Dancing Fish 2025-08-29 (Friday)

user: Kenny Greer

Greetings

by: Tori Barone

No Walkthrough

introduces moves: meltdown swing, long lines, allemande, swing, circle, pass through

formation: improper

A1 16
neighbors meltdown swing
A2 8
long lines forward & back
8
ladles allemande right 1½
B1 16
partners balance & swing
B2 8
long lines forward & back
6
circle left 3 places
2
pass through ⁋

The Nice Combination

by: Gene Hubert

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

formation: improper

A1 16
neighbors balance & swing end facing down the hall
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 ⁋

Halliehurst

by: Gene Hubert

introduces moves: hey

formation: Becket

A1 2
ladles allemande right ½
4
neighbors allemande left ¾ ⁋
10
next neighbors swing
A2 8
circle left 3 places
8
partners swing
B1 8
ladles chain
8
ladles chain
B2 16
ladles start a full hey - rights in center, lefts on ends

Gene's Notes: "Any doubts I had about this dance were erased after I had a chance to dance it once. This has got to be one of the smoothest dances I have seen in a long while and which you must experience to fully appreciate. My goal in writing this dance was to create a Becket formation dance with both a partner swing and a neighbor swing. Halliehurst is a splendid old mansion on the grounds of Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, West Virginia on whose front porch many impromptu contra dances have taken place."

(source: http://www.quiteapair.us/calling/acdol/dance/acd_59.html)

I generally think of a full chain as something to write into a dance as a way to fill time in the absence of a better idea, but Gene proves with this dance that it can serve a purpose. This dance has some of the absolute best momentum I've ever experienced, and it all comes back to the windup from the full chain. Consider shifting the opening of the dance to the B1 so that the partner swing comes at the end of the dance. That way the momentum buildup is uninterrupted middance.

Tall Paul's Shop

by: Charlotte Crittenden

introduces moves: roll away, mad robin

formation: improper

A1 4
long lines forward
4
gentlespoons roll away neighbors with a half sashay
8
mad robin, gentlespoons in front
A2 8
star right - hands across - 4 places
8
ladles allemande right 1½
B1 16
partners balance & swing
B2 6
circle left 3 places
10
neighbors swing ⁋

Very clockwise, keep in mind if intending to call with other dizzying dances.

Urban Modern Groove by Bob Isaacs

Homeward Bound

by: Andrea Nettleton

introduces moves: petronella, slide along set

formation: Becket

A1 8
ladles allemande right 1½
8
neighbors swing
A2 8
long lines forward & back
8
gentlespoons allemande left 1½ to trade places
B1 8
balance & petronella
8
balance & petronella
B2 14
partners balance & swing
2
slide left along set ⁋

Waltz/Break

Kitchen Stomp

by: Becky Hill

No Walkthrough

formation: improper

A1 16
neighbors balance & swing
A2 8
gentlespoons allemande left 1½
8
partners swing
B1 8
ladles chain
8
balance & petronella
B2 8
balance & petronella
8
star left 4 places ⁋

Chuck the Budgie

by: Rick Mohr

introduces moves: form an ocean wave, form long waves, balance

formation: improper

A1 6
gentlespoons allemande left once
10
neighbors swing
A2 8
circle left 3 places
8
partners swing
B1 8
long lines forward & back
8
ladles allemande right 1½ - don't let go
B2 4
form an ocean wave & balance - ladles by right hands and neighbors by left hands
4
neighbors allemande left ¾ to long wavy lines
0
form long waves - ladles face in, gentlespoons face out ⁋
4
balance
4
next neighbors allemande right ¾

Rock the Cradle, Joe

by: Ridge Kennedy

introduces moves: Rory O'More, give & take, balance the ring

formation: improper

A1 8
balance & Rory O'More right
8
balance & Rory O'More left
A2 16
neighbors balance & swing
B1 4
gentlespoons give & take partners
12
partners swing
B2 8
circle left 3 places
4
balance the ring
4
pass through to new waves ⁋

Can also make waves in B2 and balance those

Heystack by George Walker

Halloween Twist by Melanie Axel-Lute

Renewal

by: Gene Hubert

formation: improper

A1 8
long lines forward & back
8
neighbors allemande left 1¾
A2 0
form an ocean wave - ladles by right hands and neighbors by left hands
8
balance & ladles Rory O'More right
8
partners swing
B1 6
ladles start a half hey - rights in center, lefts on ends
10
partners allemande left twice
B2 0
form an ocean wave - gentlespoons by right hands and partners by left hands
8
balance & gentlespoons Rory O'More right
8
neighbors swing ⁋