So, now it's been twice that I've gone to Glen Echo Park for their Friday night Contra Dancing! Lindsay had gone before, and she loved it so I had wanted to go at some point. Finally, Shanna invited me to go with her and some of her friends for a birthday party. I was excited to finally get to go, and now I'm just sad I didn't start going much earlier this summer. I'm pretty sure I would have gone every Friday night if only I had known...
Contra dancing is a lot like square dancing, but instead of 8 people in a square, you have lots of people all in a line. Your partner stays the same throughout the dance, but the other pairs are always changing as you finish a set and begin the next.
This place is so much fun because they are so open to new dancers! If you are new, then you wear a blue button that says "New Dancer" so the more experienced people can ask you to dance and teach you the ropes. And they sure will ask too. Every time one song ended, someone else would walk up and ask if you'd like to dance. The caller would help organize people from the stage and slowly walk through the instructions for the new dance a couple times for everyone to get the hang of it. Then the live band would crank up while the caller keeps calling moves for a few rounds. After a while you get the hang of it, and the caller fades out.
I took some pictures each time, so here are some to recap quickly:
This is Jim. Jim is super nice, and he taught Lindsay, Shanna, and I all how to contra. His face in this picture pretty much sums up the atmosphere in this place - so happy to be alive and totally carefree in this moment.
Here's a shot down the line of people as they're dancing. It's all very structured, but each couple or dancer had their own flair they added to the dance. That's what makes it really fun :) Also, that girl in the black shirt and duct taped feet -- super good dancer.
This is just to give an example of what a magical little place Glen Echo Park is. It has been around since the turn of the 1900's and was an amusement park back then. Still, when you walk up it feels a lot like walking back in time. Nothing is going on in those buildings, but just walking through the park to the ballroom is an awesome feeling.
Originally, the plan was for Kathleen and me to start driving home this Friday, but now the plan has changed so we're leaving Saturday morning - just so we can go Contra Dancing at Glen Echo Park. :)
Contra dancing is a lot like square dancing, but instead of 8 people in a square, you have lots of people all in a line. Your partner stays the same throughout the dance, but the other pairs are always changing as you finish a set and begin the next.
This place is so much fun because they are so open to new dancers! If you are new, then you wear a blue button that says "New Dancer" so the more experienced people can ask you to dance and teach you the ropes. And they sure will ask too. Every time one song ended, someone else would walk up and ask if you'd like to dance. The caller would help organize people from the stage and slowly walk through the instructions for the new dance a couple times for everyone to get the hang of it. Then the live band would crank up while the caller keeps calling moves for a few rounds. After a while you get the hang of it, and the caller fades out.
I took some pictures each time, so here are some to recap quickly:
This is Jim. Jim is super nice, and he taught Lindsay, Shanna, and I all how to contra. His face in this picture pretty much sums up the atmosphere in this place - so happy to be alive and totally carefree in this moment.
Here's a shot down the line of people as they're dancing. It's all very structured, but each couple or dancer had their own flair they added to the dance. That's what makes it really fun :) Also, that girl in the black shirt and duct taped feet -- super good dancer.
This is just to give an example of what a magical little place Glen Echo Park is. It has been around since the turn of the 1900's and was an amusement park back then. Still, when you walk up it feels a lot like walking back in time. Nothing is going on in those buildings, but just walking through the park to the ballroom is an awesome feeling.Originally, the plan was for Kathleen and me to start driving home this Friday, but now the plan has changed so we're leaving Saturday morning - just so we can go Contra Dancing at Glen Echo Park. :)
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