A lovingly illustrated rhyming couplet look at the alphabet and contra dancing in board book format. Written by Luke Donforth and illustrated by Sarah Hirsch. Launched with the support of the contra dance community via Kickstarter in 2020. A is for Allemande, going 'round by the hand.B is for Balance, a hello that is grand.C is for Contra, a style all can do.D is for Dancing; won't you join too?E is for Even, with partners all pair.F for Four Folks in a small square.G is for Hubert, by which we mean Gene.H is for History, to know where we've been.I for Improper, a formation to start.J for the Joy we share from our heart.K for Kinetic, see how we move.L is for Legs that step to the groove.M is for Music, live from the stage.N is for Neighbor, no matter the age. O is for Organisers' gift to us all.P is for Partners, some short and some tall.Q is for Quiet, before the band plays.R is for Reels that stay with you for days.S is for swing, a spiraling rose.T for together, how a community grows.U: Understand the caller's short prompts.V is for Vigorous hollers and stomps.W is for Wavy lines post allemande rotation.X is for Cross trail in dance card notation.Y for the Youth, this tradition we pass.Z is for Zesty, while dancing with class.

This comprehensive guide to traditional style square and contra dancing, sometimes referred to as "country dancing," covers both music and style and gives background information on various dance types and calling techniques. Ninety dances, presented in chapters according to type (mixers, progressive circles, contra, Southern mountain style, squares and others), in a wide variety of formations are described with drawings and diagrams for many of the movements. A glossary of terms, a directory of addresses (organizations; vendors of books, recordings and audio equipment; and dance camps), and an annotated discography and bibliography are also provided.

Here is the first comprehensive entry-level book on contra dance calling, newly revised and updated for the Internet age. Every aspect of the caller's work is dealt with clearly and thoroughly: music, timing and phrasing, voice technique, dance notation, teaching, programming, sound equipment, event management, and working with special groups. The book includes an in-depth discussion of the basic movements (such as do-si-do), a selection of easy-to-call dances, a complete glossary, and a Resources section listing dance titles, tunes, books, recordings, videos, software, organizations, retailers, dance events, and websites.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex’s first children’s book, The Bench, beautifully captures the special relationship between father and son, as seen through a mother’s eyes. The book’s storytelling and illustration give us snapshots of shared moments that evoke a deep sense of warmth, connection, and compassion. This is your bench Where you’ll witness great joy. From here you will rest See the growth of our boy. In The Bench, Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, touchingly captures the evolving and expanding relationship between father and son and reminds us of the many ways that love can take shape and be expressed in a modern family. Evoking a deep sense of warmth, connection, and compassion, The Bench gives readers a window into shared and enduring moments between a diverse group of fathers and sons—moments of peace and reflection, trust and belief, discovery and learning, and lasting comfort. Working in watercolor for the first time, Caldecott-winning, bestselling illustrator Christian Robinson expands on his signature style to bring joy and softness to the pages, reflecting the beauty of a father’s love through a mother’s eyes. With a universal message, this thoughtful and heartwarming read-aloud is destined to be treasured by families for generations to come.

In Hoedowns, Reels, and Frolics, old-time musician and flatfoot dancer Philip Jamison journeys into the past and surveys the present to tell the story behind the square dances, step dances, reels, and other forms of dance practiced in southern Appalachia. These distinctive folk dances, Jamison argues, are not the unaltered jigs and reels brought by early British settlers, but hybrids that developed over time by adopting and incorporating elements from other popular forms. He traces the forms from their European, African American, and Native American roots to the modern day. On the way he explores the powerful influence of black culture, showing how practices such as calling dances as well as specific kinds of steps combined with white European forms to create distinctly "American" dances. From cakewalks to clogging, and from the Shoo-fly Swing to the Virginia Reel, Hoedowns, Reels, and Frolics reinterprets an essential aspect of Appalachian culture.