In most of the contra dances I've played for there is almost no call for jigs of any type, simply because the rhythm does lend itself to a line type of dance. However, in jams, etc. most of the local fidders lay the wood to them and our local banjoists have no problem in joining in. I play a long neck, using a pre-Scruggs three finger style that works well for jigs, reels and waltzes, but I have noticed that the bluegrass types have a problem with anything other than straight ahead 4/4.

Tenor or Irish banjos are often played by fiddlers and mandolin players, and are always welcome at any contra dance, but that does not seems to be true for bluegrass sessions (most folks revert to fiddle or mando in those situations).

I suspect the lack of jigs is also a bit regionally oriented, since they tend to be very popular in West Virginia, with its large Irish immigrant population, and less so in the "Deep South". The Appalachian history of this area lends itself to the retention of English, Irish, and Scots music that may not retain all of the ornamentation or rhythmic complexity of the original pieces, but often the process has added new or regional interpretations of those pieces. I also suspect that the retained ability to dance to a jig, even in the "sean nos" style, may contribute to their popularity and retention.