "mainstream" or "plus" night. Does any of this sound familiar?

So why is it that contras have not become so popular in Australia? and how can we use them at normal Square Dance nights? Well I hope to be able to answer both these questions for you and maybe encourage you to have a go.

Please note that most of the following is my own thoughts, and may in some places conflict with contra dance purists, but I think it would be worthwhile to open the enjoyment of contra dancing to a wider audience.

THE DANCER'S COMFORT ZONE

First of all let's look at our dancers. Whether we like it or not, Square Dancers build up their own personal "comfort zone". This comfort zone has been built up over his/her dancing experience and represents all the things that they are used to, and like doing. For experienced dancers this comfort zone will impose some strange limitations on what they will do. So we have to "trick" our dancers a little bit.

WHAT NOT TO DO

I believe that most of the problems with using contras for experienced dancers has been the strict adherence to the Caller/Teacher Manual for Contras. This is an excellent book, but is designed with a teaching program to be used in parallel with your normal square dance teaching program.

So what happened when you tried going "by the book" with your experienced dancers? The first contra you tried was probably "Broken Sixpence". Now put yourself in you dancer's shoes and imagine how much of their comfort zone you are violating. Firstly you need a lot of time to walk this particular one through you have to demonstrate that a dancer's status will change from "active" to "inactive" and "visa versa". You will have a line of 4 walk for a fixed number of beats rather than to a known spot on the floor. All these things can be done with beginners but are harder to "sell" to diehard square dancers.

A SUGGESTED APPROACH

Remember, we must start somewhere within our dancer's comfort zones, then slowly work on pushing out the boundaries to increase to size of their comfort zone. Look for a contra, which has familiar basics, where dancers can readily "see" where they are going, has no mention of actives/inactives, and if possible includes an automatic cross over. I would also recommend starting out with "Alternate Duples" with 1, 3, 5, etc crossed over. (If you are not familiar with any of these terms yet I suggest that now would be a good time to study the book.)

Next we should use familiar square dance "gimmicks" to teach our contra. Firstly we need to set up our contra lines, and this should be done as quickly as possible. Start from squares line them up so that the No 1 couple of one set is back to back with the No 3 couple of the set in front of them. Next have the heads face their partner and back away then side ladies chain across. Now everyone in the same line join hands to make one big line.

At this point the dancers may start to feel uneasy, so we need to reassure them. Now what is that old trick callers use at the start of a hoedown? "Take your corner by two hands and say…". We can use the same trick to teach our dancers one of the most important contra fundamentals. 1 would say something like:

"Now everyone step forward and hold hands with the girl opposite you remember she's the partner you had while in the Square. Now 1 want you to say to her hello beautiful, please be there when 1 want you. Now just remember that this girl is your partner and that no matter what happens she will always be across the other side of the line from you. Oh, and by the way, "Contra" means "opposed", and that's exactly where your partner will always be opposite you in the other line".

Now in the above dialogue I have explained what contra means, where one's partner is and put my dancers back into their comfort zones.

Next I explain where corners are:

"Boys, I want you to face clockwise, and girls face anti clockwise. You are now facing your corner. Whenever I say 'face your corner' or 'with your corner' this is the way you must face. Now please remember also that even though your partner never changes your corner will always be different."

Next I will walk through a contra. If the contra has automatic progression it might only be necessary to walk it through once otherwise do it twice then dance it.

WHICH CONTRA TO USE

My personal favourite is the "Quiet contra", (No 15 in the Contra C.T.M.) 1 have used this one many times over the years and have always had a good reaction to it. Another good one is St. Vrain Creek, (No 14 of the Contra C.T.M.). Look these up in the manual sometime. 1 will include these two, plus one or two more at the end.

USE OF MUSIC

The selection of music and prompting of the dance is extremely important as they add to the total contra experience if done correctly. I would recommend that you refer to the Contra Caller Teach Manual which covers this subject much better than I possibly could.

CONTRAS FOR MAINSTREAM AND PLUS

For too long contras have been associated with "low level" dancirig. Low energy and relaxing yes but they don't have to be low level. It is possible to use calls from Mainstream and Plus programs. This fact was clearly demonstrated by Graharm Rigby at the recent National Convention in Perth (September 1993) when he used the "Ferris Wheel" contra. 

WILL YOU TRY CONTRAS?

Please give contras a try. Start off with an open mind and think about your dancer's "comfort zone" they will like you all the more if you do.



QUIET CONTRA (From Contra C.T.M.)

Alternate Duple 1, 3, 5 etc crossed over

- - - - , With the corner Corner do sa do 
- - - , - Same girl swing 
- - - - , - Put her on right then right & left thru 
- - - - , - -Right & left back 
- - - - , With the music two ladies chain 
- - - - , - - Chain them back 
- - - - . - - Slow square thru 
(Right two cha cha cha), (left two cha cha cha)

(Cross over every second sequence Slow Square thru uses 4 beats per hand for total of 16 beats).

ST. VRAIN CREEK (From Contra C.T.M.)

Alternate Duple 1, 3, 5 etc crossed over

- - - - , Everybody forward and back
- - - - , Corners do sa do and bow
- - Rock forward & back , Circle four
- - - - , Full around then ladies chain
- - - - , With the music chain them back
- - - - , All pass thru and turn alone
- - - - , Those who can right & left thru home

(Automatic cross over occurs after pass thru and turn alone).

ON THE WAY TO PITTSFIELD
(From January 1979 Sets In Order)

Alternate Duple 1, 3, 5 etc crossed over

(Pre cue face corner ready for heel & toe)
Heel and toe out you go, Heel and toe in you go
Heel and toe out you go, Heel and toe do sa do
- - - - , Pass her by swing the next
- - - - , put her on the right, the ladies chain
- - - - , - - Chain 'em back
- - - - , Same couples right & left thru
- - - - , Everybody star thru
Those who can pass thru, get ready for the heel and toe in you go

(Automatic cross over occurs after star thru.)

YUCAIPA WEATHERVANE 
(From April 1979 Sets In Order)

Alternate Duple 1, 3, 5 etc crossed over

This one is nice to watch and has always been popular with the dancers I've tried it on. On the second Right & Left Thru the dancers should turn the courtesy turn "one quarter more" until the girls can join right forearms. With the men still holding the lady in a courtesy turn hold, a weathervane is formed. Turn the vane one full turn (12 counts), then cast of 3/4 (still in courtesy turn with girls walking forward).

- - - - , With the corner do sa do
- - - - , -Swing the same girl
- - - - , Put her on right, right & left thru
- - - - , - - Right & left back
- - - - , Courtesy turn one quarter more (weathervane)
- - - - , - - - -
Cast off three quarters around, the ladies chain
- - - - , - - Chain 'em back
Ends cross over (every other time) new corner do sa do