This is the world's easiest contra dance. Couples in longways sets (men in one line, women in a second line facing them). Meter 4/4
NOTE: This is a couple dance, but the partners can be two people of any gender. The feet will be described as "down" (D), meaning closest to the bottom of the set, or "up" (U), meaning closest to the top of the set. The top of the set is traditionally the couple closest to the music.
Measure | Count | Step |
Part I | ||
1 | 1-4 | Facing your partner in the other line, put your hands straight up in the air (1), bend forward slowly and bring your arms forward and down to your knees (2-4). |
2 | Repeat measure 1. | |
Some recordings don't have the music for these two measures, so the dance starts each time through with measure 3. | ||
3 | 1-4 | Stand straight up and clap your hands (1), hold (2), clap your hands (3), hold (4). |
4 | 1-4 | Clap your hands four times (1-4). |
Part II | ||
1 | 1 | Step on D foot towards bottom of set (1), slide U foot to D foot (&), |
2-4 | Repeat counts 1& three more times. | |
2 | 1-3 | Repeat measure 1 count 1 three more times |
2 | 4 | Step on D foot towards bottom of set. |
3-4 | Repeat measures 1-2 in opposite direction with opposite footwork. | |
During these four measures, everybody else in line just stands there, clapping there hands in rhythm if they desire. At the end, the top couple should be back in their original position. | ||
Part III | ||
1-8 | The top couple turns over their U shoulder and walks down behind their line to the bottom of the set. Everybody else follows behind them. When they get to the bottom, the top couple forms an arch, and all the couples walk through the arch and back up towards the top of the set. When this is done, there is a new top couple and the dance starts again. |
Don't worry too much about the timing. As long as everybody is through the arch by the time the music is ready to start again, the rest of the details are not real important. Kids absolutely love this dance, and it's a good way to get them up and dancing.