A contra dance event is a social dance that one can attend without a partner. The dancers form couples, and the couples form two long lines starting from the stage and going down the length of the dance hall. Throughout the course of a dance, couples progress up and down these lines.

The dance is led by a caller who teaches the sequence of figures in the dance before the music starts. Callers describe the series of steps called “figures”, and in a single dance, a caller may include anywhere from six to twelve figures which are repeated as couples progress up and down the lines. Almost all contra dances are danced to live music.