Why do you (or don't you) like Chorus Jig? - Contra Callers

1 Dec 2012

Dale,

Chorus Jig offers a lot of opportunities to embellish the moves beyond 
what dancers are instructed in the walkthrough. The most popular one is 
for the 2's to swing while the 1's are going down the outside. Besides 
that, it can be fun to:

-- At the end of a swing, give a gentle "push off" with your partner to 
either launch yourselves into the down-the-outside (if you're active), 
or to get yourselves promptly to the side before the 1's start walking 
down the middle (if you're an inactive).

-- Do that extra spin out of the allemandes (if time permits), as either 
an active or inactive.

Mark Widmer

Dale Wilson &lt;dale.wilson(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote:
...
  Date: Fri, 30 Nov 2012 18:26:55 -0600
 Subject: Re: [Callers] What is the best contra dance(s) ever written?

 .
 .
 .

 And slightly more seriously.

 I don't want to start religious war but I have always wondered about A
 Chorus Jig.  I just don't see why anyone likes it other than those who
 cherish it as a relic of a bygone era.   The few times I have danced it my
 primary impression was that the inactive couples stood still for the entire
 dance -- offering admiration an occasional helping hand to the actives, and
 even the actives spent a great deal of time walking up and down the set.
 What am I missing?  Why do people like it?

 Dale