The Chicago Barn Dance Company brings a taste of the country to the big city

 
Time to fire up this hootenanny! The Chicago Barn Dance Company meets every Monday night, along with other days throughout the week, to share the best moves the country has to offer. Surprisingly, most of the members are from the city and surrounding areas. I just assumed most of them came from the Appalachians and got lost, prompting them to form an underground club of partner swapping madness.

But that wasn't the case. The Chicago Barn Dance Company is made up of regular folks like you and I, people who enjoy getting down to some wonderful live folk music. Barn Dancing incorporates many of the traditional varieties of dance, including square dancing, where couples form squares and switch partners. There's also contra dancing...where partners face each other in two long lines and bounce back and forth through the entire number. The Chicago Barn Dance Company likes to dabble in both.

If you are a beginner (as I obviously was), get there early. They want you to come out and will spend the first half-hour of the night getting you prepared for the big show. Last night was my second trip to the club, which is open to the general public, and I loved it. I was sorry we had to leave when we did. I felt like I was just getting my two-step perfected.

Check them out:

The Chicago Barn Dance Company
Various Locations / Dates
Admission is $7
www.chicagobarndance.com for full schedule