On 03/16/2016 11:13 AM, Rich Sbardella richsbardella@gmail.com [trad-dance-callers] wrote:

Here I am with another question. I learn so much from these threads.

What are some easy, but good, novelty, or gimmick contras. To elaborate, I mean contras that have unusual moves, or contras that use basic moves in unusual ways.

Maybe Ovals, Wholeset Promenades, Old-Timey square dance moves?

Two of my favorites are "Hot Buttered Rolls" and "Roll Over Johannes"

Hmm. I've never considered Fairport Harbor (which features a full-set promenade) to be a "novelty" or "gimmicky" contra dance, but it's definitely one of my favorites.

Kirston Koths has written a couple of seasonal contras that fall into that category. Look for Hearts and Arrows and Triskaidekaphobia in Give and Take. Kirston used to call the first one at dances close to Valentine's Day, and as a longtime programmer and caller for the no-longer-around second-Friday contra in Berkeley, he'd call the second one whenever the dance fell on Friday the Thirteenth.

--Nick