Contra Dances (mostly) by Michael Fuerst

(Last updated 26 January 2024)
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Introduction

OH MY GOSH!!     Another collection of 50+ dances !!!
How to sort through them?     Good question !!!

Of course, you will find here a master list of all the dances (sortable by name, formation, difficulty or date), most with a brief description—not all that helpful to a caller.

The dances in this collection mostly range from intermediate to advanced.  Many are more challenging for callers to visualize/teach/prompt than they are for dancers to dance, and thus require careful study by the caller.  Hence the dance descriptions often include visualization and teaching hints to assist callers in developing their own words for teaching and prompting. Sometimes rather lengthy teaching suggestions (developed from my experience) are provided.

• The 1's progress down the hall; the 2's up the hall
• In Becket dances, dancers progress either left (CW) or right (CCW)

I sometimes write several alternatives for a dance. When such appear, initially concentrate on the first presented version.

Contact me at mjerryfuerst@yahoo.com with any comments, suggestions, discovered misprints, and your experiences calling any of the dances here.

Thanks to Colin Hume for initially converting this page from text-like to web-like (HTML/CSS)

Contents

• Introduction
• The Dances, sortable by name, formation, difficulty or date
• Lists of dances with especially distinctive figures or progressions.
  • Right and Left Through on the 1/2 Diagonal
  • Becket Zigzag Progession
  • Consecutive Progressing Half Heys
  • River Swim
  • Exiting a Hey from the Side
  • Allen Ortep and Petronella
• Lists of dances with interesting Motifs (sequences of two or more figures)  Temporary visit to an adjacent foursome with...
  ▢ Long wavy lines, neighbors right hands joined, balance right and left, slide/spin to swing or B&S new neighbor. (Grouped by the figure(s) which precede the long wavy lines.)
• Other Lists of dances with a common characteristic




Dances, sortable by name, formation, difficulty or date

Codes for following table
CW means Clockwise and CCW means Counterclockwise
* indicates suggested for first review.
!  transcription has video link to dancers doing the dance
?  Written in whole or part by another person
Ordered somewhat by date first written (many revisions may have followed) or, for dances written by others, date added to this document.
Click on a column heading to sort ascending, subsequent clicks reverse the sort





Dance difficulty can be viewed from callers' or dancers' perspective.


From dancers' perspective, my exception-ridden, non-inclusive suggestions for rating dancees' difficulty follow. (But note that asking a dozen people for such suggestions will result in three dozen answers.)
Charactertisics of intermdiate+ dances which tend to appear in my dances are denoted with a circle (○).
• Beginner dances work well early in a session with up to half beginners. Each such dance will likely contain at most 5 fundamental figures such as long lines, star, circle, balance, courtesy turn, allemande, swing, chain, dosido once, down the hall and turn alone, pull by.
• Beginner/Intermediate dances work well once beginners have succeeded with several contras. No heys, but maybe box the gnat, right and left through, promenade across, shoulder round, California twirl, slide/yearn left or right, down the hall turn as a couple.
• Intermediate dances work best when most dancers have at least some experience, and can accommodate a few game beginners. Such dances might have a hey, figure 8, Cast off, dosido 1 1/2, wavy lines (across or along),
  • promenade across and loop to face a different couple
  • balance a wave and spin/slide to the next
  • brief interaction with someone in an adjacent foursome
  • forward and back with a roll away,
  • sequences with a suprising meeting of a partner or neighbor
  • any non-standard figure that must be taught
• Intermediate/Advanced dances might contain, contra corners or any of the following
  • box circulate
  • pairs w/i a foursome moving differently (e.g. simultaneous orbit and dosido
  • multi-directional progressions without side changes
  • a hey that ends in wavy lines at the sides
  • two or more items from intermediate list
• Advanced dances might have    
  • double fig 8
  • complex end effects
  • multi-directional progressions with side changes
  • anything inherently disorienting e.g.consecutive half heys)
  • unusual use of anything from Intermediate/Advanced



From a caller's perspective factors which increase the difficulty of teaching or prompting a dance. Teaching and prompting often have different difficulties
Teaching
• Disorienting figures
• Unique figures or nuances requiring specific explanation or demonstration
• Difficult to visualize
• Number of special instructions required
• Multi-directional progressions with side changes
• Must tell people who they face after one or more figures
  (for a given dance, may be needed by less experienced crowds).
Prompting
• Difficulty increases with number of prompts required
• Need for relatively lengthy or very precisely timed prompts
Difficult to teach dances, when well taught to a group with appropriate skills, are often easy to prompt.






Positional Thinking, written first, to demonstrate an ocean wave with gents in center. Good for inroducing dancers to ocean wave and box circulate.

Two Waves, Five Balances is my favorite of these. Two Waves, Six Balances written to get a sixth balances into a dance. A New Way Home substitues a neighbor right shoulder round for the neighbor swing.

Doubly good ideas and Wow share the same A1 and A2 (circle left; ladies dsd while gents orbit to wavy line; balance and slide; swing new neighbor) Hoots and shouts


(Scroll down for the table with dances using the figure "right and left through on the 1/2 diagonal").

In the R&L across, dancers pull by the opposite role person directly across, and courtesy turn to end up facing the same couple across the set.  No progression results

A right and left on a (for example right) diagonal is double progression. Dancers pull by an opposite role person in the couple on the immediate (first) diagonal (i.e. an opposite role person two places to the right of the person across), and courte3sy turn to end up facing the couple who had been on the next further (second) diagonal.

A "right and left through on the 1/2 right diagonal" is single progression. Dancers pull by the same role person one place to the right of the person across, to finish facing the couple who had been on the immediate (first) right diagonal.    If dancers were starting this next to their partner, one might teach as:

1. Note couple on right diagonal as new neighbors, with whom you will trade sides and end up facing.
2. Note the person to your right of your neighbor (for gents, the other gent in your current foursome; for ladies, the lady in the noted couple). Important:   Warn dancers that near the end of set, one member of each couple will pull by a ghost.
3. Pull by right with this person, courtesy turn with partner, and adjust to face the noted couple.

Analogously, in a "right and left through on the 1/2 left diagonal," dancers pull by the person to the left of the person across (for gents the gent in the couple diagaonally left; and for the ladies, their current neighbor lady), and finish facing the couple who had been on the immediate left diagonal.

The idea of movement across the set on the 1/2 diagonal comes from Gene Hubert's Becket left dance "Balance and Think"

A1	Long Lines forward and back Gents allemande left 1 1/2
A2	Neighbors balance and swing
B1	Circle Left 3/4 (8) Balance ring (4) All trade on rt diag w/same role person (4) (The gents trade with someone in a different foursome, while the ladies trade with lady of current foursome.)
B2	Partners balance and swing


My first dance utilizing a progression along a 1/2 diagonal was Not Quite Fifty (2001). Some years later, the idea of a right and left on a 1/2 diagonal occurred to me, used in the following dances





A Becket Zigzag progression, an idea conjured by Ron Buchanan, has dancers change sides during each cycle through the dance, and progressing up or down the set, rather than left or right.

To illusrate, consider a dance starting in Becket position, in which the A1, A2 and B1 eturns dancers to their starting position. Then comes B2--right and left through across (putting dancers on the side they did not start) followed by a slice left. Dancers have progressed across the set on a slight right diagonal. The next cycle through the dance, the right and left through returns dancers to their original side and they slice right. This time the dancers have progressed on a slight left diagonal. Note that a right and left through on the 1/2 right [or left] diagonal in 8 counts accomplishes the repositioning for which the right and left across and slice left [or right] requires 16 counts

The transcriptions herein of becket zigzag dances always assume the first progression occurs on a slight right diagonal. Thus dancers in the line on caller's right progress down the hall. When teaching a becket zigzag dance, convey to the dancers
• that they will progress up or down, changing sides in each cycle
• whether dancers in their starting line progress up or down

When prompting a becket zigzag dance, the caller must either
• Keep track of and correctly prompt right or left at the critical moment, OR
• Just prompt the underlying figure such as "on the diagonal" or "slice" and depend upon the dancers to know their direction as up or down.

