Timothy, In 1997 I wrote a dance with an "up the hall in lines of 4, turn alone, go back down. I called it at a dance weekend in the Triangle (NC) area called December Delight, shortly thereafter. The late great caller/choreographer Gene Hubert was in attendance
and he kept facing the wrong way until one time near the top of the set he just collapsed on the floor laughing and said "you HAVE to keep calling that dance". I have. Here are the notes for "Face the Music":
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FACE THE MUSIC
A duple improper, double progression contra by Bill Olson
A1 Circle L 1/2, INACTIVES Swing (face up) (16)
A2 With new neighbors up the hall in 4's (inactives are in the middle)(8) turn alone and return, face across (8)
B1 Actives turn contra corners (16)
B2 Actives balance and swing, face down(16)
Notes: This was my first attempt at a double progression contra corners dance. Obviously it requires some room above the set. I like to tell the inactives to be ready to "scoop up" the actives after the swing in B2 so they will get more swing in A1! First called
at the Dover, NH, dance on 9/27/97. Nat Hewitt and Jacqueline Schwab were playing. On the first walk-through I had everyone stop at the middle point of A2 and I introduced the band. That was also when I thought of the name for the dance!
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As far as a dance to a crooked tune, Cherokee Shuffle by David Kaynor never disappoints! 36 bar tune with dance to match. The band has to know the tune of course. We always changed keys to make a medley of it, D,G,A.
Plenty of dances with gent's (lark's) chain out there. i'm sure you can search that somehow.
bill, in Maine
(Always loved the Monday Knoxville dance when we were on tour. Dancing "crosswise" at the Laurel Theater.)
I have the pleasure this year of calling the Knoxville contra dance on Monday, April 1st ... occasionally remembered as April Fools Day.
I'm taking the approach of exploring the spirit of the Fool -- challenging our assumptions and traditions and reminding us to smile, in spite of ourselves if necessary. In choosing/crafting my program, I'm looking for a balance of different and fun, of
course.
What foolish dances have you done in the past?
Timothy
Knoxville, TN
P.S. Here's my "concept" list:
* Reverse progression ("which way is up?")
* Contra mixer ("who needs a partner?")
* Left/Lark chain ("why do Robins chain and Larks allemand?")
* 3 face 3 formations ("what's a partner?")
* Crooked tunes ("why is everything 64 beats?)
* No swing ("how far can I go before the dancers burn me at the stake?")