It depends on what you consider to be a holiday theme. Here are
some dances I included in my program at our local contra dance last Friday.
What we are all trying to do at this time of year -
Losing Weight by Michael Barraclough
For New Years Eve -
Champaign Cocktail by Jonathan Sivier
For the Gay Gordon's figure -
Glen Echo Promenade by Bob Dalsemer
For Christmas shopping -
Scrod Pudding's Trip to the Mall by Bill Olson
Snow Dance by Gene Hubert
Christmas is on Monday -
Monday by Jim Hemphill
And what we are looking forward to after winter -
American Spring by Glen Nickerson
Summer Sunshine by Paul Balliet
I also had some Star themed dances such as Star of Joy by Kate
Chaitin in reserve.
Jonathan
-----
Jonathan Sivier
Caller of Contra, Square, English and Early American Dances
jsivier AT illinois DOT edu
Dance Page: http://www.sivier.me/dance_leader.html
-----
Q: How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
A: It depends on what dance you call!
On 12/14/2017 12:24 PM, Rich Sbardella via Callers wrote:
> Does anyone have a couple of easy holiday themed contras to share?
> Thanks,
> Rich
Here are a few more!
Linda
On Dec 14, 2017, at 1:24 PM, Rich Sbardella via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> Does anyone have a couple of easy holiday themed contras to share?
> Thanks,
> Rich
> _______________________________________________
> List Name: Callers mailing list
> List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
Christmas Hornpipe
by (Traditional)
Contra/Improper/Easy
A1 -----------
Cpl 1 Balance (2 times) ring of 3 with Lady 2
Circle left once
A2 -----------
Cpl 1 Balance (2) with Gent 2
Circle left once (2’s let go)
B1 -----------
4 in line down the hall (actives in the center) TA return
and cast off
B2 -----------
Long lines forward & back
Actives swing
Joy to the World
by Don Flaherty
Contra/Becket-CW/Easy
A1 -----------
(8) Circle Left 3/4
(8) Neighbor swing
A2 -----------
(8) Women's Chain
(8) 1/2 Hey, women passing right shoulders
B1 -----------
(16) Partner balance and swing
B2 -----------
Promenade across and whirl to face left diag.
Slice with the couple on the left
(or long lines and then a R & L)
Snowball Shimmy
Seth Tepfer
Type: Contra
Formation: Becket-CW
Level: Easy
A1 -----------
(8) Circle Left 1X*
(8) Men allemande Right 1-1/2
A2 -----------
(16) Neighbor balance and swing
B1 -----------
(8) Balance the ring and twirl to the right (petronella)
(8) Balance the ring and twirl 2 places to the right (petronella)
B2 -----------
(16) Partner balance and swing (face left)
Notes: *I Changed this to slice left, gents alle Left 1 & 1/2
Snow Dance
by Gene Hubert
Contra/Improper/Int
A1 -----------
Ring Balance
Ladies pass by the R/change places (alternate with men change places)**
Ring Balance
California twirl with your Neighbor (face a new couple, shadow in other hand)*
A2 -----------
Circle left once
Star left once
B1 -----------
Partner Balance and Swing
B2 -----------
Right and Left through (long lines)
Ladies Chain
Hors d’oeuvre
by Melanie Axel-Lute
Contra/Improper/Easy
A1 -----------
(8) Neighbor Do-si-do
(8) Neighbor swing
A2 -----------
(8) Long lines, forward and back
(8) Women's Chain
B1 -----------
(8) Women allemande Right once
(8) Partner swing
B2 -----------
(8) Circle Left 3/4
(4) Balance the Ring
Pass through
Dancers enjoyed this near the end of the evening. Just had to be careful to teach and call about 1s circling with the one on the left in A1.
