Re: [Callers] Another dolphin surfaces

2018-04-04 Thread Bob Green via Callers
Sapphire Sea does win the Academy Award for "Best Use of the Dolphin
Hey"...what a magnificent dance!

thank you Christine!

On Thu, Apr 5, 2018 at 12:01 AM, Don Veino via Callers <
callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

> Sometimes better to show than explain - there's one in an ECD by Christine
> Robb here: https://youtu.be/g-8LyExynvA
>
> After seeing Christine's dance I played with writing contras with one but
> hadn't considered this entry into the hey... nice. You've inspired me to
> dig my drafts out and try to finish one.
>
> -Don
>
> On Thu, Apr 5, 2018 at 12:24 AM, Cheryl Joyal via Callers <
> callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
>> This has me intrigued….
>>
>> But I don’t know what a “dolphin hey” is or how to teach ….. additional
>> help appreciated.Thanks - Cheryl
>> Cheryl Joyal
>> clmjo...@gmail.com
>> clmjo...@aol.com
>> 630-667-3284 (cell)
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Apr 4, 2018, at 11:21 PM, April via Callers <
>> callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>>
>> We danced this one last weekend, and it works quite well, even if the
>> "dolphin" couple doesn't quite get the "switch leads without switching
>> places" bit.  As long as they wind up in the center, it works.
>>
>> Passion for Dolphins
>> A1 Down the hall, 1s in the middle. Turn alone, come back, end with all
>> facing Lady 2.
>> A2 Full dolphin hey by the 1s, starts with Gent 1 passing Lady 2 by the
>> right.
>> B1 Ones swing in the middle of the set (8) (end facing down) and roll
>> out to swing N (8) (progression).
>> B2 LL F/B.  2s (below) gate their new ones about 1.25, to a new line
>> facing down.
>>
>> April Blum
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>>
>>
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>>
>
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Re: [Callers] Another dolphin surfaces

2018-04-04 Thread Don Veino via Callers
Sometimes better to show than explain - there's one in an ECD by Christine
Robb here: https://youtu.be/g-8LyExynvA

After seeing Christine's dance I played with writing contras with one but
hadn't considered this entry into the hey... nice. You've inspired me to
dig my drafts out and try to finish one.

-Don

On Thu, Apr 5, 2018 at 12:24 AM, Cheryl Joyal via Callers <
callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

> This has me intrigued….
>
> But I don’t know what a “dolphin hey” is or how to teach ….. additional
> help appreciated.Thanks - Cheryl
> Cheryl Joyal
> clmjo...@gmail.com
> clmjo...@aol.com
> 630-667-3284 (cell)
>
>
>
>
> On Apr 4, 2018, at 11:21 PM, April via Callers <
> callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> We danced this one last weekend, and it works quite well, even if the
> "dolphin" couple doesn't quite get the "switch leads without switching
> places" bit.  As long as they wind up in the center, it works.
>
> Passion for Dolphins
> A1 Down the hall, 1s in the middle. Turn alone, come back, end with all
> facing Lady 2.
> A2 Full dolphin hey by the 1s, starts with Gent 1 passing Lady 2 by the
> right.
> B1 Ones swing in the middle of the set (8) (end facing down) and roll out
> to swing N (8) (progression).
> B2 LL F/B.  2s (below) gate their new ones about 1.25, to a new line
> facing down.
>
> April Blum
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>
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Re: [Callers] Another dolphin surfaces

2018-04-04 Thread Cheryl Joyal via Callers
This has me intrigued….   

But I don’t know what a “dolphin hey” is or how to teach ….. additional help 
appreciated.Thanks - Cheryl
Cheryl Joyal
clmjo...@gmail.com
clmjo...@aol.com
630-667-3284 (cell)




On Apr 4, 2018, at 11:21 PM, April via Callers  
wrote:

We danced this one last weekend, and it works quite well, even if the "dolphin" 
couple doesn't quite get the "switch leads without switching places" bit.  As 
long as they wind up in the center, it works.  

