Andrew, I haven't called it for a while, but I have done so a few times in the past. Here are a couple of notes I have on my card.
The 5 changes of rights and lefts is tricky and people have to go faster than they think. Think of the Walk portion of the dance, B2, as a mirror hey for 3, but with everyone backing up instead of turning around at the ends. The 1s go down through their current 2s and then out around the next 2s, and 2s go out around their current 1s and split the next 1s. I have had bands use Childgrove or Dancing Bear as change tunes. I think one band that did this started off with the alternate tune and then changed to Wizard's Walk as the dancers got the hang of it. Jonathan ----- Jonathan Sivier Caller of Contra, Square, English and Early American Dances 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! ________________________________ From: Andrew Stout via Contra Callers <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, October 25, 2025 6:25 PM To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Subject: [Callers] teaching Wizard's Walk; The (Wayward) Witches Way Hi Callers, I have a gig on Oct 30, so naturally I'm plumbing the archives for Halloween-themed choices. There have been several threads on this, I'm not trying to start another one, I have two more specific questions: 1. Anyone got tips for teaching the Wizard's Walk figure? I've danced it (although not recently); I've never called it. (I'm interested in all tips, but FWIW I'm expecting a relatively experienced semi-monthly local crowd.) 2. The specific W'sW descendant I'm planning to use is Cis Hinkle's The WItches Way<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=3804__;!!DZ3fjg!_KxnwAzrwtv5AuUBM9tZ-j0brZwNJGSCVp9VHBvQC4Bwdbelt-aqCL-096uuWCNEbkRJl-hisqZPNkOIGcoJMj_Q6FALmuqps4-C$>, which has the Wizard's Walk figure in A1. It seems to me that to better fit the original Wizard's Walk tune the dance should be "rotated" thus: A1: (4,4) balance the ring (with Nbr1s); Petronella turn 1 place to R (no claps) (8) Partner swing A2: (4,4) balance the ring; Petronella turn 1 place to R (no claps) (8) Neighbor1 swing B1: (8) Robins chain (to Ptr) (6) circle RIGHT 3/4 (2) Ones arch, twos dive [to meet next Nbrs) B2: (16) Wizard's Walk: | (4) Nbr 2 mirror pass through along (ones split twos) | (4) Nbr 3 mirror pass through along (twos split ones) | (4) backing up Nbr 3 mirror pass through along (ones split twos) | (4) backing up Nbr 2 mirror pass through along (twos split ones) Has anyone done that? Do y'all agree? (The original dance<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.cambridgefolk.org.uk/contra/dances/ruth_ungar/wizards_walk.html__;!!DZ3fjg!_KxnwAzrwtv5AuUBM9tZ-j0brZwNJGSCVp9VHBvQC4Bwdbelt-aqCL-096uuWCNEbkRJl-hisqZPNkOIGcoJMj_Q6FALmq86UOTi$> has the W.W. figure in B2.) I don't know if such a variant deserves its own name, but if so it seems like it should be called "Wayward Witches". Cheers, --Andrew Stout
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