Tag Archives: cross trail

Contra, Contra Dances, Dance, English, English Country Dance, My Dances, Proven

Dreaming of Dolphins – DI – Don Veino 20190123

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Type: Longways, Duple Improper
Status: Proven

The title pretty much says it all. I was in a period where I was thinking about Dolphin Heys repeatedly, generating gobs of DH dances. Between this Duple Improper dance and two other 4-Face-4 compositions, From Here to Dolphinity and To Dolphinity and Beyond, I feel like I’ve got to where I wanted and the urge should finally be out of my system.

I’m pretty pleased with this – it incorporates some feel of the traditional dance Devil’s Dream plus the Down The Hall/Turn As Couple and Up The Hall/Cross Trail idea I found in The Campbells are Coming. Feedback from the first trial was extremely positive. I hope to get a chance to dance it someday! 😉

I think of this as a contra dance but it’s sort of a crossover contra/ECD composition… so I’ve labeled it as simply a longways duple improper here.

As this is an uneven dance, I recommend multiple shorter lines to give everyone a chance at playing dolphin. I start the walk through at A2 and finish with the A1 then have dancer couples swap places to retake hands four for a second quick walk through from A2 with the twos active. Reset and start at A1.

A1
Neighbor Balance & Swing

A2
LLF&B, 1s Swing
[face NEW 2s below] [NOTE this NBR!]
#progression

B1
Dolphin Hey, Centers/1s as couple passing solo LDY/RVN 2 by LEFT
[end with Centers facing down, Outsides facing UP]

B2
1s in Center DTH, Turn as CPL /*WHILE*/ 2s Outside UTH, Turn Alone
As Return, 1s Cross Trail to “Hey” NBR &…

Contra Variations (included only for completeness – I strongly prefer the above): Twos can stay put in B2 to anchor the set. Everyone could turn alone in B2 and omit the Ones Cross Trail into the A1 Balance (or Gypsy) & Swing.

From an ECD standpoint: A1 would likely be better as Gypsy & actives Two Hand Turn. The remainder would involve the ECD equivalents of the contra terms.

End effects: Be aware of the change in couple roles at the ends.
Tune suggestions: Of course Tom Kruskal’s – the “international standard” tune for Dolphin Hey dances. 😉 Other suitably regal yet driving tunes.
Video: First trial at Concord Scout House Monday Contras Series on 1/28/19.
See also: My other related dances, including So Long And Thanks For All The Fish, Fun With Flipper, From Here to Dolphinity and To Dolphinity and Beyond.
First called by me at Concord Scout House Monday Contras Series on 1/28/19.

Contra, Contra Dances, Dance, My Dances, Proven

Oh, The Indecency! (v2) – Indecent – Don Veino 20170802

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Type: Contra Dance, Duple Indecent
Status: Proven

Grandma in shock photo
Grandma’s shocked at the indecency!
Indecent formation = ones proper, twos crossed over

Not much to say about this one other than I hope dancers really enjoy the novelty of the formation and somewhat uncommon moves. I’m guessing this would routinely be an Intermediate dance yet I was able to call it successfully for the first time with a mixed crowd following a single careful teaching with a Gent’s Chain demo (stressing the reverse direction of the courtesy turn). Several dancers came up to say how much they liked it. 🙂

A1
Partner RH Balance, Cross-Trail to New Ring (pass P right across, N left along)
Ring Balance, Petronella Twirl to Right (face P)

A2
Partner Balance & Swing

B1
LLFB, Gents Left Hand Chain

B2
(G Pass Left) Half Hey, Neighbor Swing

End effects: Wait out crossed over, ready to join dancers for the second ring balance & petronella.
Tune suggestions:
Video: Lavender Country Folk Dancers Contra 9/30/17 (Gender-free, Larks and Ravens)
See also:

First called by me at the Woods Hole, MA Contra on 9/2/2017

Contra Dances, DRAFT, Experimental, My Dances

Tale of the Tricky Triple Timer – DI – Don Veino 20170218

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Type: Contra, Duple Improper
Status: DRAFT, EXPERIMENTAL

I’m still playing with this one a bit.

This dance features two “deconstructed” chains – one for each role. Regular chains with Courtesy Turn would be functionally equivalent and may be used instead, but I wanted to provide an opportunity for eye play and also to avoid the need to free hands out of the Courtesy Turn for the subsequent Balance. For related themes, see also my Dirty Rotten Double Crosser and Double Crossed Again! dances.

