Erik's Dances








Lanny's Back

Duple Improper Contra

A1:   Gypsy and Swing Neighbor

A2:   Circle L. 3/4
         Sw Part

B1:   Balance Ring; Women cross by R. Shoulder
         Balance Ring; Men cross by R. Shoulder

B2:   Balance Ring: One Petronella Turn
         Balance Ring: California Twirl w/ Part.

I wrote this dance in anticipation of a gig with the Portland band, The Wildcats.  The accordian player, Lanny Martin, had injured his back and it was uncertain whether he would be able to play.  The title can be either a lament or a celebration.  Lanny recovered enough to play and his back was back in fine form the night of the gig, so Lanny was indeed back.

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Artquake '95

Duple Improper Contra

A1:   Long Lines Forward and Back
         1's Swing

A2:   Down the Hall 4 in line; Turn alone
          Return and bend the lines

B1:   Women Chain over and back

B2:   Circle L
         Circle R

I was asked to call at the Portland Artquake festival in 1995 which placed me and a band in front of about 2000 spectators whom I was expected to encourage to Contra dance.  We had about 50 "dancers" in the crowd.  They each took a beginner as a partner so every couple had one experienced dancer.  In this dance, partners have an easy time keeping track of each other and it's a nice, easy dance for beginners. 

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Tapestry

Duple Improper Contra

A1:   1's down cntr below one couple; separate; return up outside to place
         Circle L with former neighbors

A2:   2's down the cntr below one couple; separate; return up outside to place
         Circle L with current neighbors

B1:   Gypsy and Sw. Nbr.

B2:   Long Lines Forward and Back
         1's swing

In the A parts you dance with two sets of neighbors.  It pays to spend a moment before the walk-through to introduce dancers to the neighbors behind them as well as their current neighbors.  The A part of this dance is the A part from an English Country dance by the title Dancing Wife by Gary Roodman.  When I danced Dancing Wife for the first time I thought that set of figures was too cool to not share with Contra dancers.  When using this dance, please reference Gary Roodman's English Dance.  All I did was tag on a B part to get Contra dancers to do some English. 

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Frozen Lotion

Duple Improper Contra

A1:   Gypsy and Swing Nbr.

A2:   Circle L 3/4
         Allemande R Nbr. 3/4;  Men allemande L

B1:   Bal. and Swing Part.

B2:   Men turn by L 1/2; Women take left, turn the star 1/2 way further
         DSD next Nbr.

This dance was written with the tune Big John McNeil's in mind.  It didn't have a name until a Winter camping trip in Northern Idaho when the temperature was -15 F.  The name doesn't have anything to do with the dance; it was just fun to say once the lips thawed out.  In the B2, the women join the star behind their partners. 

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Whatchagonnado?

Becket Contra

A1:   Circle L 3/4
         Pass through; swing next nbr.

A2:   Women chain
          R&L Through

B1:   Balance ring; Petronella turn
         Balance ring: Petronella turn

B2:   Balance and Sw. Part.

I wrote this one to go with the old-time tune Rock the Cradle Joe.  "What 'cha gonna' do when the baby cries..."  I was once told after calling this that Petronella turns just don't go with old-time music and did those fall together on purpose or was that an unfortunate accident of programming.  I did that on purpose.  'Cause I like it.

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Valerie's Trip to Portland

Duple Improper Contra
Double Progression

A1:  Gypsy and Swing Nbr.

A2:   Long Lines Forward and Back
         Pass Through; Swing Through

B1:   Balance and Sw. Part.

B2:   Cir. L 3/4
         Weave the Line to 3rd couple

I introduced this dance in Portland before I had chosen a title.  A woman asked to copy it down.  Her name was (and still is, I presume) Valerie, visiting from Juneau, AK.  I was pleased that she liked it and named it on the spot.  This dance has become one of my favorites.  The pass through; swing through figure involves a pass through to an ocean wave, immediately followed by an allemande right halfway and gents turn by the left halfway to meet partners on the side. 

