Figures:

A1	(16) Man one and woman two turn contra corners
A2	(4) Man one and woman two balance (12) Man one and woman two swing; face down
B1	(6) Shadow mirror allemande 1 (Man one and woman two split others) (10) Partner swing
B2	(8) Circle left 1 (8) Slice left
2A1	(16) Woman one and man two turn contra corners
2A2	(4) Woman one and man two balance (12) Woman one and man two swing; face up
2B1	(6) Shadow mirror allemande 1 (Woman one and man two split others) (10) Partner swing
2B2	(8) Circle left 1 [with N2] (8) Slice left

I heard from Chris Page, on a FB post in a choreo group.

He thought of the contra-corners-from-Becket, with:

Twirly Corners

Becket

A1 Slice left while partner roll away

Top/Bottom pair do-si-do in center

A2 Top/Bottom pair turn contra corners

B1 Top/Bottom pair balance and swing

B2 Partner balance and swing

I'll add this to my box, too, but, what I think is the interesting thing to play with is integrating Jim Kitch's contra corners exit where you skip the swing in the middle and swing your partner instead.

This means we can have a contra corners dance which:

- solves the issue of "many dancers don't like it when you only get to swing your partner half the time" with contra corners dances where partners are doing the move

- leaves _half_ of a square tune for other choreo. Normally, we spend 3/4 of a dance setting up contra corners, doing them, and having the swing at the end. I think this is why we all have Alternative Corners and Labor of Love in our boxes, and anything else is advanced level.

- has the partner as an anchor, mitigating the issue of "new dancers have trouble with this move and can't recover quickly after it doesn't go well"

I'm going to give my original a whirl at a dance this week. (Buttered Corners - circle L 3/4, NS, Chain, Lines, CC, P B+S, slide left progression)

I'd love to hear more thoughts and feedback.

In dance,

Julian Blechner

On Tue, Apr 18, 2023, 10:21 PM Julian Blechner <juliancallsdances@gmail.com> wrote:

So... it occurred to me that it'd be really easy to do a mixed-role contra corners from Becket position.

A few weeks ago, I danced Jim Kitch's Equinox, which had a fun setup and you finish Contra Corners by passing R , but ... do people know any simpler ways? Like, for example, dance below. I can't possibly have been the first to figure this out, eh?

(If not written yet: Buttered Corners)

Becket

A1. Circle L 3/4

NS

A2. Robins Chain

LLFB*

B1. Bottom couples Contra Corners**

Same Couples Pass R, to P

B2. P B + S

... slide L to New Ns

* opportunity in the lines for partners to rollaway to swap roles

** and can alternate top couples, bottom couples, doing bottom couples - who were original 1s - first. This way, the top of the set has corners for people, always.

Like, literally this gives 16 measures to progress and have a neighbor swing if you want. If we opened up to the idea of contra corners with a neighbor from Becket, it opens up immense numbers of dances that can be written.

In dance,

Julian Blechner