Contra dance with live folk music (ideal for beginners)

Join us for a lively evening of contra dancing! We’ll meet up in the outdoor courtyard (here) shortly before the event to greet one another, then we’ll enter the venue as a group at 6:25pm sharp. There’s a 30 minute lesson 6:30-7pm so please be sure you’re on time. Once we’ve completed the lesson, you’ll be more than ready to dance with everyone else. Contra dance is ideal for beginners, the “uncoordinated,” and those who just want to have a good time while someone else makes all the hard decisions. See below for more information on contra dancing.

Please read the entire description for this event so that you know what to expect and bring. If you have any questions, please ask below!

We’ll be joining the Palo Alto Contra Dance, which is an event unrelated to Meetup. Please be respectful and follow their code of conduct. If you like the event, you can find their calendar here.

This is a mask-optional event: some dancers will be masked, but many will not be. If you’re feeling sick, please use your energy to get better instead and join us next time :)

If you’re coming by car, you can park for free in the nearby parking garage here which will have plenty of space. There are bike racks in the courtyard where we’ll meet. The walk from Palo Alto Caltrain is less than 15 minutes.

Be sure to bring with you:

• $20 (preferred) or a pre-purchased ticket for the event (buy one here) (this Meetup is free but the event costs money)
• Water bottle
• Comfortable shoes, ideally flat or very low heel (you should be comfortable walking a few miles at a moderate pace in these shoes)
• Comfortable clothing that’s easy to move in (you should be able to walk swiftly and raise your arms to shoulder level without difficulty)
• (optional) A skirt that twirls well – it’s more fun that way! People of all genders wear skirts at Bay Area contra dances.
• A friendly smile and an open attitude :)

You can learn more about the venue and the basics of contra dance here. You can watch a video of a typical contra dance here. Some quick facts:

• You do not need to bring a partner. For each song you will dance with someone new that you meet at the event. Even if you bring a partner, it is customary to dance with a different person for each dance.
• There will be a live band! Typical instruments include drums, fiddles, guitars, and other folk instruments.
• At the beginning of each song, the caller (the person who picks which steps we’ll be dancing for that song) will teach everyone all of the steps before the music starts. A few minutes later the music will start and we’ll repeat those steps until the music stops. The caller will give verbal reminders of these steps until everyone settles into the flow of the dance.
• Contra dancers are a very friendly group and generally quite eager to meet and dance with newcomers. The experienced dancers will be happy to help you, and no one will judge you for misstepping – we all remember what it felt like to dance for the first time. When in doubt, smile :)

Some tips:

• Have fun and smile! If you mess up, just smile and move on to the next thing.
• Ask others to dance. Asking someone to dance does not imply anything other than “I think it would be fun to spend the next 10 minutes dancing with you,” and there are no rules about who should do the asking.
• Try to dance with people who are not part of the Meetup group, especially in the beginning. The experienced dancers will be able to help you get used to the dance by (literally) pointing you in the right direction as needed.
• Dance as many songs as possible, but also listen to your body.
• If you have any questions, feel free to ask the Meetup organizer (I’ll be wearing a daisy pin and a long skirt).

Note: this dance is appropriate for all ages and abilities. If you have any movement limitations (e.g. shoulder injury), please check in with your host at the event and we can make sure that you have at least as much fun as everyone else while staying safe! You’re also welcome to ask questions below before the event.