Bloomington Contra-Dance

After going to and participating in the Bloomington Contra-Dance, I have discovered that this event is all about attitude.  If you come in with a negative demeanor, whine and complain, you will have a terrible time and learn nothing from the experience.  However, if you come in with an open mind, it can be the most fun one can possibly have on a Wednesday night.

As I walked into the Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington I was a interested in what Contra-Dancing actually was.  I came in with an index from my sixth grade dances of “Cotton Eyed Joe.”  Therefore, I was intrigued to see this new folky line dance.  The first dance was a little rough.  My partner, Eric, and I did not really understand the dance moves.  In spite of this, we left it all out there on the dance floor.  We did eventually learn how to do the particular moves but the song ended quickly after.  Feeling confident that I had the dance moves down, I was crestfallen to find out that we would not be doing the same dance but in fact would be learning new moves.  I feel as though I became more and more assured in my Contra-Dancing skills as the night progressed.  I joined in further by stomping my feet and clapping by the end.  The Contra-Dancing made me feel as though I was part of a community even though it was only my first night.  There were some people that did not seem particularly fond of the newcomers, and made us feel bad for not immediately picking up the movements.  Nevertheless, they were a minority, and I had a great time.  After you understand the dance moves and begin talking to the people that have been Contra-Dancing for years, your problems and the outside world seem to disappear.  Your body and mind begin to enter a flow-like mode where you are totally involved in the dance and only concerned about making the next move correctly.  To be completely honest, this was the first time I have ever danced to live music, other than jumping around at a concert.  This dance was structured around the music as to keep everyone in rhythm.  Middle school and high school dances, proms and parties that I have been to only used High-Fidelity Music.  With Contra-Dancing, it would feel strange if there was no live music being played.  The music just adds another indescribable component to the community feel of Contra-Dancing.  While High-Fidelity will ensure that you hear your favorite song played perfectly, it does take away from the wholesome experience. 

I will most definitely be attending this event again in the near future.  I feel as though my classmates and I had genuinely had a great time, and the most fun out of any night during Intensive Freshman Seminar.  During the Contra-Dance, you really get to know a lot of townies from Bloomington.  As I was dancing with one woman, she told me about a special deal at her restaurant later in the week.  It seems as though the people who dance together care about each other because there is a sense of belonging.  Therefore, the auditorium becomes one giant family reunion on Wednesday nights. 

In participatory music there is no distinction made between artist and audience.  In Contra-Dance, you probably cannot play the music unless you having been playing for a while, but you are free to join in the dancing whether it is your first night or you have been attending for years.  Unless you are extremely tired, it would be creepy for someone to sit in the bleachers and watch the entire night.  Also, in participatory music, there is no stage.  There was a distinct area for the band to play, but they were on the same level as everyone else.  Once you get into the flow or “in the zone,” you do not really need the music to dance.  You just repeat the previous set of dance moves.  Therefore, the music is more focused on the people dancing and having a good time than being perfect.  Furthermore, the quality of the performance of Contra-Dancing is judged on the overall feeling of the group with an emphasis on social bonding.  For example, I had a great time tonight, and had a wonderful first experience.  I also feel as though I got pretty good towards the end.  However, I am sure that some people that watched me or participated with me would think otherwise.  But it does not really matter what they think, as long as everyone has a good time. 

Following my attendance of the Contra-Dance at the Boys & Girls Club, I have a new appreciation for folk music and dance.  This music and dance can take us away from our problems while also being an outlet for our frustrations in everyday life.  Going to a Contra-Dance and sweating, meeting new people and creating a better sense of the society in which we live is exactly what some people could need in their lives.