Contra dances I've written:
Never Let Go #1
(Becket)
A1
(8) Long lines forward and back
(8) short partner swing on the side
A2
(8) Lines of 4 down the hall, turn as couples
(8) Come back and bend the line to a circle
B1
(8) Circle left 3/4 places
(4) Balance ring
(4) 1s arch, 2s under
B2:
(4) Balance ring
(12) Circle left 5/4 places and re-form the long lines
Note: you never have to let go of your partner during this dance (a gender-reversed swing keeps the hands forever!).
Written on the evening of 12 Oct 2012, while working alone at a telescope on a remote mountain top observatory.
First called at the open mic night on 5 Dec 2012, in Bloomington, IN.
Rosetta's Rendezvous
(improper)
starts in lines of 4 going down the hall, #1 couples in the center, as usual.
A1
(8) lines of 4 down the hall, turn as couples w/ neighbor
(8) lines come back up, bend to make a circle
A2
(8) balance the ring, petronella turn 1x to the right
(8) R/L through across the set with a courtesy turn (w/ partner)
B1
(8) Long lines forward and back
BUT, when you get forward, 2s grab on to W1* and brings her home with them to make a circle of 3.
M1 stays near-ish the middle of the set and waits (or spins)
(8) 2s + W1 circle left 1 1/2 times.
B2
(8) W2 lets go of her partner and pulls W1 behind her. W2 crosses the set with W1 in tow, and drops W1 off at her partner in the middle.
W2 continues across and remains on the other side of the set.
(8) 1s swing in the middle, ends facing down with a new line of 4
*W1 = Lady #1
*M1 = Gent #1
*C1 = Couple #1
Written on 11 Nov 2014 to commemorate the ESA probe Rosetta successfully landing Philae (its lander) on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko! Note that this dance contains no bounces, but the landing can still be modified in creative ways if the dancers see fit.
First called 12 Nov 2014 at the Wednesday night dance in Bloomington, IN, improved name suggested by David Ernst
Less polished/refined dances, but which are interesting:
Written with Katherine Wiley:
Gypsies for everybody
A1 8 right hand star
8 neighbor allemande R 1 1/4(?) (or left shoulder gypsy if insane)
A2 8 gents gypsy
8 partner swing on side (or gypsy if insane)
B1 8 long lines forward and back
8 ladies gypsy 1 1/2
B2 8 ladies pull by (/chain?) to partner
8 star left 3 places to meet a new couple
(is this a reverse progression??
Ode to Wm Lowe Bryan
A1 8 do-si-do neighbor
8 swing neighbor
A2 8 ladies chain
8 allemande R with partner 1 time
B1 4 long wavy lines, balance
4 pass (slide left?) in front of partner
4 long wavy lines, balance
4 allemande right with new person
B2 8 swing partner
8 circle left 3/4, pass through up and down
Dunn Woods at Dusk
aka Neighbor Preview
formerly Incomplete Contra
A1 8 lines of 4 down the hall, turn as couple
8 come back up, bend the line
A2 4 balance the ring
4 petronella turn right
4 balance the ring
4 petronella turn right
B1 8 balance and box gnat with partner
8 allemande (L or R) with one below (future neighbor)
B2 12 Actives gypsy meltdown in center
4 Actives move down to a new couple
Rollaway Shadow (Becket!)
A1 8 circle left 4 places (fast!)
4 roll away shadow
2 pull by across
2 pull by shadow up and down
A2 4 balance partner
12 swing partner
B1 8 gents chain
8 balance and box the gnat with neighbor
B2 8 gents pass by the left
8 circle left and slide left
Five Grand
A1 8 circle left 4 places
2 neighbor pull by right
2 next pull by left
2 next pull by right
2 next pull by left
A2 8 allemande right 1 1/2
8 actives gypsy in center 1x, then come out to sides to go back
B1 8 allemande right 1 1/2
2 pull by left
2 pull by right
2 pull by left
2 pull by right (pass neighbor?)
B2 8 box the gnat (with neighbor?)
8 mirror do-si-do 1 1/2 to progress to a new couple
As Yet Untitled (Becket!)
A1 8 pull by (R?) partner up and down and gypsy new person once, then
go back to partner
8 pull by partner again and gypsy another new person once, then
go back to partner
A2 16 balance and swing partner
B1 16 Ladies pass by the right to lead a full hay over and back
B2 8 pull by (as a couple) on the left diagonal (couples on the end stand still)
8 pull by across with new couple
(too fast? too far? will it work?)
Written with Jessica Richardson:
Dromedary Drama Dance
This is a dance for 4 camels, as in Rory O'More
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5 lives
(written for the Bean King Party on Mar 15(?), with multiple murders possible in the dance)
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