14 Oct
2013
14 Oct
'13
8:13 p.m.
Two other 5-couple set dances are
Brief Encounter by Marj Hendy (1996) (any AABB reel)
5 couple longway set -- PROPER
A1 On the right diagonal (if someome is there), pull by right. Face
straight across and pull by left. Same again (like Beneficial Traditions). This
leaves four ladies at the top, four men at the bottom, and a couple in the
middle who are NOT each other's partners.
A2 -- on the ENDS star right and then left -- MEANWHILE the couple in the
middle has a "brief encounter" -- gypsy and swing?.
B1 -- Original first woman (now in 2nd place on the men's side) and
original fifth man (now in 4th place on the women's side) "unwind" their
star,
casting up and around the short end (for the women) and casting down and
around the short end (for the men), and leading their same sex star buddies back
into line -- the "brief encounter" couple split and tag on to their
respective unwinding stars. Everyone's original partner should magically appear
as the lines re-coalesce.
B2 -- The original TOP couple (now at the bottom) leads up the center to
the top, and casts back down (peel the banana) to invert the set.
And the dance begins again with A1 -- pull by on the right diagonal.
There is NO recovery time.
Winter Solstice Wendy Crouch 1988
Square set of four couples, with a 5th couple in the middle facing couple
1. There's a traditional tune, but any square AABB will do.
http://dancevideos.childgrove.org/ecd/ecd-modern/134-winter-solstice
Contra dancers sometimes have trouble grasping the hey for 3 instead of hey
for 4 -- remembering to tell them that their partner is NOT in the hey
with them seems to help. Also, you can change the meanwhile "set and turn
single" on the sides to a partner swing. Last December I called this one to
Jingle Bells at the Baltimore contra. The part that the more analytically
minded dancers really like is the last bit -- a grand square with a FIFTH
couple in the mix. And the progression is lovely and smooth.
April Blum