[Callers] Novelty & Gimmick Contras

[Maia McCormick via Callers]

Some that I like:

Jim's Whim var. by Rich McMath || improper
(Smooth and English-y)
A1: N gypsy; N swing
A2: long lines; LH star 1x (hands across)
B1: ladies drop out, gents alle. L to P and swing
B2: circle L 3/4; square thru 3 hands*
* pull by NR, PL, NR and look for new N on side. (At start of this move, 1s
below the 2s w/ lady on R—i.e. to progress, all must swap with P and face
other direction.)

Love at First Swing by Bob Isaacs || improper
(Lots of physical connection to other dancers, so the
unfamiliar-to-beginners move of right hand high/left hand low is pretty
easy to pick up)
A1: bal. ring and spin R (2x)
A2: bal. ring and CA twirl (w/ P); NEW N swing
B1: circle L 3/4; P swing (end facing down)
B2: down the hall, #2 gent turn ladies R hand high & L hand low (#1 gent on
L turn alone); up the hall & bend the line

Cranky Ingenuity by Bill Olson || improper
(I'm pretty sure everyone knows this one but I would be remiss in not
mentioning this one: a very easy dance, suitable for a hall full of
beginners, with an out-of-the-box move.)
A1: circle L 1x; do-si-do Ns as couple
A2: do-si-do N individually; N swing
B1: gents alle. L 1 1/2 ; P swing
B2: circle L 3/4; bal. ring & CA twirl

Maliza's Magical Mystery Motion by Cary Ravitz || becket, CCW
(Extra spin on petronella, still very accessible if you teach it right.)
A1: gents alle. L 1 1/2; N swing
A2: w/ N, prom. across; ladies chain to P
B1: bal. ring and spin right TO FACE NEW N's* with new N's, bal. ring and
spin right
B2: P b&s
* if out at the ends, come back in on wrong side (i.e. lady on L)

California Twirlin' by Janet Levatin || improper (opt. 2x prog)
(Very connected and rhythmic, so hard to get lost.)
A1: bal. ring, CA twirl w/ P, face back in bal. ring, CA twirl w/ N, face
back in
A2: bal. ring, CA twirl w/ P to face new Ns; this N swing
B1: circle L 3/4; P swing
B2: ladies chain; long lines, on way back gent roll N lady*
* omit the rollaway for a double progression. If rollaway, next A1 starts
in a ring w/ N you just rolled.

Melody's Madness by David Glick || improper
(Rory spin to a swing wheee!)
A1: N b&s
A2: ladies pull by R to alle. P L 3/4 ; alle. shadow R 1 1/2 → long waves
(ladies face out)
B1: bal. & spin R (as in Rory O'Moore); P swing
B2: circle L 3/4; N do-si-do 1 1/2 to next

Ron Blechner's Ants Marching
<http://contradances.tumblr.com/post/10510984149/ants-marching> is another
one I really like--a pretty damn unique use of "down the hall four in line"
but a highly connected one, and therefore pretty easy to pick up.

Rollin' on the River
<http://contra.maiamccormick.com/dances.html#rollinontheriver> by Maia
McCormick || improper
(One of mine with some fun rollaway stuff that I don't see often--I
remember a similar figure in Du Quoin Races
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a67HXJ5JXDs>, which is GREAT but not
"easy" by any stretch.)
A1: neighbor alle. L 1 1/2; ladies chain across
A2: in hands-4 AWAY from partner (with shadow), circle L 1/2 (4) and roll
shadow (gent roll lady) (4)
circle L 1/2 (4) and roll shadow (lady roll gent) (4)
B1: partner b&s
B2: ladies gypsy L 1 1/2
neighbor alle. R once and a bit to new neighbors

On Fri, Mar 18, 2016 at 4:47 PM, John Sweeney via Callers <
callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

> Here's a few with a difference;
>
> Cumberland Contra is here:
> http://www.contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/CumberlandContra.html
>
> The Slithy Dance is at:
> http://www.contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/SlithyDance.html
>
> Note: You can change the Two Hand Turn in B1 into a Swing; you can teach B2
> as a Whole Set Petronella
>
> Still working on this one:
>
> DosiWhat? (by John Sweeney)
> Contra; Becket (CW)
>
> A1:       Men Dosido; Ladies Dosido 1 & 1/2 - Men turn to the Left and take
> Man's' Right Hand to Partner's Left Hand to face a New Couple
> A2:       Mountain Dosido ("DoSi the Ladies"): Lasso Partner CW around self
> and along to the other Man; Neighbour Swing
> B1:       Open Ladies' Chain: Ladies Pull by Right; Partner Allemande Left
> 1
> & 1/4 - continue into an Alabama Rang Tang: Men pass B-to-B; Neighbour
> Allemande Right; Men pass B-to-B, weave into a
> B2:       Partner Gypsy Meltdown
>
> Notes: Teach the Ladies' Dosido as "Dosido and Pass Thru", otherwise they
> will spin and face where they think they are going.
>
>             The Alabama Rang Tang and the Mountain Dosido were both
> originally known in their communities as just "Dosido". The names were
> changed to avoid confusion as mass communication brought dance communities
> together.  So the dance is basically a series of Dosidos!
>
>             "DoSi" is pronounced dose-eye.  I usually say "Lasso the Lady"
> though, to avoid confusion and remind them of what the move is.  The man
> raises his right hand and the lady walks forwards around him while he
> stands
> still.  Then "You Swing Mine and I'll Swing Yours".
>
>         Please let me know if you try it.
>
> Happy dancing,
> John
>
> John Sweeney, Dancer, England john at modernjive.com 01233 625 362
> http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
>
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers at lists.sharedweight.net
> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.sharedweight.net/pipermail/callers-sharedweight.net/attachments/20160318/8931d9c3/attachment.htm>