Passion for Dolphins
A1  Down the hall, 1s in the middle. Turn alone, come back, end with all 
facing Lady 2.
A2  Full dolphin hey by the 1s, starts with Gent 1 passing Lady 2 by the 
right.
B1  Ones swing in the middle of the set (8) (end facing down) and roll out 
to swing N (8) (progression).
B2  LL F/B.  2s (below) gate their new ones about 1.25, to a new line 
facing down. 

April Blum
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[Callers] Another dolphin surfaces

2018-04-04 Thread April via Callers

We danced this one last weekend, and it works quite well, even if the "dolphin" 
couple doesn't quite get the "switch leads without switching places" bit.  As 
long as they wind up in the center, it works.  


Passion for Dolphins
A1  Down the hall, 1s in the middle. Turn alone, come back, end with all 
facing Lady 2.
A2  Full dolphin hey by the 1s, starts with Gent 1 passing Lady 2 by the 
right.
B1  Ones swing in the middle of the set (8) (end facing down) and roll out 
to swing N (8) (progression).
B2  LL F/B.  2s (below) gate their new ones about 1.25, to a new line 
facing down. 


April Blum
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Re: [Callers] Down the hall - do something - then come back up

2018-04-04 Thread Don Veino via Callers
Hickman's Hey is one I've had local dancers request. I see from Martha's
post that it's credited to Dan Pearl - it came to me as "unknown author."

Below are a couple of mine that fit the bill - one well proven and one yet
to be.

-Don

(Riding in the) Zoomy Car – DI – Don Veino 20170717
*Status:* Proven

*A1*
Long Lines Forward & Back
1s Half Figure 8 down through 2s (around same role and above to center of
line/4 facing down, L2,L1,G1,G2)

*A2*
Line/4 Down the Hall, bend line
2s Half Figure 8 up through 1s (around opposite role and below to center of
line/4 facing up)
[to G1,L2,G2,L1 from dancer’s perspective (or L1,G2,L2,G1 from stage)]

*B1*
Line/4 Up the Hall; Gent 1 lets go, the Twos arch* via Gent doing Left Hand
High/Right Low to shoot Lady 1 through to Gent 1
Partner Swing
[*note Lady 2 continues walking forward during Left High/Right Low move to
make space for Lady 1 to pass through straight across and can keep hands
directly into the Swing]

*B2*
Gents Allem Left 1+1/2x
Neighbor Swing

*End effects*: Be mindful of how your action changes when crossing over at
ends
*Tune suggestions*: Marches, strongly phrased romantic tunes
Posted at http://veino.com/blog/?p=1792 .

Strolling & Rolling – Becket – Don Veino 20170725
*Status:* DRAFT

This is most likely an intermediate level dance due to the need for timely
and slightly differing action in the A2 as well as the need for good dancer
technique to make the roll to heys timing work and everyone end up in the
right places. Because all the hey action is focused on Partners, the dance
should provide effective recovery points that would keep it out of
“advanced” territory.

So far this dance has been walked through successfully but not yet
called/danced. I’ve since leveraged this roll to hey into a 4 Face 4
dance, Lobster
Roll , which has been called publicly.

*A1*
Left Diagonal Circle 3/4x, Swing Neighbor
[first time through, circle is straight across]

*A2*
(8) Ladies Chain (to P) to face down the hall (so Courtesy Turn = different
fractions for 1s and 2s)
(6,2) Down the Hall in Line/4, Gents Roll Partner w/HS (face Partner across
set)

*B1*
Half Hey (pass P Left to start, end in mirror position of start, facing up,
Ladies on *left* of P)
(6,2) Up the Hall in Line/4, Gents Roll Partner w/HS (face P across set)

*B2*
Half Hey (pass P Right to start, end in mirror position of start, facing P)
Partner Swing

*End effects*: Wait out on left diagonal to enter in the circle
*Tune suggestions*: Strongly phrased/driving smooth tunes

Posted at http://veino.com/blog/?p=1901 .


