These are interesting suggestions I'd love to hear about trying them out. My hope is with the setup of half the dance choreography open, people will compose and share their own versions.

I opted for "most basic but not boring" as a baseline, because one of my goals is having a more accessible dance for less experienced dancers. But by all means, nab another version and play with it!

Julian

On Wed, Apr 19, 2023, 10:25 PM Joe Harrington via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
In the original choreo, for symmetry and styling, I'm looking for something other than just walking by your neighbor.  You could:

chain with your neighbor to your partner - why not, you just did a mixed-role CC!

allemande-right halfway, which is just a high-five or a high-hands chain, but that sets up a nice push-off twirl flourish before the partner swing, and toss the balance, which breaks the beautiful flow of CC anyway (always disliked it in CC, though I don't dislike every B&S)

do a push-off turn - kind of like the push-back in a hey, but absorbing the momentum into your bent arms, turning halfway with your neighbor, and pushing off and turning to swing your partner

wrong-hand California twirl with your neighbor to your partner and swing. This one puts each role into the swing with the "close" arm first toward their partner, how we usually catch swings.

Because these moves are with your neighbor, you'd need to make one the official one.  If it were with your partner, partners could negotiate which to do, but not here.  One way would be to put an asterisk in the move at the pass N, and note these alternatives below the dance.

Also, notationally, I would not use the term "couple" for neighbors.  I was confused when I read it, because the couples were on the sides.  Had I miss-run it in my head?  No, he really wants neighbors to CC.  It might be technically correct to call neighbors a couple, but I think just "neighbors" is clearer.

--jh--


On Wed, Apr 19, 2023 at 6:43 PM John Sweeney via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Hi Alan,
        I would argue, perhaps, that how you rotate with your corner is
styling rather than a different move.

        And I must apologise for misunderstanding the original point.  I
though the concept being put forward was not interacting with your partner
BETWEEN turning your corners.  It was actually about not interacting with
your partner AFTER turning your corners. Whoops!

        So, everyone, please ignore this diversion! :-)

P.S. "The Complete System of English Country Dancing" p61: "Turn corners".

            Happy dancing,
                   John         

John Sweeney, Dancer, England   john@modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802
940 574
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent       


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