The first thing I would suggest is that if you have a complicated section that is the core of your dance, make the rest of the dance simple. This week at pinewoods I finally tested out a dance I wrote about a year ago and unfortunately, there was a flaw in the A1 that I fixed by adding a roll away, but this was too complicated and so the dancers weren't in the right place to start my figure. This made it vaguely impossible for them to do the complicated figure. I replaced the whole A1 with circle left three places, pass through and swing the next. This worked much better. On the other hand, my core section was more complicated than yours, so maybe it's not such a big deal.
In your case, I would actually move your B1 and B2 to be A2 and B1 and have B2 be Partner Balance and Swing. It may just be me, but I really like shadow actions that resolve by having you balance and swing your partner. Actually, gypsy and swing might be even better. That would make the B part smooth and the A part balancy which could be accommodated well by a tune that does the same. In that case, I would have A1 be a simple figure that leaves the dancers where they started. To keep with the feel, I'd want it to be something balancy. A cool figure might be to balance the ring, circle left two places, balance again, men trade places, women trade places, reform the ring. That's a bit complicated, but would probably flow into the Petronella well. I'm not sure what would go best here. For what it's worth, I really like the first half of A1. I would love to see that moved into another dance. Maybe moved into A2, followed up by a ladies chain into a full hey, balance & swing your partner. Add a progression as the new A1. Maybe Petronella, turning an extra half to form a new circle and then balance and men roll their partner away without the half sashay. I think that feels like too many roll aways though and thus too many changes of momentum. Maybe circle left three places, pass through, ladies allamande left once and a half, backing out of the allamande to form a circle. Not quite a good enough flow for me. I think I'll keep working on that. Chris On 9/1/07, Andrew Sumerel <[email protected]> wrote: > Hello All! > > This is my first attempt at writing a contra dance. I > feel it might be too complicated to be fun (mainly > because couples out on the ends have to do something > at a specific time). If I had to edit the dance I > would want to keep B1 and B2 (possibly making them A1 > and A2) because I feel like that sequence is uniquely > mine. I would happily take comments and suggestions. > Especially on what music (maybe specific songs by > bands) would work best with that sequence because it > feels like it would go by fast. > > Thanks! > > Andrew > > > Dizzy In The Hizzy > > by Andrew Sumerel > > > > Line up improper. > Becket one place to the right. > > A1 Balance the ring > 4 counts > Guy rolls girl away to his left > 2 counts > Girl rolls guy away to her left > 2 counts > Promenade across the set > 8 counts > > A2 Pass through across (no courtesy turn) > 4 > counts > Right shoulder gypsy and swing (short gypsy, long > swing) 14 counts > > B1 Balance the ring > 4 counts > Petranella Twirl > 4 counts > Balance the ring > 4 counts > Carolina Twirl* > 4 counts > > B2 Handy hand alemande once and a half (guys by left, > girls by right) 8 counts > Ladies drop hands to fall into a hands across star > left once and a quarter 8 > counts > (ladies will drop hands and fall into a star away > from their partner) > > IMPORTANT: Couples out on the ends are still somewhat > active. The lady will participate in the alemande > right. After this, it is the guy's job to make sure > that he trades places (during the star left) with the > new neighbor that he gets. > > > > *The Carolina Twirl is slightly different from the > California Twirl in the following way. Recall that > for a California Twirl, the leader lifts his right > hand behind him and turns to step behind the follower > so that both people trade places and change > directions. > > For a Carolina Twirl, the leader will lift his right > hand in front of him, without turning, and he will > step to the right in front of the follower as she > turns so that both people trade places but only the > follower will change directions.
