Miscellaneous dances

Contra dances that have been tested and work, and I think there’s enough potential in them to be worth sharing, but they're not my go-to's.

St Hilda’s Serpent

Becket

A1: LLFB. Chain.

A2: Single file CCW. New Ns single file CW.

B1: N meltdown swing.

B2: Circle ¾. P swing.

In the first walkthrough, I teach A2 as star L and R, bringing in single-file for the second walkthrough.

The Great Chain Robbery

Larks chain to wave. Written for silly role-swapping.

Improper

A1: Balance the wave. Walk forward, 𝄋 next N swing.

A2: Circle L ¾. P swing.

B1: R/L thru. Star L.

B2: P alm L 1+1/2. Larks chain to wave.

Music wants to ramp up from B2 > A1.

Chain to wave: While courtesy turning, let go R hand, keep left hand. The people who chained meet R hand again to become middles of a short wave.

Dynamic duo

Everyone supertwirls

Wave of 4, R to N. Identify next N.

A1: Balance R, L. Slide R (larks crossing). P swing.

A2: Hey (larks L). P alm R 1 ¼ (to wave, larks in middle).

B1: Balance R, L. Slide R (robins crossing). N swing.

B2: R/L thru. Half hey (robins R). Make wave with new N.

Banana split

Promenade > hey by pushing off

Becket

A1: Circle L ¾. N swing.

A2: LLFB. Chain.

B1: Promenade wide to line of 4 with next N. Half hey (push off from P: larks L, robins loop R).

B2: P meltdown swing.

The line of 4 is one couple facing down, the other couple facing up, larks in the middle. The easiest way to walk this is very robotically: ‘As couples, pass L. Turn L ¼ to face up or down. Walk directly forward until you’re in a line with a new couple’.

An argument in favour of indecency

Arky allemandes (larks right and robins left)

A1: LLFB. Larks alm R 1+1/2.

A2: P balance and swing.

B1: Pass thru to wave, balance L and R. Robins alm L 1+1/2.

B2: N balance and swing.

A dance for dragons

Petronella As and down the hall B1, but the B2 isn’t intuitive

From Becket, start walkthrough with B2.

A1: Balance and petronella. Balance and N twirl.

A2: P balance and swing.

B1: Lines down, turn as couples. Up, bend.

B2: 𝄋 R/L thru. Robins on R diagonal pull past R, next N (on R diagonal) swing.

The nice guy of Baltimore

Playford/contra hybrid. No P swing. Doesn’t feel especially contra.

Improper

A1: 1s split 2s back-to-back. [rights] split [lefts] back-to-back.

A2: 2s split 1s back-to-back. [lefts] split [rights] back-to-back.

B1: N balance and swing. Face down.

B2: Lines down. Turn alone. Lines up. 1s cast.

The idea for a contra dance based on the Playford dance The Guid Man of Ballangigh, and the name, were both Daisy Black’s idea. So I didn’t really have to do much for this one.

The turbulent priest

A contemporary contra with a half figure 8.

Becket

A1: Circle L ¾. Pass thru. 𝄋 N swing.

A2: Lines down. 2s turn as a couple. Lines up. Bend the line.

B1: 1s half figure 8. R/L thru.

B2: Robins alm R 1+1/2. P swing.

Chip spice

Asymmetry that gives the 2s something fun as well. Lots of same-role interaction.

A1: 1s alm L 1+1/2 to the middle of a line of 4. (Same-role) N dosido to a wave of 4 (1s L in the middle, R to same-role N).

A2: Balance R, L. Slide R, 2s crossing. N swing.

B1: Larks alm 1 ½. P swing

B2: Chain across. Star L.

Coming into this dance as new 1s is very unintuitive.

Boxing Clever

Forgiving introduction to box the gnat.

Improper

A1: N balance R and box the gnat x2 (optionally larks twirl second time)

A2: Pull past R. Left gypsy next N. Current N swing.

B1: Circle L ¾. P swing.

B2: Chain across. Star L.

Retro-rockets

Simple groove dance. Indecent star thru > swing. Retronellas.

Becket

A1: Balance & retronella. Balance & retronella.

A2: Balance & retronella. N balance (same hand) and twirl (lark/person on the right twirls under).

B1: N swing (already connected hand as the pointy end).

B2: P twirl (lark/person on the right twirls under). Draw to home side: without joining hands with new Ns, circle ¼ L in new 4s and P swing.

Bayblade battle montage

A basic first dance. The larks rollaway>dosido gives some novelty for experienced dancers.

Improper

A1: LLFB, robins roll the larks away with a ½ sashay. P dosido (across).

A2: Circle left ¾. P swing.

B1: Circle left ¾. N dosido (on the side).

B2: N balance and swing.

The aim is for the rollaway to facilitate a spinny dosido, but I haven't got it to work reliably.

A hey in halves

Becket

A1: Slice L. 𝄋 Half hey (robins R)

A2: P balance and swing.

B1: Circle L 3/4. N swing

B2: Chain across. Half hey (robins R). Larks turn left to face across.

Binary System

Simple double star>allemande dance. Very Englishy.

Becket

A1: Slice L. Star R.

A2: Robins alm R 1+1/2. N swing.

B1: R/L thru. Star L.

B2: Larks alm L 1+1/2. P swing.

The person not doing the alm may want to do a wide cast to kill time.