Dancing in a Winter Wonderland

Katie and I were able to attend the Winter Contra Dance event on November 21st, 2015 at St. Paul’s Memorial United Methodist Church. The caller for this event was Thos Lankston and the music was provided by the Riverrun Country Dance Band. It was very exciting to be able to see such an energetic group…

Interview with Casey Mullaney

Katie and I were lucky enough to be able to interview Casey Mullaney. She has been going to Contra Dances since she was a little girl and loved it so much that she got into calling. Throughout our interview, Katie and I asked Casey a variety of questions pertaining to Contra Dance and being a…

Contra Dance: Whirling the Night Away

On Saturday, October 24, I went to St. Paul’s Memorial United Methodist Church for my first Contra Dance experience, hosted by the South Bend Contra Dancers. As I pulled into the parking lot my nerves were overwhelming me as I noticed there was very few other vehicles, indicating I was probably one of the first…

Contra Dance Band Rehearsal

Katie and I were able to attend the band’s rehearsal before their performance at the Contra Dance event this weekend. It was an amazing opportunity to be able to see what goes into making a performance possible. We listened to them practice several different pieces and towards the end, they let Katie and I participate…

Band Rehearsal Excerpts: 11-14-15

Below are a few excerpts from the songs the band rehearsed during our visit! Also, here is a link to their website!

Contra Dance Sound Recordings: October 24, 2015

         These recording represent some of the variety in the music and dance moves used in the South Bend Contra Dances. Before each dance began, the caller gave general instructions on what the moves were.         The sound clip “Left Hand Star, Teach” is an example of the caller,…