How do I love ECD? Let me count the ways…. There is something for everyone! Some people love ECD for the music—we dance to beautiful tunes taken from classical arrangements, old ballads, and the modern era. Others love ECD for its uncomplicated moves that are chained together to form intricate, lyrical patterns. And almost everyone loves ECD for the communal dance experience, which can be energizing, mesmerizing, and just plain fun! No dance partner necessary! Don’t have a dance partner to bring with you? No problem! Just come alone. ECDA culture is that couples change partners at the end of every dance and no one sits out unless they want to. No experience necessary! Never tried this before? No problem! Unlike in the movies, every ECDA dance starts with a walkthrough, during which the caller teaches the dancers what to do, and then continues to “Call” (give instruction and prompt the moves) throughout the entire dance. And, like other new skills, the terminology and moves used in ECD get easier with time and practice. Regular ECDA dances are beginner friendly and the atmosphere is supportive of new dancers. No fancy uniforms! You may have seen ECD on TV before but English Country Dance in the 21st century is not all Regency Balls and period costumes (although there is certainly a time and a place for that—check out these suggestions for the Saturday night Ball at each year’s Fandango! dance weekend). No special clothing is needed for our regular ECDA dances other than clean, soft-soled shoes that won’t scruff up the dance floor. See for yourself. Here are clips of a group of ECDA dancers practicing in advance for the Saturday night Ball to be held during Fandango! 2015. Clips show the “walk through” and then the dance itself with calling by Everett Lunsford and music by ‘Round Robbin: Robbin Marcus (piano), Dave Marcus (concertina), and Meredith Doster (flute). https://ecdatlanta.org/schedule.htm https://cdss.org/event/ecd-atlanta-regular-dance/2024-05-26/ https://cdss.org/event/english-country-dance-atlanta-2nd-4th-5th-sundays-3/