I'm sensitive to that sort of thing. It's not been an issue at all that
I've experienced. ( I've danced it a few times). The circular motion gets
reversed a couple of times. I guess it could be an issue for some dancers
but ... Not in my experience and I've not gotten negative feedback. My two
cents. R

Ridge Kennedy
West Orange, NJ (Exit 145)
If you stumble, make it part of the dance.

On Sat, Apr 30, 2022, 1:37 PM Laur <[email protected]> wrote:

> Ragtime Sammy fun. And Works to the tempo That band plays too however when
> I walk it through it seems like it could be rather dizzying ?
>
> Laurie
>
> Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone
> <https://overview.mail.yahoo.com/?.src=iOS>
>
> On Friday, April 29, 2022, 12:25 AM, Amy Cann via Contra Callers <
> [email protected]> wrote:
>
> HOW HAVE I NOT KNOWN THIS DANCE BEFORE THIS MOMENT??
>
> On 4/28/22, Ridge Kennedy via Contra Callers
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> > Balance the Star qualifies as a chestnut and works well. The stars
> > encourage a little hand jive action that is a lot of fun.
> >
> > Here's my go-to dance for raggy tune sets which stole a good bit from
> > Balance the Star -- and Beaumont would work just fine with it.
> >
> > (And per what I think others said, tembo matters. It's no fun -- not even
> > very raggy at -- warp speed.)
> >
> > Ragtime Sammy
> >
> >
> > Contra, Duple, Improper
> >
> > Ridge Kennedy
> >
> >        20
> >
> > A-1  Right Hands Across Star                    (8)      Left Hands
> Across
> > Star                          (8)
> >
> > A-2  Gents Turn Back over right shoulder (peel off) make eye contact
> > and and swing Neighbor
> > (a short gypsy)                                    (4-6)    Long Swing
> >                                      (12-10)
> >
> > B-1  Circle Left Three Quarters                (8)      Partner
> > Swing                                          (8)
> >
> > B-2  Ladies Allemande Right 1 1/2        (8)      Neighbor Allemande Left
> > 1 1/2            (8)
> >
> > Notes: The first version of this dance was made up in about 2013 for a
> > dance with Big Phat American K-Lee Band in Glen Echo. Early in the
> program
> > – maybe first dance, the band was going to do a set of rags.  So we
> wanted
> > a dance that would work well with rags and that was pretty easy – a
> starter
> > upper. The only tricky bit here is moving from the allemande left with
> > neighbors to the next star. Just keep dancers mindful of which way they
> > will be going to progress, and it will work out fine.
> >
> > The idea behind using the hands across stars was to encourage dancers to
> > use their free hands to do a little hand jive if the music so inspired
> > them.  And so it did.  The final ending sequence for the dance was
> finally
> > locked in place during 2015, I think.  For all the time the dance was
> > evolving it was my “raggy, starry hand jive dance.”  Recently though,
> > noting that bands frequently included Ragtime Annie in their raggy sets
> and
> > since (little known secret here) my first name is Samuel – well Ragtime
> > Sammy seems like a fitting title. Yeah, it’s a silly little dance, but
> when
> > the music is right, dancers really do feel encouraged to get into the
> hand
> > jive and more.
> > Ridge Kennedy [Exit 145]
> >
> > Hey -- I wrote a book! *Murder & Miss Austen's Ball. *
> > It's a novel with musical accompaniment. Now that's different.
> >
> > Read all about it here! <https://www.hedgehoghousebooks.com>
>
> >
> >
> > On Thu, Apr 28, 2022 at 3:17 AM Colin Hume via Contra Callers <
> > [email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> On Wed, 27 Apr 2022 16:46:36 -0400, Jacob or Nancy Bloom via Contra
> >> Callers wrote:
> >> > Balance The Star was written to go to Beaumont Rag.  It's a simple
> >> dance, usually done as a Sicilian Circle, so it
> >> > may not be what you want for your crowd.
> >>
> >> That's the one I was going to suggest.  Here's how I explain it:
> >> https://barndances.org.uk/detail.php?Title=Balance_the_Star
> >> and the vital phrase is "turn your back on your partner" - if callers
> >> can't get that across there is general confusion.
> >>
> >> Also a contra by Susan Kevra where she actually specified "Beaumont Rag
> >> and similar":
> >>
> >> Country of Marriage
> >>
> >> Longways      Becket, single prog.              32 bar rags
> >>
> >> A1:    Circle left 3/4.  Do-si-do neighbour to a wave.
> >>
> >> A2:    Balance right and left; ladies allemande left all the way
> >> (rapidly).  Swing neighbour, finish facing across.
> >>
> >> B1:    Right & left through.  Men allemande right 3/4 to meet next man;
> >> allemande left with him 3/4 while ladies move to
> >> left.
> >>
> >> B2:    Balance and swing partner.
> >>
> >> Dance: Susan Kevra -- English Dance & Song, Winter 1992.
> >>
> >> Colin Hume
> >>
> >> Email [email protected]      Web site http://colinhume.com
> >>
> >>
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> >>
> >
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