I danced this at Ralph Page weekend this year and really enjoyed it.
Rickey, you have the choreography correct except for the hey, which is five
changes, rather than three:
A1- Gypsy with neighbor, then shift eyes to partner
"Mad Robin" chase
A2- Half poussette (women forward first)
Five changes of a hey-for-4 (start and end with men passing left shoulders)
B1- Swing partner
B2- Ladies chain across
Left-hand star
> DANCERS FINISHED EARLY. THEY THOUGHT THAT THEY DID
NOT HAVE ENOUGH TO DO
I'd say the fault here lies not in the dance itself but in the dancers. The
distinctive figure in the dance (the pousette into the left shoulder hey) was
lifted from an English country dance, Victor Skowronski's "Companions." And yes,
dancers accustomed to doing tight, contra-style gypsies could get through the A1
more quickly than is intended. Either with appropriate wording or with a quick
demonstration, the caller might encourage folks to make wider loops in this
part.
When I wrote Erik Weberg after the RPDLW to clarify my recollection about how
the dance works, he mentioned in his reply, "I initially intended the timing to
bring four changes of the hey to the end of the A2 and the B1 begins with the
men passing left and swing partners. But dancers seem more comfortable arriving
for the swing at the top of the B1. It's easy for dancers to rush through the
figures and I try to encourage folks to relax and enjoy the ride."
> SOME FELT THAT THE HEY STARTED AWKWARDLY, A LITTLE AT AN ANGLE
As Carol Ormand said on several occasions at the weekend, though not necessarily
in connection with this dance, "That's a feature, not a bug." Both in Companions
and in this dance, I find the transition to be very smooth. Others might not
agree. De gustibus non est disputandum.
Hope this helps.
David Millstone
Hi All,
We tried Joy Ride by Erik Weberg. My questions are in all caps.
Rickey Holt
The dance as I have it is:
A1 Gypsy Neighbor (for 8 counts)
DANCERS FINISHED EARLY. THEY THOUGHT THAT THEY DID
NOT HAVE ENOUGH TO DO
Mad Robin (for 8 counts) Women (ones and twos ??? ) on the
inside first.
A2 ½ Poussette (for 8 counts) couples change places by going
clockwise around each other; gents pull to start
DANCERS TENDED TO START THIS EARLY. THEY THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS BECAUSE THEY
FINISHED THE GYPSY IN A1 EARLY, THEN DID THE MAD ROBIN EARLY TOO.
3 changes of a hey (for 8 counts) men passing left shoulders
to start
DANCERS FOUND THAT THEY WERE DOING ONE ENTIRE HEY, NOT ¾ OF A
HEY. SOME FELT THAT THE HEY STARTED AWKWARDLY, A LITTLE AT AN ANGLE; OTHERS
FELT THAT THIS WAS TRUE BUT THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO ADJUST.
B1 All Swing Partner (for 16 counts)
B2 Ladys Chain over (for 8 counts)
Star Left (for 8 counts)
