Thanks Diane! I've got some sicilian circles, which is (in my opinion)
another way into progression contras. I hadn't thought of sicilian beckets
(bent or unbent).
On Sun, Sep 8, 2024 at 6:40 PM Diane Silver <dsilver.asheville(a)gmail.com>
wrote:
> In the South, we have the "old time mountain dance", with groups of 4 in a
> circle, 1 cpl facing in and 1 cpl facing out.
> It's a general formula of:
> A1) Cir. L (8), Cir. R (8)
> A2) Do something from a menu of choices with your Ns. The fun is mixing up
> which one of these you call each time through the dance. Options I often
> use are:
> N. DSD (*8), P DSD (8)
> Star R, Star L
> Duck for the oyster, dive for the clam (look it up)
> Basket swing
> B1) "you swing mine and I'll swing yours" (i.e., N. swing (could be B&S,
> since it's 16 counts)),
> B2) swing your own (P swing (or B&S)).
> Both cpls slide left (which is CW for the cpl facing in and CCW for the
> cpl facing out) to new Ns.
>
> This type of circle dance is essentially a Becket dance with the line bent
> into a circle, so you're never out on the end. So I figure you could
> "unbend" the circle into a line and turn the dance above into a Becket
> contra.
>
> - Diane
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Diane Silver
> dsilver.asheville(a)gmail.com
> Asheville, NC
>
> On Sun, Sep 8, 2024 at 12:50 PM Luke Donforth via Contra Callers <
> contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
>> Hello all,
>>
>> Oftentimes at One Night Gigs, I'll do a mix of circle and longways set
>> dances. With scatter mixers and specialty dances, I can fill an evening.
>> But sometimes I get a group that "wants contras" or is looking to grow
>> their familiarity with the dance form.
>>
>> I think Becket dances without lark/robin distinctions and no neighbor
>> swing are AN easy option into "hands-four" contras. There are other ways
>> in, but I'm looking for more Beckets that match that description. For a
>> while I've had "Pluck It" in my box as a friendly option:
>>
>> Pluck It
>> Contra/Becket-CW
>>
>> A1 -----------
>> (8) Circle Left
>> (8) Circle Right
>> A2 -----------
>> (8) Left hand Star
>> (8) Right hand Star
>> B1 -----------
>> (8) Partner Do-si-do
>> (8) Partner swing
>> B2 -----------
>> (8) Neighbor Do-si-do across set
>> (8) Long lines, yearn left
>>
>> This is, in my opinion, pretty close to the traditional mixer Scatter
>> Shot but done as a keeper in Becket. (It does have a DSD across the set,
>> which in a recent thread was listed as a no-no for some callers. While I
>> wouldn't use that move at a dance weekend, for One Night gigs I think it's
>> accessible and acceptable). You don't have to teach ballroom swing, and if
>> folks want to elbow swing and swap roles with their partner it doesn't
>> really impact the dance (this is a small advantage of Becket over improper
>> for this type of dance; different position on the side is less disorienting
>> than different side of the set).
>>
>> What other Becket dances do folks have that don't rely on roles? No larks
>> allemande or robins chain, etc.
>>
>> On the drive home from my gig last night I came up with this one (which
>> may already exist), written for Naomi who organizes the community dance I
>> was at:
>>
>> A Pillar of Weathersfield
>> Contra/Becket-CW
>>
>> A1 -----------
>> (8) Balance the ring and spin to the right (petronella)
>> (8) Balance the ring and spin to the right (petronella)
>> A2 -----------
>> (16) Partner balance and swing, end facing down the hall
>> B1 -----------
>> (8) Down the hall, four in line (turn as couples)
>> (8) Return and face across
>> B2 -----------
>> (8) Long lines, forward and back
>> (8) Promenade across the Set, turn as a couple and progress
>> (Go between the ones you danced with, passing by left shoulder, and the
>> new couple on your right, turn to take hands with new couple)
>>
>> I'd be curious what else folks have that they use for entry-level contras
>> when you don't have a critical mass of experience for improper dances with
>> neighbor swings.
>>
>> Thanks!
>> Luke Donforth
>> Burlington, VT
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>
--
Luke Donforth
Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com <Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com>
Hi All,
I collected this dance from Gordy Euler in Berkeley in 2012. I'm finally thinking of calling it, but I didn't collect the name or choreographer. Can any one help?
The dance:
Double Contra or "Mescalesa" (wherever that name came from)
A1 Up & Down in Lines of 4: Give & Take (Men pull); "Opposite" Sw
A2 Lines of 4 Forward & Back; Men Al L 1½ to
Take Partners Right Hand in Long Waves
B1 Box Circulate (right) X 2
B2 Pt Balance & Swing
Thanks,
Erik Hoffman, Oakland, CA