On Wed, Apr 4, 2018 at 10:01 PM, K Panton via Callers <
callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

> It's been a while since I've danced one of these but I know they exist!
>
> 1. Line of four goes down the hall.
> 2. While there, do something such as 1/2 hey.
> 3. Line of 4 comes back up.
>
> Any suggestions for lovely dances that include such a (or similar)
> sequence?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Ken Panton
>
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Re: [Callers] Unknown dances

2018-04-04 Thread Michael Dyck via Callers

On 2018-04-04 10:26 PM, Alexandra Deis-Lauby via Callers wrote:

Anyone know who wrote late in the evening?
A1 n balance and box the gnat, mad robin
A2 g cross, p swing
B1 g all left 1.5, n s
B2 int sq thru 4


Don't know.
Might be a variant of "The Raeden Reel" by Bob Isaacs:
http://lists.sharedweight.net/pipermail/callers-sharedweight.net/2012-May/004694.html


And either name or author for
A1 n b and s
A2 pass the ocean, balance, walk forward, left shoulder round the previous back 
to original neighbors with gents in middle of wave
B1 balance waive, gents all L 1/2, p s
B2 circle l 3/4 pass thru next neighbor dsd


That looks like "Lisa's Contra" by Tom Hinds,
published in "Bad Hair Decade".


Or
A1 short wavy line across.  Bal r,l all r 3/4 to long waves. Bal l, r, all l 
with previous 3/4 to short waves
A2 bal r and back, walk forward original  n s!
B1 w all r 1.5, p s
B2 circle 3/4 bal ring, pass thru up and down to wave of 4


"Grand Western Canal" by Sue Rosen:
http://dance.suerosencaller.com/dancedb/view/?title=Grand+Western+Canal

-Michael
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Re: [Callers] Down the hall - do something - then come back up

2018-04-04 Thread Martha Wild via Callers
I’ve got these in my database:

Hickman’s Hey, Dan Pearl
Two Way Street, Bob Isaacs & Lisa Greenleaf
Whoops Jamboree, Camy Kaynor
Ants Marching, Ron Blechner
Brimmer and May Reel, Dan Pearl
California Cloverleaf, Margo Gunsenhauser
Four Cubed Contra, Martha Wild 
Lady Madonna, Martha Wild
Tag, You’re It, Martha Wild


> On Apr 4, 2018, at 7:01 PM, K Panton via Callers 
>  wrote:
> 
> It's been a while since I've danced one of these but I know they exist!
> 
> 1. Line of four goes down the hall
> 2. While there, do something such as 1/2 hey.
> 3. Line of 4 comes back up.
> 
> Any suggestions for lovely dances that include such a (or similar) sequence?
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Ken Panton
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Re: [Callers] Down the hall - do something - then come back up

2018-04-04 Thread Bob Green via Callers
*Downstream* by John Coffman:
http://dancevideos.childgrove.org/contra/contra-modern/261-downstream-by-john-coffman-duple-improper




On Wed, Apr 4, 2018 at 9:01 PM, K Panton via Callers <
callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

> It's been a while since I've danced one of these but I know they exist!
>
> 1. Line of four goes down the hall.
> 2. While there, do something such as 1/2 hey.
> 3. Line of 4 comes back up.
>
> Any suggestions for lovely dances that include such a (or similar)
> sequence?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Ken Panton
>
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Re: [Callers] Down the hall - do something - then come back up

2018-04-04 Thread Mac Mckeever via Callers
I have always liked Marching Ants by Ron Blechner (I hope I have that name right
Mac McKeever
 
