SWING & SET Comes to Country Dance*New York

Country Dance*New York (CD*NY) is presenting "Swing & Set," a special evening of contra and English country dancing to joyous live music on Friday, May 19, 2023 from 7:30pm to 10:45pm. No previous experience is required and it is not necessary to come with a partner. All dances will be taught by highly regarded callers Carl Levine (contra dance) and Daniel Popowich (English country dance). The superb musicians will include Matthew Christian, violin; Dominique Gagnė, flute; and Cynthia Shaw, piano. "Swing & Set" will be held at Church of the Village, 201 West 13th Street, New York, NY 10011. Everyone is welcome.

Admission is on a sliding scale: $20-25 general public, $15-20 for students with ID or CDNY members

Contra dancing is having a renaissance around the country, thanks to a thriving youth scene; lively, uplifting acoustic music; and joyful, fast-paced, aerobic dancing. Contra dancing started in New England in the 1700s, but the modern version is a far cry from the Virginia Reel-type dancing done in schools years ago. The current dancing is done in lines of dancers facing their partners and moving briskly in patterns to live music, dancing with a partner, and also with others they meet in the course of a dance.

English country dancing is choreographed community dancing, with repertoire ranging from court dances of the 1600s and 1700s to dances composed in the 20th and 21st centuries. English country dance is a participatory art form, welcoming to novices and experienced dancers alike. At the start of each dance, dancers invite one another to be partners. After centuries of development, English country dancing can vary from elegant to energetic, from playful to solemn, and from stately to boisterous.

Attendees are asked to bring a separate pair of clean, soft-bottomed shoes for dancing to protect the floor.

Full COVID vaccination is required. First time attendees to a CDNY dance will be asked to show proof of ID and vaccination at the door. In order to maintain safe dancing, Country Dance New York requires that all dancers wear a mask in order to dance with us, e.g. a surgical, cloth, or KN95 mask.