20191207 Orono Maine (Easier)

Galopede variation

introduces moves: long lines, allemande, swing, custom

formation: improper or proper

A1	8	long lines forward & back
	8	partners allemande right once
A2	8	long lines forward & back
	8	partners allemande left once
B1	16	partners long swing
B2	16	top couple sashay to bottom of set - others move up ⁋

If you finish dancing before the music is done, let each couple in turn just sashay down until the music is ready to end.

Jefferson And Liberty

by: Chestnut

introduces moves: circle, star, down the hall, up the hall, arch & dive

formation: proper

A1	8	circle left 4 places
	8	circle right 4 places
A2	8	star right 4 places
	8	star left 4 places
B1	8	ones down the outsides and turn alone
	8	ones up the outsides and end in long lines, ones in the center, facing down the hall
B2	4	down the hall
	4	ones arch twos dive ⁋
	8	up the hall 2x2 with the twos leading, then ones turn around to face the next

G Campbell Kaynor notes: For a simple proper dance I do one called Jefferson and Liberty to the tune of the same name (Thos Jefferson's campaign song, a.k.a the Gobby O, an American Irish Jig)

It doesn't matter if people get on the wrong side of the set so I often start the night with this if there are lots of newcomers

Unnamed Easy Progression

by: Mac McKeever

introduces moves: do si do

formation: improper

A1	8	circle left 4 places
	8	neighbors do si do once
A2	8	gentlespoons do si do once
	8	ladles do si do once
B1	8	long lines forward & back
	8	ones swing +
B2	6	down the hall
	6	up the hall backward
	4	ones arch twos dive to new neighbors ⁋

make sure dancers understand 1s and 2s, and how they change when they're out

Mac notes:
I have a very easy dance that progresses but has worked for beginner groups. It was the only contra I got to work at the [] community dance.

It goes like this (I have never bothered to give it a name or check to see if it already exists)

Make sure they understanding being out one time---once I had couples who were out at the bottom run up to dance with the couple at the top.

The Big Easy variation

by: Becky Hill

introduces moves: balance the ring, pass through

formation: improper

A1	16	neighbors long swing
A2	8	long lines forward & back
	8	ladles allemande right 1½
B1	16	partners balance & swing
B2	8	circle left 3 places
	4	balance the ring
	4	pass through ⁋

A variation on The Big Easy obtained from Dugan Murphy. Longer swing in A1 and allemande RIGHT in A2.

Broken Sixpence v. with Circle and Star

by: Don Armstrong

formation: improper

A1	8	neighbors do si do once
	8	gentlespoons do si do once
A2	8	ladles do si do once
	8	ones swing and end facing down
B1	8	down the hall and turn alone
	8	up the hall and bend into a ring
B2	8	circle left 4 places
	8	star left 4 places ⁋

This chain-free version from Rebecca Lay. Rebecca notes Note from Rebecca: If I'm asked to teach a pre-dance "Beginners Workshop" at a contra dance, I often teach participants Broken Sixpence at the end of the workshop, and then do it as the first dance of the evening.

https://www.cdss.org/resources/how-to/contra-dance-resources#callers

A version with chains in the B2 is https://contradb.com/dances/358/

Easy Peasy

by: Diane Silver

introduces moves: California twirl

formation: improper

A1	16	neighbors balance & swing
A2	8	long lines forward & back
	8	gentlespoons allemande left 1½
B1	16	partners balance & swing
B2	8	circle left 3 places
	4	balance the ring
	4	partners California twirl ⁋

Simplicity Swing

by: Becky Hill

Same as harder tier, extra

introduces moves: chain

formation: improper

A1	16	neighbors balance & swing
A2	8	circle left 3 places
	8	partners swing
B1	8	long lines forward & back
	8	ladles chain to neighbor
B2	8	star left 4 places ⁋
	8	next neighbors do si do once

Waltz (no break)

Chaos

by: unknown

Same as harder tier

introduces moves: promenade

formation: improper

Form hands of four at random on the dance floor, improper formation.

A1	8	circle left 4 places
	8	circle right 4 places
A2	8	star right 4 places
	8	star left 4 places
B1	8	neighbors swing
	8	partners swing
B2	16	partners promenade randomly to find new neighbors ⁋

I am not sure who wrote this.

Cranky Ingenuity

by: Bill Olson

Push for easy tier

formation: improper

A1	8	circle left 4 places
	8	neighbors do si do once as couples
A2	8	neighbors do si do once
	8	neighbors swing
B1	8	gentlespoons allemande left 1½
	8	partners swing
B2	8	circle left 3 places
	4	balance the ring
	4	partners California twirl ⁋

B2 Circle L 3/4 (8), Balance the ring (4), Calif Twir
Bill Olson notes: The A part of this dance came from Vermont fiddler, Amy Cann. The rest kind of came together before a Concord (MA) Scouthouse gig on Feb 23, 2004. I used this easy dance to start off the evening that night. It is dedicated to my good friends from the venerable Boston area band, Yankee Ingenuity: Peter Barnes (who always enjoys a good pun), Mary Lea, Jack O'Conner and Cal Howard.

Sub in an easier dance from other program

Old Time Elixir #2

by: Linda Leslie

introduces moves: slide along set, right left through, petronella

formation: Becket

A1	0	slide left along set ⁋
	8	circle left 3 places
	8	neighbors swing
A2	8	right left through (or promenade)
	8	ladles chain to partner
B1	8	balance & petronella
	8	balance & petronella
B2	16	partners balance & swing

A variation of the dance Old Time Elixir by Mike Boerschig. The same dance was also written by Dean Snipes, and is called "Tica Tica Timing".

Reel Easy

by: Cary Ravitz

introduces moves: pull by dancers

formation: improper

A1	8	neighbors do si do once
	8	neighbors swing
A2	8	long lines forward & back
	8	ladles allemande right 1½
B1	16	partners balance & swing
B2	8	circle left 3 places
	6	neighbors allemande right once
	2	neighbors pull by right to next neighbors ⁋

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

To change from a Becket dance to Reel Easy in a medley, change Reel Easy's first figure to circle left 3/4. From a counter-clockwise Becket dance, change it to ~~men~~ allemande left 1+1/2.

The second half of B2 can be danced as neighbors allemande right 1+1/4, walk straight forward to (A1) do-si-do the next. But I think it is more fun to allemande right 1, lean back a bit, and pull by.

YouTube, 2, MRD

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Validation

Waltz (no break)

Sub in an easier dance from other program

Waltz