Dancingthread - Contra Dances We've Written

Contra Dances We've Written

For callers interested in new dances, here are some dances we've written that have been well-received by dancers and fellow callers.

Bass Ackwards.......contra
Dive for the Dolphin.......contra
Down by the Bay.......contra
Early Bird Special.......easy contra
Grand Chain Break.......square break
Half a Star's Better than None.......square
Hey the Line.......contra 4 face 4
Hey! Who's in the Middle?.......contra
Huckleberry Friend.......contra
The Joy of Eighteen.......English LW
The Joy of Six.......contra
Maggie's Ginger Jig.......easy contra
New York Superfudge Chunk.......contra
Overbalanced.......contra
Petro Swing.......contra
Power Play.......contra
Sweet September.......contra
Swing Both Ways.......contra
32 Seconds.......contra
Tuk-Tuk Ride.......contra 4 face 4
Which Side is Up?.......sicilian circle
Wind in the Grass.......contra
Yum-yums in the Kitchen.......contra

Bass Ackwards
by Tom Calwell Nov 05
duple-improper backward progression

A1 - Balance wavy line (Ladies have left in center and right with neighbour),allemande right 3/4
Balance lines on side (with men facing out), allemande left 3/4
A2 - Men allemande right 1 1/2,
partner swing
B1 - Circle left 3/4,
neighbour swing
B2 - Ladies chain,
Circle right 3/4, collapse the circle to a wavy line

Note: The couples waiting out need to put the man on the right. 1's progress up and 2's down.

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Sweet September
by Myra Hirschberg
duple improper

Written for the wedding of our friends Eric and Heather.

A1 - Neighbor allemande left once and a half
Ladies chain
A2 - Star left (hands across) once around
Women drop out, men allemande left once around
B1 - Partner gypsy and swing
B2 - Circle left 3/4, neighbor swing

Note: Dancers should be warned to end the neighbor swing in good time for the neighbor allemande.

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Which Side is Up?
by Tom Calwell
Sicilian Circle

A1 - Ladies chain to neighbor along set with a power turn (courtesy turn an extra 1/2)
Ladies chain to shadow along the set
A2 - Balance and swing neighbor on side
B1 - Balance ring and petronella turn one place to the right, turn around and
Swing Partner on the side
B2 - Circle left 3/4, balance the ring, california twirl

Note: Can be done as a contra, but there are end effects; just keep dancing with whoever is available as you get near the ends.

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Overbalanced
by Tom Calwell
becket

Written while sitting beside Furnace Falls, eating an ice cream cone.

A1 - Partner balance and swing
A2 - Women allemande right 1 1/2, scoop up neighbor in a star promenade and butterfly whirl
B1 - Men gypsy, neighbor swing
B2 - Balance the circle, square through with partner to new circle
Balance new circle, petronella twirl one place to the right

Note: In B2, the "square through" is equivalent to a California twirl with partner, but with the "wrong" hands (ie, the man turns his partner under his left arm).

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Huckleberry Friend
by Tom Calwell and Myra Hirschberg
beckett

In honor of our much-loved and missed cat.

A1 - Balance the circle, Men cross, passing right, to next neighbor (progression)
Neighbor swing
A2 - Promenade up or down around set (women closer to middle of set), wheel around and return
B1 - Men take left and star promenade neighbor, butterfly whirl
Women dosido 1 1/2
B2 - Partner balance and swing

The Joy of Six
by Myra Hirschberg
duple improper

Written for a joint anniversary party for three couples.

A1 - Neighbor gypsy once around
Mad Robin figure - facing partner, women slide right in front of neighbor while men slide left behind them, then men slide right in front, women left
A2 - Women cross to partner, gypsy and swing
B1 - Men allemande left once and a half, neighbor swing
B2 - Right and left through, star left

Note: There's lots of time for the neighbor gypsy in A1.

This dance was suggested by the first moves of Cal Hurd's "Mad Gypsy".

