Do-si-do, promenade, and sashey down were just a few of the steps more than 100 fifth-graders at South Meadow School showed off in the school’s gym last Friday.
Throughout the entire week, four separate blocks of fifth-graders participated in a contra dance residency during their regular gym class.
Allison and Hunt Smith played traditional American songs and taught students a number of contra dance steps throughout the week. Allison played the accordion while Hunt bowed a fiddle that he made.
Allison Aldrich Smith said kids pick up contra dancing faster than adults, and this year’s batch of fifth graders was no exception to that rule.
“At the beginning (on Monday) they were tentative,” Aldrich Smith said. “They were not sure of themselves but they joined in and they followed directions to the rules and as the week progressed they started getting into the moves, skipping and then dancing.”
Tod Silegy, who is one of two physical education teachers at the school, said this year fifth graders were asked to dress in flannels and folky, flowy clothing for Friday’s big dance.
The vast majority of fifth graders came in donning a flannel or whimsical clothing, Silegy said. Students and staff outside of the fifth grade class also caught wind of the Friday flannel fashion advice and came to school dressed in the attire.
“It was really cool to see,” he said. “They got really into it.”
At the end of the dance on Friday, Silegy presented flannels to the contra dance band members as a thank you.