Techno contra brings new life to traditional dance

If you live in Sitka, you’ve definitely heard of contra dance. And if you live on planet earth, you’ve certainly heard of techno or electronic dance music (EDM). You may not expect much of a cross-section between the two communities, but once a month, at the Larkspur Cafe, that’s exactly what you’ll find. KCAW’s Katherine Rose went to a techno contra” dance to figure out exactly how one do-si-dos to the untz untz untz of EDM.

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You’re in a dark room , and the strobe lights are flashing like crazy. You’re jumping up and down, throwing caution to the wind. No form, no rules, just your arms and legs flailing around like crazy. You just came here to dance.

Music stops

Just kidding. This is techno contra, and there are definitely a few rules.

“Turn to your neighbor. Say Howdy neighbor! Bounce and swing that neighbor.”

Sounds of music/dancing fades up and under again

Contra dancing is a type of folk dance, with European and Appalachian origins. It’s sort of like square dancing, but couples stand in lines. They progress down the line, repeating the dance with the couple standing across from them. All of this set to folk music.

“I never liked dancing actually. Then someone roped me into a dance from the band. So I set down my banjo and was like ‘okay.’’

Ben Timby has been dancing contra for a while. He even met his girlfriend, Tiffany Justice at a contra dance in Asheville, North Carolina.

 Ben: After we met, I invited her up here.

Kari: And she said ‘Is there a contra dance?’ and you said yeah, and she said okay (laughs)

Tiffany:  Yeah, pretty much.

And once she tried it, she got hooked. Tiffany loves all kinds of dancing, but contra offers a special sense of togetherness.

“I had a few friends who asked me to try it out,” says Tiffany. “It seemed like it was very inclusive, which i liked about it. In the same night I danced with a sixteen-year-old and a 90-year-old. I just really really liked that I felt this sense of community in the dancing and it wasn’t exclusive in any way.”

While Ben and Tiffany kindled their relationship at Sitka’s traditional contra dance, held once a month with music by a local group, Fishing for Cats. But around December of last year, Timby wanted to try something different.

“There’s a number of us who’d already been doing the traditional contra dancing. I think we were just sitting around having beers or at a jam and I just mentioned this idea, and Kari was on board,” Timby said.

Kari Lundgren is a contra dance caller. That’s the person that teaches the group each of the dances. Lundgren is a longtime Sitka caller, but Ben wasn’t sure what she’d think about some of the music.

Ben: I didn’t know if she’d actually be willing to call it.

Kari: It did make my eyes cross a little bit

Ben: You were like, “I don’t know!”

Kari: I’m kind of old for this type of thing.

Kari loved the idea, though there were a few logistical challenges. Contra tunes are between 100 and 120 beats per minutes. Techno music is more like 120 to 150 beats per minute. Tempo wise, it’s the difference between a stroll and jog. So, Thimby and Lundgren had to find the sweet spot where upbeat music meets danceable meter.

“Ben picked really good music. People can only dance so fast. You have to actually give them time to complete the move. Some of the music has an extra measure in it. Sometimes we have to pause and go ‘and wait’ and wait and wait. Go now!”

Techno contra also attracts a younger crowd. Often participants have little to no experience. But Kari says that’s not a bad thing. Seeing a younger crowd at a contra dance helps keep the tradition alive.

“The tradition is graying a little bit. When you look at some of the dance camp footage. This is actually bringing in the next generation of dancing, and that’s the important part, is just keeping contra alive and making it relevant. Very likely some of those folks would feel confident walking into a fiddle dance if they were in Minneapolis visiting their sister.”

 Sounds of the techno contra swell up, then fade under

And while you’re dancing as a group, and technically following  the instructions of the caller, that doesn’t mean there’s no room for creative expression.

“The caller’s responsibility is to stop calling at some point. That’s when it really elevates, when it’s just the dancers and the music. The whole place just starts to pulse. But always arriving to the call on time, not breaking with that tradition (laughs) . When the caller stops calling and everybody is dancing all together, yeah, it’s pretty amazing.”

They’re looking into holding dances in Juneau, Fairbanks, and even Bellingham, Washington and Portland, Oregon. And in Sitka, techno contra has become so popular, they’re considering upgrading to a bigger space for the next dance in August.