Miscellaneous Contra Dances


Notes

These are dances that I think should be published, but there is no obvious place to put them. So here is my page of miscellaneous dances. Cary Ravitz

This page is maintained by Cary Ravitz.

Last modified 5:41 PM, 28 Aug 2024 - File size 37K - Count 25772 - sitemap - robots

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Dances

Another Slice
Berea Spring Gypsy
Box the Gnat Contra Variation
Cheat Lake Gypsies
Country Doctor's Reel Variation
Cows Are Watching
Crash Landing
Declaration of IndepenDance
The Green Eyed Girl Variation
Joyride Variation
Louis' Cincy Bus
Parmesan
Pigtown Poussette
The Raeden Reel Variation
Red Dresses
Shades of Shadrack Variation
Solar Nebula
Two Hertz
WarmUp
Whispering Wind

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Another Slice Janet Bertog, Robert Cromartie, Tom Durkin, Trish Finn, Roy Gruver, Cary Ravitz, Tom Senior, Steve White at Contradancers Delight Holiday, Morgantown WV         12-2012  

Becket

In long lines, your partner is in one hand, your shadow is in the other hand.

A1 - On the left diagonal walk forward to meet a new couple (4).
- Back up straight to form a set of four with this couple (4).
- Pass through to a wave across and balance (4+4).
 
A2 - Partners allemande right 3/4 to long waves and balance (4+4).
- Shadows allemande left 1/2 (4).
- Men pass by the right (4).
 
B1 - Neighbors balance and swing (16).
 
B2 - On the right diagonal walk forward to meet your partner (4).
- Back up straight and men take partners to their home side (4).
- Partners swing (8).
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Berea Spring Gypsy workshop at Berea KY         4-2003  

Improper contra

A1 - Go down the hall with twos in the middle (5).
- Turn as a couple (3).
- Come back up (5).
- Ones cast around the twos (3).
 
A2 - Ones half figure eight around the twos (8).
- Ones face down, twos face up.
- With a new couple gypsy for four 3/4 (8) (star right without hands).
 
B1 - Partners gypsy and swing (16).
 
B2 - Men allemande left 1+1/2 (8).
- Neighbors swing and end facing down (8).
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Box the Gnat Contra Variation Becky Hill, et al  

Improper contra

A1 - Neighbors join men's right hand and ladies' left hand.
- Balance and star through (twirl to swap) (8).
- Partners join men's right hand and ladies' left hand.
- Balance and star through (8)
 
A2 - Neighbors balance and swing (16).
 
B1 - Circle left 3/4 (8).
- Partners swing (8).
 
B2 - Right and left through across (8).
- Ladies chain across (8).
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Cheat Lake Gypsies Janet Bertog, Robert Cromartie, Tom Durkin, Trish Finn, Roy Gruver, Cary Ravitz, Tom Senior, Steve White at Contradancers Delight Holiday, Morgantown WV         12-2012  

Becket, counter-clockwise

A1 - Take hands in a ring and balance (4).
- Ladies gypsy 1/2 (4).
- Neighbors swing (8).
 
A2 - Neighbors promenade around the full set (oval), counter-clockwise (6).
- Ladies turn back to find a new neighbor (2).
- (New) neighbors swing (8).
 
B1 - Take hands with the full set and circle left (8).
- Keep your neighbor and look for your partner to circle left 3/4 (8).
 
B2 - Partners gypsy and swing (16).
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Country Doctor's Reel Variation Merilee Karr, et al  

Improper contra

A1 - Balance and spin to a line across, men in the middle facing out, ladies on the ends facing in (8).
- Balance and spin to contra lines, facing opposite the direction of progression (8).
 
A2 - Balance and spin to a line across, men on the ends facing in, ladies in the middle facing out (8).
- Neighbors allemande right 1+1/2 (8).
 
B1 - Men allemande left 1/2 (2).
- Partners swing (14).
 
B2 - Right and left through across (8).
- Ladies chain across (8).
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Cows Are Watching Bill Pope, Judy Goldsmith  

Becket, counter-clockwise

A1 - Long lines go forward and back (8).
- Ladies allemande right 1+1/2 (8).
 
A2 - Neighbors balance and swing (16).
 
B1 - Take hands in a circle and balance (4)
- With partners (across the set) ladies roll away and men half sashay (4).
- With partners zigzag left and right around neighbors (8).
 
B2 - With new neighbors men allemande left 1+? (8).
- Partners swing (8).
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Crash Landing Rick Mohr's workshop at Pigtown Fling, Cincinnati, OH         6-2014  

Becket

A1 - Pass through across to a California twirl (8).
- Men go forward and right to start a mad robin (6).
- Men cross the set (straight across) and face out, ladies shift left and face in to make long wavy lines at the sides (2).
 
A2 - Balance right and left and slide right to new neighbors (8).
- (New) neighbors swing (8).
 
