Spring Break
Contra dancing provides new form of entertainment for students
Mike Padasak
Issue date: 10/23/08 Section: Arts & Culture
Contra dancing on Saturday night at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley gives students an opportunity do go out into the community and experience a style of dance that is usually unheard of.
This is a style of folk dancing that is very social, as an individual and their partner will usually dance with an entire line of other dancers (called a set) over the course of one dance.
Every 2nd, 4th, and 5th Saturdays of the moth from 7:30 to 10:30 at night, the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley hosts the Valley Contra Dance. From 7:30 to 8 the members offer lessons to beginners on the basic forms of contra dancing.
The dance is open to everyone, regardless of age, as there is a mix from 7 to 70 year olds that attend. The regulars who attend the dance every other week are patient and helpful with beginners, as the overall theme of the dance is to have fun and not worry about if one's form.
In order for the dance to be organized, a caller walks the dancers through the moments before each dance. As for the music, a live band plays on stage overlooking the dance floor.
Each dance there is a different contra band, which pours out an up beat tune for everyone to swing along to. The bands usually have a fiddle player or two, a piano player, and a member who holds the beat with a guitar or bass.
Being college students it might seem to be a strain to go off campus and spend some money on an unusual style of dance, but with the price being only $5 and 3 blocks from south campus on 424 Center Street, it's worth the trip.
At times people are skittish to attend events where they feel they will be left out, but Moravian students, as well as other students from the area, attend Valley Contra Dance every week. The Moravian students even have a facebook group called Moravian College Contra Dancers.
Dancing for 3 hours might seem like too much, but there's a break in the middle where snacks are served and conversation between peers is held. For only 5$, food, dancing, and a live band for 3 hours is most defiantly worth being spent on an otherwise uneventful Saturday night.
To learn more about Valley Contra Dance check out their website at ValleyContraDance.org.
This is a style of folk dancing that is very social, as an individual and their partner will usually dance with an entire line of other dancers (called a set) over the course of one dance.
Every 2nd, 4th, and 5th Saturdays of the moth from 7:30 to 10:30 at night, the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley hosts the Valley Contra Dance. From 7:30 to 8 the members offer lessons to beginners on the basic forms of contra dancing.
The dance is open to everyone, regardless of age, as there is a mix from 7 to 70 year olds that attend. The regulars who attend the dance every other week are patient and helpful with beginners, as the overall theme of the dance is to have fun and not worry about if one's form.
In order for the dance to be organized, a caller walks the dancers through the moments before each dance. As for the music, a live band plays on stage overlooking the dance floor.
Each dance there is a different contra band, which pours out an up beat tune for everyone to swing along to. The bands usually have a fiddle player or two, a piano player, and a member who holds the beat with a guitar or bass.
Being college students it might seem to be a strain to go off campus and spend some money on an unusual style of dance, but with the price being only $5 and 3 blocks from south campus on 424 Center Street, it's worth the trip.
At times people are skittish to attend events where they feel they will be left out, but Moravian students, as well as other students from the area, attend Valley Contra Dance every week. The Moravian students even have a facebook group called Moravian College Contra Dancers.
Dancing for 3 hours might seem like too much, but there's a break in the middle where snacks are served and conversation between peers is held. For only 5$, food, dancing, and a live band for 3 hours is most defiantly worth being spent on an otherwise uneventful Saturday night.
To learn more about Valley Contra Dance check out their website at ValleyContraDance.org.
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