Santa Cruz Queer Contra 7/19/26

user: Edie Sussman

Simplicity Swing

by: Becky Hill

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

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

Heartbreak Contra

by: Dugan Murphy

introduces moves: petronella, allemande, balance the ring, pass through

formation: improper

A1 8
balance & petronella
8
balance & petronella
A2 16
neighbors balance & swing
B1 8
gentlespoons allemande left 1½
8
partners swing
B2 8
circle left 3 places
4
balance the ring
4
pass through ⁋

The Nice Combination

by: Gene Hubert

introduces moves: down the hall, up the hall

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 ⁋

Marshmallows in Flight

by: Rich Goss

introduces moves: roll away, give & take, California twirl

formation: improper

A1 4
balance the ring
4
gentlespoons roll away neighbors with a half sashay along
4
balance the ring
4
gentlespoons roll away partners with a half sashay across
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
partners California twirl ⁋

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!

by: Maia McCormick

introduces moves: hey

formation: improper

A1 8
long lines forward & back
8
gentlespoons right-hand chain
A2 16
gentlespoons start a full hey - rights in center, lefts on ends
B1 16
partners balance & swing
B2 8
gentlespoons allemande left 1½
8
neighbors swing ⁋

Maia's site: https://contra.maiamccormick.com/dances.html#icantbelieveitsnotbutter

Maia's notes:

"It's basically "Butter" by Gene Hubert, only... not!"

Boys From Urbana

by: John Coffman

introduces moves: zig zag

formation: Becket

A1 8
circle left 3 places
6
zig left zag right, trailing two catching hands ⁋
2
gentlespoons allemande left ½
A2 16
neighbors balance & swing
B1 8
long lines forward & back
8
ladles allemande right 1½
B2 16
partners balance & swing

Waltz & Break

Emma's Emergency

by: Maia McCormick

introduces moves: box the gnat

formation: improper

A1 16
neighbors balance & swing
A2 8
circle left 3 places
8
partners right hand balance & box the gnat
B1 8
gentlespoons start a half hey - lefts in center, rights on ends
8
partners swing
B2 8
circle left 3 places
4
balance the ring
4
partners California twirl ⁋

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

~ ~ ~

Train Delay

by: Maia McCormick

introduces moves: slide along set

formation: Becket

Shadow is next to you.

A1 2
slide left along set ⁋
6
circle left 3 places
8
neighbors swing
A2 8
ladles chain
8
star left 4 places
B1 8
shadows right hand balance & box the gnat
8
shadows do si do 1½
B2 16
partners balance & swing

In the second half of B1, pull by R at the start of the do-si-do for some extra momentum.

Written on a stuck train to Princeton, NJ, late 2014, and first called March 2015 in Silver Spring, MD.

American Renaissance

by: Edie Sussman, Jaylinn Ramirez

Debut!

introduces moves: mad robin, star promenade, butterfly whirl

formation: improper

A1 4
long lines forward
4
ladles roll away neighbors with a half sashay on the way back
8
mad robin, ladles in front
A2 8
ladles allemande right 1½ and scoop partner on the side
4
ladles star promenade right ½
4
butterfly whirl with partner on the side
B1 8
gentlespoons start a half hey - lefts in center, rights on ends
8
partners swing
B2 8
circle left 3 places
8
neighbors swing ⁋

Inspired by the dance American Gothic by Nathaniel Jack

Old Time Elixir #2

by: Linda Leslie

No walkthrough

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.