Christmas Hornpipe — improper — by Ted Sanella
A1 1s hands-three with woman-2 below, balance & circle 2x (16)
A2 1s hands-three with man-2 below, balance & circle 2x (16)
B1 [1s in the middle] lines of four down the hall, turn alone
1s cast around the 2s up and around [1s end below 2s]
B2 long lines forward and back
1s swing
\Bob
> On Dec 14, 2017, at 13:24, Rich Sbardella via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> Does anyone have a couple of easy holiday themed contras to share?
> Thanks,
> Rich
> _______________________________________________
> List Name: Callers mailing list
> List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
There's the Tony Saletan dance "Double Dreydl" -
http://www.quiteapair.us/calling/acdol/dance/acd_285.html
Isaac
On Thu, Dec 14, 2017 at 10:24 AM Rich Sbardella via Callers <
callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> Does anyone have a couple of easy holiday themed contras to share?
> Thanks,
> Rich
> _______________________________________________
> List Name: Callers mailing list
> List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
>
Thanks for the numerous varieties that have been posted!
Any ID at this point on the (very possibly folk-processed...) specific
variety that I described? (I'm pretty sure I'm describing it pretty
exactly as danced at Flurry '17.)
(For your convenience ;-) here again is the description: )
Formation: square with a cpl in the middle (i.e. 5 cpls)
A:
Middle cpl 1/2 R&L with cpl #1, which becomes new middle cpl
That cpl uses momentum from courtesy turn to turn twd cpl #2, 1/2 R&L with
that cpl
Cpl #2 becomes middle, 1/2 R&L with cpl #3
Cpl #3 becomes middle, 1/2 R&L with cpl #4
Cpl #4 becomes middle [turns to face current #1, which is orig middle]
B:
Couples currently along up/dn axis (heads+middle) turn back on ptnr, now
all can form 2 rings of 5, circle L/R;
Ptnr swing (some ppl may have to spin around to find Ptnr)
- Yaron
On 2017-12-04 12:45 PM, Linda S. Mrosko via Callers wrote:
> I had forgotten about this square. It looked so familiar. Years and years
> ago, Kathy Anderson called this square at a dance event I attended. My
> notes show it as "English Dance for Five Couples." I loved this dance!
>
> Forgive my note-taking from so long ago:
>
> _The Formation_:
> Middle couple is C1 and they face the music.
> Outside couples shift left 1/8 so they are diagonal to the music.
> C1 stands back to back -- M1 faces 4 on his right and W1 faces the 4 on her
> left.
Inga Morton, in her 1994 book "Square Dance Century", presents 7 dances in
this formation, named "Throw a Fiver, Nos. 1 - 7". They all have the same B
part, in which the 4 'right and left through' figures end with a new couple
in the center position.
> _The Dance_:
> C1 circles left with the 4 they face (2 separate circles)
> Within the same groups, just the 3 gents Star Right (M1 with the 2 gents he
> circled with) while the 3 women Star Right (W1 with the 2 ladies she circled
> with)
>
> C1 meet and change groups (M1 dances w/the 4 people W1 danced with and W1
> dances with the 4 people M1 danced with); repeat circles and stars
> [followed by R+L throughs to progress]
This is similar to "Throw a Fiver, No. 4".
> On Sun, Dec 3, 2017 at 11:08 AM, Yaron Shragai via Callers
> <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
>
>
> Formation: square with a cpl in the middle (i.e. 5 cpls)
> A: [R+L throughs to progress]
> B:
> Couples currently along up/dn axis (heads+middle) turn back on ptnr, now
> all can form 2 rings of 5, circle L/R;
> Ptnr swing (some ppl may have to spin around to find Ptnr)
That is similar to "Throw a Fiver, No. 1".
-Michael
Back in 1994, Ted Sannella used a very similar version of this 5 couple
square at Mainewoods Dance camp. The A parts differed slightly but the
progression in the B part is the same. Ted told us he picked up the dance
in Denmark from a Danish caller, Inga Morton. Ted simply called it "A
Danish Dance" and had 2 versions of it. It provides a great change of
pace used occasionally.
