[Organizers] Elevator pitches for contra

Wed Aug 5 17:43:27 PDT 2015

Thanks for the feedback everyone! It seems the easiest way to explain what
contra is if you don't want to be too technical is definitely to start from
either square dancing or ECD which makes sense to me. Videos of course also
help, although I've struggled to find one that was mot too long and din't
make contra seem more complicated then it actually is or way more low-key
than it can be.
Thanks!
Marie

On Wed, Aug 5, 2015 at 2:15 PM, Allison Bell via Organizers <
organizers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

> I say all of these things!
> I usually throw in there that contra means opposite and we dance as
> couples down opposite lines of couples, which helps people get the sense of
> how many people they get to dance with in an evening. I also describe it as
> very social, lots of eye contact, and aerobic :)  And I add that this is to
> live music with some of the greatest musicians in the region, and live
> calling so people know what to do next.
>
> Alli
>
>
> --
> Allison J. Bell, Psy.D.
> Licensed Psychologist
> 200 Katonah Avenue  Suite 16B
> Katonah, New York 10536
> phone: (914)232-1211
> fax:     (914)232-3479
> cell:    (914)497-5113
> web:  www.drallisonbell.com
>
> From: Organizers <
> organizers-bounces+allisonbell=msn.com at lists.sharedweight.net> on behalf
> of Harris Lapiroff via Organizers <organizers at lists.sharedweight.net>
> Reply-To: Harris Lapiroff <harris at chromamine.com>
> Date: Wednesday, August 5, 2015 12:55 PM
> To: <sloan at medevelop.com>
> Cc: <organizers at lists.sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Organizers] Elevator pitches for contra
>
> I often tell people it's like English dancing that they might see in a
> Pride and Prejudice film adaptation but if it stopped in France, came to
> the US, and got a lot faster and more spinny.
>
> On Wed, Aug 5, 2015 at 12:43 PM, Walker Sloan via Organizers <
> organizers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
>> "Contra has many of the same moves as square dance, but it's done with
>> two couples instead of four couples.  And the two couples are part of a
>> long line with other sets of couples.   Every half a minute, the couples
>> move onto other couples.  So at the end of the ten minute dance you've
>> danced with your partner 50% of the time, and with every other opposite
>> role person in the line the other 50%.  Then you change partners for every
>> dance.
>>
>> How fun is contra?  Highschoolers will go to contra dances with their
>> parents."
>>
>> In my experience, everyone knows what a do-si-do is, and know that square
>> dance involves lots of swinging and swirly skirts.  It's an adequate
>> reference.
>>
>> If you can show people on a computer, my absolute favorite video is Doug
>> Plummer's "Crowfoot in Tacoma".  Perfect picture, including overhead shots
>> for a clear picture of the patterns.
>>
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1cPyJWm-g4
>>
>> Mac Sloan
>>
>>
>> On 8/4/15 19:52, Marie-Michèle Fournier via Organizers wrote:
>>
>>> Hello everyone!
>>>     This is something I am trying to develop and I was wondering if
>>> anyone had some that they like to use. I like the "if square dancing and
>>> swing dancing met in a bar, you'd get contra", but as someone pointed
>>> out to me, if the person you are talking to doesn't really know what
>>> square dancing is like it's not very helpful.
>>>
>>> What are your favorite elevator pitches? How do you describe contra to
>>> friends, family or potential new dancers?
>>>
>>> Thanks!
>>> Marie
>>> Communications for ContraMontreal
>>>
>>>
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