A1
Neighbor RH Balance, Square Through 2 (pull by N right, P left)
Neighbor Swing (on away side)

A2
Ladies Pull by Right, Walk Around* Left/CCW Partner to all face in
[this is effectively a Ladies Chain with an eye contact Courtesy Turn – encourage Partner eye connection through the Walk Around]
Neighbor across RH Balance, Square Through 2 (N right, P left)

B1
Shadow Balance and Box the Gnat/Pull by back to P [or Shadow’s choice, e.g.: Allemande Right, Walk Around*, etc.]
Partner Swing (on Gent’s home side)

B2
Gents Pull by Left, Walk Around* Right/CW Neighbor to all face in
[this is effectively a Gent’s (LH) Chain with an eye contact Courtesy Turn – encourage Neighbor eye connection through the Walk Around]
Partner across RH Balance, Square Through 2 (P right, N left) to next N up/down

*Walk Around is also known as Gypsy.

Contra Dances, My Dances, Proven

Dirty Rotten Double Crosser [V2] – DI – Don Veino 20140723

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Type: Contra, Duple Improper
Status: Public, Proven

My second double cross-trails dance, see also Double Crossed Again! Rewritten 6/15/15 to retain the main theme but make the timing more forgiving in light of feedback I’d received on Double Crossed Again!

Tune fit and difficulty can vary by selection of options for A2. The V2 dance with neighbor allemande A2 debuted successfully at the Thursday Contras NEFFA Caller Showcase at the Concord Scout House on July 9, 2015.

A1
(8) NEIGHBOR DOSIDO
(4,4) Right Hand NEIGHBOR BALANCE, CROSS TRAIL (Pass N by Right up/down, P by Left across)

A2 (See other options for tune/crowd fit, below)
(8,8) NEIGHBOR BALANCE, SWING

B1
(6) CIRCLE LEFT 3/4
(10) PARTNER SWING

B2
(8) LADIES CHAIN to N, Right Hand to P across
(4,4) Right Hand BALANCE PARTNER, CROSS TRAIL (Pass P by Right across, N by Left up/down) to next

Other A2 Options:
[Retaining more of the feel of my original version – but more fiddly for dancers/callers via non-shadow out of minor set action]
(2,6) PASS NEIGHBOR RIGHT, FORMER NEIGHBOR ALLEMANDE LEFT 1X
(8) NEIGHBOR SWING
*OR*
[Easiest timing]
(8,8) NEIGHBOR GYPSY, SWING

FYI, the original (deprecated) version of this dance was:

A1
(4,4) Ring Balance, Petronella Twirl
(4,4) Ring Balance, Cross Trail (Pass N by Right across, P by Left up/down)

A2
(8) Shadow Allemande Left (or dancer’s choice) back to
(8) P Swing

B1
(8) G Allemande Left 1+1/2 (to cross set)
(8) N Swing

B2
(8) Circle Left (1x)
(4,4) Ring Balance, Cross Trail (Pass P by Right across, N by Left up/down)
to next Ns for…

Contra Dances, My Dances, Proven

Double Crossed Again! [V2] – DI – Don Veino 20140721

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Type: Contra, Duple Improper
Status: Public, Proven

My first double Cross-Trails dance. Revised 6/15/15 per trial feedback from Lisa Greenleaf, to better meet dancer expectations (add balances pre-cross trails), ease timing and to allow for dropping calls sooner. Revised dance has been called several times to success. See also my Dirty Rotten Double-Crosser dance – which debuted first but was actually my second composition on this theme.

A1
(4,4) Right Hand BALANCE, CROSS-TRAIL (Pass current N (N1) Right up/down the set, Pass P Left across)
(8) N1 SWING (on away side)

A2
(8) LEFT DIAGONAL LADIES CHAIN (to Shadow)
(4) Right Hand to N2 (across set), BALANCE N2
(4) CROSS TRAIL (pass N2 by right across, pass Shadow by left up/down to face P)
#PROGRESSION

B1
(8,8) PARTNER GYPSY, SWING (on G’s home side, opposite N2)

B2
(8) LONG LINES FORWARD & BACK
(8) STAR RIGHT 3/4 and face progression to take Right Hand with THIS neighbor…