Consider Hydrogen

hook: orbit and opposing chains

by: Martha Wild

formation: improper

ensure space along lines

A1 8
along the set ladles chain +
8
partners do si do once
A2 8
partners allemande right 1½
8
gentlespoons allemande left 1½ around while the ladles orbit clockwise ½ around
B1 16
partners balance & swing
B2 8
ladles chain
8
square through two - partners balance & pull by right, then neighbors pull by left ⁋

/+ along the set is still within the minor set. After the chain you're on the same side of the set as your partner.

Martha Wild notes: I usually call the whole A2 sequence “orbit”. This dance requires space along the lines for the chain up and down. I like the half square through into ladles chain up and down transition - bit of a surprise at first.

This dance was written in honor of the late great physicist Richard Feynman, who taught at Cal Tech. There were only two questions on his Quantum Mechanics final exam - the first was “Consider hydrogen.” Of course, if you really look at this dance, perhaps it should be called “Consider Helium” or at least consider helium without the neutrons.... But that is hard on helium, so after a brief attempt at fusion (after building up spin energy in the do-si-do and allemande right), the combined orbits undergo fission and we’re back to hydrogen atoms in balance and swing your partner. By the way, the second question was “Do something elegant.”

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user: Allison Jonjak

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