This post was migrated from a collection of contra dances I wrote. The post date is mostly accurate, but the post time is not.

Difficulty

medium

Comment

If I remember correctly, I wrote this dance while waiting to get Brandeis Contra Dancers recognized by the Student Union.

Position

improper

Progression

single

Choreography

A1

8 beats: gents allemande left once around

8 beats: pick up neighbor for a star promenade and butterfly whirl

A2

8 beats: ladies chain

8 beats: star left ¾ and gents turn around

B1

16 beats: balance and swing neighbor

B2

16 beats: gents pass left for a hey for four over and back

Read more…

This post was migrated from a collection of contra dances I wrote. The post date is mostly accurate, but the post time is not.

Difficulty

hard

Position

improper

Progression

single

Choreography

A1

4 beats: balance the ring

4 beats: flirt-and-go

8 beats: swing neighbor

A2

8 beats: right and left through

8 beats: long lines forward and back

B1

16 beats: gents cross the set to swing partner

B2

8 beats: balance the ring and petronella

8 beats: circle left once around and pass through

Read more…

This post was migrated from a collection of contra dances I wrote. The post date is mostly accurate, but the post time is not.

Difficulty

medium

Position

improper

Progression

single

Choreography

A1

12 beats: allemande neighbor left 1½

4 beats: ladies allemande right ½

A2

4 beats: partner allemande left ½

12 beats: ladies balance and swing, then backup towards partner

B1

16 beats: gents balance and swing

B2

2 beats: pull by partner right

2 beats: ladies pull by left

8 beats: allemande neighbor right once around into long wavy lines with the ladies facing out

4 beats: balance long lines

Read more…

This post was migrated from a collection of contra dances I wrote. The post date is mostly accurate, but the post time is not.

Difficulty

easy

Position

improper

Progression

single

Choreography

A1

8 beats: do-si-do neighbor

8 beats: swing neighbor

A2

8 beats: circle left ¾

8 beats: swing partner, ending facing down

B1

16 beats: lines of 4 down the hall, turn alone, come back up, and bend to a circle

B2

8 beats: circle left once around

8 beats: star left ¾

Read more…

This post was migrated from a collection of contra dances I wrote. The post date is mostly accurate, but the post time is not.

Difficulty

easy

Position

improper

Progression

single

Choreography

A1

16 beats: 1s sashay down the center of the set and back up

A2

16 beats: neighbor balance and swing

B1

16 beats: 2s sashay up the center of the set and back down

B2

8 beats: neighbor handy-hand allemande about once around

8 beats: 2s swing in the center, then backup to make room for 1s

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This post was migrated from a collection of contra dances I wrote. The post date is mostly accurate, but the post time is not.

Difficulty

easy

Comment

I wrote this dance and made a note that I found it a bit boring. One of my friends thought the note was the title of the dance, and we had a good laugh. After that, I knew what the title had to be.

Position

improper

Progression

single

Choreography

A1

16 beats: 1s balance and swing

A2

8 beats: lines down the ball, turn alone

8 beats: lines back up, bend

B1

8 beats: ladies do-si-do

8 beats: neighbor swing

B2

8 beats: circle left once around

8 beats: 1s do-si-do across the set

Read more…

This post was migrated from a collection of contra dances I wrote. The post date is mostly accurate, but the post time is not.

Difficulty

medium

Position

improper

Progression

single

Choreography

A1

8 beats: star left ¾

8 beats: partner allemande left once around

A2

16 beats: ladies chain over and back

B1

8 beats: ladies do-si-do

8 beats: partner swing

B2

8 beats: long lines forward and back, gents roll away partner with a half sashay on the way back

8 beats: star right 1¼

Read more…