New subject: Dances Crafted for a Tune

11 Mar 2023

Here’s one I wrote in 2006:

Jump at the Sun
A1)Cir L 0.75, Pass through, next N DSD 1.25
A2) Rory o More: Balance in wave, Slide R, Bal wave, slide to L.
B1) Pull by that N by RH to start a full hey
B2) Same N AR 0.75, W cross by LS, P Sw.
Written 2006, at the suggestion of Emil Olguin, specifically for the jig of the same name.
 However, I have called and danced it to other music, and haven't found anything that
doesn't work.  (Rory O'More and Petronella  work very well.)

I have had discussions with other callers as to whether the the first move in B1 is a half
allemande or a pull-by, and I have come to realize that men and women experience this move
differently.  For the men, it is a pull-by, leading into a hey with no direction change. 
Women, after the move in question, need to turn to their right to face in for the hey, so
to them it feels more like a half allemande.  Certainly, teaching it as a half allemande
establishes the floor pattern unambiguously.  However, when watching the dancers, I see
that they tend to use a shake-hands grip (forearms parallel to the dance floor) during the
dance.  Because of the different grip required, I teach the dance as noted above.  Both
work, take your pick.

Sent from my iPad

...
  On Mar 8, 2023, at 8:02 PM, Don Veino via Contra
Callers &lt;contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net&gt; wrote:

 I'm looking for recommendations for contras written to specifically match a given
tune, square or crooked. Obviously, there's singing squares, the Chestnuts and some
well known examples like David Kaynor's Cherokee Shuffle. I'm looking for other
examples of excellent "modern era" dances perfectly crafted to fit an
outstanding or unusual tune - such that it surpasses the standard "pick the dance,
then a suitable tune" approach to foster dance floor joy.

 I've written a few such dances but would love to augment my repertoire with others.

 Thanks,
 Don
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Re: Dances Crafted for a Tune