I'm just throwing in my two cents, as a dancer and occasional caller, just to add another perspective; it'll likely come across as negative but I'll try to make it otherwise. Having recently left the Social Disdancing FB group as a result of unexpected and disappointing behaviour presented therein, ostensibly from within our community, I am aware that we each have a responsibility to at least be respectful. 

Maybe this post is simply a venting because I'm pissed at the virus. It's certainly longer than I intended.

First, I acknowledge the efforts of those who try to find a way to, safely, "make it work" these days.

Both the topics - phrasing and distance - are key to my personal enjoyment of contra, which I've been involved in for 20+ years. It's really interesting reading the thoughts of people who have been more involved in the community and in some cases for much longer than I.

A musician remarked in the phrasing thread that it was discouraging to play for a crowd that wasn't keeping time. I can understand that. For a ONS, I can also understand callers going with the flow; if the dancers refuse to cooperate and match steps to the musician's beats, what is to be done except liquor-up the band so they can have some fun, too! 😊

For a regular contra, however, that would, in my opinion, be a death knell.

Squares, with which I have lot less experience, as people rightly point out is more flexible in phrasing. Even there, however, it seems to me that call granularity isn't reduced beyond 4-beat phrases. Also, the callers never, to my recollection, start a figure on the off-beat. So, calls are started on the 1 or the 5 of an 8 beat phrase (at least at the top of the dance sequence). Squares are also more forgiving which allows for this flexibility. It's the same 8 people through the dance and the collateral damage is limited when things go awry. It's pretty easy to stop, re-form a circle of 8, then wait for a reboot without affecting anyone else.

Contra ain't like that. At all.

Being on time is key, for the enjoyment of everyone in one's line. (I'm gonna show some snobbery here). If people aren't able to be there when needed - assuming the choreography is a good match for the crowd - then perhaps another activity would be a better choice for the individual. Of course, allowances/adaptations for current community members whose abilities may be in decline for whatever reason. I can't imagine contra-dancing with a group that consistently ignored the musical phrase; how would that even work. No AABB? Might as well have Sun Ra's band playing; free jazz to accompany free contra.

The social distancing thing is similar but different. The workarounds that people are searching for presumably are sought to facilitate continuance of what those individuals find most (?) important in our community which seems to be just a notion of showing up - I'm here and I see you are here, too. I attended one Zoom dance a couple of months ago, to give it a try. I can only imagine that others place different value than I of the various aspects of contra-dance. If I can't make physical contact with the people I'm dancing with, it ain't contra. That's kinda what it comes down to for me.

I certainly stand as a member of our large virtual community circle wishing the best for every individual and anticipating that first dance, whenever and wherever that might be. 

Stay safe and, by your actions, keep those around you safe.

Ken Panton

Saguenay, QC