2024-12-31 NYE East Lansing, Part 1

user: Moose Flores

Table of Contents

  1. Intro Lesson NOT A DANCE by unknown
  2. Blackberry Trace by Tom Anderson

    (Q: New favorite "first dance"?)
  3. Yellow Cat's Jig (Maggie Jo's Version) by Jim Gregory
  4. Trip to Versailles by Moose Flores

  6. It's OK to be Ruthless by Liz Albert - https://sites.google.com/view/lizalbertcontra/contra-dances#h.19v5d2gz3v45

  7. Unlucky Seven by Al Olson - http://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=3287
  8. Chinese New Year by Chris Page

  9. 8) waltz & break

  11. E.Z.'s Mixer by Eric Zorn - http://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=7321

  12. Dogleg Left - Par Five by Merle Breeding - Midwest Folklore p.33
  13. Coconut Cream Pie by Lynn Ackerson
  14. Frederick Reel by Tom Hinds


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Intro Lesson NOT A DANCE

by: unknown

introduces moves: circle, allemande, do si do, swing, right left through, chain, long lines, star

formation: circle

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

A1 8
circle left 4 places
8
neighbors allemande left once
A2 8
neighbors do si do once
8
partners swing
B1 8
right left through
8
ladles chain
B2 8
long lines forward & back
8
star left 4 places

Lesson: Circle L/R, F&B, give weight, stay connected, DSD, AL, AR, Swing, courtesy turn & chain, star. Better never than late, keep moving, "Keep smiling and all is forgiven", Everyone makes mistakes!

Blackberry Trace

by: Tom Anderson

(Q: New favorite "first dance"?)

introduces moves: pass by

formation: improper

A1 4
ladles pass by right shoulders
4
circle left 2 places
8
partners do si do once
A2 16
partners balance & swing
B1 8
long lines forward & back
8
right left through
B2 8
ladles chain
8
star left 4 places ⁋

Available at https://www.cambridgefolk.org.uk/contra/dances/midwest_folklore/blackberry_trace.html.

Yellow Cat's Jig (Maggie Jo's Version)

by: Jim Gregory

introduces moves: promenade, custom

formation: Circle mixer

A1 8
circle left 4 places
8
circle right 4 places - single file, ladles tap shoulder of new partner ⁋
A2 8
partners do si do once
8
partners swing
B1 8
partners promenade, then face the center
8
couples go forward & back
B2 8
ladles go forward & back
8
gentlespoons go forward & back

Trip to Versailles

by: Moose Flores

introduces moves: custom, meltdown swing

formation: four face four

Inspired by a French court dance from Versailles.
In A1, try a shuffle step

A1 16
as couples, mad ladle clockwise (think: 8 count sliding door, twice)
A2 0
Center four dancers: star right, star left
16
meanwhile, at ends: neighbors allemande left once, allemande right once.
B1 6
partners do si do once
10
Grand right and left halfway around
B2 16
partners meltdown swing, end facing new neighbors ⁋

Inspired by La Tempete
https://youtu.be/vmiq0m7JTzM

~ ~ ~

Chinese New Year

by: Chris Page

introduces moves: box circulate, square through, form long waves

formation: improper

begin in long waves---right hand to neighbor, gentlespoons face out, ladles face in.

A1 8
balance & box circulate - ladles cross while gentlespoons loop right
8
balance & box circulate - gentlespoons cross while ladles loop right
A2 8
balance & box circulate - ladles cross while gentlespoons loop right
8
partners swing
B1 8
circle left 3 places
8
neighbors swing
B2 8
long lines forward & back
8
square through two - partners balance & pull by right, then neighbors pull by left to ⁋
0
form long waves - ladles face in, gentlespoons face out

In the pull-by left, keep left hands and take right hands with a new neighbor to reform long waves.
For better entry, consider an allemande left 1/2 rather than a pull-by left, so that all hands are at the correct height for long waves.

Written for Joyce Fortune of the Bay Area, won at the auction of the 2010 Spring Fever dance camp at Monte Toyon, CA. She requested a dance with long lines, some balances, and a swing/circle/swing transition. (A surprisingly tough set of requirements to fulfill.) This sequence was the option she liked best.

8) waltz & break

~ ~ ~

Dogleg Left - Par Five by Merle Breeding - Midwest Folklore p.33

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.

Frederick Reel

by: Tom Hinds

introduces moves: down the hall, up the hall

formation: improper

A1 8
long lines forward & back ⁋
8
ladles allemande left 1½
A2 16
partners balance & swing
B1 8
down the hall and turn as a couple
8
up the hall and bend into a ring
B2 8
circle left 3 places
8
neighbors swing

Bradley Smith Notes: The first time through the dance, the ladles allemande Left in A1 is with the couple that you start the dance with. Every time after that, the ladles have to look to the right to find the next ladle to allemande. It's a very simple progression that just requires reminding the ladles to look for the next ladle in line after the forward and back