[Callers] addendum Re: Looking for input on this dance I wrote

Katherine Kitching via Contra Callers <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> Wednesday, May 28, 2025 12:57 PM Hi from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada! As some of you know, I write a lot of my own dances because of the specific needs of our crowd- I'm always working on contra dances that are simpler than what most of you folks consider a "simple" dance :) For my upcoming dance I am doing a Hey as a "feature figure" - meaning it is the one more complex figure we will focus on that night. Am trying to write a dance that introduces the Hey, builds on other simple things we've done that night, without introducing anything else new or confusing. Other notes: - we are dancing only in Becket - swings are not necessary in each dance I like the flow of what I've written - which ends with a full Hey-- But my issue is that the Lark will be following the Robin and I need the Lark to get ahead at the end -- so everyone can progress in the correct order. I've experimentally written that at the end of the hey, the Robin should look behind them and see their partner following them - and reach a hand to give them a little tug, to pull them ahead of them, back to home place and then seamlessly progress onwards to the next couple. But it's hard to predict if this will work ok or be too confusing. Would welcome your thoughts on this and any other aspect of the dance. I think I borrowed the Larks left hand turn 1.5 into a Hey from another dance on Contra DB, though my memory is foggy now...anyhow happy to give credit to that, if any is due :) Simple (maybe?) Hey Dance Becket, CW (progressing by sliding left) Star right Circle right - the #1 Lark leads out the line - at some point dropping hands with their partner who will end up at the opposite end of the line (This figure I've done before without any issues) Lines of 4 down the hall, Turn *alone*, come back up, bend line LLFB (you will be facing your partner for this figure, if I am not mistaken!) Larks: Allemande left 1.5x to face partner All start fuly Hey - partners pass right on the ends, then Robins pass left in the middle... Once Robins get back to their home side, turn over their right shoulder to see their partner right behind them - Robins reach with their right hand, to their partner's left hand (i.e. partners briefly take inside hands) - and Robins give a tug on the hand, to guide their Lark ahead of them, to progress to the next group - Robins follow the Larks in single file. Thank you for your thoughts, if any! Kat Kitching Halifax Contra Dances _______________________________________________ Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net