Contra Dancing and The Community Dance Program at Dance Zone

Contra and Old-Time Square Dances

Dance to the traditional sounds of All Strings Considered or just come and listen to the music, 6:30-9:00 PM.  Donations accepted to help defray cost of the band and the refreshments.  Don’t dance?  Don’t worry about it.  Caller Marge Sklar will help you through the steps.  We begin with very easy dances, so come early if you’re a beginner.  We give lessons at 6 PM. 

Winter, 2018 dates:  Sundays, 6:30-9 PM 

• February 4
• March 11
• April - TBA
• May - TBA

Summer dates (no band) depend on availability of dancers. 

All Strings Considered – Old Time Stringband Music

All Strings Considered has a primary focus on traditional old-time instrumental and vocal music of the Appalachian region with a bit of Celtic and Scandinavian tossed into the mix from time to time. The group’s sound is a blend of Jamie Kitchel on fiddle, Rochelle Schuster on hammered dulcimer, Phil Watts on guitar, Annette Watts on autoharp, and Maggie Morgan on bass. All Strings Considered will get your feet tapping to those great traditional fiddle tunes then soothe your day with a gentle waltz or tell a story with an Appalachian song.

COMMUNITY DANCE CLASS. Parents, grandparents, kids, grandkids, children of all ages - learn a skill that has been enjoyed by generations.  Will begin again in the summer session.   TO RESUME IN THE FALL.

NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY; fun for all ages

What is the community dance program?

The Community Dance Program is an easy-access, limited basics program that demands little commitment on the part of the dancers, but at the same time provides an almost unlimited scope of variety, friendship, and fun.

Unfortunately, this type of program is not widely available.  The NMU International Dancers and Dance Zone will offer the community dance program this fall and winter. 

Men, women and children who would like to be involved in square dancing on a limited time schedule are invited to participate in this program.

The Community Dance Program (CDP) is a grass-roots concept of the activity – the basic form of square dancing that Americans have enjoyed for years. While there is no limit to the variety involved, it is the form of variety that can be achieved with a limited amount of class time and then enjoyed for a life-time.

The 24 basic steps in the community dance program can be learned in six two-hour lessons, so that the dancers can get onto the dance floor quickly.  These steps will be learned via traditional square, contra, couple, mixer and individual line dances. 

Don’t miss our Contra Dance with a Live Band!!   All Strings Considered playing Oct. 1, Nov. 5, and Dec. 3, 6:30-9 PM.

What will you learn?

• BASIC SQUARE DANCE STEPS:

1. Circle Left and Right
2. Forward and Back
3. Do Sa Do
4. Swing
5. Couple Promenade
6. Single File Promenade
7. Arm Turns, Left/Right
8. Right and Left Grand
9. Weave the Ring
10. Star Right/Left
11. Star Promenade
12. Pass Thru
13. Split the Couple/Ring
14. Rollaway Half Sashay
15. U Turn Back
16. Separate
17. Courtesy Turn
18. Ladies Chain, Two/Four
19. Lead Right
20. Right and Left Thru
21. Circle to a Line
22. Grand Square

• CONTRA DANCES (such as:
  • Rutger’s Promenade
  • Needham Special
  • Virginia Reel
  • Caroline’s Special

Note:  Contra dances typically use the basic square dance calls.

• Mixers, such as:
  • Heel-Toe Polka
  • Going Back to Cairo
  • La Bastringue
  • Teton Mountain Stomp
  • Other couple dances, such as polka, schottische, waltz.

Contact Marge 906-236-1457906-236-1457  marge@dancezonemqt.org

All sessions at Dance Zone, 1113 Lincoln Avenue,  TBA.

Your teacher, Marge Sklar, is a member of Callerlab, the international caller’s association.