Contra dance, popular in the British Isles and in America since colonial times, might remind you of the dancing you see in movies based on Jane Austen novels -- or the hoedowns in westerns. Couples progress through the dance doing figures such as allemande, dosido, circle, star, promenade, and swing. A caller tells the dancers how to do each dance, and they walk through the figures without music to get the hang of it. Then the music starts, and the caller reminds the dancers of each figure as it comes up, so that they know what to do next. You can get a better idea by watching some of the videos listed below.