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David Mandelberg

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Dance Choreography

The Test of Time

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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
hard
Comment
This dance is double length, with eight 16 beat parts. I got the idea to write this because I had just finished a test when I realized it would be a good time to write a contra, so I decided to base the dance off of the stereotypical ultra-long World-Civ test.
Position
becket
Progression
single

Choreography

A1

4 beats: balance the ring

2 beats: neighbor right pull-by

2 beats: partner left pull-by

6 beats: neighbor balance and right pull-by

2 beats: partner left pull-by

A2

4 beats: California twirl neighbor

4 beats: circle right ½

8 beats: swing partner

B1

16 beats: hey, starting with women passing right shoulders

B2

8 beats: ½ ladies’ chain

8 beats: right hand star

C1

16 beats: do-si-do and swing neighbor

C2

12 beats: men 1½ gypsy

4 beats: California twirl partner

D1

4 beats: ½ left hand star

12 beats: balance and swing partner

D2

8 beats: ½ hey, starting with men passing right shoulders

8 beats: circle left ½ and pass on

Don’t Stop Now!

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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
medium
Comment
Inspired by The Test of Time, this is a half length contra — so after 32 beats you’re on to the next minor set.
Position
improper
Progression
single

Choreography

A

8 beats: right hand star

8 beats: swing neighbor

B

16 beats: balance and swing partner, ending with 1s facing down and 2s facing up

Swing it Well

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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
medium
Comment
Are you a swinger? This is a relatively “normal” contra dance with extra swinging.
Position
improper
Progression
single

Choreography

A1

16 beats: balance and swing neighbor

A2

4 beats: balance ring

4 beats: petronella

8 beats: swing partner

B1

16 beats: hey, starting with women passing right shoulders

B2

6 beats: circle left ¾

10 beats: swing your neighbor, ending back to back

Just Keep Turning

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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
medium
Comment
This dance focuses on near-continuous turning without breaking pace.
Position
improper
Progression
single

Choreography

A1

4 beats: circle left ½

4 beats: right hand star ½

8 beats: ½ hey, starting with women passing left shoulders

A2

16 beats: gypsy and swing partner

B1

16 beats: hey, starting with men passing left shoulders

B2

6 beats: circle left ¾

6 beats: left hand star ¾

4 beats: petronella

2 beats: pass through

Devastated Newbie

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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
extreme
Comment
Every progression the women move two and the men move one, so assuming you’re not at the end of the major set, you end up in a completely new set of four every time. Also, this dance has a backwards petronella, so it’s not for the faint of heart. Note: something can be a balance and half gypsy, balance and half do-si-do, balance and roll away with a half sashay, california twirl and double same-person pull-by, balance and half allemande, swing, or improv; the dancers choose.
Position
improper
Progression
mixed single and double

Choreography

A1

8 beats: swing neighbor

4 beats: California twirl partner

4 beats: petronella

A2

8 beats: something partner

8 beats: ½ hey, starting with men passing left shoulders

B1

4 beats: men roll away woman on left with a half sashay NB: this woman and the man who rolls her are now partners

8 beats: do-si-do partner

4 beats: backwards petronella

B2

4 beats: balance ring

8 beats: swing partner, ending facing up or down

4 beats: pass through up or down

Keep Staring

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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
Position
improper
Progression
single

Choreography

A1

8 beats: left hand star

8 beats: circle left

A2

8 beats: gypsy neighbor

8 beats: ½ ladies’ chain

B1

16 beats: gypsy and swing partner

B2

8 beats: ½ ladies’ chain

8 beats: do-si-do neighbor