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/411417241 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@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

Hello,

I wanted to share some dances I've written over the past few months, in case they are of use to others. I wrote these dances to call during Bloomington’s weekly Wednesday night zoom dance. They are written for one person to dance alone, but they can be adapted or improvised for more people. I have been walking through the dances twice (while demonstrating the moves) and calling for the duration of the dance (while also dancing by myself on camera to continue demonstrating). I am lucky to have musicians in my small pandemic circle, so I’ve been calling to live music.

The easiest way to view the dances (as far as formatting goes) is with this google doc link. I will also copy and paste them below as well.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iMRE0YZZZf3nu2cXU5TwThSgF3ooP38jdNSgn6n_yVU/edit?usp=sharing

I'm curious for thoughts and feedback, too!

Kyla Wargel