John McIntire, Unity ME
On Mon, December 4, 2017 4:13 pm, Linda S. Mrosko via Callers wrote:
> Correction:
> M1 faces 4 on his right and W1 faces the 4 on her left should read
M1
> faces
> 4 on his "Left" and W1 faces the 4 on her
"Right"
>
> On Mon, Dec 4, 2017 at 11:45 AM, Linda S. Mrosko
<elmerosko(a)gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> I had forgotten about this square. It looked so familiar. Years
and
>> years ago, Kathy Anderson called this square at a dance event
I
>> attended.
>> My notes show it as "English Dance for Five Couples." I
loved this
>> dance!
>>
>> Forgive my note-taking from so long ago:
>>
>> *The Formation*:
>> Middle couple is C1 and they face the music.
>> Outside couples shift left 1/8 so they are diagonal to the
music.
>> C1 stands back to back -- M1 faces 4 on his right and W1 faces
the 4 on
>> her left.
>>
>> *The Dance*:
>> C1 circles left with the 4 they face (2 separate circles)
>> Within the same groups, just the 3 gents Star Right (M1 with the
2 gents
>> he circled with) while the 3 women Star Right (W1 with the 2
ladies she
>> circled with)
>>
>> C1 meet and change groups (M1 dances w/the 4 people W1 danced
with and
>> W1
>> dances with the 4 people M1 danced with); repeat circles and
stars
>> C1 meet again and face any couple they chose (let's call the
new couple
>> C2
>> for clarity) to do the half R&L thru with, using a
"power turn" to end
>> facing the next couple to the right of the orig C1 (call them
C3)
>> C3 does a half R&L thru with C4
>> C4 does a half R&L thru with C5 who becomes the new middle
couple
>>
>> On Sun, Dec 3, 2017 at 11:08 AM, Yaron Shragai via Callers
<
>> callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi,
>>> I picked up this dance at Flurry '17. Iirc, the caller (I
think it was
>>> Bob Isaacs, not sure, it was near the end of the festival,
it's all
>>> kinda
>>> fuzzy...) said he picked it up at another festival and
didn't know the
>>> name
>>> of it. He named the caller that he got it from - but I
don't remember
>>> the
>>> name...
>>>
>>> Formation: square with a cpl in the middle (i.e. 5 cpls)
>>> A:
>>> Middle cpl 1/2 R&L with cpl #1, which becomes new middle
cpl
>>> That cpl uses momentum from courtesy turn to turn twd cpl #2,
1/2 R&L
>>> with that cpl
>>> Cpl #2 becomes middle, 1/2 R&L with cpl #3
>>> Cpl #3 becomes middle, 1/2 R&L with cpl #4
>>> Cpl #4 becomes middle [turns to face current #1, which is
orig middle]
>>> B:
>>> Couples currently along up/dn axis (heads+middle) turn back
on ptnr,
>>> now
>>> all can form 2 rings of 5, circle L/R;
>>> Ptnr swing (some ppl may have to spin around to find Ptnr)
>>>
>>> Thanks!
>>> Yaron Shragai
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> List Name: Callers mailing list
>>> List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>>> Archives:
https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>>
>>
>> *Looking forward,Linda S. Mrosko*
>>
>> *102 Mitchell Drive*
>>
>> *Temple, Texas 76501*
>>
>> *(903) 292-3713 <(903)%20292-3713> (Cell)*
>> *(903) 603-9955 <(903)%20603-9955> (Skype)*
>> *contradancetx.com <http://www.contradancetx.com>*
>>
>> *www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy*
<http://www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy*> (Dance
>> buttons, t-shirts, & more)*
>>
>
>
>
> --
>
>
>
> *Looking forward,Linda S. Mrosko*
>
> *102 Mitchell Drive*
>
> *Temple, Texas 76501*
>
> *(903) 292-3713 (Cell)*
> *(903) 603-9955 (Skype)*
> *contradancetx.com <http://www.contradancetx.com>*
>
> *www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* <http://www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy*>
(Dance
> buttons, t-shirts, & more)*
> _______________________________________________
> List Name: Callers mailing list
> List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> Archives:
https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
>
Correction:
M1 faces 4 on his right and W1 faces the 4 on her left should read M1 faces
4 on his "Left" and W1 faces the 4 on her "Right"
On Mon, Dec 4, 2017 at 11:45 AM, Linda S. Mrosko <elmerosko(a)gmail.com>
wrote:
> I had forgotten about this square. It looked so familiar. Years and
> years ago, Kathy Anderson called this square at a dance event I attended.
