Frequently Asked Questions
Contra Dancing FAQ
- What is contra dancing?
It's super fun but really hard to describe: check out this video, then come to our dance and give it a try! Beginners are always welcome at our dances.
- I've never contra danced before. What should I bring with me?
Enthusiasm!
Wear comfortable clothing and be prepared to sweat some; it's a good idea to bring an extra shirt, especially in the summer.
Bring a clean pair of shoes to change into, in order to protect the floor. Many dancers prefer suede or leather soles, but sneakers are fine—you don't need anything special, just avoid tracking in grit from outside.
- Where else can I dance!
We're glad you asked! Check out trycontra.com.
BIDA FAQ
- What does BIDA stand for?
Boston Intergenerational Dance Advocates
- How do you pronounce "BIDA," anyway?
"BYE-da"
- Where is your dance and how can I get there?
We're accessible by public transportation! Most of our dances are held at the Cambridge Masonic Hall, 1950 Mass Ave Cambridge, which is less than a block from the Porter Square stop on the Red Line. For other public transit options try Google Maps transit directions. If you prefer to drive, on-street parking is free on Sundays, with no permit required.
- Whaddaya mean, "intergenerational?"
We want to encourage everyone to socialize and dance with people from different generations, in order to share their enthusiasm and experience, and to have fun! We think our dance community will benefit from breaking down barriers that seem to exist between generations. You have all these goals: how do you make them work? We hold a variety of different events, some of which focus on certain goals more than others. As a whole, we make sure that all of our events work towards our primary goal of developing community. Our potlucks and parties allow people to socialize informally, and we encourage people to wear nametags at our events. We post etiquette and dance style posters encouraging everyone to think about how they can improve their own dancing and raise the dancing level of the community, and we also ask our callers to give style and dance-improvement tips from the mic. Our mentoring program cultivates opportunities for experienced performers to share their knowledge with newcomers, which also strengthens everyone's ties to the community.
- How can I get involved in BIDA?
Thanks for asking! We'd love to have you get involved. There are lots of opportunities available for dancers, musicians, callers, and organizers, whatever level of experience or interest you might have. Check out our "Get Involved" page for details!
- How can I start something like this in my area?
First, figure out what your goals are, and how a new dance organization can benefit your community. Then, check out the great resources provided by the Country Dance and Song Society (CDSS). These cover all sorts of dance-related topics, and the section on organizing community dances is especially helpful if you want to start an organization like BIDA. And feel free to email us at current-bida-board@googlegroups.com. We'll be happy to share any experience or ideas that we have, and we are always interested in learning about what other groups are doing.
- Does BIDA have bylaws?
Yes! Have fun reading through them.
- What do you tell callers and bands about your dance, to let them know what to expect?
- Can I come and play for the dance?
Sure!
We hold open bands about once a quarter, both for the evening dance and for our family dances. People of any level are welcome to come and play. The family dance open bands are lower-key, playing easier tunes from the floor without amplification, while the evening dance open bands play mroe difficult music and close-mic many of the musicians. To learn when these are happening, sign up for our musicians mailing list.
If you'd like to be booked to play for BIDA, write to bida-musician-booking@googlegroups.com. While there are a lot more people who would like to play BIDA than we have spots for, we are especially looking for musicians who are ready to play a big dance but don't have enough of a track record for more risk-averse dances.
- What tunes do you play at your open bands?
Check out our open band tune list.
- How much does BIDA pay people for things?
Our pay rates are public. For performers we offer guarantees and an attendance-based bonus.
- Is your dance wheelchair accessible? Are you fragrance-free?
See our accessibility information.
- How many dancers do you tend to get?
About 175, but it varies (chart).
- What do your finances look like?
Most of the time we make a bit of money, some of which goes to th band and caller as an attendance bonus and the rest we keep for dances that lose money (chart).
- Can I make an announcement at a dance?
Because there are so many events that one could plausibly announce at our dances we have a pretty strict announcements policy, where we only announce BIDA events. Additionally, the evening's performers may announce other opportunities to see them perform.