Contra dancing takes Leesville by storm
Lake Murray Contra Hall may be out of the way for students without cars, but this hidden gem of the Midlands is well worth the gas money. Lake Murray Contra is a Contra dancing club in Leesville, only about 40 minutes down the road from campus.
Contra is a community-style dance that originated with 17th-century English peasants. During the following centuries, the style spread to the Americas, where it grew in popularity and gradually mutated into a high-octane style occasionally described as “square dancing on steroids.” The dance itself is quick and easy to pick up. All Contra dances are merely combinations of the same basic steps, with a little bit of improv thrown in to shake things up. Just like in square dancing, the steps for each individual dance are announced by a caller. The key to Contra is the concept of community; during a set, dancers are expected to dance not only with their chosen partners, but also with their many neighbors.
“I like the social feel of it,” said Tess Dawkins, a third-year German and psychology student who visits Lake Murray Contra regularly. “You’re never allowed to partner with the same person more than once.”
“It’s a great activity to do,” added Ruthanne Wenger, a third-year English student who also frequents the dance floor. “You’re connected, but you can have personal expression as well. I like the historical aspect of it. It makes me feel like I’m [in] a Jane Austen novel or something.”
Contra dancing is already a fairly popular pastime here in Columbia; each month brings many country dances to ballrooms or dance halls here in the city. Lake Murray Contra in particular possesses a unique charm and atmosphere unheard of in the Columbia halls.
Lake Murray Contra was started in 2009 by Susan Fort and her family, after Fort’s daughters began attending Contra dances in River Falls. According to Fort, she fell in love with the Contra dancing experience after accompanying her daughters to a dance, and soon began taking calling lessons.
“I thought, ‘Wow, we could do that here.’ So we did,” Fort said. “Since our contras are ‘private,’ we didn’t have much advertisement except word of mouth. Our crowd has grown from 12 to 20 dancers to 40 to 60 dancers each month.”
The Lake Murray Contra Hall was built on Ford’s family’s land. In keeping with the rustic flavor of Contra, dancing takes place in a big wooden barn full of rocking chairs, mismatched couches and odd assortments of “hangie thingies” swinging from the rafters. There’s always a bonfire out back, a stock of fresh fruit and free ice cream to satiate the dancers. There are door prizes every night, fresh Krispy Kreme doughnuts, homegrown grits and eggs laid just that morning by Fort’s hens. There are live bands and callers at every dance, and the private nature of the group ensures there’s always plenty of room on the dance floor.
“I love the atmosphere,” Wenger said. “Everyone is like family, even people you’ve never met.”
Lake Murray Contra is located at 640 Devil’s Backbone Road in Leesville. It holds dances on the first Saturday of the month, every month. Short lessons in basic Contra step are offered at 7 p.m., and the proper dancing begins at 7:30 p.m. Dances are $7 per person to pay for the band and caller.
“We only have a few rules,” Fort explained. “We don’t turn dancers away as long as they have a donation, so we can pay the musicians and callers. We don’t allow drugs or drinking on the premises. We try to be very encouraging and friendly to new dancers. It is sometimes very intimidating to get out on the floor when you’ve never danced before — we try to make everyone feel welcome.”