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Joyride
Duple Improper Contra

A1:  Gypsy N
       Mad Robin figure around N

A2: Half Pousette clockwise (Men back to begin)
       Hey (5 changes, men start with L shoulder; finish by men passing L)

B1;  Swing P

B2:  Women chain
       Star L to next N

This is one of the most flowing dances I've written and dancers have expressed appreciation for the connectedness and satisfying feel.  After the half pousette with partner, the women should let go and take a step back to leave room in the middle for the men to begin the hey.  The timing of this dance has been described as "squishy", which is ok.  Encourage dancers to stretch out the Mad Robin, the Pousette and the Hey and use all the music provided.  The dance was originally written to dance the fifth change of the hey in the B1, but dancers seem to prefer to arrive for the swing at the top of the phrase.  That's fine, but they shouldn't arrive earlier than that. 

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Whoa, Nellie!

Becket Formation contra dance

A1:  Men Al'd L 1-1/2
        Star Promenade neighbor; men back out...

A2:  Women Al'd R 1-1/2
        Star Promenade partner; women back out...

B1:  Balance the ring; Petronella turn
        Balance the ring:  California Twirl (face new neighbors)

B2:  Two new women Al'd R 1-1/2
        Swing Partner

The first start promenade is done with the man picking up his neighbor by putting his right arm around her waist.  The second is done with the woman putting her left arm around her partners waist.  The two figures also turn opposite directions.  So they really are mirror images of one another! 

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A Rose by Another Name (Would Smell...)

Double progression, improper contra dance
Begin in progressed position (next to neighbor on the side, woman on the right, facing partner across)

A1:  Hey (Women start with R shoulder)

A2:  Women pass right once again
        Swing partner

B1:  Circle L x 1
        Women chain across

B2:  Long Lines Forward and Back
        With NEXT neighbor, Gate halfway (men forward, women back)
        With NEXT neighbor, Gate halfway (men back, women forward)

The progression at the end of the dance was picked out of the English dance The Rose of Rochester which I though was too good to not share with contra dancers.  The gate figures should wrap around the ends of the lines; if you don't have a NEXT neighbor to do the gate, do the figure with your partner who happens to be accross from you.  You may have to reach for it, but it will get you in the right place to start the dance again. 

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Evil Duane

Improper contra dance
Start in wavy line across; women take L in center, give R to neighbor

A1:  Balance wave R and L; slide R
        Balance wave L and R; slide L (women slide L all the way across to Partner)

A2:  Balance and Swing Partner

B1:  Give and Take (Long Lines Forward; men hand partner to other man, men fall back with neighbor woman for a...)
        Swing neighbor

B2:  Balance the ring; Rollaway partner across
        Circle L x 1/2; Pass through up/down to next wave

At the end of A1 if there is space and inclination, the women have a great opportunity to spin twice on their way across the set to meet their partners.

I wrote this dance to go with the tune Evil Diane by Sam Bartlett.  I got Sam's permission to use a take off from his tune name.  Sam was intrigued by the mythology/story of the dance.   Duane was Diane's high school boyfriend.  It didn't work out; Duane cheated on Diane halfway through the dance.  After one last "rollaway" (ahem...) they broke it off and went on to the next.  But do we ever really learn from these experiences?  Apparently not.  We seek pleasure wherever there's a great tune to dance to.

My intent has been to call this dance only when the tune Evil Diane is available in the band's repritore.  My hope is that you enjoy it in the same way.  Any similarity to actual Dianes or Duanes is strictly coincidental. 

