Contra series seeks coterie of dancers

Published 7:00 pm Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Dances could be held once a month at Island Center, if enough folks sign up.

Passive nights before the TV, no more – even more contra dancing is doesy-doeing to Bainbridge Island.

“It’s like a large-group, social-interactive sport,” organizer Jane Landstra said. “If anyone can walk, they can do this.”

Landstra has been organizing contra dances – in which participants face each other in two parallel lines – three times each year at Island Center Hall. Now, under the umbrella of the new West Sound Contra Dance Coalition and with a $1,500 grant, she hopes to run dances monthly.

The dance’s first step is finding out who is interested.

“I want to make sure there will be people coming,” Landstra says, which is why she is looking for family groups, whether associated through schools or churches to let her know how and when the events should happen. She hopes to hear from people soon, in order to get an idea of the interest by June 10.

The Bainbridge Island Park and Recreation District recently asked Landstra to organize the dances the third Saturday of each month at Island Center Hall, from this fall. Funding would come from a Bainbridge Island Art and Humanities Council grant meant to promote dance opportunities for adults.

But she still wants to make sure the dances are serving the dancers.

Until now, the public contra dance events were organized around harvest time, Earth Day and “beginning of school” get-togethers by parents of preschoolers and primary school children.

The events have been popular among parents, kids and grandparents, and also provide opportunity for her violin students to perform. For younger kids, there have been singing and clapping games, popular in the early pioneer days when instrumental music and dancing was frowned upon

“Parents like to do it with kids. It’s a fun experience, a happy experience,” Landstra said. “We’re trying to revive the community interacting together. It gets back to people getting together for fun.”

The grant funding will allow Landstra to organize more frequent dances.

“It’s very nice to have that cushion (of the grant) to draw in higher quality bands and very good callers,” she said.

Anyone interested in joining a regular contra dance schedule can call Landstra at 842-7904.

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Plan ahead

A contra dance is planned for November. Those interested in getting on a mailing list or participating in events on a more regular basis should contact the West Sound Contradance Coalition at 842-7904 or email c_capers@yahoo.com.