Tapestry 2026/04/12b [Gaye Fifer] [Afternoon]

user: Mattie Rynkiewicz

The Wise People of Chicago

by: Bradley Smith

introduces moves: hey, meltdown swing, long lines, roll away, mad robin, turn alone, circle, swing

formation: Becket ccw

A1 16
gentlespoons start a full hey - lefts in center, rights on ends - ladles ricochet second time to neighbors
A2 16
neighbors meltdown swing
B1 4
long lines forward
4
gentlespoons roll away neighbors with a half sashay on the way back (roll right to left)
8
mad robin, gentlespoons in front (CCW around current neighbors, facing partners)
B2 0
turn alone to face Next neighbors
6
circle left 3 places
10
partners swing

Written for the Wise family.

Dr. Bluhm's Delight

by: Rick Mohr

introduces moves: slide along set, star, allemande, form an ocean wave, balance

formation: Becket

A1 2
slide left along set ⁋
6
circle left 3 places
8
neighbors swing
A2 8
long lines forward & back
4
star left 2 places - gentlespoons drop out
4
ladles allemande left ¾
B1 0
form an ocean wave - ladles by right hands and neighbors by left hands
4
balance the wave
4
neighbors allemande right ½ and a little bit more
0
form a right diagonal ocean wave - gentlespoons by right hands and neighbors by left hands (next gentlespoon)
4
balance the wave
4
gentlespoons allemande right ¾
B2 0
form a left diagonal ocean wave - gentlespoons by right hands and partners by left hands catch left hands with partners to form left diagonal wavy line
4
balance the wave
12
partners swing

http://rickmohr.net/contra/dances.asp#DrBluhmsDelight

Diagonal action makes this dance fun and different while staying accessible.

The neighbors allemande right in B1 is slightly more than half way round — gentlespoons go just past the opposite gentlespoon to join left hands with the next gentlespoons, forming a wave on the right diagonal. Then left allemande 3/4 easily forms the left diagonal wave with partners for the balance in B2. Of course the gentlespoons would never forget to complete the balance by looking left at each other before diving into the partner swing ... but it couldn't hurt to remind them!

Usually after the swing in B2 dancers are almost across from their new neighbors and don't need to shift left very far to start the circle left in A1.

For my buddy Carey Bluhm of Keene NH, who delights in playing fiddle tunes.

Video: Lisa Greenleaf & Didgeridoo at Fiddling Frog 2010, Pasadena CA (posted by Dave Foster)

Snake Oil Reel

by: Roger Diggle

[battle of the balances]

introduces moves: form a long wave, pull by dancers, chain

formation: improper

A1 8
ladles dance in to a long wave in the center - balance the wave
8
ladles dance out while gentlespoons dance in to a long wave in the center - balance the wave
A2 4
gentlespoons allemande left ¾
4
form an ocean wave & balance - gentlespoons by left hands and neighbors by right hands
4
neighbors allemande right ½
4
form an ocean wave & balance - ladles by left hands and neighbors by right hands
B1 2
ladles pull by left
14
partners swing
B2 8
circle left 4 places
8
ladles chain ⁋

Bob Fab notes: While it does not have waves at the sides, it has them in the middle so you can use it when the hall is too short for everyone to be in the same waves.

It is an excellent dance for incorporating a large group of beginners, because you hardly ever are without someone in your hand, and the storyline is nice.

Blue Haired Girl [battle of the balances]

Mad Orbin

by: Jacqui Grennan

introduces moves: box the gnat, allemande orbit, balance the ring, give & take, pass through, do si do

formation: improper

A1 8
neighbors right hand balance & box the gnat
8
mad robin, gentlespoons in front
A2 8
gentlespoons allemande left 1½ around while the ladles orbit clockwise ½ around
8
neighbors swing
B1 4
balance the ring
4
ladles take partners
8
partners swing
B2 6
circle left 3 places
2
pass through ⁋
8
next neighbors do si do once

The title is a play on words. Robin + Orbit = Orbin

Winter in Summerland

by: Jeff Spero & James Hutson

introduces moves: custom, gyre

formation: Becket

A1 8
gentlespoons allemande left 1½
8
neighbors swing
A2 8
long lines forward & back
8
pass through to an ocean wave & balance - ladles by left in the center, neighbors by right on the sides
B1 4
dance forward to next neighbor ⁋
4
neighbors gyre ½
8
three-quarters hey (gentlespoons by left in the center)
B2 16
partners balance & swing

Vallimont's Silver Hammer

by: Luke Donforth

introduces moves: promenade, square through

formation: Becket

A1 2
slide left along set ⁋
6
circle left 3 places
8
neighbors swing
A2 8
neighbors promenade
8
ladles chain to partner
B1 8
square through two - neighbors balance & pull by right, then partners pull by left along
8
shadows do si do once
B2 16
partners balance & swing