Contra dance choreography

Contra dance figures (with a few exceptions) do not have defined footwork; within the limits of the music and the comfort of their fellow dancers, individuals move to the beat and embellish according to their own taste.

As the sequence repeats, the caller should be able to cut down his or her prompting, sometimes to a single word for every figure, and eventually stop calling, leaving the dancers to each other and the music.

Typical contra dance choreography comprises four parts, each 16 counts (8 measures) long.

In figures such as an allemande, rollaway or swing, dancers commonly give weight, leaning slightly away from their partner to create tension.

[1] Same-sex partners are increasingly common in contra dancing, either by preference or to accommodate different numbers of men and women attending; in the descriptions that follow, gentleman and lady refer to roles rather than sexes.