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Ad Vielle (Oddville)

Becket (sort-of) contra dance
Start in wavy line across; men take R in center, give L to partner

A1:  Balance wave forward and back
        All drop hands, step forward to new wave
        Balance new wave forward and back
        Allemande L ~3/4

A2:  Balance and Swing Partner

B1:  Circle L 3/4; pass through up/down
        Swing next neighbor; end facing across

B2:  Women allemande R 1-12
        All allemande L partner ~1-1/4 to wave with men in center by R

I wrote this dance in February, 2005 because I needed an accessible, interesting dance to fit the tune Oddville Cupola by Claude Ginsberg of the Seattle contra dance band KGB (www.kgbmole.com/kgb).  The Portland Megaband has played Oddville Cupola for the last couple years and this dance has been very pleasing to dancers when danced to that tune.  Of course, it will work with any 32-bar tune, but that one is special.  Thanks, Claude! 

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Wasatch Wiggle

Duple improper contra dance

A1:  See Saw Neighbor (left shoulder do-si-do)
        Men, Ald L 1-1/2

A2:  Gypsy (or Balance) and Swing Partner

B1:  Balance Ring; Petronella turn one place to right
        Balance Ring; Petronella-nella turn two places to right

B2:  Balance and Swing Neighbor

I wrote this one in August, 2007 for the Wasatch Wiggle dance weekend produced by the Salt Lake City dancers.  The dance has been through a couple of revisions.  Initially I choreographed an inverse "Mad Robin" figure to start, with the men passing in front of neighbor to start.  I called that the "Happy Raven".  That works, but I replaced it with the see saw because it's easier to teach and allows more neighbor interaction.  The motion from the B2 neighbor swing carries one into that trajectory. 

I'd never seen a Petronella turn which moves two places.  I named it a Petronella-nella and dancers immediately liked it when I introduced this dance for the first time in Seattle.  I hope I get to dance it sometime; it looks like fun. 

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Seagull
Becket contra dance

Start in wave across; men take L in center, give R to partner.

A1:  Balance wave R&L; Allemande R 3/4 to long wave (men facing in)
         Balance wave R&L; Allemande R 3/4 to short wave (ladies in center)

A2:  Balance wave and Swing Partner

B1:  Circle L 3/4; Pass thru up/down
        Swing next Neighbor along

B2:  1/2 Hey across (men start by L shoulder)
        Men allemande L 1-1/2 to beginning wave

The A part of this dance is remeniscent of the wonderful dance "You Can't Get There From Here" by Carol Ormond.  For some programming I was doing I needed the simplicity of that figure but in a Becket formation.  When I danced it out in the barn with Caroline I liked how it felt.  We danced to the tune Seagull by Steeleye Span, hence the name. 

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Now We Are Four

Becket contra dance

A1:  Give-and-Take; Swing neighbor on gent's side.  End facing down the hall.

A2:  Down the hall four in line (about six steps only); Tag the Line*
        Return and bend the lines

B1:  Circle L 3/4; Slide left to face next neighbors
        Two ladies Do-Si-Do

B2:  Balance and Swing partner

Mike Richardson wrote a dance called "Now We Are Three" which this dance is based on.  Mike's dance begins with long lines F&B, then a half hey.  In the B1 the circle is once around.  Other than that, this is the same dance.  Mike's dance is more interesting in that when you slide left in the B1, for half or you, the women lead, for the rest, the men lead.  I wanted to do the tag-the-line figure, but I needed a dance with a neighbor swing.  I tweaked Mike's dance a bit and arrived at this one.  I encourage callers to try Now We Are Three as well as this one.  Thanks, Mike. 

*Tag the Line:  Facing down, the couple on the right step forward and slide straight left.  The couple on the left slide straight right.  Once the two couples have switched ends of the line (still facing down), then all turn alone to face back up the hall. 

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Rocks and Dirt
Duple improper Contra dance

A1:  Balance and Swing neighbor

A2:  Ladies chain across
        Orbit {Ladies Al'd R 1-1/2 while men orbit ccw 1/2 way around}

B1:  Balance and Swing Partner

B2:  Circle L 3/4
        Dance 3 changes of a circular Hey  (pass N by R, P by L, N by R) then face next neighbor

I was a structural geologist.  What more can I say.  The circular hey is common in English dances.  Contra dancers can figure it out. 

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