'Contra Dance' Kicks Off at Silver Spring Civic Building

Contra dancing has made its way to downtown Silver Spring. What's contra dancing, you ask? Well, according to the organizers of the monthly Silver Spring Contra Dance, it's a great workout that's "sweeping the nation as one of the most sought after pleasures."

We'll let you be the judge of that. What we do know is it's a type of folk dance tradition involving couples doing traditional square and line dances. 

If your interest is piqued, head to the Great Hall of the Silver Spring Civic Building the first Thursday of each month—starting April 11—for a 30-minute instruction and more than two hours of dancing. 

The dances will be put on by Carpe Diem, a community arts organization in the Washington, DC area, and the Folklore Society of Greater Washington. 

The fun starts at 7 p.m. General admission is $10, $8 for members of the Folklore Society of Greater Washington and $5 for students, seniors and unemployed people.