Here are a couple novelty dances I've made up:*
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Garbology*
Erik Hoffman
Odd—Modified Tempest Formation
December 1998
A1Ones down center, turn as a Couple, Return, WHILE the twos and threes
slide up the set one Couples place, cast off with (new) same sex two and
three person
A2Hey for Four, ones start, passing Right shoulder, Couples two and
three acting as “units” latching (arms around each others backs) onto
Partners.
B1Finish the hey (it takes longer with “units”), ones cross to Star Left
(in threes) with the opposite Couple (ones without Partners)
B2All Balance & Swing Partners
Formation is a U shaped triple minor formation, Couple one facing down,
Couple two to the Right of Couple one(from the callers point of view),
facing in, Couple three to the Left of Couple one, also facing in. I set
this up by having both the ones and the twos get Improper, then the twos
and threes circle Left one-quarter, as in Becket formation.
On the first walk-through I don't teach the progression; I do on the
second walk-through.Note that when couples finally progress, two couples
come out at the same time.Since only one goes in the next time round, at
the top I have the number two Couple go in first, and the number three
Couple wait out an extra time.At the bottom, when the a couple comes
out, they need to wait for a second Couple before entering the dance.I
suggest the first Couple waiting out become a number two, the second a
number three. That way, Twos wait out twice at the bottom, threes, twice
at the top.
This dance was written at Camp Harmony, the San Francisco Folk Music
Club’s annual new years camp.It was at a workshop where I was making up
“experimental contras.”I was naming them for the signs around the
hall.This one landed on the “Garbology” sign – one discussing the use of
garbage.Since this is something we should all consider, I think it’s
well named
Part of the idea for this came from the beautiful and flowing
dance, /American Summer/, by Phillipe Callens.
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The next is designed as a Christmas dance, to go with the tune, We Three
Kings, played as a straightened out jig. But I think it can be fun just
as it is:
*Follow That Star*
Improper
Erik Hoffman
A1with New Neighbors: Star Left;with Old Neighbors: Star Right
A2Ones take Number Two Man Down Hall in Line of Three WHILE
the Number Two Women come up the hall single file,'
Turn Alone, Return, the Lines of Three Folds into a Circle around
Number Two Women
B1 Circle Three around Number Two Wm;Neighbor Swing on “Own” Side
B2Long Lines Forward &Back;All Swing Partner (or just Ones if space is
tight)
The story line is:
Three Kings Follow Stars. They find a Babe in a Manger, Everyone
Celebrates!To be danced to “We Three Kings” straightened out and as a Jig.
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~Erik
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