> My notes show it as "English Dance for Five Couples." I loved this dance!
>
> Forgive my note-taking from so long ago:
>
> *The Formation*:
> Middle couple is C1 and they face the music.
> Outside couples shift left 1/8 so they are diagonal to the music.
> C1 stands back to back -- M1 faces 4 on his right and W1 faces the 4 on
> her left.
>
> *The Dance*:
> C1 circles left with the 4 they face (2 separate circles)
> Within the same groups, just the 3 gents Star Right (M1 with the 2 gents
> he circled with) while the 3 women Star Right (W1 with the 2 ladies she
> circled with)
>
> C1 meet and change groups (M1 dances w/the 4 people W1 danced with and W1
> dances with the 4 people M1 danced with); repeat circles and stars
> C1 meet again and face any couple they chose (let's call the new couple C2
> for clarity) to do the half R&L thru with, using a "power turn" to end
> facing the next couple to the right of the orig C1 (call them C3)
> C3 does a half R&L thru with C4
> C4 does a half R&L thru with C5 who becomes the new middle couple
>
> On Sun, Dec 3, 2017 at 11:08 AM, Yaron Shragai via Callers <
> callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>> I picked up this dance at Flurry '17. Iirc, the caller (I think it was
>> Bob Isaacs, not sure, it was near the end of the festival, it's all kinda
>> fuzzy...) said he picked it up at another festival and didn't know the name
>> of it. He named the caller that he got it from - but I don't remember the
>> name...
>>
>> Formation: square with a cpl in the middle (i.e. 5 cpls)
>> A:
>> Middle cpl 1/2 R&L with cpl #1, which becomes new middle cpl
>> That cpl uses momentum from courtesy turn to turn twd cpl #2, 1/2 R&L
>> with that cpl
>> Cpl #2 becomes middle, 1/2 R&L with cpl #3
>> Cpl #3 becomes middle, 1/2 R&L with cpl #4
>> Cpl #4 becomes middle [turns to face current #1, which is orig middle]
>> B:
>> Couples currently along up/dn axis (heads+middle) turn back on ptnr, now
>> all can form 2 rings of 5, circle L/R;
>> Ptnr swing (some ppl may have to spin around to find Ptnr)
>>
>> Thanks!
>> Yaron Shragai
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> List Name: Callers mailing list
>> List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>> Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
>>
>>
>
>
> --
>
>
>
> *Looking forward,Linda S. Mrosko*
>
> *102 Mitchell Drive*
>
> *Temple, Texas 76501*
>
> *(903) 292-3713 <(903)%20292-3713> (Cell)*
> *(903) 603-9955 <(903)%20603-9955> (Skype)*
> *contradancetx.com <http://www.contradancetx.com>*
>
> *www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* <http://www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy*> (Dance
> buttons, t-shirts, & more)*
>
--
*Looking forward,Linda S. Mrosko*
*102 Mitchell Drive*
*Temple, Texas 76501*
*(903) 292-3713 (Cell)*
*(903) 603-9955 (Skype)*
*contradancetx.com <http://www.contradancetx.com>*
*www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* <http://www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy*> (Dance
buttons, t-shirts, & more)*
