Reine Wonite

Reine Wonite

Some of Reine's Dances

reine's photo Ever a lover of improvisational dance, Reine Wonite (pronounced Rain-ah Juanita), formerly of Chico, CA, now of Fredericksburg, VA, was dragged to her first contra dance in April, 1986. Reine didn't think she would like contra dancing—it sounded much too regimented. But sometime during that first evening (which was near the end of Chico's first season), Reine found herself twirling between a right allemande with her old neighbor and a left allemande with the next, and a light bulb went on over her head.

Later that year, she made the three hour drive from rural North California to dances in the San Francisco bay area, where she discovered other dancers with lighted bulbs. An impromptu rendition of Alice's Restaurant at the Chico CDS Christmas party attracted the attention of the local contra caller, and Reine made her calling debut in February, 1987.

After four years of appreciating the many talented touring and local callers that performed in Santa Cruz, California (and throughout the San Francisco Bay Area) while she was in graduate school, Reine became the regular caller in Chico, CA, in early 1991. For the next ten years, in addition to the monthly Chico contras, Reine called many contra dances throughout California, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico, including the Santa Cruz, CA, Dawn Dance, the Santa Barbara, CA, Sprung Floor Dance Festival, and the Pasadena, CA, Fiddling Frog Dance Festival. In April of 2001, Reine moved to northern Virginia and joined the contra community of Glen Echo's fabled Spanish Ballroom

A dance gypsy since early 1996, Reine's rapidly growing reputation has been earned by her good-humored clarity with less-experienced dancers, which makes it quick and easy for dancers of all levels to enjoy her exciting, swing-filled, flowing contras, many of which are her own creations. Reine often eschews the stage, preferring to operate from the floor with the aid of her cordless headset microphone, teaching, calling, and dancing all at once in her inimitable style.

You can reach Reine by email at Amazondancequeen@aol.com.

Reine Wonite		Some of Reine's Dances
	Ever a lover of improvisational dance, Reine Wonite (pronounced Rain-ah Juanita), formerly of Chico, CA, now of Fredericksburg, VA, was dragged to her first contra dance in April, 1986. Reine didn't think she would like contra dancing—it sounded much too regimented. But sometime during that first evening (which was near the end of Chico's first season), Reine found herself twirling between a right allemande with her old neighbor and a left allemande with the next, and a light bulb went on over her head. Later that year, she made the three hour drive from rural North California to dances in the San Francisco bay area, where she discovered other dancers with lighted bulbs. An impromptu rendition of Alice's Restaurant at the Chico CDS Christmas party attracted the attention of the local contra caller, and Reine made her calling debut in February, 1987. After four years of appreciating the many talented touring and local callers that performed in Santa Cruz, California (and throughout the San Francisco Bay Area) while she was in graduate school, Reine became the regular caller in Chico, CA, in early 1991. For the next ten years, in addition to the monthly Chico contras, Reine called many contra dances throughout California, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico, including the Santa Cruz, CA, Dawn Dance, the Santa Barbara, CA, Sprung Floor Dance Festival, and the Pasadena, CA, Fiddling Frog Dance Festival. In April of 2001, Reine moved to northern Virginia and joined the contra community of Glen Echo's fabled Spanish Ballroom A dance gypsy since early 1996, Reine's rapidly growing reputation has been earned by her good-humored clarity with less-experienced dancers, which makes it quick and easy for dancers of all levels to enjoy her exciting, swing-filled, flowing contras, many of which are her own creations. Reine often eschews the stage, preferring to operate from the floor with the aid of her cordless headset microphone, teaching, calling, and dancing all at once in her inimitable style. You can reach Reine by email at Amazondancequeen@aol.com.