Three years ago, a friend peeled me out of my apartment, insisting we go out dancing like people our age were supposed to do on Saturday nights. What she neglected to tell me until we pulled into the parking lot of Brainerd United Methodist Church, however, was that the type of dancing she had in mind was of the traditional folk variety and reminiscent of square dancing.
Thus was my introduction to contra dancing, which the Chattanooga Traditional Dance Society hosts on the second and fourth Saturday of each month from 8-11 p.m.
As uncertain as I was at first, I loved every second of it. So when I found myself back for an encore last month, I was confident I’d be able to pick up where I’d left off without attending the 30-minute beginners’ tutorial held before each session.
I should have known I would not be so lucky.
When I walked into the gymnasium and shed my coat, the first thing I noticed was the sheer diversity among the crowd. More than 80 people packed the room, and among their ranks were dancers of all ages, from 17-70 and beyond. There was even an energetic 7-year-old, her partners gladly hunching down to accommodate the size difference.