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Tonight I will polish my dancing shoes and join in the whimsy of a contra dance, hosted by the South Union Grange.
What is a Contra dance, you say?
Contras have roots in traditional American dancing, with strong British Isles and French-Canadian influences. A caller, working with a group of live musicians, guides new and experienced dancers alike through a variety of moves, teaching each dance before it is actually done to the music. The patterns are similar to those of old-time square dancing, yet have nothing whatsoever to do with country line dancing. Zilch. And every 30 seconds or so, according to the dance, a different person of the opposite sex is thrust into your arms, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
[South Bay Grange, second Saturday of each month, 8-11 p.m., all ages $7, 3918 Sleater-Kinney Road N.E., Olympia, 360.236.1602]