Grab your dancing shoes

Contra dancing in coastal Maine

Carol Sligh of Rockland and Roland Libby of Cushing, front, are followed by Barbara Greenwood and Gene Wilbur of Parkman and fellow contra dancers during the dance at Simonton Corner Community Hall, Rockport.

In dance halls lining the coast of Maine and around the country, centuries-old traditions are being rekindled every weekend. With live music as the backdrop, groups gather to socialize and perform a dance that has been practiced for hundreds of years.

Text and photos by Kelly Michaud, Editor

     “There are a lot of different ways to describe contra dance,” said John McIntire of Unity. “It’s what I like to call white America’s folk dance.”

     At its core, contra dancing is a social dance that has been happening in this country since the first white settlers showed up, McIntire said.

     “In its present form, it bears some resemblance to that because it is a folk tradition, but it has become modified to keep up with the times,” he said.

     For those unfamiliar with the dance form, think square dancing with modifications.

     “Those kinds of moves are the same moves used in contra dancing,” said musician and contra dancer George Fowler of Brooklin. “It is done in long lines as opposed to a square so during the course of the dance you’re dancing with a lot of people.”

Susan Small of Litchfield, center, dances with a partner among dancers of all ages at the contra dance in Rockport recently.

     And, like square dancing, there is a person who calls the dance patterns -- do-si-do, balance and swing, promenade, star and allemande, to name a few. Both Fowler and McIntire call dances regularly.

     To be able to call a dance, the caller must understand contra dancing from all angles -- left and right and backwards and forwards.

     “It involves patience and just really a love of the dance,” McIntire said. “I enjoy the dance form so much that I wanted to be able to share it with other people in a way that is very joyful.”

     The music differs, however, from square dancing tunes. At a contra dance hall you won’t find a record player cranking out songs -- the music is almost always performed by a live band. And the music is Celtic based, McIntire said, with some tunes reflecting French-American and Irish influences.

     The dance was first brought to the American colonies years ago from Europe -- even Mozart wrote tunes for contra dancing, Fowler said. What started out as an English country dance became a French art form, McIntire said, and it was in France where the name originated. The French word “contre” means opposite, signifying the contrary lines the dancers stand in. When the dance returned to England, the name became contra.

     There are records of the dance form in colonial times in New York state and in the Boston area, McIntire said, adding “there is very little doubt that it was happening in settled areas in Maine.”

     Contra dancing grew in popularity during a time in history when distractions like television and vehicles weren’t mainstream.

     “There was a dance every night of the week in the 1920s and ‘30s,” McIntire said.

     Often, 25 to 100 couples would attend the dances. “This was the social activity -- this was the entertainment,” he said. “People traveled on horse and buggy and that was how they got out.”

     Today the dance still has a strong fan base and dancers will travel to different sessions held every weekend at some spot along the coast or a little inland.

John McIntire calls the formations for the contra dance in Rockport. The dance is held the fourth Saturday of the month from 8 p.m. - 11 p.m. at Simonton Corner Community Hall. Behind McIntire is the band January Thaw.

     For those who may be intimidated by the mere mention of the word “dance,” don’t worry. Contra dancing doesn’t require too many dancing genes.

     “Anyone who can get themselves through the door is capable of participating,” McIntire said.

     McIntire got involved in contra dancing 20 years ago and back then, he said he didn’t know his left foot from his right foot.

     “I didn’t know there was a difference,” he said. “I was totally lost and intimidated by the whole thing but the people were so welcoming and so much fun that I kept going back.”

     Unlike many dance forms, contra dance doesn’t require weeks of lessons to master. Instead, the steps and formations are walked through prior to each dance.

     “It’s pretty much walking in time to music so if you can listen to music and tap your foot, you can probably dance, ”McIntire said.

     The dance and the atmosphere are infectious, McIntire said. Everyone is smiling, and enjoying themselves as they dance the evening away.

     “There is such a spirit about this kind of dance -- it is just something that I wanted to be a part of,” McIntire said.

January Thaw provides the live music during a contra dance at Simonton Corner Community Hall in Rockport. From left are Hank Washburn, Mary Barney and Mark Murray.

     But, Fowler admits, contra dancing isn’t for everyone.

     “While the tunes and the dancing are energetic, it’s not rock and roll,” Fowler said. “There is a traditional sense to it and that is the appeal for some people.”

     For Fowler and McIntire, the appeal runs deep.

     “It’s just great to see a whole room full of people dancing together, enjoying each other’s company and getting along so well together,” McIntire said.

     Contra dances attract people of all ages -- from families, to couples to singles.

     “It provides a really nice recreation for singles who are looking for a non-confrontational outlet,” Fowler said. “A lot of people enjoy that low-key social interaction.”

     Whether you’re trying to find a solution for cabin fever symptoms or want a way to socialize and stay active, swing by an upcoming contra dance in your area. In addition to the dances that are held on a regular basis, The Morris Farm will hold its 9th annual Contra Dance & Raffle Saturday, March 27, from 7:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. at the Wiscasset Primary School gymnasium. Music will be provided by Hank Washburn, Mary Barney, Mark Murray, with Bill Olson calling. Turn to page 12 for more details.

     For more on contra dancing in Maine and other folk dances, visit the Downeast Friends of the Folk Arts Web site at www.deffa.org.