Joyride is a great dance! Consider adding a two-hand turn during the poussette, to send the men into their hey. -------------------- Lindsay Morris CEO, TSMworks Tel. 1-859-539-9900 lindsay(a)tsmworks.com On Mon, Apr 22, 2013 at 3:48 PM, jill allen <jillallen3(a)att.net> wrote:

The two-hand turn can be counterclockwise, between the two gents. Or it can be done with the partner, on the side, and then start the hey with partners passing right shoulders before the gents pass left in the middle. The reason for this change is that the timing in the dance is not square otherwise. The poussette starts at the beginning of the A2, and takes 8 beats, but goes into a 3/4 hey, which takes 12ish beats. The dancers often try to rush the hey because it feels wrong starting a swing 4 beats into the B1. I've danced the dance several times where people try to rush the hey so that they can start the swing right at the beginning of the B1, and that really ruins the relaxed feel of it. So adding a two-hand turn can fix that issue, and push the swing back so it starts halfway through the phrase and is for 8 counts instead of 12. -Dave On Mon, Apr 22, 2013 at 4:23 PM, James Saxe <jim.saxe(a)gmail.com> wrote: -- David Casserly (cell) 781 258-2761

Thanks, Dave. I meant, do it with the partner, on the side, and then start the hey with partners passing right shoulders before the gents pass left in the middle" though, rather than partners pass rt shoulder, it sort of feels like the women propel the men into their hey right out of the two-hand turn. -------------------- Lindsay Morris CEO, TSMworks Tel. 1-859-539-9900 lindsay(a)tsmworks.com On Mon, Apr 22, 2013 at 4:29 PM, Dave Casserly <david.j.casserly(a)gmail.com>wrote;wrote:

I'm getting to this discussion a bit late (been busy!) but I didn't see anyone mention The Joy of Six. My candidate for 1) the best flirty dance, and 2) the best title. It was written for three couples who were getting married on the same day: The Joy of Six; Duple improper contra; Myra Hirschberg A1 * Neighbor Gypsy once; Mad Robin A2 * Ladies cross to Partner; Gypsy; Swing B1 * Gents allemande 1 1/2; Neighbor Swing B2 * R&L thru; Star left Dale -- *So if you knew what was broken...how long would it take you to fix it?*

For Erik Weberg's explanation of the timing of the hey in Joyride as he originally intended it and still prefers it, see his comments at http://www.kluberg.com/eriksdances.html#Joyride Erik writes: ... I've recently been teaching this dance the way I initially intended it; with the fifth change of the hey and then the swing in the B1 part of the dance. I've found that as I get better at teaching it, it has become easier to convince dancers to suspend their hurry in getting to the next figure during the A parts. As dancers relax into the flow they seem to enjoy it more, and saving that last crossing by the gents until the B1 seems to enhance the joy. I think Erik's suggested timing is perfectly fine. I also think I may now understand the variation that Lindsay is suggesting. Lindsay, would the following be an accurate description? A2. Gents pull partners to gent's side and two-hand turn (cw), ending with dancers lined up across the set thus: M2> <W2 W1> <M1 [where top of set is at top of screen]. That is, women are back to back in the middle, facing out and men are on the outside facing in, all facing partners. (8 counts for all that) Partners start full hey for four by pulling past each other by R shoulders out of the two-hand turn. B1. Finish the hey. (16 counts altogether for the hey, ending half-way through B2) Partners swing (on M's original side of the set). (8) If so, I agree with Alan that the action in A1 is interesting and also that it's enough different from the distinctive transition in Joyride that a dance incorporating it should have a different name. --Jim