New to Contra Dancing? Welcome!
We love welcoming new dancers! In fact, we offer a beginner lesson every Wednesday from 7:00 to 7:30 p.m. While it’s not required to attend the beginner lesson before your first dance, it can really help you get comfortable with the basics!
The basic step in contra is just walking, so there’s no need to learn fancy footwork. Plus, all dances are taught, so there’s no need to memorize a long list of steps. However, the dances do get a bit more challenging as the evening goes on, so arriving early is a great way to ease in.
Most new dancers find it takes a few weeks of attending regularly to feel confident. Then once you learn the calls, they stick with you!
Helpful tip: New dancers learn fastest by dancing with experienced partners, and we encourage our seasoned dancers to reach out and welcome newcomers. In contra dance, the norm is to switch partners each dance, which allows people to socialize with many people throughout the night and get to know the community. Plus, beginners can learn from many different experienced dancers.
See our Resources page for videos of beginner workshops and other helpful information.