Ron's Contra Dances, Ants Marching

| 
| 
|  | 
Ron's Contra Dances, Ants Marching

Ants Marching Ants Marching Duple Improper Contra by: Ron T Blechner Setup: 
Neighbors face up and down the set a...
 |

 |

 |




On Wednesday, April 4, 2018, 9:01:52 PM CDT, K Panton via Callers 
 wrote:  
 
 It's been a while since I've danced one of these but I know they exist!
1. Line of four goes down the hall.2. While there, do something such as 1/2 
hey.3. Line of 4 comes back up.
Any suggestions for lovely dances that include such a (or similar) sequence?
Thanks.
Ken Panton___
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[Callers] Down the hall - do something - then come back up

2018-04-04 Thread K Panton via Callers
It's been a while since I've danced one of these but I know they exist!

1. Line of four goes down the hall.
2. While there, do something such as 1/2 hey.
3. Line of 4 comes back up.

Any suggestions for lovely dances that include such a (or similar) sequence?

Thanks.

Ken Panton
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Re: [Callers] Great dances for learning how to dance with ghosts?

2018-04-04 Thread Mark Hillegonds via Callers
Ken,

I just happened to be pulling dances for an upcoming gig. One of the dances
I selected is Lisa's Contra (Tom Hinds) that has an out and back in A2 that
may work for your purposes.

Looking forward to seeing other suggestions.

Lisa’s Contra
by Tom Hinds
Contra/Improper/Int

A1 ---
(16)  Neighbor B & S
A2 ---
(4,4)  Pass thru to a wave, Wave balance
(2,4,2)  Walk forward to person in next wave (don't take hands),  Gypsy R
1/2,  Walk back to re-form original wave, but facing opposite direction (N
in RH, Gents LH)
B1 ---
(4,4)  Wave balance, Gents alle L 1/2
(8)  Partner swing
B2 ---
(6,2)  Circle L 3/4, Pass thru up and down
(8)  Next Neighbor do si do

-- 
*Mark Hillegonds*

Philly, PA
Cell:  734-756-8441
Email:  mark.hillego...@gmail.com
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[Callers] Great dances for learning how to dance with ghosts?

2018-04-04 Thread K Panton via Callers
I'm planning to include, in an upcoming evening, a dance with some moderate
(from a beginner perspective) end-effects. Preceding that, I'd like to get
the dancers accustomed to dancing with ghosts with a view to making the
end-effects make sense or, at least, be less of a concern.

I can think of a few dances in which there are easy-intros to end effects
(a move involving a an out-and-back with a shadow, for example (e.g. The
Young Adult Rose)) but I'm more interested in dances that callers may have
in mind that dance well with ghosts.

Maybe I could write a purpose-written dance with the name "The Ghosts and
Mrs. Muir". :)

(Dating myself)

Ken Panton
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[Callers] New (?) 4x4 contra

2018-04-04 Thread John Sweeney via Callers
I picked up a Square Dance break from somewhere that was called the Dixie
Chain Break:

Dixie Chain Break:
Heads Hey for Four with hands – Ladies lead with Right Hand
Sides the same
Heads and Sides do simultaneous Heys – when four are in the middle they do a
Hands Across Star (Ladies Star, Pull the Men in, Men Star, Pull the Ladies
in)

My notes also say that the simultaneous crossed Heys are called a Grand Hey.

The original Dixie Chain was attributed to Bill Owen in 1952 and was just:
Ladies Pull By Right, Pull the Men in by the Left, Men Pull by Right

Quite why the Square Dance community felt the need to give "Three Changes of
a Hey" a special name, when it has been around since at least 1588, I don't
know - but then they did get up to over 5000 calls back in the 1950s...

Warleggan by Joyce Walker is a good four couple dance with a Grand Hey.

    Happy dancing,  
   John 

John Sweeney, Dancer, England   j...@modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802
940 574 
http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive Events & DVDs 
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent   


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Re: [Callers] New (?) 4x4 contra

2018-04-04 Thread Cara Sawyer via Callers
Thanks for starting this strain, Luke, and for your dance.

