11/11/25

Back to Front

lots of balances; easy

introduces moves: petronella, balance the ring, California twirl, swing, promenade, allemande

formation: Becket ccw

A1	8	balance & petronella
	4	balance the ring
	4	partners California twirl ⁋
A2	16	next neighbors balance & swing
B1	8	neighbors promenade
	8	ladles allemande right 1½
B2	16	partners balance & swing

Hot Buttered Rolls

by: Perry Shafran

introduces moves: slice, roll away, long lines, circle, do si do

formation: Becket

A1	4	slice left, on the way back ⁋
	4	gentlespoons roll away partners with a half sashay
	4	long lines forward, on the way back
	4	ladles roll away partners with a half sashay
A2	8	ladles allemande right 1½
	8	neighbors swing
B1	8	circle left 3 places
	8	partners do si do once
B2	16	partners balance & swing

Poetry in Motion

by: Lisa Greenleaf

smooth

introduces moves: star, gyre, give & take, chain

formation: improper

A1	8	star right 4 places
	8	neighbors allemande right 1¼
A2	8	next neighbors gyre left shoulders once
	8	neighbors swing original neighbor
B1	8	gentlespoons give & take partners
	8	partners swing
B2	8	ladles chain to neighbor
	8	star left 4 places ⁋

Bob Isaacs notes: The give and take figure originated from Larry Jennings, the great caller and writer from Boston. End the neighbor swing in shoulder/waist position, take two steps forward, and the gentlespoons take their partner’s hand and ~~lead~~ her to his side for a swing. Some “hard-to-get” playfulness usually goes along with this. In this dance the figure is a good alternative to circle L ¾, and in other dances can go to either side of the set.

This smooth-flowing dance was written by one top caller for the marriage of two other outstanding callers, Linda Leslie and Bob Golder, all of whom are from eastern Massachusetts.

Give the Scout a Hand

by: Bob Isaacs and Chris Weiler

hey with hands

introduces moves: slide along set, box the gnat, pull by dancers

formation: Becket

A1	2	slide left along set ⁋
	6	circle left 3 places
	8	neighbors swing
A2	8	long lines forward & back
	8	gentlespoons allemande left 1½ to face partner (gentlespoons back-to-back)
B1	8	partners right hand balance & box the gnat (ladles back-to-back)
	2	partners pull by right (to start half-hey with hands)
	2	gentlespoons pull by left
	2	neighbors pull by right
	2	ladles pull by left
B2	16	partners balance & swing

Roll in the Clover (KW var)

by: Rick Mohr

introduces moves: mad robin, balance

formation: improper

Start walkthrough with neighbor swing, to put the 1s below the 2s. (It'll still work even if you don't, but it'll be more intuitive for the ladles this way.)

A1	8	ladles allemande right 1½
	8	partners swing
A2	8	circle left 3 places
	8	mad robin, ladles in front (facing partner)
B1	4	balance the ring
	4	partners California twirl to form cloverleaf (see notes)
	4	balance the cloverleaf
	4	gentlespoons roll away neighbors using connected hand
B2	4	balance the ring
	4	partners California twirl to face new neighbors ⁋
	8	neighbors swing

B1: Balance the ring, CA twirl with partner (now you're facing away from those neighbors). Keep your partner's hand, face partner then face those same neighbors, and join free hands in a cloverleaf with those neighbors.
Balance the cloverleaf, let go of your partner, and use the connected hand with that neighbor to roll away with a half sashay to trade places (no hand change needed).

This variation is by Koren Wake. The original Rick Mohr version is here: https://rickmohr.net/Contra/Dances/RollInTheClover

Leave Them Hanging

by: Luke Donforth

smooth; half hey

introduces moves: hey, stand still

formation: improper

A1	4	neighbors gyre once
	12	neighbors swing
A2	8	gentlespoons allemande left 1½
	8	ladles start a half hey - rights in center, lefts on ends
B1	4	partners gyre once
	12	partners swing
B2	8	circle left 3 places
	8	stand still Gentlespoon one cast left

In the second half of B2 the circle ~~follows~~ Gentlespoon number one as he/she drops left hand; cast counterclockwise to invert circle and stop when all dancers are facing their original direction of progression.

Dance All Night

by: Rich Mohr

4x4

introduces moves: custom

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.

Old Time Elixir #2

by: Linda Leslie

closer; petronellas and ends with P B&S

introduces moves: right left through

formation: Becket

A1	0	slide left along set ⁋
	8	circle left 3 places
	8	neighbors swing
A2	8	right left through
	8	ladles chain to partner
B1	8	balance & petronella
	8	balance & petronella
B2	16	partners balance & swing

A variation of the dance Old Time Elixir by Mike Boerschig.

Simplicity Swing

by: Becky Hill

for techno contra

formation: improper

A1	16	neighbors balance & swing
A2	8	circle left 3 places
	8	partners swing
B1	8	long lines forward & back
	8	ladles chain to neighbor
B2	8	star left 4 places ⁋
	8	next neighbors do si do once

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