B1 - Men pass left to start a 1/2 hey (8).
- Men allemande left 1+1/2 (8).
 
B2 - Partners gypsy and swing (16).

The mad robin to waves at the side is from Mad Robin Landing by Will Mentor.
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Declaration of IndepenDance workshop Georges Augustin, Janet Bertog, Robbie Coooper, Mary Beth Geene, Marianne Jackson, Elizabeth Peters, Cary Ravitz, Rohit Watson, Jill Whalen at Pigtown Fling, Cincinnati, OH         3-2016  

Becket, counter-clockwise

In long lines, your partner is in one hand, your shadow is in the other hand.

A1 - Pass through to a wave across (4).
- Partners allemande right 1/2 to a wave across with men in the middle (4).
- Walk a U shaped path - forward, shadows (in the next wave) 1/2 gypsy, and come back to form a wave across with ladies in the middle, partners holding right hands (8).
 
A2 - Balance (4).
- Ladies allemande left 1/2 (4).
- Neighbors swing (8).
 
B1 - Star left 1 (8).
- With a new couple, star right 3/4 (8).
 
B2 - Men turn in and partners gypsy and swing (16).

The wave across, walk a U shaped path sequence is from Lisa's Contra by Tom Hinds.

The A1, A2 that we worked out at the workshop was pass through to a wave, balance, walk a U shaped path, balance, men allemande left 1/2, neighbors swing, which works very well, but that is identical to Lisa's Contra. I modified it, trying to keep the spirit of the dance.
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The Green Eyed Girl Variation Jim Kitch, et al  

Becket

A1 - Circle left (8).
- Hand across star left (8).
 
A2 - Men drop out and loop to the right to face in while ladies allemande left 1 (4).
- (Same set of four) partners pull by by the right (2).
- (Same set of four) men pull by by the left (2).
- Neighbors swing (8).
 
B1 - Right and left through across (8).
- On the right diagonal, only if there is someone there, ladies chain (8).
 
B2 - Partners balance and swing (16).
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Joyride Variation Erik Weberg, et al  

Improper contra

A1 - Neighbors gypsy 1+1/2 (10).
- Men step forward and right to start a mad robin (6).
 
A2 - Ladies pull to start a 1/2 poussette (6).
- Ladies pass left (2).
- Partners pass right to start a 1/2 hey (8).
 
B1 - Partners gypsy and swing (16).
 
B2 - Right and left through across (8).
- Circle left 3/4 and pass through up and down (8).
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Louis' Cincy Bus Rick Mohr's workshop at Pigtown Fling, Cincinnati, OH         3-2014  

Becket

A1 - On the left diagonal walk forward to meet a new couple (4).
- Ladies take (new) neighbor men straight back (4).
- Neighbor Swing (8).
 
A2 - Men allemande left 1+1/2 (8).
- Men keep left hands, pick up your partner, star promenade across, and butterfly whirl to face in (8).
 
B1 - Ladies allemande right 3/4 to a long wavy line in the middle while men slide right one place to face your partner (4).
- Balance (4).
- Ladies stay in place while men walk forward to make interlinked waves (4).
- Balance (4).
 
B2 - (With current neighbors) ladies walk forward to gypsy star 3/4 (8).
- Partners swing (8).

YouTube
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Parmesan Bradley Smith         3-2013  

Improper contra

A1 - Neighbors allemande right 1+1/2 (8).
- Men pass left to start a 1/2 hey (8).
 
A2 - Neighbors balance and swing (16).
 
B1 - Men allemande left 1+1/2 (8).
- Partners swing (8).
 
B2 - Ladies chain across (8).
- Star left (8).
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Pigtown Poussette Janet Bertog, Rachel E. Bolles, Trish Finn, Janet Levatin, John Morgan, Cary Ravitz, Josiah Roberts, Seth Tepfer at Pigtown Fling, Cincinnati OH         3-2012  

Becket

A1 - Circle left 3/4 (6).
- Men pull to start a 1/2 poussette (6).
- Men form a long wavy line in the middle and balance (4).
 
A2 - With a new neighbor man, men allemande left 3/4 (4).
- (New) neighbors swing (12).
 
B1 - Men step forward and right to start a mad robin (6).
- Ladies pull to start a 1/2 poussette (6).
- Ladies form a long wavy line in the middle and balance (4).
 
B2 - Ladies allemande right 1+1/4 (6).
- Partners swing (10).

While men or women are allemanding in the middle, those standing on the side should step sideways to align with the allemande.

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The Raeden Reel Variation Bob Isaacs, et al  

Becket

A1 - Men allemande left 1+1/2 (8).
- Neighbors swing (8).
 
A2 - Right and left through across (8).
- Star left (8).
 
B1 - Look away from the star for a new neighbor to balance and box the gnat (8).
- Men step forward and right to start a mad robin (8).
 
