GROVE CITY — Contradancing came to the United States at its very birth with the colonists and served as a central form of entertainment, said Kenny Wilson, the caller at the Dance in the Middle.

Wilson, of Cleveland, said the dance's origins stem from France, England and Scotland and have been infused with a square dancing feel.

"There is a lot of swinging your partner," Wilson said. "There is also something called a 'hay for four,' which is a figure eight dance step."

While contradancing can be seen in the latest Jane Austin movies or in the Titanic movie as the lower class citizens dance in the basement of the ship, Wilson said it isn't considered line dancing, although the couples form two parallel lines.

A dancer and his or her partner complete a series of steps or "figures" with each other and another couple at the same time. The same steps and swings are repeated with every couple in the line as the couples rotate.

Wilson said the caller teaches each dance before the next song begins so everyone has an idea of what to expect. Anyone from beginners to advanced dancers can complete the dance. The caller then leads the dance throughout the entire song to instruct the dancers as to what is coming next.

Wilson started calling dances in 1979 and learned the dance in New Hampshire and New England. He said contradancing began to spread across the United States in the 1960s and 1970s as young college students started dancing.

"Everybody smiles and has lots of fun," Wilson said.

He said some of the calls names include, "balance and swing your partner" or "make a ladies chain." During a ladies chain, two women step with their partners by the right hand, give way to the left, curtsy and then repeat.

Wilson said no one knows how many calls or dance moves there are, because more are created at every dance he attends.

He said learning to call dances is an ongoing process, and many calling workshops are offered at dances in the region.

"The thing is that a lot of callers are dancers too and have danced a lot, and there is a lot more to it than knowing the calls," Wilson said.

"You have to know how to explain it and recognize the beginners and advanced people. It takes a while to learn how to do it properly, but a lot of it is trial and error."

Wilson said he loves every aspect of the contradancing experience.

"The first time I went dancing I thought, 'Where has this been all my life?'" he said.

"It's fun and it keeps you active and you meet a lot of really nice people, and everything about it — you can't help but smile."