Hi Martha and all, guess we're diverging from the original subject here, but I always had an interest in a contra corners dance that was useable for long sets.. That, to me anyway, meant double progression and possibly a swing for the inactives (just in case).. Here's the dance I wrote almost 20 years ago that fits the bill..
below is cut and pasted from my website: FACE THE MUSIC A duple improper, double progression contra by Bill Olson A1 Circle L 1/2, INACTIVES Swing (face up) (16) A2 With new neighbors up the hall in 4's (inactives are in the middle)(8) turn alone and return, face across (8) B1 Actives turn contra corners (16) B2 Actives balance and swing, face down(16) Notes: This was my first attempt at a double progression contra corners dance. Obviously it requires some room above the set. I like to tell the inactives to be ready to "scoop up" the actives after the swing in B2 so they will get more swing in A1! First called at the Dover, NH, dance on 9/27/97. Nat Hewitt and Jacqueline Schwab were playing. On the first walk-through I had everyone stop at the middle point of A2 and I introduced the band. That was also when I thought of the name for the dance! A side note.. I called this dance at a weekend in North Carolina in the late 1990's and Gene Hubert was dancing.. He always wore white when he was dancing so he sort of "stood out".. Just about every time for the inactives swing and face up in A1, he faced down and had to quickly correct and turn around and face up.. One time when he was near the top of the set, right in front of me, he fell down doing the switch and I have this vision of Gene laughing uncontrollably while lying on his back in the middle of the set while the dance was going on. Afterwards he came up and said, "you have to keep calling that dance".. which I have.. anyway.. there it is for what it's worth.. bill
