1. a French folk dance performed by couples facing each other in two lines
Usage: historical
2. the music composed for such a dance
Usage: musical

Examples

• The ballroom featured an elegant contredanse performed by twelve couples.
• Mozart composed several pieces based on the contredanse form.
• The contredanse was popular in 18th-century French courts.
• Dancers lined up in two rows to begin the traditional contredanse.
• The orchestra played a lively contredanse for the evening’s entertainment.
• She learned the steps of the contredanse from her dancing master.