08_17_24 Chicago Queer Contra

user: Nedra McNeil

The Nice Combination

by: Gene Hubert

superstition

introduces moves: swing, down the hall, up the hall, circle, chain, star

formation: improper

A1 16
neighbors long swing, end in a line
A2 8
down the hall and turn as a couple
8
up the hall and bend into a ring
B1 8
circle left 3 places
8
partners swing
B2 8
ladles chain
8
star left 4 places ⁋

Butter

by: Gene Hubert

Levitating

introduces moves: slide along set, long lines, hey

formation: Becket

A1 2
slide left along set ⁋
6
circle left 3 places
8
neighbors swing
A2 8
long lines forward & back
8
ladles chain
B1 16
ladles start a full hey - rights in center, lefts on ends
B2 16
partners balance & swing

Tica Tica Timing

by: Dean Snipes

Chappell Roan X Sabrina Carpenter

introduces moves: promenade, petronella

formation: Becket

A1 8
circle left 3 places
8
neighbors swing
A2 8
neighbors promenade
8
ladles chain
B1 8
balance & petronella
8
balance & petronella
B2 14
partners balance & swing
2
slide left along set ⁋

Julian Bee notes that swapping the promenade for a R+L Thru is Linda Leslie's "Old Time Elixir #2", written in 1998. It's unclear when Dean wrote TTT, so both deserve a cross-reference. https://contradb.com/dances/474

Becketize the Baby

by: John Coffman

Moon Boots

introduces moves: allemande

formation: Becket

A1 8
circle left 3 places
8
neighbors swing ⁋
A2 8
next neighbors allemande left 1½
8
ladles chain
B1 16
ladles start a full hey - rights in center, lefts on ends
B2 16
partners balance & swing

Connected and flowing

Delphiniums and Daisies

by: Tanya Rotenberg

Don't Stop

formation: improper

A1 8
neighbors allemande left 1½
8
ladles chain
A2 16
ladles start a full hey - rights in center, lefts on ends
B1 16
partners long swing
B2 8
circle left 3 places
8
neighbors allemande right 1½ ⁋

Written in 1985 for the 20th anniversary of her parents' wedding, these being their wedding flowers.

Contra Essentialism

by: Nicholas Rockstroh

Gecko Pancake

introduces moves: right left through

formation: improper

Note the hand in which the next neighbor's hand will be held in the long lines

A1 8
long lines forward & back
8
neighbors swing
A2 8
right left through
8
ladles allemande right 1½
B1 16
partners balance & swing
B2 8
gentlespoons allemande left 1½
8
neighbors swing and take hands with next neighbors in long lines

I was taking a course on gender and sexuality at the time I wrote this. The title is a double pun; "Contra is essential" is one meaning, "against cultural/biological essentialism" is another.

Waltz N Break

Qwill & Paper

by: Moose Flores

Mac Miller

introduces moves: meltdown swing

formation: improper

Designate ones and twos.
The dance begins in lines of four, with the ones in the center.

A1 8
down the hall and turn as a couple
8
up the hall and turn alone facing the center
A2 16
twos start a full hey - rights in center, lefts on ends
B1 16
twos meltdown swing, end facing up, then separate to the sides
B2 16
ones meltdown swing, end facing down to pick up next neighbors

For Qwill, on their birthday.

Parmesan

by: Bradley Smith

2004 mix

formation: improper

A1 8
neighbors allemande right 1½
8
gentlespoons start a half hey - lefts in center, rights on ends
A2 16
neighbors balance & swing
B1 8
gentlespoons allemande left 1½
8
partners swing
B2 8
ladles chain
8
star left 4 places ⁋

The Odyssey Shuffle

by: Grant Yost

???

introduces moves: balance, box the gnat

formation: improper

A1 4
neighbors balance by the right hand
4
neighbors box the gnat
8
gentlespoons allemande left 1½
A2 16
partners balance & swing
B1 8
long lines forward & back
8
ladles chain
B2 8
ladles start a half hey - rights in center, lefts on ends
8
star left 4 places ⁋

Coconut Cream Pie

by: Lynn Ackerson

???

introduces moves: custom, balance the ring, California twirl

formation: four face four

Have dancers note their "trail buddies" and who their corners are. The two dancers in the middle of the line of 4 are corners and the dancers at the ends have their corners in front of them.

A1 8
long lines forward & back
8
middle 4 star right 4 places
A2 8
partners allemande left 1½
8
other 4 star right 4 places
B1 16
partners balance & swing
B2 8
circle left 4 places
4
balance the ring
4
partners California twirl ⁋

In this case there are 8 places in the circle, so going 4 places is equivalent to half way.

Airpants, Bradley Smith pass through

by: Lisa Greenleaf

Talk Talk

introduces moves: pass through

formation: improper

A1 16
neighbors balance & 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 to new neighbors

Bradley Smith Notes: Originally, the last figure of this dance was a neighbor do-si-do 1 1/2, but I usually swap it for the ring balance and pass through to make the progression as simple as possible for inexperienced dancers.

waltz