The becket zigzag dances in this collection include


The idea of a double progression using two consecutive progressing half heys comes from Dan Pearl's double progression improper dance "The Eye of the Storm" (published in the book )

A1	Neighbors balance and swing
A2	Circle left 3/4, partners swing
B1	Circle left 3/4; neighbors allemende right once or twice
B2	1/2 hey, ladies start with left shoulders, finish facing a 2nd neighbor. With 2nd neighbors, 1/2 hey, ladies start passing right shoulders, finish facing 3rd neighbor

The following dances in this collection borrow this idea. (Most are single progression because dancers at some point also progress backwards one place.)





Most dances in which the progression occurs out of a hey have the hey end with partners passing shoulders on the side, and one pair of same role dancers passing opposite shoulders in the the center. I think the first use of this is Roger Digle's improper dance "Roll in the Hey" (written in the mid 1980's)

A1	Circle left, neighbors swing
A2	Circle left 3/4, partners swing
B1	Long lines forward and back Ladies chain to neighbor
B2	Hey ladies start right shoulders. After gents pass right shoulders for second time, all progress to new neighbors


In contrast, several dances in this collection have the progresssion occur by either (i) neighbors passing shoulders on the side and stepping along the set to new neigbors, (ii) shadows passing shoulders and stepping along set to partners, or (iii) partners passing shoulders and stepping along set to a shadow





A figure which simulates one's likely path when swimming across a river.



With couples facing across, river swim right, moves each couple to the other side of the set and across from the couple who had been on the right diagonal. Dancers, in one continuous motion,
• Step forward to form one line in center, neighbors' right shoulders adjacent, but do not join hands
• Along set, pass neighbor by right, and then a next (same role) person by left
• Veer left towards opposite side of set (where each couple's members will again meet)
End effects for river swim right (may require a demo)
• Couple out at end aligns along and facing into the long line in center,
  lady in front of gent. long line in center,
• After this lady passes left shoulders with an approaching lady,
  this lady and partner veer left
To river swim left
• switch the words right and left and
• insert gent for lady in the end effects

End effects when dance has both a river swim right and a river swim left (demo likely needed).
• Couple out at end faces in as for an improper dance. long line in center,
• Person emerging from wavy line will pass one person of "out" couple by appropriate shoulder.
• "Out" couple steps to line opposite to which emerging person goes
(This river swim idea arose from seeking a hey equivalent to a right and left on a 1/2 diagonal.)

Dances in this collection which use river swim





Good dances do not require neighbor swings, as these several illusrate





Ortep - balance the ring and spin/shift left one place. When teaching this figure, suggest that dancers balance with their left then right foot before spinning/shifting left, and that any spin is CCW, i.e., over the left shoulder. Some dancers will do this naturally, but most will not. However, once the music starts, dancers can shift/spin however they wish. (Tony Parkes contributed the important teaching point of balancing left, then right.)

In 1810, and for some years before and after, Sudbury MA (incorporated in 1639) was the site of a monthly barn dance. One of the local dance masters, Allen Ortep, composed a contra dance, where four dancers would balance in a circle, left foot then right foot, followed by shift/spin left one place. Allen and another local dance master both had interest in the same lady. To shorten a long story, Allen did not get the lady, and eventually stopped attending the Sudbury dances. His successful rival then composed a dance where four dancers balanced in a circle, right foot then left foot, followed by a shift/spin right one place, and named it petronella (spell petronella backwards to find out why). To honor these events, Sudbury MA was given the zipcode 01776. (Thanks to Don Veino for pointing out Sudbury's zipcode.)

Today, many contra callers and composers have promoted the word petronella to both a verb and noun for a balance the ring followed by everyone shifting/spinning right one place. But if the spin/shift is instead to the left, the figure is better designated "Allen Ortep," or for brevity, "Ortep"




 Balance in a circle and then what?   Several possibilites exist, such as   
  • Twirl to swap  (to finish facing persons not in your circle)
  • With the person next to you, pass through across 
  • Leisurely circle one place either left or right 
  • Shift one place (with an optional spin) either along or across the set 

During the balance the ring,an individual dancer might choose to face  
  any direction in th 90 degree span between the two adjacent 
  persons in the circle--depending upon 
  (1) what individually  feels comforable at the moment given  
  (2) the figure preceding the balance the ring, 
  (3) the direction they will move after the balance the ring and 
  (4) the figure following the shift/spin.  

In this discussion, the mention of fractions or degrees of a spin after
  a cricle balane assumes that during the balance the ring dancers face 
  the person diagonally across  

Possibilites for the positional change of the shift/spin:
  (1) right or left within the circle, finishing either
    (a) in same foursome, or
    (b) facing up or down into a different foursome
  (2) right or left along the set.  Those who had been on the same side 
    of the set finish on the same same side but in a new foursome.
    The position change is identical to that of shifting to 
    face a new couple during long lines forward and back
  (3) one person "A" shifts along the set, leaving the current foursome, 
    and the person "B" who had been across from "A" shifts
    across the set to "A"'s previous place, putting "A" and "B" 
    across from two new persons.  If "A" shifed right/left, 
    "B" shifted left/right.  

The terms petronella/ortep will refer to the balance the ring followed a 
  right/left shift within the foursome, regardless of any optional spin  
  (Case (1)(a) above.) 

An optional spin may be 
  (1) to the right (clockwise), 
  (2) to the left (counterclockwise), or, 
  (3) rather than a spin, turning over the left/right shoulder 
      when shifting right/left 
During the balance the ring, most dancers will feel comfortable  balancing 
  first with the same side foot as the shoulder which will move backwards 
  during the spin

Two factors affect the most natural direction for an optional spin
   (suggested by the composer, since once the music starts,
    dancer can spin however they wish):  
   (1) the hand or shoulder which best leads into  the next figure, 
   (2) the amount of left vs right spin required to position that 
         hand or shoulder

During a petronella (shift right), 
  (1) we generally spin right (clockwise), most likely  
        because reforming the circle requires only a 3/4 (270 degrees) right spin, 
        easily done with four steps (R-L-R-L) in the allotted four beats of music.    
  (2) However, one might also choose to spin left by either
       (a) not spinning but just stepping right one place in the circle 
              while turning left 1/4 (90 degrees)  OR
       (b) somehow spinning left 1 1/4 (450 degrees), which does not seem within 
              4 beats' capability of most dancers)  OR
       (c) casting over one's left shoulder and stepping to the spot in the 
              circle one place to the right (also a possibly awkward 450 degrees)

Analagously, during an ortep (shift left), 
  (1) dancers should generally spin left (counterclockwise), most likely  
      because reforming the circle requires only a left 3/4 spin  (270 degrees), 
    easily done with  four steps (L-R-L-R)  in the allotted four beats of music. 
  (2) However, one might also choose to spin left by either
       (a) not spinning but just stepping left one place in the circle 
              while turning right 1/4 (90 degrees)  OR
       (b) somehow spinning right  1 1/4 (450 degrees), which does not seem within 
               4 beats' capability of most dancers)  OR
       (c) casting over one's right shoulder and stepping to the spot in the 
               circle one place to the right (also a possibly awkward 450 degrees)
  
But sometimes, shifting in one direction while spinning in the other makes sense.  
Consider the following unnamed improper dance

1    Balance the ring,  Petronella
2    Ladies chain to neighbor
3    Balance the ring, Petronella   (all now on the side ladies started dance,  
        gents to right of their partners)
4    Gents right chain to neighbor (all now back to where they started dance )
5-6  Either star left 3 places,  or balance the ring and cirle left one place 
     Partners swing (on side gents started dance)
7-8  Hey, gents start left, but upon passing neighbor for 2nd time, 
       turn right along set to face a new neighbor.

