New British Invasion Band Vertical Expression Plays for NYC Contra Dance Tonight

Country Dance*New York will present a lively contra dance tonight, April 27th, from 8:00 pm to 10:45 pm at the Church of the Village (201 West 13th Street, Manhattan). No previous experience is required and it is not necessary to come with a partner. From 7:30 pm to 8:00 pm there is a beginners' workshop, and the caller walks everyone through the patterns of each dance. Vibrant and spirited music will be performed by what is probably the U.K's most high energy contra dance band, Vertical Expression, making their Manhattan debut.

Vertical Expression is what happens when you take two English ceilidh musicians on fiddle and melodeon and put them with a guitar and double bass rhythm section with a love of bluegrass and gypsy jazz, throw in old time music and foot percussion, as well as Irish fiddle tunes, French Canadian music and some Django Reinhardt-style guitar. This wonderfully talented group of musicians from England consists of Charley Roberts (fiddle), Ian Roberts (one and two-row melodeons and feet), Ian Benton (guitar), and Margaret Benton (double bass). Bob Isaacs, a highly regarded contra dance caller, known for his clear and upbeat teaching, will lead the proceedings. He makes sure that dancers of all ages and levels have a good time.

Contra dancing is having a renaissance around the country, thanks to a thriving youth scene; high energy, acoustic music; and joyful, fast-paced, aerobic dancing. There is plenty of swinging your partner and lots of fun, flirting and eye contact. 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 long lines of dancers facing their partners and moving briskly in patterns to live music, sometimes changing partners.

General Information: Admission is $15 general public, and $12 for full-time students with ID. First timers get a free pass to use to come another time. For more information visit the Country Dance*New York website, www.cdny.org or call The Dancephone at 212.459.4080. Attendees are asked to bring a separate pair of clean, soft-soled shoes for dancing.

Traveling to 201 West 13th Street via subway: Take the 1, 2 or 3 train to the 14th Street stop.

For more about Vertical Expression, visit www.verticalexpressioncontra.co.uk or visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/verticalexpressioncontra.

Photo Credit: Jeffrey Bary