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(a)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(a)lists.sharedweight.net> on behalf
of Harris Lapiroff via Organizers <organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
Reply-To: Harris Lapiroff <harris(a)chromamine.com>
Date: Wednesday, August 5, 2015 12:55 PM
To: <sloan(a)medevelop.com>
Cc: <organizers(a)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(a)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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