20181123 Stone Lake with Second Wind String Band

user: Allison Jonjak

beginner's lesson (circle, Lark Raven, promenade, do si do, allemande, swing)

Galopede

by: Chestnut

introduces moves: long lines, pass through, turn alone, do si do, swing, custom

formation: improper or proper

A1 8
long lines forward & back
4
pass through across the set
4
turn alone
A2 8
long lines forward & back
4
pass through across the set
4
turn alone
B1 8
partners do si do once
8
partners swing
B2 16
top couple sashay to bottom of set - others move up ⁋

If you finish dancing before the music is done, let each couple in turn just sashay down until the music is ready to end.

Do-Si-Three

by: Linda Leslie

you're going to meet a lot of new people and you're going to adapt to them, that's the fun of dancing

introduces moves: circle

formation: three-face-three

Three face three in lines facing up/down the hall. Teach "home position".

A1 8
circle left 6 places
8
circle right 6 places
A2 8
neighbors do si do once "ends do-si-do your opposite"
8
neighbors do si do once "middles do-si-do your opposite"
B1 8
neighbors swing "ends swing your opposite"
8
neighbors swing "middles swing your opposite"
B2 8
long lines forward & back
8
pass through to a new line of 3 ⁋

Linda Leslie notes: Although I don't have the exact time that I wrote this dance, it must predate the first date I called it: 10/22/93 for the Appalachian Mountain Club, Joy Street, Boston. Especially useful for one night stands! Any combination of three. All dancers CAN do this dance, and it really mixes up the dancers. Great for weddings, etc. For these type evenings, I don't talk about #1 or #2 lines of three, or progression: rather I describe "home position". Once we have walked through the dance once, I then point out the couples who have come out at the top and/or bottom, asking them to wait out one time through the dance, turn around, and that this is when "home" changes. Works like a charm.....and the dancers are very happy finding new opposites for each cycle.

Original at http://www.lindalesliecaller.website/very-easy-dances.html

Jefferson's Remorse

by: Bob Green

For "gate" explain 2s are posts.

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

formation: improper

A1 8
circle left 4 places
8
circle right 4 places
A2 8
star left - hands across - 4 places
8
star right - hands across - 4 places
B1 4
ones down the center and turn alone
4
ones up the center
8
twos gate ones to face into the set
B2 16
ones long swing in the middle, end facing down ⁋

A variation on the traditional Jefferson And Liberty. Coreographer's notes here: http://www.childgrove.org/index.php/about-dances/dance-writers/bob-green-dances

polka break

Unnamed Easy Progression

by: Mac McKeever

introduces moves: arch & dive

formation: improper

A1 8
circle left 4 places
8
neighbors do si do once
A2 8
gentlespoons do si do once
8
ladles do si do once
B1 8
long lines forward & back
8
ones swing +
B2 6
down the hall
6
up the hall backward
4
ones arch twos dive to new neighbors
  • make sure dancers understand 1s and 2s, and how they change when they're out

Mac notes:
I have a very easy dance that progresses but has worked for beginner groups. It was the only contra I got to work at the [] community dance.

It goes like this (I have never bothered to give it a name or check to see if it already exists)

Make sure they understanding being out one time---once I had couples who were out at the bottom run up to dance with the couple at the top.

Dipping and Diving

by: Linda Leslie

introduces moves: custom

formation: proper

tell the band timing's not essential

A1 8
long lines forward & back
8
long lines forward & back
A2 16
top couple sashay down and back
B1 16
top couple Dip and Dive down ⁋
B2 16
partners balance & swing

Linda Leslie notes: timing here is not essential!
2022 03 27 called "Dip" as "under the arch" and "Dive" as "around the outsides so the 1s split and ring the 2s. Twos are alternately arches and posts.

How about our band? This is Carol McDowall on fiddle, Tim Schultz on guitar, Gene Prigge on bass, Bruce Prigge on banjo, and Jim Hurst on drums. They're going to be playing at he Pioneer Village Heritage Festival in Barron on July 6th. We're sure lucky to get to dance with them tonight!

polka break

rollaway demo if doing Spanish Waltz

La Guaracha aka Spanish Waltz

by: Companion to the Ballroom

if not divisible by 8, do Peak Bagger

introduces moves: balance, roll away, custom

formation: four couple square

any 32-bar waltz, esp. "My Lodging is on the Cold
Ground

A1 4
____ balance corners
4
gentlespoons roll away ____ corner (left hand ladle to gentlespoon's right hand)
4
balance corners
4
gentlespoons roll away ____ corner
A2 4
balance corners
4
gentlespoons roll away ____ corner
4
balance corners
4
gentlespoons roll away partners
B1 32
waltz the set

Via Alan Winston, as I wanted a dance featuring rollaways, but without choreography inaccessible to a room full of first-time dancers.