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New York Superfudge Chunk
by Myra Hirschberg
duple improper

A1 - Men allemande left once and a half
Scoop up partner, star promenade, butterfly whirl
A2 - Half hey across (women pass right)
Partner swing
B1 - Men allemande left once and a half
Scoop up neighbor, star promenade, butterfly whirl
B2 - Half hey across (women pass right)
Neighbor swing

Note: An attempt to write a symmetrical dance. The name? The dance has two scoops in it.

Maggie's Ginger Jig
by Tom Calwell and Myra Hirschberg
duple improper

A1 - Neighbor dosido
Partner dosido
A2 - Ones balance and swing
B1 - Down the hall, turn as a couple, return
B2 - Circle left once around
Balance the ring, pass through to new neighbor

Note: An easy, easy first contra for a crowd of mostly new dancers.

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Early Bird Special
by Tom Calwell
duple improper

A1 - Neighbor balance and swing
A2 - Down the hall, turn alone, return
B1 - Circle left three-quarters, partner swing
B2 - Right and left through, ladies chain

Note: Written to order for Myra, who needed a glossary dance with right and left through, ladies chain, and down the hall, all in the same dance.

Half a Star's Better than None
by Tom Calwell
Square keeper - HSHS

Heads forward and back
Head ladies chain
Corner allemande left
Partner allemande right
Men star left halfway, women move one place clockwise
Allemande right the one you meet
Repeat 3x - on last repeat, swing instead of allemande (sides are with partner, heads are not)
Heads forward and back
Heads circle left 3/4, pass through
Corner allemande left, grand right and left
Promenade home

Grand Chain Break
by Tom Calwell
Square break

ladies grand chain
Head ladies chain on right diagonal
Ladies grand chain
Side ladies chain on right diagonal
(OR head ladies chain on left diagonal)
Ladies grand chain

Down by the Bay
by Tom Calwell
duple improper

A1 - Neighbour dosido and swing
A2 - Ladies allemande right once and a half
Partner swing, end facing down in a line of four
B1 - Back up 4 steps (toward top), go forward four steps, turn alone to face up
Back up 4 steps(toward bottom), go forward four steps, bend the line to a circle
B2 - Balance the ring, partner roll away with a half sashay
Ladies chain

Note: Uses the backing-up line-of-four figure from the English country dance Dublin Bay.

Hey! Who's in the Middle?
by Tom Calwell Oct 2006
duple improper

A1 - Neighbor allemande right, as music allows. Keep right
with neighbor and someone take left in the middle for a line of 4 across.
Balance the wave, allemande left in the middle.
A2 - Neighbor balance and swing,
B1 - Men allemande left 1 1/2, partner swing
B2 - Ladies chain across, hey 1/2 starting with ladies right
look for next neighbor.

Note: Based on "Two who's in the middle" and "Hey in the Barn"

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Yum-yums in the Kitchen
by Myra Hirschberg Spring 2008
duple improper

A1 - Neighbor gypsy once and a half (to change places).
Circle left 3/4.
A2 - Partner dosido, partner swing.
B1 - Women allemande right 1 1/2, neighbor swing.
B2 - Hey, women passing right.

Tuk-Tuk Ride
by Tom Calwell April 2008
duple improper 4 face 4 double progression

A1 - Balance the wave, walk forward to form a wave with new neighbors.
Balance the wave, pull by right then left along the line.
A2 - Pull by right then left along the line, neighbor swing,
(5th person you meet along line) end facing partner.
B1 - Women allemande right 1 1/2, partner swing.
B2 - Circle left 3/4, balance the ring, partner california twirl
to form wavy line with new neighbors.

Notes: Start the dance with one line of 4 out at the top, so they are in for the second half of A1. Half of the couples progress back and forth between sets, while the other half progress up and down the lines. You can switch which half progress each way by having men allemande left 1 1/2 in B1, instead of the women, but be ready for the dance to break down since they may not all cope with the new rolls.