Our Jo Mortland here in Chicago recently organized a Dutch Crossing
workshop, and we did a successful demo at our Monday night dance. Lisa's
video certainly helped us out a lot! Somewhere on the internet ours is
floating around also...and we are talking about doing more workshops like
it in the future. We can start a list of these more complicated, 48-etc.
bar dances for our Chicago dances. Have you written similar dances?

Interesting we were just wondering where in the world we could find some,
and here you write one! :):)

On Wed, Apr 4, 2018 at 2:27 PM, Colin Hume via Callers <
callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

> On Wed, 4 Apr 2018 19:09:58 + (UTC), Mac Mckeever via Callers wrote:
> > I have called hey mania several times and it is not hard to stay with
> the phrasing - as long as you use the swing
> > after the heys to let everyone catch up
>
> I agree with that - and I add a promenade after the final partner swing,
> so that once through the figure is 3 x 32 bars.  Someone
> suggested it would be more logical to use 4 x 24 bar reels, but I'm not
> going to subject any band to that!
>
> Colin Hume
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-- 
Cara V. Sawyer
MMus French Horn
~~
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Re: [Callers] New (?) 4x4 contra

2018-04-04 Thread Colin Hume via Callers
On Wed, 4 Apr 2018 19:09:58 + (UTC), Mac Mckeever via Callers wrote:
> I have called hey mania several times and it is not hard to stay with the 
> phrasing - as long as you use the swing
> after the heys to let everyone catch up

I agree with that - and I add a promenade after the final partner swing, so 
that once through the figure is 3 x 32 bars.  Someone 
suggested it would be more logical to use 4 x 24 bar reels, but I'm not going 
to subject any band to that!

Colin Hume
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Re: [Callers] New (?) 4x4 contra

2018-04-04 Thread Mac Mckeever via Callers
I have called hey mania several times and it is not hard to stay with the 
phrasing - as long as you use the swing after the heys to let everyone catch up
Mac McKeever
 

On Wednesday, April 4, 2018, 11:17:08 AM CDT, Luke Donforth via Callers 
 wrote:  
 
 Thanks all for the feedback! I'll reach out to Erik and Nils. 
As Rick pointed out, the dance could work from standard 4x4 lines; and I 
certainly wouldn't object to folks dancing it that way. In my head, the half 
grand hey precludes this from many dance events, so I figured dancers I could 
toss this at would probably not be thrown by the bent formation. But keeping 
the non-hook moves simple is worthwhile. 
I haven't done a Dutch Crossing workshop, although I've been meaning to. Nice 
to see Lisa getting everyone through it, thank you for the link; and the 
reminder to learn Dutch Crossing.
Colin, I don't remember the last time I got to call a 48 bar dance. But if I 
get a band itching to play one, now I've got some things in the quiver. 
Jim, I'll admit Heymania is intimidating to me. I like the fixed timing of 
contra, the squishyness of squares is a challenge for me. I'd have to work up 
to that one with some simpler non-musically-square squares. 
As for this dance, dropping the balance before the partner swing and letting 
the hey flow into B2 seems the simplest and most forgiving way of handling the 
timing. I like the idea of the reunion moment being marked in time though, so 
that partners know when they're supposed to find each other. You could give the 
hey more time in B1 at the expense of some of the neighbor swing. What about 
the following variation, informed by Chris's comments on timing?
Tamlin's Cross (variation)4x4 (lines or bent)
A1 
(4) All 8 go into the middle
(4) Gents roll partners away on the way out
(8) Corner Swing, square set
A2
(8) Gents left hands across star 1x; gents drop out
(8) Ladies left hands across star 1x;ladies keep hands, and take right hand 
with corner (making crossed wavy lines of 4)B1
(4) Balance the wavy lines of four(12) half grand hey, start passing corner you 
swung by right
then turn away from corner you swung
B2
(16) Partner Balance and Swing
End the swing facing new couple, having swapped sides with your trail-buddy 
couple
That gives both roles the muscle memory of a left hand star in the middle as 
prep for the handless-star in the hey; which could either be helpful or 
monotonous. 
I wouldn't usually chase a left hand star with a left hand star, but I think 
left will flow better for the gents out of a swing; and I want the corners to 
take right hands (because getting folks to balance left then right seems 
impossible outside of Rory o'More). The two left hand stars would also leave 
some room for silliness on the part of the dancers. A2 could be ladies right 
hand star, then gents left; but I'm not super fond of the swing->ladies go in 
transition. It happens a lot in swing->chain, but I don't think it would add to 
the dance here.
Thanks again for sharing your experience :-)