Alan notes: you might get to your goal with this dance which barely has choreography (La Guaracha, from "Companion to the Ballroom" 1827, here from the Community Dances Manuals):

That A1 is balance and roll away (with gentlespoon not half-sashaying); four times gets everybody home.

For a barn dance where you can't rely on everybody being able to do a traveling waltz, you can easily adapt this in multiple ways;

first off, sub a promenade for the waltz, or sub a circle left and promenade home.

second, you can just make it duple meter if you prefer, and then make it balance and swing and promenade.

Third, you can change it to be roll away with a half sashay, and it's more important to reach your partner than to get home on the rollaways; the promenade takes care of that.

Fourth, change the figure to
1st time: all balance, ladles roll left to right in front of gentlespoons (start crossing neighbor) 4x
2nd time: all balance, gentlespoons roll left to right in front of ladles
(start partner)
(For ONS you might be fine just repeating those two times, but if you're a little ambitious ... 3rd time: all balance, roll left to right 2x, / all balance, gentlespoons roll left to right 2x, meet partner on other side ...

Anyway, it's barely choreography but it gives you roll away practice in square formation without having to do heads or sides.

Virginia Reel

by: Chestnut

introduces moves: allemande, custom

formation: four couple longways set

Reel 4 x 40 bars. Four-couple set so sashays aren't numbingly long.

A1 8
long lines forward & back
8
long lines forward & back
A2 8
partners allemande right once
8
partners allemande left once
B1 8
partners two hand turn
8
partners do si do once
B2 8
ones down the center sashay
8
ones up the center sashay
8
ones down the outsides, followed by twos threes fours,
0
ones form an arch
8
twos up the center under the arch, followed by threes fours ⁋

"peel the banana" could be helpful language

Sashay til you're out of music

Original at MAXICRIB, Scottish country dancing instructions compiled by Reuben Freemantle: https://www.scottish-country-dancing-dictionary.com/dance-crib/virginia-reel.html

Dick Witt's Circle Mixer

by: Dick Witt

introduces moves: custom, see saw

formation: circle mixer

concentric circles, gentlespoons on the inside track, ladles on the outside track.
to Little Burnt Potatoe, Burgundy, The Flying Machine

A1 6
partners promenade counterclockwise
4
gentlespoons turn alone to join ladle behind
6
promenade clockwise back to place with your new partner, gentlespoons on the right
A2 8
partners do si do once
8
prev neighbors allemande left once on the left diagonal, your previous partner
B1 8
partners see saw once ⁋
8
next neighbors allemande left twice
B2 16
partners balance & swing

(Take a partner, two hand turn til the gentlespoon's back is in the middle, drop hands with your partner, and take hands with those of the same role)

Source: Dick Witt; published in English Dance & Song, Spring 1968, Volume XXX No. 1 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/EFDS6803-DickWittsCircleMixer.html

Thank you all! Thanks to my mom, thanks to band, thanks to Stone Lake Lions and Christine, thanks to all dancers!

waltz close

done before, here if you need them

Peak Bagger

by: Linda Leslie

you're going to meet a lot of new people and you're going to adapt to them, that's the fun of dancing

introduces moves: custom

formation: three face three

A1 8
circle left 4 places
8
circle right 4 places
A2 8
centers on the right, right elbow turn (right hand partner)
8
centers on the left, left elbow turn (left hand partner)
B1 16
same roles long swing (your opposite)
B2 8
long lines forward & back
2
pass through ⁋

Circle of Fun

by: Linda Leslie

introduces moves: custom

formation: Sicilian circle

A1 8
circle left 4 places
8
circle right 4 places
A2 8
neighbor right elbow
8
neighbor left elbow
B1 8
partner right elbow
8
partner left elbow
B2 8
long lines forward & back (as couples forward and back)
4
twos arch ones dive ⁋

La String Bean

by: Julian Blechner

introduces moves: custom, 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 8
partners allemande left 1½ (gentlespoons progress CCW, ladles progress CW) ⁋
8
next neighbors do si do once (now your partner)
B1 16
partners balance & swing
B2 16
partners promenade along the set on the right