My Stillwater Experience

**Detroitpete** · 13th October 08, 06:14 AM

For the price--A SWK from Jerry is hard to beat. A nice blend of bells and whistles with wearability in an affrodable kilt. I LOVE my MacLaren Standard from SWK. I have had to do some upkeep on it occasionally (steaming/pressing/checking for snags) but I'm rough on kilts (Highland Games/Hiking etc).

Welcome brother--a FINE looking kilt in a fine looking tartan--Ok, I AM partial to MacLaren. Thanks for wearing it well!

**hospitaller** · 13th October 08, 09:18 AM

'scuse the ignorance, what is contra dancing?

**chasem** · 13th October 08, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by hospitaller

'scuse the ignorance, what is contra dancing?

kinda curious myself

**Riverkilt** · 13th October 08, 12:08 PM

Okay, there you are. Cleveland. My little sister is a professor over at Oberlin.

I agree, you wear the kilt proudly. A man like you needs some hand sewn kilts for sure. Hope your budget allows for top of the line because you present kilted as top of the line.

Ron

**SFCRick** · 13th October 08, 12:13 PM

Welcome and the kilt looks great

**KiltedSurveyor** · 13th October 08, 01:42 PM

I also play the fiddle and in a past life (B.C. - Before Children) my wife and I did quite a bit of contra dancing. That was before I started wearing kilts. My wife keeps telling me we need to get back into contra dancing, and I'm sure it will be even better kilted! BTW, welcome from Dickson, TN!

**MichiScot** · 13th October 08, 04:12 PM

Wow! You just talked me into ordering my first kilt from SWK. With few choices and not a lot of cash, I had been indecisive about which way to go. It looks great- congrats!

**Carolina Kiltman** · 13th October 08, 04:49 PM

From the Cape Fear River Valley, NC

Am I correct in assuming that "Contra Dancing" is similar or the same as "Line Dancing?"

**Kilted_Fiddler** · 14th October 08, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by Carolina Kiltman

From the Cape Fear River Valley, NC

Am I correct in assuming that "Contra Dancing" is similar or the same as "Line Dancing?"

Ouch...no...not line dancing!

Contra dancing has it's roots in the British Isles. It is a progressive dance done in two facing lines, meaning that the couples at the head progress to the foot of the line and vice versa. Each couple gets to dance with each couple in the contra line. It is similar to the longways dances, or what we call "English Country Dancing" or ECD. For that think kinda "Jane Austin." Contra dancing is much more "earthy" though some ECD can be pretty rousing. The term "contra" is actually a corruption of the word "country": contree... contra.

The colonists brought their dancing to the US. New England is responsible for keeping the tradition alive all these years. If it was not for them, it probably would have died. It has become so popular in the last 10 years or so that it has spread all over the US--even all the way to the west coat--and it's not uncommon to have monthly contra dances in rural areas of the Midwest.

There is a caller, and some of the moves are similar to square dance callls, but unlike the square dance, the caller teaches, or goes through the dance once the contra lines are formed...the music starts and the dance begins. The caller stops calling when he/she sees the group has the dance down. And in a square dance, you are only dancing with the other people in your square, not with the entire group.

A contra dance is a very social event, and great fun.

I apologize if I went too long in this description...I know it's not a dance forum, but I wanted to give some detail, for perhaps others on this forum will want to try it. It really is fun! And many men enjoy wearing kilts to contra dance.