20220402 Seeley Fiddle Fest (Annie & The Oaklies, Four Mile Portage)

user: Allison Jonjak

3:15 lesson: circle, swing, do si do, allemande, Lark Raven

Galopede

by: Chestnut

introduces moves: long lines, pass through, turn alone, do si do, swing, custom

formation: improper or proper

A1 8
long lines forward & back
4
pass through across the set
4
turn alone
A2 8
long lines forward & back
4
pass through across the set
4
turn alone
B1 8
partners do si do once
8
partners 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.

Do-Si-Three

by: Linda Leslie

you're going to meet a lot of new people and you're going to adapt to them, that's the fun of dancing

introduces moves: circle

formation: three-face-three

Three face three in lines facing up/down the hall. Teach "home position".

A1 8
circle left 6 places
8
circle right 6 places
A2 8
neighbors do si do once "ends do-si-do your opposite"
8
neighbors do si do once "middles do-si-do your opposite"
B1 8
neighbors swing "ends swing your opposite"
8
neighbors swing "middles swing your opposite"
B2 8
long lines forward & back
8
pass through to a new line of 3 ⁋

Linda Leslie notes: Although I don't have the exact time that I wrote this dance, it must predate the first date I called it: 10/22/93 for the Appalachian Mountain Club, Joy Street, Boston. Especially useful for one night stands! Any combination of three. All dancers CAN do this dance, and it really mixes up the dancers. Great for weddings, etc. For these type evenings, I don't talk about #1 or #2 lines of three, or progression: rather I describe "home position". Once we have walked through the dance once, I then point out the couples who have come out at the top and/or bottom, asking them to wait out one time through the dance, turn around, and that this is when "home" changes. Works like a charm.....and the dancers are very happy finding new opposites for each cycle.

Original at http://www.lindalesliecaller.website/very-easy-dances.html

Jefferson's Remorse

by: Bob Green

introduces moves: star, down the hall, up the hall, gate

formation: improper

A1 8
circle left 4 places
8
circle right 4 places
A2 8
star left - hands across - 4 places
8
star right - hands across - 4 places
B1 4
ones down the center and turn alone
4
ones up the center
8
twos gate ones to face into the set
B2 16
ones long swing in the middle, end facing down ⁋

A variation on the traditional Jefferson And Liberty. Coreographer's notes here: http://www.childgrove.org/index.php/about-dances/dance-writers/bob-green-dances

Annie and the Oaklies: Annie Johnson, Bruce Qualey, Eric Maki

4:30 lesson: circle, swing, do si do, allemande, Lark Raven

La String Bean

by: Julian Blechner

introduces moves: custom, allemande, promenade

formation: circle mixer

A1 8
ladles to the center and back
2
gentlespoons to the center
4
gentlespoons turn alone
2
gentlespoons go back
A2 8
partners allemande left 1½ (gentlespoons progress CCW, ladles progress CW) ⁋
8
next neighbors do si do once (now your partner)
B1 16
partners balance & swing
B2 16
partners promenade along the set on the right

First Night Quadrille

by: Bob Dalsemer

introduces moves: custom

formation: square dance

A1 8
forward and back head couples
8
circle left 4 places same four
A2 8
circle right 4 places same four
8
star right 4 places same four
B1 8
first corners allemande left once
8
grand right left
B2 8
partners do si do once
8
partners promenade along the set on the right home

Repeat for side couples, then all four ladles and all four gentlespoons. The transition from star to grand right and left is a challenge for beginning square dancers and provides an opportunity for the "team" to be successful. Introduction and ending are caller's choice.

Scottish Reel

by: Chestnut

introduces moves: custom

formation: Longways Sets, 4-6 Couples

A1 16
top ladle leads ladles line through gentlespoons line in a slalom (while ladles hold hands)
A2 16
top gentlespoon leads gentlespoons line through ladles line in a slalom (while gentlespoons hold hands)
B1 8
top couple sashay down the middle & back
8
top couple separate, cast, walk down to the bottom ⁋
B2 8
partners do si do once
8
partners swing

alternate B2 is sashay down & back as long lines holding hands (requires more space)

Annie and the Oaklies: Annie Johnson, Bruce Qualey, Eric Maki

5:45 lesson: circle, swing, do si do, allemande, Lark Raven

Mad Scatter

by: Rick Mohr

introduces moves: allemande orbit

formation: scatter mixer

Scattered circles of two or more couples

A1 8
circle left 4 places
8
neighbors do si do once
A2 8
partners allemande right 1½
8
ladles allemande left 1½ around while the gentlespoons orbit clockwise ½ around. Ladles star if more than two.
B1 16
partners balance & swing New partner
B2 16
partners promenade to find new group to circle with ⁋

In this mixer dancers form scattered groups with any number of couples. That makes for fun chaos, less transition panic (compared with 2-couple scatter mixers), and more flavors to enjoy as circle sizes vary.

The A2 allemande ends with ladles in the center facing counterclockwise and gentlespoons on the outside facing clockwise. If there are two ladles they allemande left for 8 beats; if there are more than two they star left for 8 beats. Either way, the gentlespoons orbit clockwise around the ladles. Then all balance and swing a new partner and promenade to a new group.

I tell the dancers it's a zero-stress dance. "If a couple wants to join your circle, let them in!" And no problem if you happen to keep the same partner now and then.

Virginia Reel

by: Chestnut

introduces moves: custom

formation: four couple longways set

Reel 4 x 40 bars. Four-couple set so sashays aren't numbingly long.

