What is English Country Dancing?
Join us on Tuesdays in the West Village for a friendly evening of social dance. Our programs include early dances circa 1651 to contemporary choreographies. English country dance has been enjoyed by the likes of Jane Austen and Thomas Jefferson, and you are invited to join in the pleasures of this community social dance. English dances and their tunes vary from elegant to energetic and from stately to boisterous, and you will experience all these facets of English Country Dance (ECD) in an evening as you dance to live music. You can see many examples of ECD at Childgrove on YouTube.
Newcomers are always welcome at our dances. Come for a skills session from 7:00 to 7:30 where new dancers learn basic terms and dance figures. During the general session that follows all the dances are taught. The steps are simple: generally walking or skipping. You can come by yourself and be assured of dancing throughout the evening, since our tradition is to change partners for each dance. Anyone can invite anyone else to dance, regardless of gender or experience. ECD will satisfy your wish for an artistic outlet, pleasurable exercise, a warm social community, mental stimulation, and transcendent aesthetic experiences. We invite you to join us