Contra Dance and Clogging
Contra Dance
Contra dance is a style of dance that developed from English country traditions and has since been influenced by Irish, Scottish, and French elements. Contra dance continued to develop through the colonial period (1700s) and well into the early 1900s. Like many other American folk traditions, contra dance has gone through many folk revivals. This means that people of more backgrounds are dancing contra and the more dancers, the merrier!
In contra dances, there are three groups of people that work together to create the Contra dance experience. There are the dancers, there is the caller who stands outside of the dance formation, and there is the band.
Dancers are grouped into partners and each group of partners stands facing one another next to another partner group. This makes a small square for the dancers to perform different sets of choreography. As the dance goes on, each set of partners moves down the hall and dances with new partner groups. Each set of partners will dance with all partner groups at least once by the time the dance is over.
The caller is the designated leader of the entire Contra dance session. They instruct the dancers in what choreography to perform as well as suggest songs to the band. Callers also must "read the room" and determine dance choreography that is appropriate for the experience of the dancers in the room. Some of the names of dance moves are: ladies chain, allemande, circle, do-si-do, pass through, and promenade.
The band, of course, provides the music for the event. Contra dances usually have bands that set the mood and tempo (speed) of the dance. The type of band varies depending on the region of the United States, but in the southern United States, Old-Time bands are used.
The combination of the dancers, the caller, and the band create a lively dance experience where strangers can become dance partners for the night!
In Tallahassee, contra dances are held at the Tallahassee Senior Center on Monroe Street. This building was the Leon County Armory built in 1935 but renovated in 1978 as the current Senior Center. Left, you can see a side-by-side comparison of the building 74 years apart. The outside structure has remained largely the same, but the inside has been redesigned to host large events like contra dances.
Appalachian Clogging
Appalachian clogging is a form of dance that can trace its roots to Irish, Scottish, and African steps. Dancers wear clogging shoes with metal on the sole (and sometimes toe) to allow the audience to hear each foot tap and dance move. Clogging is different from tap dancing, although they have similarities. There are also varieties of Appalachian clogging called buck dancing and flatfooting that some argue are similar and others adamantly believe are different.
A large population of Irish and Scottish immigrants settled in Appalachia, so their traditions traveled with them. As clogging developed in the United States, non-European cultures began to influence the dance style and dance moves. Enslaved Africans in the United States also contributed to the development of the dance style. Appalachian clogging usually keeps the feet close to the ground compared to dancing styles in Europe.
In Tallahassee, there are a few Appalachian clogging groups including the Hot Pepper Steppers, led by Mary Allgire, and the Mountain Dew Cloggers who meet at the Jackson Lodge.