Glossary of Contra Dance Figures

Allemande Left - Two dancers join left hands about shoulder height with elbows bent down and walk a circular path.

Allemande, Mirror - Two couples, facing, starting with one couple going between the other couple. Give the person you are starting to pass your most convenient hand, right for two dancers and left for the other two, and turn as described in the allemande right and left.

Allemande Right - Two dancers join right hands about shoulder height with elbows bent down and walk a circular path.

Balance – The simplest balance is a step forward and back. Another type of balance is a step on your right foot and swing your left foot over your right foot and then step on your left foot and swing your right foot over your left foot.

Balance and Swing - Face other dancer, take both hands, balance (as above) and swing the other dancer.

Baskets - More that two dancers, step in so all the dancers are in a very tight circle, place your hands behind the backs of the dancers next to you and join hands. Put your right foot in closer to the center of the circle and start to turn this basket by pushing with your left foot (like in a buzz step swing).

Box the Gnat - Partners (usually) join right hands, raise joined hands above the woman’s head, she walks under the joined hands, as the man walks around behind her. The dancers not only change positions but they end facing in the opposite direction.

Cast Down – The dancer faces up and turns away from the center of the set and walks down the outside of the set.

Cast Off, Assisted - Two dancers, facing the same direction, put an arm around the other dancers waist, one dancer moves forward while the other dancer moves backwards.

Cast Off, Unassisted - One dancer, usually coving up the center or up the outside of the set, walks around an other dancer until they stand next to that dance facing the same direction

Cast Up – The dancer faces down and turns away from the center of the set and walks up the outside of the set.

Circle Left – More than two dancers join hands and form a circle. Hands are joined at a height somewhere between you waist and shoulders. Dancers walk around in a circle to the left or counter- clockwise.

Circle Right – More than two dancers join hands and form a circle. Hands are joined at a height somewhere between you waist and shoulders. Dancers walk around in a circle to the right or clockwise.

Contra Corners - This figure is done in proper sets. The first couple turn each other by the right hand until they can turn their first corner, The person who was standing on the left side of your partner. The first couple then turns their first corners by the left hand, until they see the partners. The first couple again turn each other by the right hand and then turn their second corners, the person who was standing on the right side of your partner, by the left hand. Courtesy Turn – Two dancers with right hands joined and left hands joined, about waist height, facing the same direction, woman on the man’s right. The woman walks forward while the man backs-up until they are facing the opposite direction.

Cross Over or Pass Thru – Two dancer walk by each other passing right shoulders. Cross Over is usually across the set. While Pass Thru is usually up and down the set.

Do-Si-Do – Two dancers walk forward pass each other right shoulders, pass behind the other dancer, and backup, passing left shoulders into the place where you started.

Do-Si-Do, Left Shoulder (also known as a See Saw) - Two dancers walk forward pass each other left shoulders, pass behind the other dancer, and backup, passing right shoulders into the place where you started.

Do-Si-Do, Mirror - Two couples, facing, starting with one couple going between the other couple. Then dance a do-si-do, the two dancers who pass right shoulders dancing a right shoulder do-si-do the other two dancers who pass left shoulders dance a left shoulder do-si-do.

Down the Center, Turn Alone – Two dancers, usually a couple, walk down the center of the set, turn toward each other and return to the place where they started.

Down the Center, Turn As a Couple – Two dancers, usually a couple, walk down the center of the set. Turn as a couple, the woman walks forward as the man backs up, until the couple is facing back in the direction they came from. Then return to a place across the set from where they started.

Figure of Eight – Two consecutive Half Figures of Eight (see below)

Forward and Back – Dancers join hands with the dancer next to them and move forward four steps and back four steps.

Gate and Post - Two dancers facing in the same direction, join most convenient hands, right to left, keep hands about shoulder height, one dancer will walk forward in a circular path as the other dancer walks backward in a circular path.

Grand Chain - Three or more woman, make a right hand star, and turn the star until you meet the third (or designated) man, join left hands with the man and courtesy turn.

Grand Right and Left - Two dancers, join right hands, pull by and give left hands to the next dancer, pull by, and continue this until you meet the person you are told to meet or until the caller tells you to stop. Can be used in squares, contras, and circles.

Gypsy - a couple, walk once around each other, clockwise, and end where they started while looking wistfully into each others eyes.

Half Figure of Eight – Two dancers across from each other, in a contra, cross over while moving through the couple below (or above), the woman in the lead, they then cast up (down) to end in their partners original place.

Hey for Four – Two couples, facing, usually starting with the women moving to the center and passing right, then pass the opposite man who is moving forward by the left, the two men pass right in the center while the two women do a small loop to the left to face in, again the women pass right in the center as men do a small loop to the left to face in, women pass the men by the left, men pass right in the center and all return to original place.

Honor - Bow to your partner.

Improper – In a contra, when a man is in the women’s line and/or a woman is in the Men’s line. The women’s line is the line on the left when viewed from the callers position.

Ladies Chain – Two couples facing, the women join right hands and pull by each other, then give their left hands to the opposite man, finishing with a courtesy turn to face the other couple.

Lead Through - Two dancers facing in the same direction, join most convenient hands, right to left, and walk between the two dancers they are facing. Often followed by a cast to original place.

Pass Thru - Two couples facing, both couples walk forward, passing the person you are facing by the right shoulder and ending in their place (do not turn around).

Promenade – A couple, with the man’s right arm around the woman’s waist and her right hand in his right hand, and left hands joined in front of them, move in a forward direction, sometimes ending with a courtesy turn.

Promenade, Single File - All of the dancers in a single file or circle, facing the same direction, follow the dancer in front of you.

Proper – In a contra, the men are in the men’s line and the woman are in the women’s line. The men’s line is the line on the right when viewed from the callers position

Right and Left – Two couples, take right hands with the person across the set and pull by, on the opposite side of the set courtesy turn the person next to you.

Roll Away - A couple, both facing in the same direction, woman’s left hand in the man’s right hand, the man assists the woman, who rolls across in front of him, as he moves to his right. They both end facing the same direction as they started but they are in each others place

Star, Left Hand – Two couples, take left hands with the person diagonally across, then they all walk froward in a circular path.

Star, Right Hand – Two couples, take right hands with the person diagonally across, then they all walk froward in a circular path.

Swing – A couple, in a position similar to ballroom position, except the man and woman are right hip to right hip. The simplest description I have heard is assume the above position and then try to walk behind your partner. The dancers can use a simple walking step or a buzz step.

Turn - See allemande for hight and left hand turn. A two hand turn - two dancers, facing, take the other dancers right hand in your left and their left hand in your right. Pull back slightly and both dancers walk clockwise until you get back to where you started.