During each petronella, if dancers spin right, those having to pull across will 
need to change momentum  to best position their right hands.   
Thus for those persons, casting over left shoulders might be preferred.




The Dances




A1-B2 below have the 1's (those progressing down the line) as always active
Include C1-D2 to alternate the 1's and 2's as active.

The above A1-B2 has couple 1 always active. One can alternate active couples as follows
Notes:
• Active couples never star with partner. Inactives always star with partner—
  first right, then left.  The actives always join hands with one shadow for the
  right hand star, and with a second shadow for the left hand star.
• The A1-A2 sequence comes from Tony Parkes' "Here's to the Fiddler,"
  published in .




Initially have gents note the gent in the 2nd couple diagonally to the left as their new neighbor gent with whom they will allemande left.

End Effects to tell dancers:
• If no couple on left diagonal stay put.
• Odd couple at end of set wait to come in on left diagonal. (Only happens at the foot of sets with an odd number of couples.)


The timing of the first 12 counts of A1

I originally described the first 12 counts as "1/2 hey until partners meet (6), partners allemande right 1 1/2 so gents face in(6)"--which seems a bit tight, but doable.
Alternatively, dancers could "1/2 hey until partners passing right shoulders (8) and then allemande once so gents face in(4)".
But I suspect that what works best truth is in between these and unique for each couple.
The A1 given in the transcritpion allows each couple to choose the the best instant at which to start the allemande



Note: A more straightforward version of "Should Have Danced With Nancy," written 32 years later. They differ only in A1.




An odd couple out at the bottom of set intitially faces in as if for an improper dance.
Initially introduce dancers to their two shadows

• 1st: the person next to them who is not their partner,
  (those at the very end of the set are facing their 1st shadows)
• 2nd: opposite role person in couple beyond their partner

Alternative (more forgiving): End Effects (easily navigated by experienced dancers)
• With each shadow the dancers do something
  and then return to partner. Thus advise dancers to dance
  with ghosts when out at the end with either shadow
• The next three apply only when a partner couple is is out at the bottom. Being a double progression dance, this can only occur in sets with an odd number of couples.
  • (very important) Gents out at the end after B2's diagonal hey
    must scurry across the set to participate in A1's star
  • During the dosido, partners out at the end should dosido across
  • (very important) After the swing, couples out at the end must
    align themselves to re-enter on the right diagonal
Notes:
• The song "Me and My Shadow," matches the flow of the dance (especially B1),
  and reminds the dancers to seek their shadows.
• My first (and embarrassingly unsuccessful) attempt to call any version of this dance
  occurred in 1990 at the annual Breaking Up Thanksgiving dance weekend, starting
  the evening after the holiday and is organized by Chicago's contra dance group,
  the Chicago Barn Dance Company.   In May 1991, after adapting the B2 from
  "E.J.M.J.F. in Cincinnati" for this dance, I reluctantly selected the name.


Note: Written on the Sunday morning of Cincinnati's March 1991 Pigtown Fling dance weekend.



Note:  "Where is Tim's Cup?" and "And Thinking About Coffee Cups" share the same A2 and B1.



Alternative ending: Notes:
• "Where is Tim's Cup?" and "And Thinking About Coffee Cups" share the same A2 and B1.
• To end with a partner swing, dance as a Becket by starting with B2
• The three dances "Where is Tim's Cup?", "Dave Found the Missing Coffee Cup", and "And Thinking About Coffee Cups" were named to commemorate David Cantieni's "misplacing" Tim Cape's coffee cup for the whole 1991 Winter Dance Week at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC.




Initially inroduce dancers to 1st shadow (the non-partner next to them) and 2nd shadow (opposite role person in couple on pother side of partner).

Teaching Hints:
• Initially introduce dancers to their 1st and 2nd shadows.
• Upon facing off the end of the set with partner, dancers must immediately twirl to face baxck in, ready to participate in A1 and A2, dosidoing with each other across the set
• Dancers never star with their partner, except when they are the odd couple out at either end.


Note:    In this dance everyone simultaneously experiences the starring action in "Star Birth."  When this dance was written, a Broadway play "Drood," based on Charles Dickens' unfinished novel "The Mystery of Edwin Drood," allowed the audience to vote on how the play should end.  I originally composed several endings to discourage a friend (Al Olson) with a penchant for revising dances from doing so.   The friend promised not to propose revisions; I decided to present no more than one alternative for each figure.



Video Link During Saturday night 2016 Sugar Hill Weekend
(Took dancers a while to get it, because of music delay after teaching,
  and unexpected speed of music.)

Initially have dancers (i) note the couple on the left diagonal as next neighbors,
and (ii) momentarily trade places with partner to meet their shadow.


Teaching note: B1 really takes 18-20 counts, so tell dancers they will have time in B2 for either a 12 count swing or a balance and short swing.

End Effects (negotiable by experienced dancers without coaching)
• Couples out at end during partner swing, do the same and face in as if for an improper dance.
• Otherwise, when out at end with either shadow or partner,
  face back into the set with the gent on the right.

Historical notes:
• Named after Kathy Anderson's suggestion to me, after I tested this at her callers' workshop during Winter Dance Week, 1991, at the John C. Campbell School in Brasstown NC.  First called on Sunday February 16, 1992 to an unsuspecting group of very experienced dancers during Knoxville's annual dance weekend.
• Having mentally tagged this dance as difficult, it remained unused until August 2012, when reviewing my dances, this one now appeared quite straightforward for experienced dancers.  So I called it without difficulty at the Sugar Hill dance weekend outside of Bloomington IN later that month.  (Due to all the new choreography since 2000 or so, dances once considered difficult had since become straightforward for more experienced dancers)


Notes:
• Warn dancers of the timing in A1.
• Couples out the end of set (as well as any couple initially out at the foot) must always face into set with gent on right. (Savvy partners meeting at end of the set after A1 can balance and swing A2, end facing into set, with gents on left, changing places during the first part of B1.)



Teaching note: Dancers out at the end, whether with partner or shadow must face into set with the gents on the right!! Emphasize this several times while teaching this dance!!




Switch between A1-B2 and C1-D2 one or more times, or just one,
or use both in a medley.



Initially have dancers note couple on left diagonal as next neighbors,
but that dance starts with current neighbors


Notes:
• B1 runs 2-4 beats into B2. (Advise partners not to swing
  until both have reached the side where they started.)
• Dancers at the ends face in as for an improper dance--the gents on left, ladies on right.
• Debuted at the August 1993 Sugar Hill dance weekend outside Bloomington Indiana.
  The dance's name came from a combination of
  • Al Olson's objection to B1's overflow into B2, despite other dancers' very positive reaction, and
  • The urban legend that a child in the audience of a "Bozo the Clown" tv show , upon failing to win some prize, said to the host Bozo character "(expletive) you clown!" to which Bozo allegedly replied "That's a Bozo No-No."




Initially have dancers note their current neighbors straight across,
previous neighbors on the left diagonal and next neighbors on the right diagonal

Teaching Hints:
• Advise partners not to swing until both have reached the side where they started.)
• What to tell dancers about the end effects
  • They will pop off 3 times near the ends
  • Be ready to participate, as needed, in a promenade across with ghosts or in the stars
  • Don't worry who is on which side for the stars (because the stars will position you on the correct side for the partner swing)
Notes:
• A1's promenade and loop progresses dancers backwards one place while
  B1's two partial stars progress dancers forward two places,
  making the dance single progression.
• Although everyone ends up neutral three times at each end, the end effects are not difficult.
  Despite all the stuff, this dance is easy for experienced dancers.
• Roger Diggle's dance 'The Third Time's the Charm' (one of my favorites)
  has partners swing the 3rd time they meet, while this has neighbors
  swing the 3rd time they meet.

