[Callers] Co-Contras (was Contra-Style Dances for Virtual Events)

Hi Kyla (and other colleagues), I'd meant to reply sooner but... anyway... I like your thinking! I've been jotting down dances for a similar purpose over the past few months, since I started looking to submit something for the Virtual New England Folk Festival 2020. While you've targeted a single dancer, I chose to target two. To me, the investment in dances suitable for two could last past the current environment - for situations like the small crowd/slow start and tapering crowd hot night, etc. Otherwise the reasoning/criteria I kept in mind was: - Work/flow well for two dancers, acceptably for a single (imagine a partner); good for 3 or more dancers = bonus points - Use moves known to contra dancers or easily explained in contra-style terms; have a contra "feel" to them - Fit in/be adaptable to an "at home" space - Minimize need to visualize motion or placement of dancers not present - so, for instance, a hey should start with passing PNR; NBR Swings avoided - Enjoyable for 6-8 repetitions with tapering prompts, as allowing for crowd - Cover a range of difficulty, but no expectation of being a true "beginner" dance (bonus points if it did and was still interesting) - As much variety as possible within the other constraints (the real challenge!) - - Bonus points for positional calling suitability (fairly easy to achieve, it turns out) - Bonus points if suitable to a future scatter mixer variation. For my own purposes, I've been thinking of this series of dances as "Co-Contras" (as in two/ cooperating/ happening together - near or far). I've included several of mine so far below. Would love to see what other choreographers might come up with in a similar vein! -Don *The Spaniard's Latte (To Go) - 2 to 4 person set dance - Don Veino* Sequence matched to the tune "La Sansonette" by Dominque Forges. Starts facing your partner or in a ring of 3 to 4 dancers. Adapt styling to ECD or contra as needed. *A1* Set to Partner (or Ring Balance), Twirl Right 1 place (a la Petronella); Set to Partner (or Ring Balance), Twirl Right 1 place *A2* (4) Facing Partner, Fall Back separately then (4) Forward into a Hole-in-the-Wall Style Cross (into PNR spot); (4) Facing Partner, Fall Back then (4) Forward into a Hole-in-the-Wall Style Cross (into PNR spot) [if more than 2 dancers, adapt the HitW crosses so everyone passes on tangent in center and ends on opposite side facing in] *B1* Left Shoulder Siding with Partner [if more than 2, go forward on right diag into NBR's spot & back]; Right Gypsy PNR 1+1/2x (to face away/out on opposite side) [if 3-4 dancers, this will be a Right Hand Star to fill the phrase, 1+x around] *B2* Large Loop/Turn Single Left back to face PNR; Partner CW Two-Hand Turn 1+1/2x [if more than 2 dancers, Circle Left instead of 2H Turn to fill the phrase, 1+x around, to where you land] See video presentation with music performed by Julie Metcalf! and Max Newman! at https://vimeopro.com/newenglandfolk/virtual-neffa-participatory/video/41141… or on my YouTube channel. *Sourdough Starter - Co-Contra - Don Veino* *A1* Down the Hall 2-in-Line, California Twirl Up the Hall 2-in-Line, California Twirl *A2* Circle Left, Right *B1* Star Right, Left *B2* Loop Single Right (away from PNR & back to PNR) PNR Swing *Infectious Energy - Co-Contra - Don Veino* *A1* PNR RH Balance, Box the Gnat PNR Dosido *A2* PNR LH Balance, Swat the Flea PNR SeeSaw *B1* PNR 2-Hand Balance, Petronella PNR 2-Hand Balance, Petronella *B2* PNR Balance & Swing *Together in Spirit - Co-Contra - Don Veino* *A1* Down the Hall 2-in-Line, California Twirl Up the Hall 2-in-Line, California Twirl & take other hand too, face PNR *A2* PNR 2-Hand Balance, Petronella PNR 2-Hand Balance, Petronella *B1* Circle Left, Right *B2* PNR Balance & Swing *Joy Division - Co-Contra - Don Veino* *A1* Forward & Back to PNR, PNR Right Shoulder Around (end backing out slightly, wherever music puts you) *A2* Forward & Back to PNR, PNR Right Shoulder Around (to wherever music puts you) - give LH to PNR *B1* PNR Allemande Left 1+1/2x Pull By Left & Big Loop Single Right (OR Allemande Right) *B2* PNR Dosido & Swing *New Order - Co-Contra - Don Veino* *A1* PNR Allemande Left 1+1/2x, Circle Left & Flatten to Wave/2 *A2* Wave Balance Right & Left, Twirl Right Wave Balance Left & Right, Twirl Left *B1* RH to PNR, Contra Corners (LH w/Ghosts) *B2* PNR Balance & Swing *Masked Compassion - Co-Contra - Don Veino* *A1* Lines/2 Forward & Back (a la Up a Double in ECD) & Turn 180 deg to face opposite direction on way back Lines/2 Forward & Back & face PNR on way back *A2* Full "Hey": pass PNR Right, Loop Left, pass PNR Right, Loop Left to a Wave of 2 (PNR RH) *B1* Wave Balance Right & Left, Twirl Right Wave Balance Left & Right, Twirl Left *B2* PNR Balance & Swing *Stretch & Fold - Co-Contra - Don Veino* *A1* PNR LH Balance, Swat the Flea PNR RH Balance, Box the Gnat *A2* PNR Dosido 1+1/2x, Left Shoulder 'Round Ghost 1x *B1* RH to PNR, Contra Corners (Ghost Corners) *B2* PNR Right Shoulder 'Round, Swing *Can You Spare A Roll? - Co-Contra - Don Veino*Starts in "Swing End" position, facing same direction as PNR *A1* Lines/2 Forward & Left Dancer Rolls Right Dancer on way Back Lines/2 Forward & Left Dancer Rolls Right Dancer on way Back [so roll positions swap] (keep last connection) *A2* Face PNR, Connected Hand Balance, Twirl to Swap (dancer using LH go under) [a.k.a. Star Thru] Take Opp. Hand w/PNR, Connected Hand Balance, Twirl to Swap (same dancer, using RH, go under) *B1* PNR Balance & Swing *B2* PNR Allemande Left 1+1/2x, Circle Left & open to face same direction as PNR (note who's on Left, Right) *Sanitizer Shuffle - Co-Contra - Don Veino* Starts facing PNR "across the hall" *A1* Single Sashay Left and Right Single Sashay Right and Left *A2* PNR Allemande Right 1+1/2x, Pass PNR for Big Loop Single Over Left Shoulder *B1* PNR Dosido, Swing (end facing "up or down") *B2* Full Figure 8, end facing PNR "across" On Sun, May 24, 2020 at 1:04 PM Kyla Wargel via Contra Callers < contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net&gt; wrote: