20220903 Pine Brook w/ Annie & Oaklies

lesson: circle, swing, do si do, allemande, Lark Raven, would you like to dance with me

Do-Si-Three

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, do si do, swing, long lines, pass through

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

Heartbreak Contra

by: Dugan Murphy

introduces moves: petronella, allemande, balance the ring

formation: improper

A1	8	balance & petronella
	8	balance & petronella
A2	16	neighbors balance & swing
B1	8	gentlespoons allemande left 1½
	8	partners swing
B2	8	circle left 3 places
	4	balance the ring
	4	pass through ⁋

Autumn Leaves variation

by: Linda Leslie

introduces moves: down the hall, up the hall, give & take

formation: Becket

A1	6	circle left 3 places
	2	pass through ⁋
	8	next neighbors do si do once
A2	16	neighbors balance & swing
B1	8	down the hall and turn as a couple
	8	up the hall and bend into a ring
B2	4	balance the ring
	4	gentlespoons take partners
	8	partners swing

No long lines

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

Unnamed Easy Progression

by: Mac McKeever

introduces moves: arch & dive

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

by: Becky Hill

formation: improper

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

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

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

Another Easy One

by: unknown

introduces moves: right left through

formation: improper

A1	8	neighbors allemande right 1½
	8	gentlespoons allemande left 1½
A2	8	partners do si do once
	8	partners swing
B1	8	down the hall and turn as a couple
	8	up the hall and bend into a ring
B2	8	right left through
	6	circle left 3 places
	2	pass through ⁋

~ ~ ~

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

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 ⁋

La String Bean

by: Julian Blechner

introduces moves: custom, turn alone, 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

Galopede

by: Chestnut

introduces moves: 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.

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)

Jefferson's Remorse

by: Bob Green

introduces moves: star, 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

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.

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

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".

Jefferson And Liberty

by: Chestnut

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.

Table of Contents

Database

Validation

lesson: circle, swing, do si do, allemande, Lark Raven, would you like to dance with me

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

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

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~ ~ ~

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