On Friday, Nov. 12, the McCullough Social Space was filled with students twirling, skipping and stepping to traditional folk music. Sponsored by the Middlebury Mountain Club (MMC), the contra dance brought Vermont’s favorite folk dancing tradition to students and faculty alike.
Contra dance originated in seventeenth century Europe, but did not gain recognition in the United States until the 1930s. The dance underwent a revitalization in New England in the 1960s and has been growing in popularity ever since. For MMC board member Sam Colton ’13, who first attended a contra dance in the ninth grade, contra dance is a must-have event for Middlebury’s social calendar.
“I grew up in a hotbed of contra activity [northwest Massachusetts], but avoided it on principle because my parents did it,” Colton said. “My friends finally dragged me to one and I had a blast and kept going to them whenever possible. It’s like nothing else you’ll ever experience.”
The contra dance is often accompanied by a live band playing traditional folk music and is led by a caller who shouts out changes in step. At Middlebury’s contra, Rebecca Lay acted as caller while legendary folk artist Pete Sutherland played fiddle, with his wife, Karen, on the piano. In a twist halfway through, student musicians Elias Alexander ’12 and Max Godfrey ’13 joined the band for several dances. The participation was unexpected, and Colton said he would love to see more of itat future contra events.
Colton, who serves as “Contra Papa” on the MMC board, joined the club with the intention of organizing rides to local contra dances in Burlington, Montpelier and Bristol. This is the second contra dance that Colton has brought to the Middlebury campus, and it certainly will not be the last, as dances during the upcomingwinter term and spring semester are in the works.
Contra dance is considered an interesting and fun weekend alternative for Middlebury students, as it comes with a supportive community that does not encourage (and often looks down upon) alcohol consumption. In addition, no experience is required for contra dancing, making it a beginner-friendly activity for students.
“On the contra scene, you are privy to a great group of people,” said Todd Langstaff ’13, who has attended contra dances his whole life. “Contra is great fun and it’s an incredible way to relax and forget about work, which is exactly what the student body needs with exams and big projects looming overhead.”
“The contra dance, like the orientation square dance, was a blast,” said Joanie Thompson ’14. “Nobody really knew what they were doing, which made it so great. I would definitely consider going to another contra dance.”
For those interested in furthering their contra dance experiences, MMC will be offering a contra dance workshop during winter term to facilitate wider exposure to this rapidly growing dance phenomenon.
Students give contra dance a whirl
Comments