To toggle the details of the end effects Click Here
• Consider a couple that starts A1 at the right end of a long line, facing another couple across. Following them through 3 sequences of the dance:
• First sequence: This couple has no one to face after the 1/2 star of B1. They can 3/4 star with ghosts, and finsh B2 swinging on the side of set they started and face the ghosts across.
• Second sequence: They [promenade past ghosts and have no one to face after the first part of B1 (ladies allemande, gents orbit). They should switch sides with each other and face in (gent on right) while everyone stars 1/2, participate in the star right 3/4 and swing at the end of B2 on the opposite side from which they started.
• Third sequence: They promenade off the end of the set and should face in with the gent on the left
• HOWEVER: No harm occurs if dancers out at the ends before the stars incorrectly align, since the two stars will deposit them on the correct side for the partner swing !!



Note:   This dance is quite ingenious. The dance returns to proper
by having only one couple roll away.



Intitially have dancers note couple on left diagonal as previous neighbors, couple on right diagonal as next neighbors


Video: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=1565557309038    Note: The foreground of the video is at the head of a set, where some interesting end effects occur, so also watch the line in back.  This dance requires a few times through for the dancers to master.  (One may have to be logged into Facebook to view the video.)


Teaching Suggestions:   (Reading through these suggestions will help you visualize the dance, even if you choose to develop you own teaching script. These suggestions and two walk-throughs have successfully taught this dance to experienced groups as large as 150+.)
1. Initially have dancers line up improper and emphasize they will progress
   in the direction they are now facing.
2. Have everyone exchange places with their neighbor, so the 1's are below the 2's.
3. Have dancers note the new person now next to them (on gents' left and ladies' right)
   as both their 2nd neighbor, and their most important person in the dance
4. Also have dancers note a 3rd neighbor, two persons beyond the second neighbor
5. The second half hey can leave a few dancers disoriented, because after gents pass left shoulders, gents must look left and ladies look right to find their partner. So slowly walk dancers through each 1/2 hey, so they (a) know the pattern gents pass, partners pass, ladies pass, and (b) have practice finding their partner during the second 1/2 hey
6. Tell dancers that when out at end, face back in with gent on right.
   (This is not quite correct, but it is what the dancers should be told. 
   See End Effects (what to tell dancers) below.)


End Effects (what to tell dancers): The two times you pop off the end, always face back
in with the gent on the right and don't worry if you left shoulder round a wrong role person.

To toggle the details of the end effects Click Here
• Couples approaching the end of the set first pop off the end of the set after the 2nd hey, when their 2nd neigbors are the odd couple out (and the subject couple thus lacks 3rd neighbors). When this occurs, dancers left shoulder round with a ghost (or across the set with partner) and swing 2nd neighbor, (leaving them with neither a 2nd nor 3rd neighbor for the next time through the dance)
• This couple then pops off the end for a seoond time after the 1st half hey.
  They should
  • turn alone to face back in (the gents thus on the left),
  • wait during the 2nd 1/2 hey,
  • participate in the left shoulder round,
  • and then face back into the set, with the gent on the right
    to re-enter the dance on the next 2nd half hey.


History:
• Dancers gave this a lengthy ovation after its debut on Saturday night at the 1996 Breaking Up Thanksgiving dance weekend outside Chicago.
• Martha Edwards of St.  Louis would regularly bring her then teenage son Alex to many contra dance weekends.  Alex quickly became a most skilled dancer, and a favorite partner for all the adult ladies.  Alex, Martha and I maintained a running joke about the impossible task of my writing a dance which everyone in the hall except Alex could do.  On Saturday afternoon during the above weekend, I advised Alex and Martha that I'd call such a dance that evening.  Alas, Alex was missing from the dance floor at the critical moment, and hence the dance now had a name.  Alex did not dance this until several years thereafter.
• The next several times I called the dance, teaching this was a struggle. I have no idea what words I chose the first time I called it--maybe some deity intervened. Only some years later did I develop all the teaching suggestions presented above.




Once dancers have lined up, have them note the couple on the right diagonal as their 2nd neighbors, and the couple on the next further right diagonal as their 3rd neighbors.

Note:  In this more straightforward variant of "Where's Alex?".
(i) the ladies, rather than the gents, start the half heys, and
(ii) dancers reaching the end of the set face back in normally,
    i.e. with the gents on the left, ladies on the right.





At start of walk through, have dancers note the couple across as 1st neighbors, the couple on the left diagonal as 2nd neighbors, (whom they will pass by twice but never swing), and a further left diagonal couple as their 3rd neighbors. who will become new 1st neighbors

End Effects - what dancers should be told
Always face back in with gent on left, as in an improper dance.
(Couple out at end rejoining dance during the star will be in reversed position,
but the star will put them on correct side of set to swing.)

To toggle a detailed discussion of the end effects: Click Here
• What dancers should do whenver they pop off the end depends upon which figure popped them
  1. circle left and pass through - dancers optionally swing; finish facing into set with gents on left
  2. Promenade - dancers face back in with gents on left
  3. first 1/2 hey - dancers turn alone and face in (gents thus on the right),
     wait through second 1/2 hey and rejoin dance with star
  4. second 1/2 hey - position to enter dance for A1's promenade
• Being double progression, the order in which dancers experience a-d during their adventures near the end of the set depends upon whether or not A1 starts with an odd couple out (which occurs only at the bottom of sets with an odd number of couples).



To instead do the dance with the gents starting the heys:
Historical Note: First called in November, 1996 in Valparaiso, IN at the barn converted to a dance hall on land then owned by Jerry Ronneau.




At start of walkthrough, have dancers note couple across as current neighbors, and couple on right diagonal as next neighbors


Initially have dancers note couple on right diagonal as previous neighbors, couple across as current neighbors and couple on left as next neighbors. End effects (described below) are quite straighforward.

Suggestion:   Substitute either (a) a right shoulder round or (b) right hand balance and pull-by current neighbor for the A1 dosido. If (b), then a leisurely 3/4 star should have 8 beats,)


End Effects to tell dancers:  When facing no one after a half hey, just turn alone and wait until you are needed. An odd couple out at the beginning faces in as if for an improper dance

End effect details for those interested:
In this dance, dancers meet next neighbors in B2.
Consider a couple starting the sequence on the left end of the line, facing another couple, but with no couple to their left.
The 2nd half hey of B1 pops them out, the lady on the couple's original side, the gent on the opposite side. They turn alone to face in as if for an improper dance, and wait to joining for the A2 balance and swing.
The first half hey again pops them out, but with the gent on the original side. Dancers immediately again turn alone, wait briefly though the 2nd half hey, and participate in the new neighbor allemande.




Video: https://youtu.be/O34yi2kwy3w from 2009 Kimmswick Dance Weekend at Cuivre River State Park outside Troy, MO.  A brief segment of part of this dance starts at 5:00 End effect tips useful to dancers:

• Dancers with no one to dosido at end of set should dosido partners across the set.
• At end of set, swing partner with everyone else and face into set, then forward and back and roll away across set.

Named for the 1998 19th annual (since discontiued) Swing into Spring dance weekend--founded and organized by Tom and Andrea Morrison of Bloomington IN, and held at McCormack's Creek State Park in Spencer IN.





Have dancers note couple on right diagonal as 2nd neighbors, couple on next further diagonal as 3rd neighbors

Click here to learn about the the famous dance composer Allen Ortep.




