Garfield's Escape -- circle of couples PLUS ONE EXTRA in the center -- the Garfield
A1 All into the center EIGHT steps and back, menacing the Garfield
A2 Circle left, circle right
B1
Women (
werewolves) promenade single file to the right, while men
(
zombies) "star" by the right -- each man puts his right hand on right
shoulder of the man in front - including Garfield.
B2
Caller hollers "Escape!" (
"Boo!", or maybe "Braaaiiins") and all men run
to the outside and swing with a woman in the outer circle. A new
Garfield remains in the center.
Rich himself named this after Garfield the comic-strip cat, way back when he was cynical and funny (the cat, not Rich) --
"The single man remaining at the end of the dance is entitled to a pan of lasagna and some fresh kitty litter".
My
favorite normal tune for this is the minor jig Coleraine, played at a
slightly slower lurch-y tempo, but if I'm lucky the band'll do the
Alfred Hitchcock theme.
The thing that makes it is the eight counts in/out, the steps become small and tiptoe-y/menacing -- it gives dancers space and time to throw in all sorts of shenanigans, and each Garfield tends to try and top the last with the quivering and shivering. Kids especially love making a grownup cower.
Have fun, just thought I'd share -- and I'd love to hear how it goes if you do it, and what variations emerge.