2019-05-25: Meet Me in St Louis, Mind-Bending Contras (Turnip the Beet)

Walk Along John to Kansas (shifted)

hook: crooked dance for a crooked tune

introduces moves: custom, long lines, form an ocean wave, allemande, hey, do si do, swing

formation: improper

A1	0	A1:
	8	long lines forward & back
	8	pass through to an ocean wave & balance - ladles by left in the center, partners by right on the sides
A2	2	partners allemande right ½
	2	gentlespoons allemande left ½
	0	A2:
	12	neighbors start a hey - rights on ends, lefts in center - until partners meet the second time (neighbors right, ladles left, partners right, gentlespoons left, neighbors right, ladles left) - ladles catch left hands
B1	4	form an ocean wave & balance - ladles by left hands and partners by right hands
	2	ladles allemande left ½
	2	walk forward to next neighbors ⁋
	0	B1:
	8	neighbors do si do once
B2	8	neighbors swing
	0	B2:
	8	gentlespoons allemande left 1½
	8	partners swing

36-bar tune (10-bar As, 8-bar Bs)

Shades of Impropriety (variation)

by: Nicholas Rockstroh

introduces moves: down the hall, up the hall, custom, circle

formation: Becket

Double progression. Can be any improperish or properish Becket. Begin in a line of four facing down, ones left of twos.

A1	8	down the hall and right hand high, left hand low, leftmost 1 turn alone
	8	up the hall and bend into a ring, ones above twos
A2	8	neighbors do si do once MIRROR, ones split twos
	0	SIMULTANEOUS:
	0	ones swing, moving down below twos
	0	WHILE
	8	twos up the outsides and cross above ones
B1	0	ones face down, twos face up toward next neighbors ⁋
	8	neighbors do si do once MIRROR, twos split ones
	0	SIMULTANEOUS:
	0	twos swing, moving up above ones
	0	WHILE
	8	ones down the outsides and cross below twos
B2	0	twos face up, ones face down, toward next neighbors ⁋
	10	circle left 5 places
	8	partners two-hand turn any amount, end facing down in line of four ⁋

When a couple moves up or down the outside, there is an opportunity to turn it into a come together and cast around. The cross afterwards is optional, as well.

Cross Hey

by: Cary Ravitz

introduces moves: pass through, custom

formation: cross contra

from improper, first ladle and second gentlespoon trade places

A1	16	twos start a full hey - lefts in center, rights on ends - ones ricochet first time, twos ricochet second time, ones finish an ordinary hey
A2	16	neighbors balance & swing
B1	8	gentlespoons allemande left 1½
	8	partners swing
B2	6	circle left 3 places
	2	pass through to next neighbors ⁋
	0	SIMULTANEOUS:
	0	first gentlespoon and second ladle do si do once
	0	WHILE:
	8	first ladle and second gentlespoon allemande right 1½

https://www.dance.ravitz.us/#cc6:

After the circle and pass through, first gentlespoon and second ladle are in the line to the caller's left.

In typical push offs, you push off with same roles neighbors. Here you push off with your partners, so it may be useful to give this tip - facing across, you start on the left, go into the middle, push off, and back up to the right.

See Proper and Cross Contra Formations and Chris Page's contrachoreography for information on cross contra formation (referred to as diagonal formation).

MRD

A Proper Whoosh

by: Chris Page, Becky Hill

hook: same roles grand right and left

introduces moves: custom, pull by dancers, form long waves, box circulate, figure 8

formation: proper

A1	0	grand right and left along the set: [1]
	2	same roles pull by right (1st 1st neighbors)
	2	2nd neighbors pull by left (same roles)
	2	3rd neighbors pull by right (same roles)
	6	4th neighbors allemande left once (same roles)
	2	3rd neighbors pull by right (same roles)
	2	2nd neighbors allemande left ½
A2	0	form long waves - first corners face in, second corners face out [2]
	8	balance & box circulate - first corners cross while second corners loop right [3]
	8	partners swing
B1	6	gentlespoons allemande left 1½
	10	1st neighbors swing
B2	8	ones half figure 8 above [4]
	8	2nd neighbors do si do once (same roles) [5] ⁋

