Somerset, KY 2026-05-30

user: Nicholas Rockstroh

The Baby Rose

by: David Kaynor

introduces moves: swing, circle, do si do, chain, star

formation: improper

A1 16
neighbors balance & swing
A2 8
circle left 3 places
8
partners do si do once
B1 16
partners balance & swing
B2 8
ladles chain
8
star left 4 places to new neighbors

La Green Bean

by: Nicholas Rockstroh

introduces moves: custom, turn alone, form long waves, balance, allemande, promenade

formation: circle mixer

A1 8
ladles to the center and back
2
gentlespoons to the center
4
gentlespoons turn alone
2
gentlespoons go back
A2 0
form long waves - ladles face in, gentlespoons face out
4
balance
4
neighbors allemande right once
4
balance
4
partners allemande left once
B1 16
neighbors balance & swing (this neighbor is your new partner)
B2 16
partners promenade along the set on the right

Riffing on La String Bean by Julian Blechner. Changes the direction of progression around the ring and gives an easier target for the transition to a new partner (since it's the person with whom you did an allemande right). See also La Southern Green Bean for a version with Rory O'More slides.

Memories of a Dance I Haven't Met

by: Nicholas Rockstroh

introduces moves: long lines, roll away, petronella, down the hall, up the hall

formation: improper

A1 4
long lines forward
4
ladles roll away neighbors with a half sashay
4
long lines forward
4
gentlespoons roll away neighbors with a half sashay
A2 8
balance & petronella
8
partners swing, end in a line of four facing down
B1 8
down the hall and turn alone
8
up the hall and bend into a ring
B2 8
balance & petronella
8
neighbors swing and take hands with next neighbors in long lines

Written at 3 AM at Summer CDH 2019. Sometimes the sequences just come to me, and when they do it can feel like remembering something I've never done. Named after a song from Celldweller's album Wish Upon a Blackstar.

Autumn Air

by: Cary Ravitz

introduces moves: hey, pass through

formation: Becket

A1 8
ladles chain
8
ladles start a half hey - rights in center, lefts on ends
A2 16
neighbors balance & swing
B1 8
gentlespoons allemande left 1½
8
partners swing
B2 7
circle left 3 places
2
pass through ⁋
7
circle right 3 places

Coconut Cream Pie

by: Lynn Ackerson

introduces moves: custom, balance the ring, California twirl

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
middle 4 star right 4 places
A2 8
partners allemande left 1½
8
other 4 star right 4 places
B1 16
partners balance & swing
B2 8
circle left 4 places
4
balance the ring
4
partners California twirl ⁋

In this case there are 8 places in the circle, so going 4 places is equivalent to half way.

The Nice Combination

by: Gene Hubert

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 ⁋

waltz

I Did It Wrong!! variation 2 (Rockstroh)

by: Callie Allison, Chet Gray, Nedra McNeil, Bob Crawford, Elisabeth Monica, Susan Pope, John Baker

introduces moves: custom

formation: improper

A1 4
circle left 2 places
12
neighbors swing
A2 8
balance & petronella
8
balance & petronella 2 places (petronella-nella)
B1 16
partners balance & swing
B2 8
ladles chain
8
circle right 4 places
0
turn alone to face next neighbors

The progression happens between B1 and B2. This dance was created at the Louisville Caller's meeting on 3-1-2020. We played around with different starting points. Beginning the dance with the circle left also feels really nice.

Star's End

by: Cary Ravitz

introduces moves: right left through, mad robin

formation: Becket

A1 8
right left through
8
star left - hands across - 3 places and a bit more until gentlespoons are aligned in the center
A2 4
gentlespoons allemande left ½
12
neighbors swing
B1 8
mad robin, gentlespoons in front
8
star right 3 places and a bit more so new ladles can take left hands ⁋
B2 4
ladles allemande left ½ while gentlespoons walk forward to meet partners
12
partners swing

Make sure to remind the dancers, particularly the ladles, to keep their eyes looking up for the next people rather than looking down at their feet.

In practice, both stars function as full stars, but noting the different alignment helps to keep the set oriented, especially on the star right before the progression

Chinese New Year

by: Chris Page

introduces moves: box circulate, square through

formation: improper

begin in long waves---right hand to neighbor, gentlespoons face out, ladles face in.

A1 8
balance & box circulate - ladles cross while gentlespoons loop right
8
balance & box circulate - gentlespoons cross while ladles loop right
A2 8
balance & box circulate - ladles cross while gentlespoons loop right
8
partners swing
B1 8
circle left 3 places
8
neighbors swing
B2 8
long lines forward & back
8
square through two - partners balance & pull by right, then neighbors pull by left to ⁋
0
form long waves - ladles face in, gentlespoons face out

In the pull-by left, keep left hands and take right hands with a new neighbor to reform long waves.
For better entry, consider an allemande left 1/2 rather than a pull-by left, so that all hands are at the correct height for long waves.

Written for Joyce Fortune of the Bay Area, won at the auction of the 2010 Spring Fever dance camp at Monte Toyon, CA. She requested a dance with long lines, some balances, and a swing/circle/swing transition. (A surprisingly tough set of requirements to fulfill.) This sequence was the option she liked best.

Jaded

by: Cary Ravitz

introduces moves: gyre

formation: improper

A1 16
neighbors balance & swing
A2 4
gentlespoons allemande left ½
4
star left 2 places
8
partners gyre left shoulders once
B1 16
partners balance & swing
B2 16
gentlespoons start a full hey - lefts in center, rights on ends - ladles ricochet first time, ladles ricochet second time, second ricochet is rotational clockwise (as if passing right) into progressed position ⁋