-- 
Luke Donforth
luke.donfo...@gmail.com
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Re: [Callers] New (?) 4x4 contra

2018-04-04 Thread Luke Donforth via Callers
Thanks all for the feedback! I'll reach out to Erik and Nils.

As Rick pointed out, the dance could work from standard 4x4 lines; and I
certainly wouldn't object to folks dancing it that way. In my head, the
half grand hey precludes this from many dance events, so I figured dancers
I could toss this at would probably not be thrown by the bent formation.
But keeping the non-hook moves simple is worthwhile.

I haven't done a Dutch Crossing workshop, although I've been meaning to.
Nice to see Lisa getting everyone through it, thank you for the link; and
the reminder to learn Dutch Crossing.

Colin, I don't remember the last time I got to call a 48 bar dance. But if
I get a band itching to play one, now I've got some things in the quiver.

Jim, I'll admit Heymania is intimidating to me. I like the fixed timing of
contra, the squishyness of squares is a challenge for me. I'd have to work
up to that one with some simpler non-musically-square squares.

As for this dance, dropping the balance before the partner swing and
letting the hey flow into B2 seems the simplest and most forgiving way of
handling the timing. I like the idea of the reunion moment being marked in
time though, so that partners know when they're supposed to find each
other. You could give the hey more time in B1 at the expense of some of the
neighbor swing. What about the following variation, informed by Chris's
comments on timing?

Tamlin's Cross (variation)
4x4 (lines or bent)

A1
(4) All 8 go into the middle
(4) Gents roll partners away on the way out
(8) Corner Swing, square set
A2
(8) Gents left hands across star 1x; gents drop out
(8) Ladies left hands across star 1x;
ladies keep hands, and take right hand with corner (making crossed wavy
lines of 4)
B1
(4) Balance the wavy lines of four
(12) half grand hey, start passing corner you swung by right
then turn away from corner you swung
B2
(16) Partner Balance and Swing
End the swing facing new couple, having swapped sides with your trail-buddy
couple

That gives both roles the muscle memory of a left hand star in the middle
as prep for the handless-star in the hey; which could either be helpful or
monotonous.

I wouldn't usually chase a left hand star with a left hand star, but I
think left will flow better for the gents out of a swing; and I want the
corners to take right hands (because getting folks to balance left then
right seems impossible outside of Rory o'More). The two left hand stars
would also leave some room for silliness on the part of the dancers.
A2 could be ladies right hand star, then gents left; but I'm not super fond
of the swing->ladies go in transition. It happens a lot in swing->chain,
but I don't think it would add to the dance here.


Thanks again for sharing your experience :-)



-- 
Luke Donforth
luke.donfo...@gmail.com 
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Re: [Callers] New (?) 4x4 contra

2018-04-04 Thread Chris Page via Callers
Having tested something like this a decade ago, I can report from
painful experience
that the half hey takes about 12 beats, not 8.

"Harvest Hey" by Erik Hoffman gets the timing right.

