This will sure work but I’m not sure it fulfills the “beginners” niche—the piece count will be a real struggle for some new dancers. I can imagine it going in a very specific place in a program though, like if you wanted to build some timing/moving-fast skills but hadn’t yet introduced role differentiation.
-- Maia McCormick (she/her) 917.279.8194 On Sat, Sep 21, 2024 at 4:19 PM Jeff Kaufman via Contra Callers < [email protected]> wrote: > I was thinking about this more and had a go at writing a CW Becket dance > with a connected progression and no role dependency: > > Gremlins in the Keyboard (Jeff Kaufman) > Becket > > A1 > > (8) Long lines forward and back while sliding left > (4) Pass through across > (4) Turn alone to face back in > > A2 > > (8) Balance the ring, spin to the right (Petronella) > (8) Balance the ring, spin to the right (Petronella) > > B1 > > (4) Balance neighbor across the set > (4) Pull by right, pull by left with partner along the set > (4) Balance neighbor across the set > (4) Pull by right, pull by left with partner along the set > > B2 > > (2) Turn over your right shoulder > (4) Partner right shoulder round > (10) Partner swing > > Jeff > > On Tue, Sep 10, 2024 at 9:18 AM Peter Foster via Contra Callers < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Here's one, which borrows a fair bit from A Pillar of Weathersfield: >> >> (no name yet) >> becket, progressing to the right >> A1 Star left, star right >> A2 pass through and swing partner, finish facing down >> B1 Down the hall, turn as a couple, return and face across >> B2 Long lines F&B, promenade across and, in the courtesy >> turn, progress to the next couple, ready to restart >> with the star left >> >> Peter >> >> >> On 9/09/2024 2:50 am, Luke Donforth via Contra Callers wrote: >> >> Hello all, >> >> Oftentimes at One Night Gigs, I'll do a mix of circle and longways set >> dances. With scatter mixers and specialty dances, I can fill an evening. >> But sometimes I get a group that "wants contras" or is looking to grow >> their familiarity with the dance form. >> >> I think Becket dances without lark/robin distinctions and no neighbor >> swing are AN easy option into "hands-four" contras. There are other ways >> in, but I'm looking for more Beckets that match that description. For a >> while I've had "Pluck It" in my box as a friendly option: >> >> Pluck It >> Contra/Becket-CW >> >> A1 ----------- >> (8) Circle Left >> (8) Circle Right >> A2 ----------- >> (8) Left hand Star >> (8) Right hand Star >> B1 ----------- >> (8) Partner Do-si-do >> (8) Partner swing >> B2 ----------- >> (8) Neighbor Do-si-do across set >> (8) Long lines, yearn left >> >> This is, in my opinion, pretty close to the traditional mixer Scatter >> Shot but done as a keeper in Becket. (It does have a DSD across the set, >> which in a recent thread was listed as a no-no for some callers. While I >> wouldn't use that move at a dance weekend, for One Night gigs I think it's >> accessible and acceptable). You don't have to teach ballroom swing, and if >> folks want to elbow swing and swap roles with their partner it doesn't >> really impact the dance (this is a small advantage of Becket over improper >> for this type of dance; different position on the side is less disorienting >> than different side of the set). >> >> What other Becket dances do folks have that don't rely on roles? No larks >> allemande or robins chain, etc. >> >> On the drive home from my gig last night I came up with this one (which >> may already exist), written for Naomi who organizes the community dance I >> was at: >> >> A Pillar of Weathersfield >> Contra/Becket-CW >> >> A1 ----------- >> (8) Balance the ring and spin to the right (petronella) >> (8) Balance the ring and spin to the right (petronella) >> A2 ----------- >> (16) Partner balance and swing, end facing down the hall >> B1 ----------- >> (8) Down the hall, four in line (turn as couples) >> (8) Return and face across >> B2 ----------- >> (8) Long lines, forward and back >> (8) Promenade across the Set, turn as a couple and progress >> (Go between the ones you danced with, passing by left shoulder, and the >> new couple on your right, turn to take hands with new couple) >> >> I'd be curious what else folks have that they use for entry-level contras >> when you don't have a critical mass of experience for improper dances with >> neighbor swings. >> >> Thanks! >> Luke Donforth >> Burlington, VT >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] >> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] >> To unsubscribe send an email to >> [email protected] >> > _______________________________________________ > Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >
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