Melissa Taggart, Contra Dance Caller
Located in the Philadelphia, PA area
About Me
In 2002, I started dancing at the Glenside contra. I began calling in 2006 and now I call at various dances in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. My roots are in contra dancing, but I also have a passion for calling Barn Dances (dances geared towards dancers with less experience). What is a contra dance? Contra dances originate from the English country dances brought by the original colonists. No, it's not country line dancing! Think Jane Austen-style dancing! Contras are simpler and more energetic and wilder than their parent English dances. Each dance is explained by the caller with a walk-through. The caller continues to prompt as the music starts and may drop out if the dancers are comfortable after a couple of times through. An evening of purely contra dancing also includes a teaching session prior to the dance to explain the basics. The music has its roots in Irish, Scottish, and English jigs, reels, and hornpipes. I can call to either a live band (ask for details) or recorded music. What is a barn dance? Barn dances include a variety of folk dancing styles, such as Scottish, Welsh, English, and American (contras and squares). The barn dance set I call contains traditional American contra dances, Welsh dances, and waltzes (sorry, as of now I don't call squares, but I'm working on it!). This is similar to an English Ceilidh, except that the dances are "walked" rather than "stepped" (i.e. you don't have to remember footwork!). These dances are great for large groups of beginners or "non" dancers. Oh, and don't let the name fool you - a barn dance doesn't have to be in a barn! Any room will do! Watch a barn dance Why a contra or barn dance for your event? When calling dances, I watch something amazing. Old and young, experienced and inexperienced, good and "bad" dancers all come together and HAVE FUN! No matter what the venue or the occasion, a contra or barn dance is the embodiment of community! | Contact Melissa for booking: mtaggart2@gmail.com Calling Schedule:
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