2023-05-06 Delafield

user: Moose Flores

Lesson: Circle, give weight, stay connected, AR, AL, DSD, Swing, B&S, courtesy turn & chain, better never than late.

Lesson: Box the gnat, Swat the flea

May Day Mixer

by: Tony Parkes

introduces moves: long lines, box the gnat, do si do, swat the flea, see saw, swing

formation: circle mixer

right hand balance to box the gnat, left hand balance to swat the flea

A1 8
long lines forward & back
8
long lines forward & back
A2 8
partners right hand balance & box the gnat
8
partners do si do once
B1 8
partners left hand balance & swat the flea
8
partners see saw 1½ ⁋
B2 16
neighbors balance & swing, this is your new partner

Sweet September

by: Myra Hirschberg

introduces moves: allemande, chain, star, meltdown swing, circle

formation: improper

A1 8
neighbors allemande left 1½
8
ladles chain
A2 8
star left - hands across - 4 places, then ladles drop out
8
gentlespoons allemande left once
B1 16
partners meltdown swing
B2 8
circle left 3 places
8
neighbors swing ⁋

Note: Dancers should be warned to end the neighbor swing in good time for the neighbor allemande.

Written for the wedding of our friends Eric and Heather.

Heart of Joy

by: Chris Page

introduces moves: gyre, custom

formation: improper

the 'single file promenade clockwise' can be drawing your neighbor/partner across the set with eye contact gravity

A1 4
neighbors gyre ½
4
single file promenade clockwise 1/2 (facing neighbor) [1]
8
neighbors swing
A2 8
long lines forward & back
8
ladles allemande right 1½ [2]
B1 4
partners gyre ½
4
single file promenade clockwise 1/2 (facing partner) [3]
8
partners swing
B2 8
ladles chain
8
star left 4 places ⁋

Chris Page notes:
[1] While looking at your neighbor. Gentlespoons backing up across the set (carefully), ladles follow them to the other side.
[2] A little different from the normal ladle's allemande, as here dancers don't adjust. Gentlespoons should stay put, and stay on the slight diagonal, rather than adjusting to be across from each other. Ladles allemande right 1 & 1/2, then ease out to the sidelines, having traded places, and now facing their partner on the side of the set.
[3] While looking at your partner. Ladles backing up across the set (carefully), gentlespoons follow them to the other side.

An auction dance written for Heather Visscher. She really liked the A2 move from "A Rare Bird" by Bob Isaacs.

Original at http://chrispagecontra.awardspace.us/dances/#heart-of-joy

Called by Andy Shore on tour with Polaris in 2018.

3, 33-33

by: Steve Zakon-Anderson

Variation: B2) Robins swing to swap

introduces moves: pull by dancers

formation: improper

A1 4
1st neighbors balance & pull by right
4
2nd neighbors pull by left
8
3rd neighbors right hand balance & box the gnat
A2 4
3rd neighbors pull by right
4
2nd neighbors pull by left
8
1st neighbors swing
B1 8
circle left 3 places
8
partners swing
B2 8
long lines forward & back
8
ladles do si do 1½ ⁋

Waldorf Colonnade

by: Moose Flores, Devin J. Pohly

introduces moves: custom, square through

formation: improper

Designate 1's and 2's
Colonnade is a new sequence. It takes 16 beats and ends with everyone where they began, like a Hey. Have 2's also practice the colonnade during the walkthrough.

A1 8
star right 3 places
8
partners right hand balance & box the gnat
A2 16
Colonnade - "1's Arch, Ladles trade: Colonnade!" +
B1 16
partners balance & swing
B2 8
ladles chain
8
square through two - partners balance & pull by right, then neighbors pull by left ⁋

Coauthored with Devin J. Pohly during IndepenDance 2019 at the Waldorf school.
+ Colonnade: ones (join right hands to) make an arch and hold that arch for the entire figure. Ladles trade by right shoulders with ladle two going under the arch. Gentlespoons trade by right shoulders with gentlespoon two going under the arch. [stop here for 1/2 colonnade] Ladles trade by right, gentlespoons trade by right. Each trade has 4 beats of music, so there's no need to rush.

waltz & break

String of Swings

by: Rick Mohr and Bob Isaacs

introduces moves: down the hall, up the hall, hey

formation: improper

Ones step between twos to form short lines facing down

A1 8
down the hall and turn alone
8
up the hall, ones back to back in the center, face neighbors
A2 16
neighbors start a full hey - lefts on ends, rights in center
B1 8
neighbors allemande left 1½
8
twos swing
B2 8
neighbors swing
8
ones swing ⁋

Rick Mohr notes: the sequence of swings can be a thrill, especially if dancers end each of them with their back to the person they're going to swing next and then continue momentum to whirl 180° to the right and immediately into the next swing. (The gentlespoon in particular need extra encouragement to turn right out of each swing.)

Here's how I do that part of the walk-through: 2's—finish your swing facing each other in the center, with your back to your neighbor. 1's be ready to catch them! 2's whirl right, right into a swing with your neighbor. End that swing facing your neighbor, with the 1's back-to-back in the center. 1's—whirl right, right into a swing with your partner.

The neighbor swing in B2 ends in the middle of the phrase, something I usually avoid because dancers are so used to swinging until the end of the phrase. But this dance has always worked well, maybe because the series of short swings is a clear focus.

Thanks to co-author Bob Isaacs for greatly improving the sequence of surrounding figures for the string of swings.

Original at http://rickmohr.net/Contra/DancesBest.asp#StringOfSwings

Simplicity Swing

by: Becky Hill

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 & goodnight