B2 - Men take right hands and ladies take left hands to make a gypsy star.
- Men go forward and ladies back up to turn the star 3/4 (8).
- Partners swing (8).
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Red Dresses Janet Bertog         6-2012  

Becket

A1 - On the left diagonal walk forward to meet a new couple (4).
- Back up straight to form a set of four with this couple (4).
- Ladies pass right to start a 1/2 hey and men push off (8).
 
A2 - Neighbors balance and swing (16).
 
B1 - Men pass left to start a 1/2 hey and ladies push off (8).
- Circle left 3/4 (8).
 
B2 - Partners (across) gypsy 1/2 (3).
- Walk 1 place clockwise around the circle of four, men walking backwards (2).
- Partners gypsy 1/2 (3).
- Partners swing (8).

The sequence gypsy/promenade/gypsy sequence in B2 is called a traveling gypsy and is derived from the dance Flapjack Express by Joseph Pimental.

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Shades of Shadrack Variation Gene Hubert, et al  

Becket

A1 - Circle left (8).
- Partners do-si-do 1+1/4 to a wavy line across (8).
 
A2 - Balance (4).
- Men allemande left 1/2 (4).
- Neighbors swing (8).
 
B1 - Right and left through across (8).
- On the right diagonal, only if there is someone there, ladies chain (8).
 
B2 - Partners balance and swing (16).
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Solar Nebula Janet Bertog and Cary Ravitz         10-2012  

Becket

A1 - On the left diagonal walk forward to meet a new couple (4).
- Back up straight to form a set of four with this couple (4).
- Men allemande left 1+1/2 (8).
 
A2 - Neighbors balance and swing (16).
 
B1 - Ladies chain across (8).
- Ladies allemande right 1+1/2 (8).
 
B2 - Ladies keep hand, pick up your neighbor, and star promenade across (4).
- Ladies allemande right 1/2 (2).
- Partners swing (10).

The sequence pick up your neighbor, star promenade, ladies allemande in B2 is called a revolving door from Revolving Door by Brian DeMarcus.

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Two Hertz workshop at Contradancers Delight Holiday, Morgantown WV         12-2013  

Becket

A1 - Promenade across and shift right one place to face a new couple (8).
- Ladies pass right to start a 1/2 hey, men push off and trade roles in the hey (8).
 
A2 - Neighbors balance and swing (16).
 
B1 - Men step forward and right to start a mad robin (8).
- Men pass left to start a 1/2 hey, ladies push off and trade roles in the hey (8).
 
B2 - Partners gypsy and swing (16).

This is designed around David Hertzberg's concept for the sequence mad robin, hey, gypsy, swing.

(2 hertz = 120 beats per minute - contra time.)

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WarmUp Jerry Blum, Patti Gutwein, John Lenarduzz, Kathryn C. Millis, Josh Moses, Dave Notman, Bill Olson, Kate Power, Cary Ravitz at Winter WarmUp, Columbus OH         12-2010  

Double improper contra

A1 - Lines of four go forward and back (8).
- Up and down in sets of four, ladies pass right to start a 1/2 hey (8).
- Each couple turn slightly to face the diagonally opposite couple.
 
A2 - In the set of eight, ladies star right 1/2 (6).
- First neighbors swing and end facing across (10).
 
B1 - Across in sets of four, men allemande left 1+1/2 (8).
- Second neighbors swing and end facing up and down (8).
 
B2 - Up and down in sets of four, circle left 3/4 (8).
- Partners swing and end facing your original direction (8).

Alternate A1

A1 - Lines of four go forward and back and the two couples with the men on the outside roll away with a half sashay so that men are in the middle (8).
- Up and down in sets of four, dancers on the right (lady who did not roll away, man who did a half sashay) pass right to start a 1/2 hey (8).

The alternate A1 puts the lady who did a roll away into a better position to start the star right. This is obviously harder to teach, but maybe more interesting to dance.

Alternate A1,A2 by Seth Tepfer.

A1 - Lines of four go forward and back (8).
- Each couple turn slightly to face the diagonally opposite couple.
- In the set of eight, ladies star right 1/2 to a courtesy turn (grand chain) (8).
 
A2 - Up and down in sets of four, ladies pass right to start a 1/2 hey (8).
- First neighbors swing and end facing across (8).
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Whispering Wind Janet Bertog         6-2012  

Becket

A1 - On the left diagonal walk forward to meet a new couple (4).
- Back up straight to form a set of four with this couple (4).
- Ladies allemande right 1+1/2 (8).
 
A2 - Neighbors balance and swing (16).
 
B1 - Men pass left to start a 1/2 hey (8).
- Men step forward and right to start a mad robin (8).
 
B2 - Partners (across) gypsy 1/2 (3).
- Walk 1 place clockwise around the circle of four, men walking backwards (2).
- Partners gypsy 1/2 (3).
- Partners swing (8).

The sequence gypsy/promenade/gypsy sequence in B2 is called a traveling gypsy and is derived from the dance Flapjack Express by Joseph Pimental.

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