[1] End effects: Unlike most contra dances with grand right and lefts, you do not wrap around at the ends. Instead, turn around and stay in your same roles line. It's like doing a hey with hands on the side.
[2] second gentlespoon and first ladle face in. first gentlespoon and second ladle face out. You are in progressed positions, and have 1st neighbors in your right hand.
[3] Circulate: second gentlespoon and first ladle cross the set. first gentlespoon and second ladle turn around, or loop into their same roles 1st neighbors' place.
[4] Above around the twos you just danced with.
[5] This identifies the neighbors that begin the next grand right and left.

http://chrispagecontra.awardspace.us/dances/dlist2.htm#a-proper-whoosh:

I was toying around with proper dances, and which figures felt different with same-~~sex~~ neighbors. A grand right and left seemed suitable, and the framework of "Whoosh" turned out to be a near-perfect fit.

The end effects are dangerous. When your number changes, so does your direction in the wave, and the people who cross. If dancers keep acting out their original roles, things will go badly, as there's no huge recovery spot. It may be worth emphasizing.

Video: (#1)

Slice and Dice

by: Cary Ravitz

introduces moves: roll away, slice, custom, star

formation: Becket

Face your partner, your shadow is beyond your partner, your second shadow is behind you.

A1	4	long lines forward
	4	gentlespoons roll away partners with a half sashay
	4	slice left with your shadows toward 2nd neighbor - take hands with 2nd neighbors and face shadows
	4	slice ricochet diagonal back with 2nd neighbor (ladles are now on the left, partners are across the set) - ladles have crossed the set
A2	8	star left 4 places - look away from the star for 1st neighbor
	8	neighbors swing
B1	4	slice left with 1st neighbor, toward 2nd shadows - take hands with 2nd shadows and face 1st neighbor
	4	slice ricochet diagonal back with 2nd shadows (ladles are now on the left, partners are beside you in a different minor set) - ladles have crossed the set
	8	star left 4 places - look away from the star for your partners
B2	16	partners balance & swing ⁋

https://www.dance.ravitz.us/#sd3:

This dance has multiple individual progressions. Be alert on the ends.

On the ends, for the left diagonal figure, if there is a couple out, that couple should participate in the figure. If there is not a couple out, the odd couple should just cross the set.

The forward to the left, back to the right with your opposite figure is simplified from Bases Loaded by Jim Saxe, Lydee Scudder, and Tom Thoreau.

YouTube, MRD

The Tropical Gentleman

by: Kathy Anderson

hook: Celtic hey

introduces moves: slide along set, right left through, balance, custom, gyre, pass by

formation: Becket

A1	2	slide left along set to next neighbors ⁋
	6	circle left 3 places
	8	neighbors swing
A2	8	right left through
	8	ladles do si do 1½ - give right hand to partners
B1	4	partners balance by the right hand
	0	"CELTIC HEY":
	2	partners pull by right
	0	gentlespoons gyre ¾
	0	WHILE
	4	ladles orbit clockwise 1/4
	0	FACE PARTNER UP & DOWN
	2	partners pass by right shoulders up & down
	0	ladles gyre left shoulders ¾
	0	WHILE
	4	gentlespoons orbit clockwise 1/4
B2	16	partners balance & swing

Buffalo Stampede

by: Tom Hinds

introduces moves: chain, square through

formation: Becket

A1	6	circle left 3 places
	2	pass through to next neighbors ⁋
	8	neighbors allemande left 1½
A2	8	ladles chain
	8	star left 4 places - turn away to meet 1st 1st shadows along the side
B1	6	square through three - 1st shadows pull by right, then neighbors pull by left, then 1st shadows pull by right
	4	partners pass by right shoulders
	6	square through three - 2nd shadows pull by right, then neighbors pull by left, then 2nd shadows pull by right
B2	16	partners balance & swing

Ends be ready to join in one square through. When facing out, immediately trade with partners.

Table of Contents

Database

Validation

Walk Along John to Kansas (shifted)

Shades of Impropriety (variation)

Cross Hey

A Proper Whoosh

Slice and Dice

The Tropical Gentleman

Buffalo Stampede