-Chris Page
San Diego

On Tue, Apr 3, 2018 at 6:04 PM, Luke Donforth via Callers
 wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I was playing around with a new (?) composition; and since it's a 4x4, it's
> unlikely I'll get a house-party together to test it any time soon. I'd
> appreciate feedback on flow (would it work), timing (is it too much?) and
> how you'd teach it. I'm especially curious if something similar exists in
> the square dance repertoire; specifically the figure used in B1
>
> Tamlin's Cross
> Bent 4x4 (i.e. 4x4 formation, but with couples facing into the middle on an
> X, instead of straight up and down in lines of four)
>
> A1
> (4) All 8 go into the middle and shout
> (4) Gents roll partners away on the way out
> (8) Neighbor Do-Si-Do
> A2
> (16) Neighbor Balance and Swing (square the set and face in)
> B1
> (8) Gents left hands across star 1x
> (8) start passing neighbor you swung by right, all 8 half hey through,
> then turn away from neighbor you swung
> B2
> (16) Partner Balance and Swing
> End the swing facing new couple, having swapped sides with your trail-buddy
> couple
>
> For the half hey through, all 8 folks are moving at the same time. At the
> end of A2, there are couples in head and side position (nobody is with their
> partner). The heads are heying up and down, while the sides are heying
> across. When four people of the same role come into the middle, what would
> normally be a left shoulder pass is (in my mind's eye) half of a left hand
> star
>
> I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
> Thanks
>
> --
> Luke Donforth
> luke.donfo...@gmail.com
>
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Re: [Callers] New (?) 4x4 contra

2018-04-04 Thread Colin Hume via Callers
On Tue, 3 Apr 2018 22:27:19 -0400, Luke Donforth wrote:
> I'd appreciate feedback on flow (would it work), timing (is it too much?) and 
> how you'd teach it.

I think the "Bent 4x4" is an unnecessary complication.  People expect to finish 
the figure facing the next line, not facing into 
the centre of the next set, so I would say:

A1:  Lines of four forward; gents roll partners away as you fall back.  
Do-si-do the next.

I agree with Rick that the star figure will take longer than a regular half 
hey, so just let it flow into B2 with a partner swing 
- leave out the balance.

> I'm especially curious if something similar exists in the square dance 
> repertoire; specifically the figure used in B1

People have mentioned two great dances: Hey-mania and Dutch Crossing.  I'm sure 
there are others.  There's also a nice dance by 
Frances Richardson, which I'm planning to call at the final session of 
Lichfield Folk Festival in June.  She wrote it when a 
friend gave birth to female quadruplets, and around the quads' 13th birthday 
they all danced it in the same set (very 
successfully).

The Dixon Quadrille
Frances Richardson, 1993
Music: 4 x 48 bar reels

A1: Allemande left corner, grand chain all the way.

A2: Finish the chain.  Swing partner.

B1: Men left-hand star three-quarters to corner (new partner).  Right-hand 
turn once, and face (in a cross formation, men in the 
middle).

B2: Interlocking reels of four with hands (making a left-hand star in the 
middle each time).

C1: Finish the reels (still in cross formation), give right hand to new 
partner, balance forward & back and swing.

C2: Promenade to the _lady's_  place.  (naturally)

And here's one of mine.  "Reel" is English for "Hey".

A Reel Challenge
Colin Hume, 1995
Music: 48-bar reels

Figure:

A1: Heads forward and back.  Head ladies chain across.

A2: Head ladies start a reel of four.

B1/2:   Sides the same.

C1: Gipsy right new corner.  Swing.

C2: Promenade to the man's place.[Ladies have moved one place left.]

Double Figure:

A1: All in to the middle and back.  All four ladies chain.

A2: Ladies start interlocking reels of four.

B1: Extra time to finish the reels, and two more changes.  Swing partner at 
home.

B2: Promenade.

Suggested sequence: Break, Figure twice for Heads, Break, Figure twice for 
Sides, Break, Double Figure, Final Break.

Colin Hume
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