Contredanse is a French dance performed by two couples facing each other. It originated from the English folk dance, country dance. It flourished in France from the 17th to the early 18th century, later evolving into a dance called quadrille. Although contredanse was introduced to the French court, it was danced not only in the court but also in many other places such as balls, town weddings, and banquets. The music for contredanse usually consists of two or three parts and has a lively tempo. According to the dancers' positions, these parts employ different musical figures such as "Été (Summer)," "Pastourelle (Pastoral)," "Trenis/Trénitz," and "Chasse-croisée."

Chopin's work was composed in 1827, when contredanse was still popular, and was first published posthumously in 1934, though its authenticity is doubted. It is thought to have been dedicated to Chopin's friend, Tytus Woyciechowski, but the truth remains unknown. It is in G major, 6/8 time, and marked Allegretto. It is in ternary form with a trio in C-flat major. Throughout the piece, phrases generally consist of four measures. The theme is made lively by the ornaments on the strong beats and the dotted rhythms. In contrast, the middle section features a significantly leaping melodic line and an expanded range, adding a sense of impending weight. After changing its character in just eight measures, it returns to the light theme.