![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
do the lightbulb, balance and swing
On my recent visit to NYC, I went with ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
eisa and zahl to Alchemy, a weekly goth night at CB's gallery. Contrary to what we had heard, there is actually a bit of dancing there, though the dance space is small and most people are off at the other end of the place, lounging at the bar or on couches. So, we danced.
Sitting down resting after a while, I saw eisa pull zahl into a decidedly ungothlike dance move. Then she came over and grabbed me and said something about a "contra swing", which I completely fumbled, partly due to failing a mental context switch and partly we didn't start with a balance - apparently it really does help! We did manage a nice improvised gypsy and something kind of like a hey. A bit later we were facing each other and two other people were just in the right position to be the other couple and I called a right hand star, but alas, only eisa responded and the other people probably didn't even register the nonsense.
One year at Falcon Ridge, I went out to a nearby swimming pool with a few friends, and someone started randomly calling contra calls while we were in the pool. That didn't work too well, but it was fun. I thought that was the strangest attempt at contra I'd ever try, but no.
What we need, to try this for real, is at least two couples, preferably four, who know contra, like going to goth clubs, and are nutty enough to want to try this. Then we can invade some goth night and do the silliness. Who's in?
eisa and zahl to Alchemy, a weekly goth night at CB's gallery. Contrary to what we had heard, there is actually a bit of dancing there, though the dance space is small and most people are off at the other end of the place, lounging at the bar or on couches. So, we danced.Sitting down resting after a while, I saw eisa pull zahl into a decidedly ungothlike dance move. Then she came over and grabbed me and said something about a "contra swing", which I completely fumbled, partly due to failing a mental context switch and partly we didn't start with a balance - apparently it really does help! We did manage a nice improvised gypsy and something kind of like a hey. A bit later we were facing each other and two other people were just in the right position to be the other couple and I called a right hand star, but alas, only eisa responded and the other people probably didn't even register the nonsense.
One year at Falcon Ridge, I went out to a nearby swimming pool with a few friends, and someone started randomly calling contra calls while we were in the pool. That didn't work too well, but it was fun. I thought that was the strangest attempt at contra I'd ever try, but no.
What we need, to try this for real, is at least two couples, preferably four, who know contra, like going to goth clubs, and are nutty enough to want to try this. Then we can invade some goth night and do the silliness. Who's in?
no subject
no subject
Okay, I'm not from around here..
Re: Okay, I'm not from around here..
ok, maybe not. it's a traditional american form of folk dancing which is a little bit like square dancing, only with better music and without the really stupid-looking costumes.
no subject
You can also lindyhop to some goth music.
no subject
no subject
http://www.alchemy-dc.com/venue.php
no subject
It sounds like fun, though!
no subject
Next time you're in Madison, we should go - Pete is a contra fiddler and Sig used to dance all the time (that's how they met). There are some nice people in the contra scene here (also some wackos, but enh, whatever).
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
But yeah, the balance is a great "step-stomp-step-stomp-start" rhythm-getter-goer. I just love hearing a gym full of people doing it. 8)
no subject
Everyone knows "the lightbulb" is one of the most common goth dance moves :)
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
I'm teaching at Pinewoods this summer - the ultimate experience in new england contras and squares! :)
no subject
One of the last thing I went to at Johnny D's... I wish I could remember what... Lisa Greenleaf ended up calling (while dancing) a bit of Contra. The band was non-plussed.
no subject
no subject
Though apparently you're a few steps ahead of the rest of us if all it takes is the mere thought :)
Where do you (or have you) dance(d) around here?
no subject
no subject
no subject
well
no subject