Contra dance form

A fundamental aspect of contra dancing is that the same dance, one time through which lasts roughly 30 seconds, is repeated over and over - but each time you dance with new neighbors. This change is effected by progressing the 1s down the set and the progressing 2s up (also up the hall and down the hall; see illustrations, below). In non-Becket dances this is done by moving the 1s to the bottom of their minor set and moving the 2s to the top of it: the 1s now have a different pair of 2s below them. In Becket dances, 1s progress by moving to the place formerly occupied by the 1s below them; similarly, 2s move to the place formerly occupied by the 2s above. (see "Formations", above, for definitions of terminology)

A dance will typically run at least long enough for every couple to dance with every other couple both as a 1 and a 2 (though extremely long sets may require shorter dances).

Progression in common set layouts

Proper progression

L1L2 L3L4...  -->  L2 L1L4 L3L6...  --> etc
G1G2 G3G4...  -->  G2 G1G4 G3G6...  --> etc

Improper progression

G1L2 G3L4...  -->  L2 G1L4 G3L6...  --> etc
L1G2 L3G4...  -->  G2 L1G4 L3G6...  --> etc

Becket progression

L1G1 L3G3...  -->       L1G1 L3G3...  --> etc
G2L2 G4L4...  -->  G2L2 G4L4 G6L6...  --> etc

Key: musicians and caller are to the left; the first time through the dance is depicted on the left, and each successive time through is to the right preceded by an arrow; odd-numbered couples are 1s, even-numbered couples are 2's; couples in the same minor set are not separated by spaces.

Notes:

• In practice, all couples are evenly spaced; the groupings are just to clarify relations.
• As there is no limit on set length for these dances (other than the number of people the venue will accommodate), the "..." can represent any number of couples.
• A clockwise Becket progression is illustrated. The entire set can be conceived of as a squashed circle. Many Becket dances progress counterclockwise.

Progression leaves a pair of 2s out at the head with no 1s above them to dance with; if there is an even number of couples in the set, a pair of 1s is also left out at the foot. This is not a problem: the couple waits out one time through the dance and then comes back in, now heading in the opposite direction. A couple re-entering at the head of the set (formerly 2s) re-enter as 1s, and vice versa.

Note that

• in improper dances partners must trade places while waiting out (in the illustration above, G2 and L2 are switched with respect to where G1 and L1 where before progression)
• individual Becket dances have their own ways of moving couples into progressed position, and couples waiting out must take this into account when choosing how to place themselves;
• "waiting" out does not necessarily mean being uninvolved: many modern dances include figures which use the waiting dancers for a moment and then return them to where they were.

Progression looks a little different in triple minor dances and triplets (see illustrations, below; "Formations, Less common," above, for definitions of these dance types).

Triple minors look complicated on paper. Features of the progression in a triple minor dance:

• 1s move down one place each time through the dance, as usual;
• as the other couples (2's and 3's) progress upward one place at time, they change roles each time through the dance: 2s become 3s become 2s become 3s (e.g. couple #5 in the illustration);
• when out at the top, dancers wait until they have a full sixsome.
• when out at the foot, dancers wait until they have a foursome, and then dance with an imaginary third couple - if they don't, the bottom couple will never re-enter the dance.

Triplets, on the other hand, are very simple: The roles of 1s, 2s, and 3s are reassigned each time through the dance, so that at the start of each time through the dance the head couple is the 1s. Progression may move the 1s to the foot of the set or the 3s to the head of the set, or may differ for the ladies and gents.

Four-face-fours progress as standard duple improper contra lines, except that in many dances each couple exchanges places with its shadow couple every time through the dance.

Progression in less common set layouts

Proper Triple Minor progression

L1L2L3 L4L5L6..........LXLYLZ  -->
G1G2G3 G4G5G6..........GXGYGZ  -->

L2 L1L3L5 L4L6L8...LULWLY LXLZ  -->
G2 G1G3G5 G4G6G8...GUGWGY GXGZ  -->

L2 L3 L1L5L6..........LULZLZ LX  -->
G2 G3 G1G5G6..........GUGZGZ GX  -->

L2L3L5...................LULZLX  -->  etc
G2G3G5...................GUGZGX  -->  etc

Proper Triplet progression

L1L2L3.  -->  L2L3L1.  -->  L3L1L2.  -->  etc.
G1G2G3.  -->  G2G3G1.  -->  G3G1G2.  -->  etc.

or

L1L2L3. --> L3L1L2. --> L2L3L1. --> etc.
G1G2G3. --> G3G1G2. --> G2G3G1. --> etc.

or

L1L2L3. --> L3L1L2. --> L2L3L1. --> etc.
G1G2G3. --> G2G3G1. --> G3G1G2. --> etc.

Four-face-four progression

 
G1 L3   G5 L7   G9 L11 ... -->
L1 G3   L5 G7   L9 G11 ... -->
G2 L4   G6 L8   G10L12 ... -->
L2 G4   L6 G8   L10G12 ... -->

L4   G2 L8   G6 L12  G10 ... -->
G4   L2 G8   L6 G12  L10 ... -->
L3   G1 L7   G5 L11  G9  ... -->
G3   L1 G7   L5 G11  L9  ... -->

G4 L7   G1 L11  G5 L10 ... etc.
L4 G7   L1 G11  L5 G10 ... etc.
G3 L8   G2 L12  G6 L9  ... etc.
L3 G8   L2 G12  L6 G9  ... etc.

Key: band is to the left; for the triple and four-face-four, the first time through the dance is depicted at the top and the second time through is below it (and the third below that, etc), while for the triplet the first time in depicted on the left, the second to the right of that, etc; couples 1 and 4 are 1s, 2 and 5 are 2s, 3 and 6 are 3s.

Notes:

• Improper triple minor and improper triplet progression, differing from their proper counterparts only in the 1s being crossed over, are not depicted.
• As there is no limit on set length for triples (other than the number of people the venue will accommodate), the "..." can represent any number of couples, though in certain dances, 5-6 couples are allowed at most. ^[3]

Gender-neutral dances (a modern, though still less common variation) define the traditional "gents" and "ladies" roles in a gender-free way, originally by having half of the dancers (those dancing the gents' role) wear an armband, though this has largely changed. After extensive discussion about which terms to use, many dances have settled on 'larks' and 'robins' (with larks ending the swing on the left and robins ending the swing on the right). Other communities use other terms, including 'bands/bare arms' (replacing 'gents' and ladies') 'leads and follows', and 'gems and rubies', or any number of other determiners. Gender-free dancing originally focused on "queer contra dances", focused on gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities, and organized under the auspices of the Lavender Country and Folk Dancers. More recently, this terminology has been adopted by many mainstream contra dances, especially in the U.S. Northeast and West Coast.

Although some communities historically used armbands, ties, or other visual markers to signify of each role, they are now used less frequently, allowing dancers to switch roles during a dance: "Dance with who's comin' at ya" is the principle. See gender roles for a discussion of gender roles in square dancing.

An alternative movement within some contra dance communities emphasizes "positional calling", in which dancers are referred to by the positions ("lefts and rights") they occupy. This requires more care and effort by the dance caller, but attempts to sidestep controversies over the merits of tradition and inclusivity.