20180602 Caller's Choice with Lonely Mountain Duo

Author's Notes:
The transition from left hand star to allemande left is especially nice if a New England style (hand on wrist) star is used. This is the only dance I can think of for which I specifically request that type of star in those parts of the country where the default is hands-across.
Unfortunately, the origin of the name is lost in the mists of time. All I can say is that "Al" is not Al Olson, although had I known who he is when I wrote this, it might have been. Composed sometime around 1989.

This dance is from William Watson's mirror of American Country Dances On Line
All rights reserved by the author; used by permission.
Added to database 9/14/1997; last revised 3/5/1999; edited by Russell Owen

/+ along the set is still within the minor set. After the chain you're on the same side of the set as your partner.

Martha Wild notes: I usually call the whole A2 sequence “orbit”. This dance requires space along the lines for the chain up and down. I like the half square through into ladles chain up and down transition - bit of a surprise at first.

This dance was written in honor of the late great physicist Richard Feynman, who taught at Cal Tech. There were only two questions on his Quantum Mechanics final exam - the first was “Consider hydrogen.” Of course, if you really look at this dance, perhaps it should be called “Consider Helium” or at least consider helium without the neutrons.... But that is hard on helium, so after a brief attempt at fusion (after building up spin energy in the do-si-do and allemande right), the combined orbits undergo fission and we’re back to hydrogen atoms in balance and swing your partner. By the way, the second question was “Do something elegant.”

All pass through 1/4 R and walk single file along the line to a new neighbor.

For Dale Wilson, who has a knack for strategic figure redeployment into contra settings.

Original and video at: http://dancevideos.childgrove.org/contra/contra-modern/502-trip-to-wilson-by-will-mentor-duple-improper

Susan notes "at the end, wait out on side in Becket formation, so the gentlespoons can join in on the "zig-zag chain"* in B1. Next round of the dance starts with the couple containing the gents from the allemande Left.

*a la Mary Cay's Reel by David Kaynor

This dance was written for Joe Groceman, a dancer, artist and all around great human.

Sarah Kaiser notes: Swing and slide is a blended move that takes the final twelve together. If I had to break it I'd say 8 swing, 4 slide. I tend to drift swing in those cases but others may not.

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

http://dancevideos.childgrove.org/contra/contra-modern/437-butter-by-gene-hubert-becket