An odd couple starting at the foot of the set faces in with the gent on the right

Teaching/visualization strong suggestions:
• Initially have dancers line up improper and indicate
  that they will progress in the direction they are now facing.
• Next, have everyone exchange places with their neighbor,
  so the 1's are below the 2's.
• Then, have dancers note the new person now next to them
  (on gents' left and ladies' right) as both their 2nd neighbor, and
  their **special person** in the dance
• Have dancers note a 3rd neighbor, two persons beyond the second neighbor
• Concerning end effects (suprisingly simple): Inform dancers that whenever they pop off end of the set,
  they should turn alone and face back in, wait until needed, but also F&B and roll away with partner across the set when everyone else does so on the side

End effects (What dancers need to know is surprisingly easy to convey.)
Near the end of the set dancers will pop off the end with partner hree times.

Every time time this happens, dancers must turn alone (never exchanging sides with partner) and wait until needed next needed.
(Actually, savvy dancers, when out at the ends, can dance with ghosts as explained in the End Effects Details below

Notes:
• Dancers swing each neighbor twice, first in A2, and then, during the next cycle of the dance, in B2.
• The dance's name comes from Dan Pearl, the author of the dance "Eye of the Storm," which first used the two consecutive half heys and from a dance I think named "Broken Promises," which had the (then new to me) sequence star left 3/4 and swing a previous neighbor. (If you come across this dance "Broken Promises" contact me).

End Effects Details (for those interested): Click Here


In this single progession dance, couples progress two places forward and one place back. Each couple pops off the end three times during their adventure near the end of the line, the first time when they start A1 in the last full foursome with an odd couple beyond them at the end. This is the couple we follow:

• The half hey at start of A2 spits the couple out, each partner on the side they started the dance. For the second half of A2, all of B1 and the first half of B2, either
  • the couple dances with ghosts (imaginary third neigbors), which will leave them facing back in the wrong way (gent on the right) OR
  • each dancer turns alone, facing back in the wrong way
  before particpating in the second neighbor swing ending B2.
  
  
• The couple now starts A1 in the last foursome,
  but without an odd couple at the end.
  The half hey in A1 spits the couple out, each partner on the opposite side from which they started.
  The dancers turn alone to face in as if for an improper dance, wait through A2's half hey and swing a 3rd neighbor to end A2.
  Gent allemandes with 3rd neighbor gent and swings partner. The star left 3/4 leaves them facing an imaginary 2nd neighbor, with whom they can either

  • Swing to end A2, then roll away to start A1, and the wait through the half hey of A1, OR
  • turn alone to face in the wrong way with gent on right, awaiting the second half hey.
  
  
• The switch in direction of progression occurs when dancers skip the first 1/2 hey.



Improper version shown (for a Becket Right version, start at B1) Notes:
• Hoots and Shouts, WOW!!, Rory O'Star and Doubly Good Ideas in this document
  also have dancers spin/slide from a wavy line to a new neighbor.
• I have no preference between the improper and Becket versions.


Note:
• A1, A2 and B1 are from Russell's dance "Chaos in the Cosmos"


Note:  The dance, probably written in the 1970's, appears in the book .
Here, the A and B parts of Al's dance have been reversed to have the dance end with a partner swing.




Becket Right version      November 25, 1999.
Initially have dancers note couple on right diagonal as next neighbors.

Becket Left version     August, 1999
Initially have dancers note couple on left diagonal as next neighbors.
At ends dancers need to face in with gents on right!!
Note short swing on odd phrase, so be sure that tune has well defined phrases in A part





Video link: JanJam 2008, Urbana IL
(One may have to be logged into Facebook to view the video) Notes:

• When out at the end, dancers should face back in with the gent on the right,
  ladies on the left, to participate in the right and left.
• First called this at the barn (outside of Urbana, IL) of Kathy and Tom Anderson — during one of the occasional Sunday potlucks and dances they would host.  Susan Burt, who declared the dance quite "neat," asked me its name.  Not having named it yet, I invited her to suggest one, and without hesitation she replied "George?"



Video Link: During Saturday night of 2016 Sugar Hill Weekend

Teaching suggestion:
• (Very important) Some dancers, usually gents, seem to have trouble positioning themselves correctly for the long wavy lines.  At beginning of walk-through initially have dancers line up improper, and make long waves, with the gents facing out and the ladies in.  Advise dancers that they will momentarily reach this "special position."  Then have dancers circle left one place to Becket position.
• Emphasize to dancers, that they finish right the shoulder round/orbit in the "special position", joining right hands with their neigbor. 
• (Optional styling point)  Suggest that in order to ease the ladies' transition from the roll away into the star, the ladies end the roll away a bit towards the center of the set, and that the gents, with their left hands around the ladies' right wrist, guide the ladies into the right hands across.


Dancers at the 1999 Breaking Up Thanksgiving dance weekend NW of Chicago enthusiastically reacted to this then unnamed dance's debut.  Hence the name.


Note:  At ends, dancers must face in the wrong way, i.e., gent on right, lady on left !!



Note:   Written for the following sequence:
Right hands across, collapse into a wave, balance and spin to a new neighbor.



Note:   Warn dancers that couples out at ends after B2
should face back in with ladies on left, gents on right !!




This dance has a short swing on an odd phrase. See note below for a version without this.

After dancers line up, have them note the couple on their left diagonal as their next neighbors.

Note:   For those not liking the odd phrase neighbor swing in A2, have the neighbors balance and swing and push all subsequent figures back 8 beats, giving partners a short swing at the end of B2.


Teaching hints:
• Encourage the indicated A1 timing.
  Circle left 3/4 can be done in 6 beats, while dosido 1 1/2 in 8 is sometimes a stretch.
• At ends, dancers must face in the wrong way, i.e. gent on right, lady on left !!

Note:   This dance's title is based on the closing line ("Just say no to the do-si-do.") of a 1990 newspaper column by Chicago dance caller, and then Chicago Tribune columnist, Eric Zorn.







Note: This shares B1-B2, but not A1-A2 with Geometric Indiscretion

Once dancers have hands four, designate left diagonal couple as previous neighbors, couple across as current neighbors, and couple on right diagonal as next neighbors End effect advice to tell dancers:

• Warn dancers that each couple will be kicked off the end three times.
• If out during the partner swing, get ready to align on left diagonal to promenade past ghosts.
• When otherwise out at the end, face back in with the gent on the right
• Optional: Savvy dancers can be invited to particpate in parts of the dance when out at the end. (Suprisingly not difficult) They would participate with partner across set for long wavy lines and dosido, and star left with ghosts if necessary

For those interested in end effect details: Click Here
• The last couple on a side (i.e. facing a couple across, but with no couple to their right), will experience end effects for three cycles through the dance
• The first time through they will pop off the end with the spin in B1.  Partners can either wait or swing each other during the second half of B1 (as next neighbors) and all of B2 (as partners) BUT must be ready to to enter the dance on the left diagonal
• The next time through the dance, in the 2nd half of A1, they promenade past a ghost couple and loop left. After A2's 3/4 star, partners will be facing no one. They can dosido each other across and join right hands across the set to join in the long wavy lins. In B1 they balance and slide past each other to swing a new neighbor. In B2 they swing on the side of the set along which they will be now progressing.
• The third time through the dance, the A1 promenade sends them off the end again. They star left 3/4 with ghosts 3/4, and dosido whom they meet.




Note: This has a different A1-A2 from that in Geometric Discretion but the same B1-B2.

Have dancers note left diagonal couple as previous neighbors, couple across as current neighbors, and couple on right diagonal as next neighbors. End effects advice to tell dancers:

• Partners will find themselves popping off the end hree times.
• If out at the end during the partner swing, align on left diagonal to promenade across past ghosts
• Otherwise, face back in with the gent on the right



End Effects:   Dancers need to face back in with the gent on the right,


Alternative: Notes:
• Alternative for B2:  Star left 3/4, putting all on their original side. Those in front of their partner turn over their right shoulder, and partners swing.
• A caller could switch between the alternatives during the dance,
  in which case a star in B2, just suggested, would be preferred.




