Contra Dance Form - Variations

Variations

Gender-free dances (a modern, less common variation) define the traditional "gents" and "ladies" roles in a gender-free way, such as having half of the dancers (usually the leads, traditionally the gents' role) wear an armband. This is common practice in dances organized under the auspices of the Lavender Country and Folk Dancers or "queer contra dances," which are primarily focused on the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered community but also attract many dancers from the "straight" contra dance community as well. In this case, it is common to use the terms "bands" instead of "gents" and "bares" or "bare arms" instead of "ladies." See gender roles for a discussion of gender roles in square dancing.

Read more about this topic:  Contra Dance Form

Famous quotes containing the word variations:

    I may be able to spot arrowheads on the desert but a refrigerator is a jungle in which I am easily lost. My wife, however, will unerringly point out that the cheese or the leftover roast is hiding right in front of my eyes. Hundreds of such experiences convince me that men and women often inhabit quite different visual worlds. These are differences which cannot be attributed to variations in visual acuity. Man and women simply have learned to use their eyes in very different ways.
    Edward T. Hall (b. 1914)