Contra dance report

[celticdragonfly]

Saturday night selenite and I went contra dancing with fordprfct and kattelyn again.

The old location that the dance group used has closed. The new location is not ready yet. So this was an interim. Rather than a standard dance, it was actually a 10th wedding anniversary party-dance thrown by Ray and Martha. How very lovely of them!

It was at the Sons of Hermann hall in Dallas. No, I'd never heard of them either. It made me a bit twitchy going up the stairs to the upstairs dance room in the back, but I later realized right, these are the reactions of someone who spent over a decade in southern California earthquake territory. It was nice to dance on wood instead of tile. (the *new* location will have a sprung wood floor!!) The hall was really too crowded though.

The music was FANTASTIC. A group called Nightingale, from Vermont. (Sample! go listen!) Oh, they were GOOD. We ended up buying 4 CDs between the two couples, three of theirs plus one of solo work of a member. The caller was also really good. She said she'd called the dance at Ray and Martha's wedding too. Awwww.

Dancing was mixed. It was interesting dances, more interesting at the beginning than the usual beginning stuff at a dance - but then there was also the "wet noodles", newbies that don't get it yet, in a higher proportion than usual. Which is exhausting to dance with. I got in several dances with Karl, then tried to get a dance in with Miles - but about 3 repeats into it, somebody stepped HARD on the toes of my right foot. This sort of thing happens now and then, I'm not upset about it, it just hurt and I had to drop out and get out of the way and sit on the floor in the vestibule. I hate having to do that as it can really mess up the dance. But OW, worst it's ever happened to me. Nothing broken, though, just aches. I sat out a few dances, the break, the first contra after the break, and then tried to dance another - had to drop out when I reached the end of the line, swings hurt too much. I think I may have also wrenched a muscle in the ankle in the process. Also it was a sad slow song, which didn't help. The poor guy who stepped on me came over to check on me and apologize twice - I hope I got across well enough that I wasn't mad at him, these things happen. It was worse for me because I'd been wearing very thin dance shoes with no protection on top, and have been having pain in one of those joints already.

You know, I remember rlseiver had steel-toed sneakers when I was a kid. Do you suppose I can get steel or even copper-toed dance shoes?

Oh, and watching Kilt-Boy twirl was fun.

Comments

[archangelbeth]

Hmmm.
http://www.tootsies.aweserv.com/capezio.htm has "techno-jazz oxford" at the top and some dance sneakers most of the way down.

You might be able to ask one of the people on this page: http://www.vintagedance.com/danceshoes.htm

I can keep googling if you want. O:>

[joyeuse13.livejournal.com]

It's so hard to strike a balance between comfortable and semi-attractive--Most of the time, sure, sneakers win, but for dancing you want something that at least marginally goes with your skirt, and dance sneakers are fugly. And most of the jazz shoes I've seen are designed to give you a feel for the floor, which therefore means no actual support.

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

The sneakers are fugly and don't move well enough. I bought character shoes - but once I put padding in they're way too tight, but without padding they hurt too much. I need to get them stretched. Saturday I'd been trying an old pair of jazz shoes - no support, no protection. Sigh.

[joyeuse13.livejournal.com]

I've never understood character shoes myself--there's no padding or support in them. Aside from the ankle strap, what makes them different from any pair of uncomfortable pumps?

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

Stronger, will hold up to more impact, much thicker heel than fashionable shoes, less likely to have the heel snap or have it twist under your ankle. Also, they come with the leather soles with the crosshatching - excellent if you want them very slick for some dance work. Relatively easy to scuff up if you want them less slippery, and easy to add taps to if you need that - so they're sorta blanks.

[joyeuse13.livejournal.com]

Ah, I get it.

[joyeuse13.livejournal.com]

The caller from our wedding is in town this week; we always make a point of going when she's here!

Nightingale!

[rampantmouse.livejournal.com]

OOH! Nightingale! I have 2 of their CDs! They've been out here a couple of times at contra dances, and I must agree!

Also, while I enjoy helping newbies, I agree that they can be exhausting. I find myself more frustrated by people who have been dancing longer than I've been alive and still don't seem to get it, though. And yeah, a lot of why I haven't been doing much contra lately is that I always seem to get injured -- people are very careless and wild. That saying, wish me luck as I'm off to the Summer Solstice folk festival tomorrow, and will be dacing contra pretty much all day long...