Contra Dance Chestnuts

50/50 by Bob Isaacs

A1 Circle left 3 places, neighbor swing
A2 Ladies chain and start a rt. sh. 1/2 hey
B1 (To ptr) Rt. hand bal & box the gnat
     Gents pass your partner by the Rt to start
     a  1/2 hey.
B2 Partner gypsy and swing, slide left

Date of video: November 11, 2018
Dance Group: Childgrove Country Dancers
Location: Webster Groves, MO
Caller: Karen Jackson
Band:Sadie Hawkins (Thomas Coriell, fiddle/mandolin, Dan Higgins, banjo/guitar, Anne Williamson, bass, Colleen Williamson, hammered dulcimer)

Aback by John Coffman

duple improper reverse progression

A1    Neighbor Balance and Swing (16)

A2    Men Allemande Left 1 ½  (8)
        Partner Swing (8)

B1    Right and Left Through {across}(8)
        Ladies Chain {to neighbor}with Extra Courtesy {see notes} (8)

B2    Neighbor See Saw ¾ to make a short wavy line across the set. 
        {see notes}  (8)
        Balance the Wave{R, L} (4), Missouri Twirl {see notes} (4)

Alternate A1: Neighbor Balance and Swing (16)


Notes:  This is a REVERSE PROGRESSION dance; that is, ones will progress up the hall, and twos will progress down the hall.

To teach this dance, I would have dancers take hands four, and face their current neighbor.  Then, tell them they will progress backwards; that is, their next neighbors are behind them.  You might have dancers drop hands and turn around to meet their next neighbors behind them.  After introducing dancers to their next neighbors, ask them to turn back around to take hands four with their current neighbors.

B1: The "ladies chain with extra courtesy" starts like a normal ladies chain.  However, the men should continue to courtesy turn the woman for another 180 degrees, so both dancers end up facing outside the set {with the lady on the right as you face outside the set}.  Dancers will then have connected left hands to pull into the see saw {left shoulder dos-si-dos}.

In B2, after the Neighbor See Saw {left shoulder dos-si-dos} ¾, all will end up in a short wavy line across the set. All will have right hands with their neighbor, and ladies will have left hands in the center; ones will be facing down, and twos will be facing up {the normal direction of progression}.  You and your neighbor will have joined right hands, and you will be facing opposite directions.  Balance the wave {R, L}, ladies drop left hands and Missouri Twirl with your neighbor.  [A Missouri Twirl has much of the feel of a California Twirl, with this exception: you and neighbor start facing opposite directions, and you end up facing opposite directions.]  When the Missouri Twirl is complete, all will be facing their new {reverse progression} neighbors.  The progression takes place at the end of B2 with the Missouri Twirl.

Dancers will have time to loop wide on the See Saw ¾ in B2.

When out on the ends, stand out with the lady on the left, and the man on the right as you face back in.

Jim Hemphill provided feedback that improved flow in B1

A Perfect Tin by Bob Green
duple ccw Becket double progression

A1 Long lines F&B (8)
     Right hands across star (8)
A2 Gents drop out, ladies by the right 1/2+ (4)
     Neighbor swing (12)
B1 Give & take, ladies draw the men (8)
     Partner swing (8)
B2 Circle left (8)
     On the left diagonal, slide left, Calif. twirl (8)

 Major end effects! At the top wait out on the right side, at  
the bottom wait out left. Let the other couple slide to you.

Al's Safeway Produce by Robert Cromartie

duple improper

A1. Star left; Allemande left Neighbor 1&1/2.
A2. Women allemande right 1&1/2; Swing Partner.
B1. Circle left 3/4; Swing Neighbor.
B2. Long lines forward and back; Star right.

Source of dance notes:http://web.archive.org/web/19990504052230/http://kooshball.kcomputing.com/contra/RCdances.html

Dance Group: Childgrove Country Dancers (St Louis, MO)
Location: Monday Club in Webster Groves, MO
Band: Echo Valley String Band
Tune: Marmaduke's Hornpipe
Caller: Martha Edwards