12 Feb. 2011 program

Gentle Introduction

Whynot's Special (Roger Whynot)

Improper, start in long lines

A1. ( 8) Long lines fwd & bk
( 8) 1 sw, end facing down
A2. (16) 4-in-line down hall, turn alone, ret, bend
B1. ( 8) Cir lf
( 8) Cir rt
B2. (16) W ch over and back

Cabot School Mixer (Ted Sannella, 6 Mar 1981)

Circle mixer

A1. ( 8) Cir rt
( 8) Into center & bk
A2. ( 8) Cir lf
( 8) Corners almd rt, P almd lf
B1. ( 8) Corners dsd
( 8) Corners sw
B2. (16) Promenade

It's all about connection

(Borrowed from Chris Ricciotti's "The Zen of Contra Dancing" set at the 2009 RPLD)

Connection with your partner:

Prime Interest (Chris Ricciotti)

Improper

A1. ( 8) Cir lf 3/4
( 8) P dsd 1 1/4 to wavy lines (M in middle)
A2. ( 8) Bal wave, slide rt (Rory O'More)
( 8) Bal wave, slide lf
B1. (16) P bal & sw
B2. ( 8) Promenade across & butterfly whirl (power promendade)
( 8) W ch

Take connection w/ P and expand to your group of four:

Roll in the Hey (Roger Diggle)

Improper

A1. ( 8) Cir lf
( 8) N sw
A2. ( 6) Cir lf 3/4
(10) P sw
B1. ( 8) Long lines fwd & bk
( 8) W ch
B2. (16) Hey

Now extend the same sense of connection further along the lines:

Laura's Zig Zag (Rick Mohr, May 2001)

Improper

A1. (16) N bal & sw
A2. ( 4) Cir lf 1/2
( 4) as cpls zig lf past N cpl, zag rt to meet new N cpl
( 4) New N cir rt 1/2
( 4) zig rt, zag lf to meet orig N cpl
B1. ( 6) orig N cir lf 3/4
(10) P sw
B2. ( 8) Long lines fwd & bk
( 8) W ch

Notes:

  1. At ends, if facing nobody at end of 1st zig/zag, dance w/ phantom cpl
  2. Cpl waiting out at end should participate in zig/zag
  3. Wrong genders in zig/zag w/ cpl waiting out OK; fixes itself.

And now the whole set:

CDS Reel (Ted Sannella, Sept. 1984)

Improper

More common no-swing-to-swing version:

A1. ( 8) Long lines fwd & bk
( 8) N sw
A2. ( 8) Whole set cir lf
( 8) Whole set cir rt
B1. ( 8) lf-hd star 3/4
( 8) P sw
B2. ( 8) M almd lf 1 1/2
( 8) N sw (same N as in A1)

After the break

Small Potatoes (Jim Kitch) [no walkthrough]

Improper

A1. (16) N bal & sw
A2. ( 8) Cir lf
( 8) W ch
B1. ( 8) W dsd
( 8) P sw
B2. ( 8) Cir lf 3/4, pass thru
( 8) New N dsd

Monica's Joy (Erik Hoffman)

Improper

A1. ( 8) N dsd 1 1/4 to wavy lines (W in center)
( 8) Almd rt 1/2, men almd lf 1x
A2. (16) Hey (N pass rt sh)
B1. (16) N gypsy & sw
B2. ( 8) Cir lf
( 8) 1s sw, end facing down

Chasing Fire (Grant Goodyear, 15 Mar. 1998)

Improper

A1. (8) Circle left
(8) N swing
A2. (4) Women cross (trade places w/ opposite lady)
(4) Men cross (trade places w/ opposite gent)
(4) P cross
(4) 1s face down/2s face up; pass through
B1. (8) 1s: w/ couple behind, lady 'round two, gent cuts through
(8) 1s: gent around two, lady cuts through
B2. (4) 1s: lady turns back over right shoulder
(12) 1s: swing P, end facing down
Notes:
  1. Written for Kelsi Snoke 1 week after her 24th birthday; revised 12 Feb. 2000.
  2. Can alternate 1s and 2s active in B

Arizona Becket (Bob Dalsemer, 1994)

Becket

A1. ( 8) Cir lf
( 8) P dsd
A2. ( 4) Shadows almd lf 1x
(12) P sw
B1. ( 8) M almd lf 1 1/2
( 8) N sw
B2. ( 4) Pass thru across, turn rt to rt-hand star
(12) Star rt 1 1/4 (to orig place), slide lf one cpl

Delphiniums & Daisies (Tanya Rotenberg) [no walkthrough]

Improper

A1. ( 8) N almd lf 1 1/2
( 8) W ch
A2. (16) Hey
B1. (16) P bal & sw
B2. ( 8) Cir lf 3/4
( 8) N almd rt 1 1/2

Levi Jackson Rag (Pat Shaw)

5-cpl set, top cpl facing down (improper), other 4 cpls becket

A1. ( 8) Sides rt & lf thru while 1s down center past 2 cpls
( 8) Sides rt & lf back while 1s down center to bottom
A2. ( 8) 1s separate, come up outside to top, while sides cir lf
( 8) All P dsd
B1. (16) W grand chain (2x)
B2. (16) New P promenade 1 place, bal & sw

In the grand chain the women leave their gent, pass another gent, and are courtesy turned by the next gent. When this dance breaks down, it's generally because the grand chain is danced snappy enough.