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32 Seconds
by Tom Calwell Spring 2007
duple improper

A1 - Long lines forward, neighbor roll away with half sashay as go back
Ladies chain across.
A2 - Hey (women pass right)
B1 - Partner balance and swing
B2 - Circle left 3/4, neighbor swing.

Note: A1 is with new neighbor, and gents roll lady from left to right.

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Swing Both Ways
by Tom Calwell October 2011
duple improper

A1 - Gents allemande left 1 1/2
Pass Partner by right to start 1/2 hey
A2 - Partner allemande right to form wavy line across with anybody in center.
Outsides orbit CW 1/2 while centers swing
B1 - Partner balance and swing
B2 - Give and take, with women taking gent home to her side, neighbor swing.

Note: A1 is with new neighbor gent. If parters alternate who takes hands in wave then each of them will get the extra swing. The dance was modified in Oct 2011.

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Wind in the Grass
by Tom Calwell May 2008
beckett

A1 - Face old neighbors across set. Women walk forward to a wavy line, while men walk backward to a long wavy line with men in next set. Balance the waves.
Allemande right 1 1/4 with person in your right hand. If no one in your right hand, stay where you are.
A2 - Hey on right diagonal(neighbor pass left)
B1 - Neighbor balance and swing
B2 - Circle left 3/4, partner swing.

Note: Locate new neighbors on right diagonal before starting wavy lines. Partner and these neighbors are in hey and circle. When out on the end move to be on the right diagonal.

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Hey the Line
by Tom Calwell January 2010
duple improper 4 face 4

A1 - Balance the wave, women alm left 1/2 pass partner by right to start hey for 8.
A2 - Continue hey until you meet your partner, Partner swing,
end with center couples facing sides and outside couples facing center.
B1 -Circle left 3/4, Neighbor swing.
B2 - Balance the ring, partner roll away, Balance the ring, walk forward
to form wavy line with new neighbors.

Notes:

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Power Play
by Myra Hirschberg Spring 2008
duple improper

along

A1 - Right and left thru along set, partner power turn (progression).
Chain to (new) neighbor along set.
A2 - Partner balance and swing.
B1 - Women allemande right 1 1/2, neighbor swing.
B2 - Circle left once around.
Balance the ring, neighbor rollaway.

Keep that hand, face neighbor, ready to start right and left through.

Notes: A power turn is a courtesy turn with an extra half-turn, so the dancers end up facing their original direction. A1 can be described either as a right and left thru up and down the set, with a partner power turn, or as a pass-through up and down, followed by a partner power turn (depending on whether the dancers are used to right & left through with hands).

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Dive for the Dolphin
by Tom Calwell March 2016
duple improper

A1 - Neighbour handy hand allemande (1s split 2s)
Dolphin hey (1st man pass 2nd woman by left)
A2 - Neighbour swing
B1 -Give and take to mens side. Partner swing
B2 - Balance the ring, spin to the right one place
Balance the ring, 2s arch, 1s dive through.

Notes: I wanted a contra with a dolphin hey.

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Petro Swing
by Tom Calwell January 2014
duple improper

A1 - Balance ring spin to the right one place.
Swing your shadow. (not in your circle)
A2 - Balance ring spin to the right one place.
Swing your Neighbour (in your circle).
B1 - Balance ring spin to the right one place.
Swing your partner. (not in your circle)
B2 - Men allemande left 1 1/2.
Swing your Neighbour again.

Take hands in a circle with your new neighbours.

Notes: For those who want 4 swings in one dance.

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The Joy of Eighteen
by Myra Hirschberg January 2014
Triple time long ways duple improper

A1 -Right shoulder gypsy neighbour.
Face Partner, Mad Robin (W in front first)
A2 - Women cross set Partner gypsy.
Partner 2 hand turn, end with woman on the right
B1 - Men left hand turn 1 1/2.
Neighbour 2 hand turn, end with woman on right
B2 - 2 changes of rights and lefts, starting partner right.
Star left all the wat around.

Notes: Based on the contra dance Joy of six. Written for our 18th anniversary. Any square waltz works but we like to use Logdrivers Waltz.

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