The lights dimmed. The music was queued. Standing in a group of four and off we went! There were meltdowns, swings, California twirls, and a lot more in last night’s techno contra dance (although techno-cally there wasn’t a right and left through as the title of this post might lead you to believe 🫣). Using pop/techno music is a twist on the traditional folk music/ live band usually accompanying contra dances. I was only a little bit sure of what to expect because I’ve participated in just one other contra dance that featured pop music… and… last night…
The sounds, the energy, the people, the laughing, all of it was such a high. Like a great workout at the gym but with music and friends and dancing. I was talking to someone about it recently, saying how contra dance is a welcome addition to my life. I have triathlon stuff, church stuff, family stuff, but going out to dance allows me to embrace a different aspect of my personhood. If you have a chance to try contra dancing in your city, I think you should. You might end up liking it!
But then don’t do what I did afterward: on the way home I accidentally hit a possum. Very sad. In its honor, I named it Rosanna because that song came up on my Spotify playlist this morning as I passed by the scene of the incident. Rosanna… I’m sorry. I hope you had a fulfilling life and thanks for your work in the woods! You were awesome.
-Out of the Wilderness
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Out of the Wilderness 