Contra Dance with St. Matthew’s! | Oct 11, 6pm
at the Farmer’s Market Pavilion in downtown Hillsborough
Put on your dancing shoes and join us as we party like it’s 1799! Valerie Helbert, a seasoned contra dance instructor and “caller,” and her band will be on hand to teach us the steps. And we’ll have cider and donuts to refresh us as we kick up our heels! No partner, experience, or dance skills? No problem - none needed!
This social event is part our 2024 Bicentennial Celebration, as we focus on the time from 1750-1850. Contra dancing has its roots in 17th century England, Scotland, and France before crossing the Atlantic to America in the 18th century. Often known as country dances, this type of social event was all the rage throughout the 18th & 19th centuries, only to lose favor with the coming of the Jazz Age in the early 20th century. That’s when Henry Ford, worried about the corrupting influence of jazz music, began a program to teach contra dancing with the aid of a friend who taught dance. Today, this form of dance is enjoyed throughout the US.