Becket Right Version
(Initially have dancers note right digonal couple as next neighbors.)

Becket Left Version
(Initially have dancers note left diagonal couple as their next neighbors.)




Alternatives for B1-B2 (Suggestion: Switch among these during the dance.)



After dancers have lined up Becket,

1. Introduce dancers to their shadow — person dancing opposite role in couple to gents' right and ladies' left
2. Have dancers note the couple on the right diagonal as their next neighbors
3. Have ladies note the other lady in their current foursome as original lady
Notes:
• At end of B2, dancers may have to look slightly digonally right to find new neighbors.
• The idea of moving across the set on a slight diagonal comes from
  the Gene Hubert dance "Balance and Think"
• First called at the Breaking Up Thanksgiving weekend outside Chicago
  in November 2001, as my birthday present to me.




Video Link to first ever calling of this: During Friday night 2016 Sugar Hill Weekend

Note:   A1 and the first half of A2 were posted by Nicholas Rockstroh as part of a Facebook discussion of a dance he was writing




Video Link of first time ever calling this: During Friday night 2016 Sugar Hill Weekend

Once dancers have lined up
• Any odd couple at the bottom aligns on right diagonal.
• Have dancers note couple on right diagonal as next neighbors,
  and that the next neighbor ladies will interact with each other three times.
• Tell dancers that the dance has two diagonal right and lefts, and that near the end one dancer will pull by a ghost.
Additional teaching recommendations:
• When teaching the Right and lefts on 1/2 diagonals emphasize that at the ends, one person will have to pull by a ghost.
• End effects:
  • Couples out at end after the R&L of A1 must cross set to re-enter on left diagonal.
  • Couples out at end during partner swing must line up to enter on right diagonal.
  • Neighbors out together at end after R&L of B1 can circle left with ghosts or just face back in to await partner swing. Dancers will natually negotiate this, no need to tell them.




Published in Colin's book Dances with a Difference, Vol. 4 and in the May/June 1993 CDSS News.



Published in Teaching Suggestions.   (Note ESSENTIAL items 1. and 4.)


1. Once dancers have taken hands six with one's crossed, ESSENTIAL to tell dancers
   1. 1's will be 1's all the way down the set and will never swing partner.
   2. 2's and 3's will alternate roles as they move towards top,
      swinging their partner every other time.
   3. They will always form groups of six, never groups of four, and that the groups of six always form after a B&S that starts the dance.
   4. the most important rule is when partners swing, they do so in the middle of the set and end facing the music.
   5. After swinging a neighbor, face across
2. After the A1's balance and swing, have dancers note how naturally the group of 6 forms
   (with those who swung neighbors and a partner couple below),
   and re-emphasize this on any subsequent walk-thrus
3. After A2's circle, note those who swung as "old" persons,
   and those adjacent who did not swing as "new" persons,
   and advise that during the dance their partner will sometimes be the old person and sometimes the new
4. ESSENTIAL to tell dancers about end effects:
   1. Couples out at the top cross over and wait two times until they have two couples with whom to dance, and start with a neighbor B&S and face across
   2. Couples at bottom always enter the dance with a partner balance and swing to face the music.
      • A lone couple out at the bottom will wait out one cycle and then join in with
        a partner B&S and face the music.
      • When two couples are out at the bottom of set they must exchange places,
        and the couple then closer to the music will next enter the dance with a
        partner B&S and face the music, while the other couple waits out a second time.
        (If the couples don't exchange places the couple at the end
           will never re-enter the dance.)
5. Review the basic rules before starting the music.
   After partner swing face the music.
   After neighbor swing face across.
   Always form circles of 6 after the balance and swing




Read the section on Becket Zigzag before reading this dance !!



Read the section on Becket Zigzag before reading this dance!! What should be conveyed to dancers during the walkthrough

• Dancers switch lines every time through the dance.
• Assuming the dance starts on the right diagonal, those starting in the line on the caller's right progress down, and those in the line on the caller's left progress up
• The dance consists of the repeating pattern do something, star left 3 places, dosido someone in an adjacent foursome, swing someone in your foursome
• End Effects: Couples out on the end
  • at the start of A1 re-enter the dance on the side opposite from which they emerged from which they emerged.
  • during the dosidos, face in with the gent on the the right. (Not critical, since facing in with the the gents on the left results in end dancers twice dosidoing with same role person)

Notes (not necessary to tell dancers)
• When the 1/2 diagonal R&L is on the right diagonal, dancers
  1. dosido a future neighbor before swinging a current neighbor, and then
  2. dosido a 1st shadow before swinging their partner
• When the 1/2 diagonal R&L is on the left diagonal, dancers
  1. dosido a previous neighbor before swinging a current neighbor, and then
  2. dosido a 2nd shadow before swinging their partner
• The dance's name comes from the initials star, dosido, swing--S.D.S being the moniker for the 1960's radical leftist group "Students for a Democratic Society"




Initially have dancers note couple on left diagonal as 1st new neighbors, and couple on next further left diagonal as 2nd new neighbors. An odd couple initially at end of set positions on left diagonal.

End effects (important to inform dancers):
• Partners, upon popping off the after either right and left, must switch sides,
  and wait to re-enter the dance from that opposite side.
• Stay put if there is no couple for the left diagonal R&L
• ALWAYS participate in the R&L on the 1/2 right diagonal,
  one person in each couple will pull by a ghost.




Initially have dancers note right diagonal couple as previous neighbors, couple across as current neighbors, and left diagonal couple as next neighbors. An odd couple at end positions to enter dance on right diagonal.

End effects (quite simple, but essential to convey to dancers):
• For the left diagonal right and lefts, stay put if there is no couple
• For the right and left across, participate with ghosts if no couple across
• ALWAYS participate in the R&L on the 1/2 right diagonal,
  one person in each couple will pull by a ghost.


Alternative


This dance requires extra room up and down the set.
Initially have dancers note the two persons across the set on either side of their neighbor--the one to the right as a first corner, the one to the left as the second corner
Notes:
• In teaching A2, have dancers circle left 3/4 and pass right shoulders with their neighbor in the first 8 counts, and finish the dosido 1 1/2 in the second 8 counts
• The tune should have a reasonably well defined first 8 counts of B1 to accomodate the short neighbor swing
• An alternative, best named "Dosido Cubed," eliminates the dosido 1 1/2, the odd phrase swing, and the partner dosido:





Initially note couple on right diagonal as first new neigbors and couple on next further right diagonal as second new neighbors. See the more complete Suggested Teaching Script below if you wish
End effects (**what must be conveyed to the dancers**)
• During the right and lefts near the ends of set, dancers will experience having
  one dancer pull by a ghost.
• Couples will out at the end three times.
  A couple facing no one after the ...
  • first right and left, stays put. A couple will appear quickly across
  • second right and left, promenades past ghosts
  • promenade, crosses the set and lines up to re-enter the dance on the right 1/2 diagonal
  Suggestion: To lessen the challenge for dancers to remember these 3 end effects, instruct the gents to remember the first, the ladies to remember the second, and both to remember the third.
• An odd couple at the beginning of the dance aligns to enter the dance on the right diagonal

To toggle a suggested teaching script (which one can use all, part or none of):   Click Here

• Have any odd couple at the end position to enter dance on the right diagonal
• Introduce dancers to first and second next neighbors.
• Inform dancers
  • >The dance starts with two slightly diagonal right and lefts, to be explained in a moment
  • They will be out at the end three times.
• Explain the three ways, noted above, that dancers ae out at thene.
• Teach the 1/2 right diagonal right and left.
• Now twice walk-through the figures of the dance. Before the the second right and left, note that the same ladies pull by each other.

