Baltimore Wednesday 2025-08-20

user: Luke Schoppert

Table of Contents

  1. First three: Stephan Rochefort
  2. The Big Easy by Becky Hill

  3. Bonus Round by Don Veino https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=15018
  4. Contra Essentialism by Nicholas Rockstroh

  5. Next three: Luke Schoppert
  6. Parmesan by Bradley Smith
  7. Dance All Night by Rich Mohr
  8. Heartbeat Contra by Don Flaherty

  9. Waltz and break

  10. Next three: Stephan Rochefort
  11. Cal and Irene by Dan Pearl

  12. Whim's Gym by Cary Ravitz https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=322
  13. Frederick Contra by Tom Hinds

  14. Last three: Luke Schoppert
  15. Birthday by Robin Banerji
  16. Becketize the Baby by John Coffman
  17. A-1 Reel by Chris Weiler

  18. Waltz


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toggle validations for common dance entry errors, e.g. typing 'gentlemen' when you're using 'leads'

First three: Stephan Rochefort

The Big Easy

by: Becky Hill

introduces moves: balance the ring, swing, long lines, allemande, circle, pass through

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

Contra Essentialism

by: Nicholas Rockstroh

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.

Next three: Luke Schoppert

Parmesan

by: Bradley Smith

introduces moves: hey, chain, star

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 ⁋

Dance All Night

by: Rich Mohr

introduces moves: custom, do si do

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
corners swing
A2 8
ladles star right once
8
corners allemande left 1.25
B1 10
partners pull by right for grand right and left until they meet their partner
6
partners do si do once
B2 16
partners balance & swing and end facing new lines of 4 ⁋

In the grand right and left dancers end up traveling half way around the circle.

Heartbeat Contra

by: Don Flaherty

introduces moves: petronella, gyre, balance, California twirl

formation: improper

A1 8
balance & petronella
8
balance & petronella
A2 4
balance the ring
12
neighbors swing
B1 8
ladles gyre 1½
8
partners swing
B2 8
circle left 3 places
4
partners balance
4
partners California twirl ⁋

Waltz and break

Next three: Stephan Rochefort

Cal and Irene

by: Dan Pearl

introduces moves: slide along set, promenade

formation: improper

A1 16
neighbors balance & swing
A2 2
slide left along set (with neighbor)
6
circle left 3 places (notice shadow)
4
balance the ring
4
neighbors California twirl
B1 4
balance the ring (back with partner)
12
partners swing
B2 8
partners promenade
6
circle left 3 places
2
pass through ⁋

Frederick Contra

by: Tom Hinds

introduces moves: down the hall, up the hall

formation: improper

Common variation is for long lines forward and back instead of do si do. That version can be found here.

A1 8
gentlespoons do si do once
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 6
circle left 3 places
10
neighbors swing ⁋

Last three: Luke Schoppert

Birthday

by: Robin Banerji

formation: improper

A1 16
neighbors balance & swing
A2 8
right left through
8
circle left 3 places
B1 16
partners balance & swing
B2 8
balance & petronella
4
balance the ring
4
partners California twirl ⁋

Becketize the Baby

by: John Coffman

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

A-1 Reel

by: Chris Weiler

formation: Becket ccw

A1 8
circle left 3 places
4
balance the ring
4
partners California twirl ⁋
A2 16
neighbors balance & swing
B1 8
right left through
8
ladles allemande right 1½
B2 16
partners balance & swing

Chris's notes:

"Written at the A-1 Diner in Gardiner, ME October 24th, 2008. Called for the first time that same evening at the North Whitefield contra dance. I was looking for a good dance to go either before the break or at the end of the evening. The dance is simple enough for the dancers and lets the band rock with an energetic tune set. Plus it ends with a partner swing without any changes from the caller. Call it in duple improper formation starting with the A2 for a more standard experience."

Waltz