Contraculture

Bird Names and the Degendering of Contra Dance

Bibliographic Data

ID4001121
AuthorsAndrew Snyder (0000-0001-6914-4086, corresponding author)
Year2019
Volume51
Pages187-215
Publication date2019-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueYearbook for Traditional Music (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0740-1558 • E-ISSN: 2304-3857
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/ytm.2019.3
OpenAlexW3003701400
LanguageEN
References cited26

At Oakland's Circle Left contra dance, I notice my hands fumbling as I take "hands four" with my partner and our neighbour couple to form one of many foursomes in a long line of contra dancers. My partner and I place our hands facing palm up expecting to find a hand to hold facing palm down. In "traditional" contra, it is the person in the "lady" role who places their hand palm down on the hand of the person in the "gent" role. But this time it is I, a cisgendered male,1 who am in the wrong, since we decided before the dance that I am dancing the "raven" part, traditionally the "lady," and my partner is dancing the "lark," traditionally the "gent." I correct myself and place my hand upon theirs. When I adopt the "raven" role, thirty-three years of contra dancing, that is, thirty-three years of gendered behaviour that have contributed to how I have learned to be male, are slightly difficult, but, as it turns out, not too difficult to unlearn. As we advance down and back up the hall, I make other, less minute mistakes, some that have to do with the new role expectations and some that are just part of a customary failure at executing dance moves perfectly. Like "traditional" contra dance, Circle Left (Figure 1) is a communitarian, participatory activity, and forgiveness is quickly given with a smile

Art · Dance · Notice · Political science · Sociology · Visual arts · Diversity and Impact of Dance · Folklore, Mythology, and Literature Studies · Law · Media, Gender, and Advertising · Psychology

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