Notes:
• First called 31 December 2022 at the 26-31 December 2022 Winter Contradancers' Delight, organized by Warren and Terry Doyle on these dates every year since 2003 (except 2020 due to covid)
• Around the Moon (French: Autour de la Lune, 1869) is the sequel to Jules Verne's 1865 novel, From the Earth to the Moon (1865). The sequel continues the science fictional trip to the Moon begun in the first novel. English editions eventually combined the two under the title From the Earth to the Moon and a Trip Around It.

Those interested in the end effects' details:    Click Here

• Couples first encounter the end when starting a cycle in the second foursome from the end, the last full foursome to this couple's right. The second right and and left (on the left diagonal leavs them facing a ghost couple across. The immediately promenade and loop past these ghosts
• In the cycle, the couple is in hhe last couple before the end, but wit an odd couple diagonally to the right. The right and left on the 1/2 right diagonal leaves them facing one. They stay put, and a couple will appear after the right and left on the 1/2 left diagonal. They promenade past this new couple to end up staring into space facing no one. They then cross the set and wait on the left diagonal tore-enter the dance


Becket Left by starting at B2

Notes:
• In the first part of A1, gents shift to the the place of the lady on the left in the adjacent foursome, and ladies move to where their partner had been
• How should dancers balance and spin in A1?
  Two possibilities exist:
  • Balance on right then left foot, and cast over right shoulder. This orients dancers' right shoulders for the dosido.
  • Balance on left then right foot, and the spin CCW while shifting.
     The caller may want to suggest one or both of these,
         but note that dancers can get there however they wish.
• Different A1-A2, but same B1-B2 as Allen Ortep's Sister


Note: Different A1-A2, but same B1-B2 as Allen Ortep's Brother


Becket Left version shown. For improper start with B2


Alternative:
• Balance the rings right foot first, and slide/spin right results in the gents, rather than the ladies, swinging twice on their home side.
• For sufficiently experienced dancers, one could alternate or switch between versions during the dance



Initially have dancers note that (i) couple on left diagonal are next neighbors,
and (ii) dance starts with current neighbors

Teaching hints:
• The first [second] wavy line has gents' right [ladies' left] hands joined in center and partners left [neighbors' right] hands joined at ends.
• When lines of four balance, those at each end balance towards then away from each other
This dance shares A1-A2 with Three Waves Six Balances on the Head of a Pin


Initially have dancers note that (i) couple on left diagonal are next neighbors,
and (ii) dance starts with current neighbors


Teaching hints:
• The first [second] wavy line has gents' right [ladies' left] hands joined in center and partners left [neighbors' right] hands joined at ends.
• When lines of four balance, those at each end balance towards then away from each other
This dance shares A1-A2 with Three Waves Five Balances on the Head of a Pin

See Alternative below to include a neighbor swing.
Teaching Hint: Have dancers note couple on left diagonal as future neighbors.
Alternative (to include a neighbor swing,
the differences from original noted in underlined italics):


Notes:

• Balter - to dance artlessly, without particular grace or skill, but usually with enjoyment.
• Although neither expected nor intended, this dance is suitable for a
  crowd with a high proportion of beginners, as one caller reported to me:
  "I called a couple of your dances tonight. There were totally brand new dancers in the mix--folks with not even other dance experience--so even basic stuff required like 3 walk-thrus. We did Dave Found The Missing Coffee Cup, and Balter Dance. Balter Dance was particularly well received for its chains for both ladies and gents, which is rare, and works beautifully with the alternating stars. One person commented that it was great for helping new dancers, since you're in physical contact with either a partner or neighbor almost all the time, so you don't get lost or wander in the wrong direction."
  So by accident, this dance was aptly named.



This dance's unusual end effects, if explained as noted below, are easily negotiated by dancers.
End Effects (what must be told dancers):
• At beginning of walkthough warn dancers that they will pop off the end of the set with their partners three times.
• Couples popping off the end must immediately twirl to face back in as if for a regular improper dance, to participate in either a balance the ring or a right and left on the left diagonal.

End Effects Details (for those interested): Click Here

Couples approaching the end of the set first pop off after the second balance the ring and pass through to await the left diagonal right and left through.
The next time through the dance, they pop off after the first balance the ring and pass through to immediately twirl and face back in for the second balance the ring and pass through. The right and left again pops them off the end, after which they face in and await the first balance the ring



Have dancers initially note diagonally left couple as next neighbors.
End effects (demo would seem helpful):
• During the river swim couple out at end aligns with long line in center, lady in front of gent.
• After this lady passes left shoulders with an approaching lady,
  this lady and partner veer left to face out


End effects (demo might be helpful):
• During the river swim couple out at end aligns with long line in center, lady in front of gent.
• After this lady passes left shoulders with an approaching lady, this lady and partner gent join line to their left for the balance and California twirl
Notes:
• Name of this dance reflects its formation.
• I originally this dance on Aug 25, 2021, but starting at B1 and naming it "A Second River Swim". I eventually independently/inadvertently recomposed it in indescent formation, which seemed more distinctive.



Have dancers initially note the couples across, on the right diagonal and on the next further right diagonal respectively as their first, second and third neighbors.
Alternative for B2:
Chain to partner; (8) Balance in a circle (4)
Move to place of person to left by turning over right shoulder (4),
finish facing 2nd neighbors (Gents move to place of a shadow, ladies move to partner's place.)

End effects (demo might be helpful):
• Odd couples out during a river swim (which happens twice) face in as if for an improper dance. Person emerging from long line in center (one time a gent, one time a lady) will walk around same role person of the out couple. The out couple then veers to face out on side opposite from which the approaching person went.
• Odd couple out at end of B2 slides left to join line on left to face previous neighbors


Note: Starting the dance with B1 makes the progression one couple back and two couples forward



Intially have dancers note couple on left diagonal as 2nd neighbors and couple on 2nd left diagonal as 3rd neighbors
Alternative:


In honor of its 1990 75th anniversary, the Country Song and Dance Society published " Gems", a book of songs and dances, which included "Cellar Door", a triple prgression contra by Timothy Grant, written in 1989. See B1 for my tweak. Notes
• This table indicates the resulting progression when the first called right and left in B1 is in the left colunm and the second is in the top row. 1 means single, 2 means double, and so on. Positive numbers for left progression, negative numbers for right progression.

  	Left	1/2 Left	Across	1/2 Right	Right
  Left	1	2	3	4	5
  1/2 Left	0	1	2	3	4
  Across	-1	0	1	2	3
  1/2 Right	-2	-1	0	1	2
  Right	-3	-2	-1	0	1

  
  
• The next two tables extract from the previous table the progressions when only using eiher full or 1/2 diagonal right and lefts

  Left Across Right Left 1 3 5 Across -1 1 3 Right -3 -1 1

  1/2 Left Across 1/2 Right 1/2 Left 1 2 3 Across 0 1 2 1/2 Right -1 0 1

  
  
• End effects: Couples out at any end must quickly position themselves facing in as for an improper contra, ready to slide left or to enter on one of the diagonals.
  
• This has been danced several times using full diagonal right and lefts, but never with 1/2 diagonal right and lefts. Suggested that only full or only 1/2 diagonal right and left be used.



