Louisville, KY 2024-02-26

The Baby Rose

introduces moves: swing, circle, do si do, chain, star

formation: improper

A1	16	neighbors balance & swing
A2	8	circle left 3 places
	8	partners do si do once
B1	16	partners balance & swing
B2	8	ladles chain
	8	star left 4 places to new neighbors ⁋

Contra Essentialism

by: Nicholas Rockstroh

introduces moves: long lines, right left through, allemande

formation: improper

Note the hand in which the next neighbor's hand will be held in the long lines

A1	8	long lines forward & back
	8	neighbors swing
A2	8	right left through
	8	ladles allemande right 1½
B1	16	partners balance & swing
B2	8	gentlespoons allemande left 1½
	8	neighbors swing and take hands with next neighbors in long lines ⁋

I was taking a course on gender and sexuality at the time I wrote this. The title is a double pun; "Contra is essential" is one meaning, "against cultural/biological essentialism" is another.

The Dance Gypsy

by: Gene Hubert

introduces moves: down the hall, up the hall

formation: Becket

start the walkthrough with partners swing, and then form a line of four facing down

A1	8	down the hall and turn as a couple
	8	up the hall and bend into a ring
A2	8	circle left 3 places
	8	neighbors swing
B1	8	right diagonal ladles chain
	8	star left 4 places ⁋
B2	16	partners balance & swing

One of my favorite dances from Gene. A rare example of a Becket dance with lines of four down and up the hall, and a clever little progression via the right diagonal chain. It's a fantastic dance to inject variety into an event with a mixed crowd, since there's enough unexpected to scintillate experienced folks without overwhelming beginners.

Mange Tak

by: Ron Buchanan

introduces moves: form an ocean wave, pull by dancers

formation: Improper

A1	16	neighbors balance & swing
A2	8	pass through to an ocean wave & balance - ladles by left in the center, neighbors by right on the sides
	2	neighbors allemande right ½
	2	gentlespoons pull by left
	4	partners allemande right ¾ and look for shadows
B1	6	shadows allemande left once
	10	partners swing
B2	8	pass through to an ocean wave & balance - ladles by left in the center, partners by right on the sides
	2	partners allemande right ½
	2	gentlespoons pull by left
	4	neighbors allemande right ¾ and look for next neighbors

Butter

by: Gene Hubert

introduces moves: slide along set, hey

formation: Becket

A1	2	slide left along set ⁋
	6	circle left 3 places
	8	neighbors swing
A2	8	long lines forward & back
	8	ladles chain
B1	16	ladles start a full hey - rights in center, lefts on ends
B2	16	partners balance & swing

http://dancevideos.childgrove.org/contra/contra-modern/437-butter-by-gene-hubert-becket

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Charismatic Megafauna

by: Linda Leslie

introduces moves: give & take, promenade, petronella

formation: Becket

Identify next neighbors on left diagonal.

A1	4	gentlespoons give & take neighbors
	12	neighbors swing
A2	8	ladles chain
	6	partners promenade
	2	slide right along set (j-hook) ⁋
B1	8	balance & petronella
	8	balance & petronella
B2	16	partners balance & swing

Linda's notes:

"Written for our friends Lucia Watson and Jeff Weiler so they could twirl like crazy in the chain. In 2017, I actually switched the sequences: the dance used to start at the B1. I like this much better!"

Astray

by: Cary Ravitz

introduces moves: zig zag

formation: becket

A1	8	right left through
	8	circle right 3 places
A2	6	zig right zag left ⁋
	10	next neighbors swing
B1	8	gentlespoons start a half hey - lefts in center, rights on ends
	8	gentlespoons allemande left 1½
B2	16	partners balance & swing

partner DSD and swing in B2 also works quite well

Pecan Pie (fixed)

by: Jim Hemphill

This dance is not published.

Stargazer

by: Sarah Kaiser

formation: Becket

A1	2	slide left along set - look across to see your neighbors ⁋
	6	star right 3 places and look back
	8	star left 4 places with prev neighbors
A2	16	neighbors balance & swing
B1	8	long lines forward & back
	8	ladles allemande right 1½
B2	16	partners balance & swing

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