Address
Contra College 2013
c/o Les Addison
123 Jasmine Avenue
East Palo Alto, CA 94043
Email Address
info@ContraCollege.com
Phone Number
510 599 2219
Sponsored By
Bay Area Country Dance Society
In Collaboration With
North Bay Country Dance Society
Traditional Dancers of the Golden State
Traditional Dancers of Santa Cruz
Contra dancing is an American folk dance that has similarities to square dancing and English country dancing, and includes a caller and live music. It is a beginner-friendly community dance and does not require special classes or instruction. However, many people find that having a focused opportunity enables them to learn to dance better, to progress from new or intermediate to advanced, and to develop both an understanding of and muscle memory for contra dancing.
Contra College is an urban weekend of contra dancing which also includes the other dance forms you’re likely to see at a contra dance. An integrated curriculum and careful pacing will allow dancers to build skills slowly over the course of the weekend and to internalize what they’ve learned as they go along. There will be plenty of explanations and question-and-answer time. The group’s small size will allow for individualized attention and the dances will be selected to help everyone gain confidence and feel at ease. The carefully-crafted curriculum will emphasize dances that are simple while still being varied and well-choreographed.
Susan Michaels is a well-loved, Los Angeles-based teacher and a caller of traditional American dancing, especially contra dancing and square dancing. She has called and taught dances at local evenings, weekend workshops, week-long elementary school programs, week-long family camps and dance weekends throughout the U.S. and Canada. Her "calling" in life is to teach people how to hold hands in a circle.
By profession Susan Petrick is a cognitive psychologist who does software usability research for Google in the Bay area. She has been calling for twelve years, and is gaining national prominence in the contra dance world. She strives to program interesting, varied dances with great flow, and to teach them clearly and concisely. She has enjoyed working with wonderful bands, traveling and calling throughout the country in addition to up and down the West Coast.
Susan has been on the staff of Contra College since its inception. This year, she will be leading a Callers Workshop on Friday night in which she will teach how to program an evening of contra dance, how to teach a dance clearly and concisely, and make even complex dances accessible to all. She will be returning as waltz instructor late Saturday afternoon and a hambo instructor on late Sunday afternoon. Ms. Petrick will make sure that dancers can enjoy the entire evening at a contra dance. The waltz and hambo workshops are included in Contra College, but also may be taken separately.
Nick Cuccia will be back once more, acting as TA as well as sound technician. Highly regarded by dancers, musicians, and callers for his high-quality sound work, Nick has also been calling contra, square, and English country dances throughout northern and central California for over a decade. An avid contra, English, and square dancer when he has time, Nick dances with and is backup caller for square dance clubs in the Central Valley. Nick will be leading a survey of traditional and contemporary square dances, ranging from early quadrilles to mid-century singing squares and more contemporary New England squares.
Jim has gone through a succession of musical stages, morphing from classical and early music to traditional and ethnic styles. Jim specializes in dance musicianship, and regularly plays for a dozen or so different dance traditions on an absurd number of instruments--from accordion and bagpipe to whistle and zurna. He's taught and performed at dance and music camps throughout the US and Europe, and currently is artistic director of the BACDS American Music and Dance week.
In addition to playing with The Whoots on Saturday, Jim will present a workshop on the types and styles of music used in contra dancing, and help dancers understand how and why tunes work like they do.
The Whoots mix an eclectic blend of Irish, Scottish, French Canadian and Old Time tunes, and are comfortable with contra styles from the most traditional Chestnut dances through Contrafusion, which combines heavy rhythm and electronic effects with trad musical sensibilities.
Michelle Levy has been performing on and exploring the possibilities of the violin/viola for over 20 years. She currently performs with the Boston Camerata, and regularly plays for contra & English dances and camps on both coasts. She recently did an East Coast dance tour with Tritonic, ending with a packed contra at NEFFA.
Jim has gone through a succession of musical stages, morphing from classical and early music to traditional and ethnic styles. Jim specializes in dance musicianship, and regularly plays for a dozen or so different dance traditions on an absurd number of instruments--from accordion and bagpipe to whistle and zurna. He's taught and performed at dance and music camps throughout the US and Europe, and currently is artistic director of the BACDS American Music and Dance week.
Shira Kammen is an internationally-known musician, appearing on over 40 recordings. She's a sought-after staff member at dance and music camps throughout the country, and regularly leads musician workshops internationally. Her contra playing is powerful and creative, featuring driving rhythmicity and unmatched harmonization skills which make people want to get up dance.
Having met at the Berkeley Contra Dance, Mike and Ben's modern dance duo, Uncle Farmer, has become a regular on the California contra dance circuit. With an Irish and New England sound at its core, Uncle Farmer is known for its original dance tunes, modern twists on old favorites, and sets mixed with pop rhythms and improvisational flair.
Their performances range from sweet and nostalgic to gritty and energetic, and their sound truly fills both the room and the hearts of dancers.
The Contra College weekend schedule is as follows:
| 8:30AM | - | 9:00AM | Registration & Breakfast |
| 9:00AM | - | 9:30AM | Welcome & Orientation |
| 9:30AM | - | 11:00AM | Everything You Wanted To Know About Contra Dancing (But Were Afraid To Ask) |
| 11:15AM | - | 12:30PM | Transcendent Transitions |
| 12:30PM | - | 1:30PM | Lunch |
| 1:30PM | - | 2:30PM | Flow Dynamics |
| 2:45PM | - | 4:00PM | Music Workshop |
| 4:00PM | - | 5:30PM | Waltz Workshop |
| 5:30PM | - | 7:00PM | Dinner |
| 6:30PM | - | 7:00PM | Beginner Lessons |
| 7:00PM | - | 10:00PM | Community Dance |
| 9:00AM | - | 9:45AM | Breakfast |
| 9:45AM | - | 11:00AM | Don't Sweat It: Mastering Complicated Figures and Unusual End Effects |
| 11:15AM | - | 12:30PM | Square Dance Workshop |
| 12:30PM | - | 1:30PM | Lunch |
| 1:30PM | - | 3:30PM | Prom |
| 3:30PM | - | 4:00PM | Graduation |
| 5:00PM | - | 6:30PM | Hambo Workshop |
| 7:00PM | - | 9:00PM | Caller Workshop Dance |
Early registration is $125, for all registrations postmarked by October 10, 2013. Regular registration is $150, for all registrations postmarked on or after October 11, 2013. There are several ways that you can register.
Payment is by check made payable to BACDS, and sent to the registrar at the address to the left (also on the form). Registrations will be accepted in the order received. New dancers will be given priority if there is a waiting list.
If after registering you need to cancel your registration, please let us know as soon as possible. If you cancel at least three weeks prior to the dance weekend — by Saturday, October 19, 2013 — we will refund your registration fee, less a $25 administrative processing charge. If you cancel after October 19, and we can fill your place from the waiting list, we will also refund your registration fee, less the $25 charge. If you cancel after October 19 and we cannot fill your place, we cannot refund your fee.
If you need to cancel your registration, please send an email to registrar@ContraCollege.com with information about who is cancelling and why and how to contact you.
The supporting organizations and Conta College have identified a number of policies that are in place to make our dance events fun and safe. For further information, please review the information on the policy page.