A1 8
long lines forward & back
8
long lines forward & back
A2 8
partners allemande right once
8
partners allemande left once
B1 8
partners two hand turn
8
partners do si do once
B2 8
ones down the center sashay
8
ones up the center sashay
8
ones down the outsides, followed by twos threes fours,
0
ones form an arch
8
twos up the center under the arch, followed by threes fours ⁋

"peel the banana" could be helpful language

Sashay til you're out of music

Original at MAXICRIB, Scottish country dancing instructions compiled by Reuben Freemantle: https://www.scottish-country-dancing-dictionary.com/dance-crib/virginia-reel.html

La Guaracha aka Spanish Waltz

by: Companion to the Ballroom

waltz tune

introduces moves: balance, roll away, custom

formation: four couple square

any 32-bar waltz, esp. "My Lodging is on the Cold
Ground

A1 4
____ balance corners
4
gentlespoons roll away ____ corner (left hand ladle to gentlespoon's right hand)
4
balance corners
4
gentlespoons roll away ____ corner
A2 4
balance corners
4
gentlespoons roll away ____ corner
4
balance corners
4
gentlespoons roll away partners
B1 32
waltz the set

Via Alan Winston, as I wanted a dance featuring rollaways, but without choreography inaccessible to a room full of first-time dancers.

Alan notes: you might get to your goal with this dance which barely has choreography (La Guaracha, from "Companion to the Ballroom" 1827, here from the Community Dances Manuals):

That A1 is balance and roll away (with gentlespoon not half-sashaying); four times gets everybody home.

For a barn dance where you can't rely on everybody being able to do a traveling waltz, you can easily adapt this in multiple ways;

first off, sub a promenade for the waltz, or sub a circle left and promenade home.

second, you can just make it duple meter if you prefer, and then make it balance and swing and promenade.

Third, you can change it to be roll away with a half sashay, and it's more important to reach your partner than to get home on the rollaways; the promenade takes care of that.

Fourth, change the figure to
1st time: all balance, ladles roll left to right in front of gentlespoons (start crossing neighbor) 4x
2nd time: all balance, gentlespoons roll left to right in front of ladles
(start partner)
(For ONS you might be fine just repeating those two times, but if you're a little ambitious ... 3rd time: all balance, roll left to right 2x, / all balance, gentlespoons roll left to right 2x, meet partner on other side ...

Anyway, it's barely choreography but it gives you roll away practice in square formation without having to do heads or sides.

Four Mile Portage: Banjo player Tom Maloney and fiddler Brandy Forsman

7:00 lesson: circle, swing, do si do, allemande, Lark Raven

Rural Felicity

by: Dudley Laufman

introduces moves: custom

formation: proper

Longways set, 5-8 couples

A1 8
long lines forward & back
8
top couple, sashay down
A2 8
long lines forward & back
8
same two, sashay up to top
B1 8
partners do si do once
8
partners swing, end facing up
B2 16
top couple face down, others form arch. top couple promenade down ⁋

Dipping and Diving

by: Linda Leslie

introduces moves: custom

formation: proper

tell the band timing's not essential

A1 8
long lines forward & back
8
long lines forward & back
A2 16
top couple sashay down and back
B1 16
top couple Dip and Dive down ⁋
B2 16
partners balance & swing

Linda Leslie notes: timing here is not essential!
2022 03 27 called "Dip" as "under the arch" and "Dive" as "around the outsides so the 1s split and ring the 2s. Twos are alternately arches and posts.

The Gay Gordons (step together/step apart version)

by: Chestnut

introduces moves: custom

formation: circle mixer

Couples in a circle around the room facing anti-clockwise, ladles on the right.

Hold: Right hands joined over ladle's shoulder (gentlespoon's arm behind ladle's back), and left hands joined in front.

A1 8
walk forward
8
pivot to walk backward (still counterclockwise)
A2 8
walk forward
8
pivot to walk backward (still clockwise)
B1 8
step together, step apart
8
pass ladle to the center
B2 8
step together, step apart
8
ladle turn back

If not progressing, ladle twirl back to "outside".

Four Mile Portage: Banjo player Tom Maloney and fiddler Brandy Forsman

Patty Cake Polka

by: Chestnut

introduces moves: custom, slide along set

formation: Circle Mixer

Circle Mixer: gentlespoons in center, ladles outside. Hold partner's hands.

A1 4
heel, toe, heel, toe
4
slide left along set, slide, slide
4
heel, toe, heel, toe
4
slide right along set, slide slide
A2 4
right hand: clap clap clap
4
left hand: clap clap clap
4
both hands: clap clap clap
4
own legs: clap clap clap
B1 8
partners allemande right once
8
move to your next partner ⁋

Jefferson And Liberty

by: Chestnut

introduces moves: 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

Chorus Jig

by: Chestnut

introduces moves: contra corners

formation: proper

A1 8
ones down the outsides and turn alone
8
ones up the outsides
A2 8
ones down the center and turn alone
8
ones up the center, cast around same-role neighbor ⁋
B1 16
ones contra corners
B2 16
partners balance & swing

Danner Claflin notes: Chorus jig is still an amazing dance. Being an 'inactive' is the best. Here's the calls for the inactives:

A1: Swing Partner, separate
A2: Allemande person behind you (in another set), come back and cast off actives
B1: Contra corners: Left to your first corner, right to the person behind you, left to your second corner, end facing person behind you
B2: Balance and swing person in other set.