Note:  First draft written on Thanksgiving Day 2022, but finalized the night before its Dec 28, 2022 debut at the 26-31 December 2022 Winter Contradancers' Delight Holiday, organized on these dates every year since 2003 (except 2020 due to covid) by Warren and Terry Doyle. To my surprise, the rather experienced group of 40 or so dancers ended up in the correct place after the first walk-through.    Not to my surprise the group reacted enthusiastically to the dance
To toggle discussion of possible variations to this dance Click Here


A possibility for A1:
Balance the ring, spin/slide right one place.
Neighbors swing

Possibilities for A2:  
• Forward and on the way back, gents slide right, ladies roll left
  
  1/2 hey, gents start right shoulder.
  Ladies, upon approaching neighbor, turn/spin as needed to form circle.
• Forward and on the way back, ladies slide left, gents roll right
  
  1/2 hey, ladies start left shoulder.
  Gents, upon approaching neighbor, turn/spin as needed to form circle.
• 1's half figure 8 above
  2's half figure 8 below
  
• Double 1/2 figure 8,
  1's start crossing below in center,
  2's start casting out above
  Long lines forward and back
• Gents chain to partner
  Balance the ring, all spin/slide right within the circle.
The dance could be started at any of the four parts.
• If started at B1, dance is improper
• If started at B2, dancers line up becket, but with partners exchanging places with and facing each other on the side
• If started at A1, dance is Becket counterclockwise
• If started at A2, dancers line up with 2's, rather than 1's crossed
Here is one alternative, given the above possibilities:

2's, rather than 1's crossed. (Starts at A2 of above version)


This is a group of dances, all sharing the same A1 and A2

Dancing as a Becket Sicilian circle, removes the end effects.
Initially introduce dancers to (a) couple on left diagonal as next neighbors (with gents taking especial note of each other), (b) Non-partner next to you as 1stshadow, (c) 2nd person beyond 1st shadow as 2nd shadow
Rusty Wheel Reel #1 End effects for Rusty Wheel Reel #1 (what dancers need be told)
• If out at end with either partner or someone else, align to re-enter dance on left diagonal. (The someone else will be dancers' 2nd shadow, but just say "someone else")
• When with someone and no couple on left diagonal for first hey, switch places with each other. Don't panic if partner shows up as next neighbor. (The someone wiil be dancers' 1st shadow, but just say "someone".)
• Gents staring out into space after first hey (will happen twice) must scurry across set to find next neighbor to swing. After swing, face across if another couple at end, otherwise scurry to rejoin dance on left diagonal,

End Effects details for Rusty Wheel #1 (for those interested) In this dance, the person swung at the end of the first 1/2 hey becomes one's neighbor. Near the end, dancers become neighbors with their 1st shadow, 2nd shadow and the partner. Through several cycles of the dance we follow the gent initially in the 2nd foursome from the end with one foursome to left. The line this gent and his partner start is designated line A and the other line is line B
Notes:
• Multidirectional progession dancers almost always have partners moving up and down the set together. However, in this dance partners move in opposite directions--gents moving 2 positions forward and 1 position back, while ladies moving 1 position back, 3 positions forward and 1 position back-- for a net single progression.
• This dance has two half heys on the diagonal--the first with neighbors moving together away from partners and final shoulder pass by current neighbors along the set; and the second returning everyone to their partners and ending with the final shoulder pass by gents across the set.
• I wrote these dances in the early 1990's but did not really understand how it works until 2023. Nor do I remember why I chose this name. Having a half hey end by passing shoulders along the set was probably taken from the dance "Thanksgiving Day Turkey Reheated"


Alternatives (if no end effects described, I have not worked through their details):


Rusty Wheel Reel #2: Ends with partner balance and swing
Rusty Wheel Reel #3: Circle with 2nd shadow. End Effects for #3: Dance around the ends !!
• If no one in in front of you to balance and swing or balance and pull by, do so with person across. Gents near end, will once have to scurry across set to find new neigbor to swing.
• If swinging with new neigbor at end of set, face in as if for an improper dance.
• If out at end with partner line up on left diagonal to enter dance on hey

Rusty Wheel Reel #4: Circle with 1st shadow. Ends with partner swing

Dancers initially note couple on right diagonal as next neighbors. Alternative ending: To toggle the story of how this dance came about Click Here
On 6/30/2023, in the FB group "Rising Contra Dance Callers' Collective, Penelope Z Weinberger asked for everyone's favorite Becket glossary dance. In response, I started typing "Hey in the Barn" by Chart Guthrie, but inadvertently typed "Bard" instead of "Barn". After correcting my error, I jokingly suggested the still non-existent dance "Hey in the Bard" by William Shakespeare
Alan Prince Winston soon correctly responded: "I enjoy the 'Hey in the Bard' joke, but I don't think 'Hey in the Barn' is Becket."
Me [to save face]: "You are correct. But Hey in the Bard is Becket."
Alan: "Despite Shakespeare not having written anything about Henry II or his conflict with the Archbishop of Canterbury."
Now needing a Becket dance named "Hey in the Bard", I conjured this one (without the alternatives) and posted it. (The sequence N swing, gents start 1\/2 hey, ladies ricochet, partners swing appears in several of my dances.)
Andrea Nettleton observently ended the sub-sub-thread with: "I don’t count ricochets as glossary. But nice dance!"
I later realized that although aware of an association of the word "bard" with Shakespeare, I did not know its definition, which I quickly discovered as one who writes epic poetry. So I modified the dance's name slightly.
Given my need for a dance, it would be appropriate if Shakespeare had coined the adage "Necessity is the mother of invention." However, Shakespeare gets only partial credit, having written in Julius Caesar, "Nature must obey necessity." The English dramatist, William Wycherly, in 1671, said it in the form we know it today. "However it is said, it is no less true. Necessity will produce the indicated invention."
Source: https://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/17/messages/524.html




Initially have dancers note couple across as current neighbors, and couples on left and right diagonals as previous and next neighbors. An odd couple at the end of a set faces in with the gent on the left.
What to tell dancers
• Each cycle through the dance has four swings in this order-- with previous neighbor, with current neigbor, with next neighbor, with partner.
• Since the dance has four swings, dancers should avoid exta rotations during swings.
• Concerning end effects... Couples pop off each end three times. Each time they can swing, but must be ready to re-enter the dance on the side they are needed for a swing (on the side). The first and third times the gents will face in on the left, the second time on the right.


For those interested in details of the end effects Click Here


Dancers in each couple experience end effects over three cycles of the dance. All four swings occur on the even phrases (A1.b, A2.b, B1.b, B2.b)
• The first cycle starts when they are in the last foursome, with no couple to their right. In A1.b they swing previous neighbors, In A2.b they swing current neigbors. The twirl of B1.a leaves them facing no one off the end, and remain out for B1.b (next neighbor swing), all of B2 (ending with a partner swing), and the next A1.a (circle left and pass through to previous neighbors). During this B1.b through A1.a they can swing with each other, but must face in with the gents on the left for the second cycle's A1.b. {Interestingly, if swinging in B1.b, they do so as next neighbors. If swinging in B2.b, they do so as partners.]
• For the second cycle the couple joins in A1.b's previous neighbor swing, after which A2.a's 1/2 hey again pops them off the end a second time as each other's curent neighbors. They can swing, but must face in with the gent on the right to re-enter the dance in B1.b's next neighbor swing. They participate in B2's ring balance, shift right and partner swing.
• The start of the third cycle (circle left 3 places and pass through along) pops dancers out a third time. They can swing (as previouj neighbors) and face back in with the gent on the left for B1.b's current neighbor swing..





Although couples progress to the right, have dancers
start with the gent on the right, lady on the left.
Initially have dancers note couple across as current neighbors,
couples on left and right diagonals as previous and next neighbors.

Notes:
• This dance has four swings (all on the odd phrase), so suggest dancers minimize rotations during swings.
• This dance has the same sequence of figures as Swing Fever, but starting with the partner swing in B2's second half. A very different feel earned it a separate name.




Initially have dancers note couple across as current neighbors, couples on left and right diagonals as previous and next neighbors.
Note: As this dance has four swings, suggest dancers minimize rotations during swings.



Initially have dancers note couple across as current neighbors, couples on right and left diagonals as previous and next neighbors.
Note: As this dance has four swings, suggest dancers minimize rotations during swings.

Alternative