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JK contras


Easy

Shalom mixer by Jonathan King. (2020Feb.28)
[Circle-mixer: Join hands in large circle.]
Circle Right(8). to center and back to place(8).
Circle Left(8). to center and back(8).
Partner allemand-R(8), then swing(8).
Promenade(12). advance(4), and take hands in a circle.
Written for a contradance fundraiser for Temple Shir Shalom, Gainesville, FL.
Frederica contra by Jonathan King.
[IMPROPER: Progression: Facing across, look on R-diagonal for new .]
(“New”) dosido(8). allemand-R 1.5, to change places(8).
partner, [melt into a] swing(4+12).
DTHall line4, ONEs to the right of the TWOs(6), turn as a couple(2) [2,2, 1,1]. Come back UTHall(6), bend the line(2)...
...Circle RIGHT 3-places(8). Nbr swing(8). look for new on R-diagonal.
A role-reversal of Tom Hinds' fine Frederick Contra.


Easy-ish

Mad Frederick by Jonathan King. (2017Aug05)
[IMPROPER: “Texas twirl”: has L-palm up, with 's R-hand palm down; mirror image of California-twirl.]
[Face across] With (“New”) nbrs, mad-robin, sliding left in front of nbr-(8). [As come back to place] snag R-hands to allemand-R 1.5 (8),
Partner , [melt into a] swing(4+12) [' home side].

DTHall line4, TWOs left of ONEs(4), center-couple Texas-twirl(4) [outsides turn alone to make 2,1, 2,1]. Come back UTHall(6), bend the line(2)...
...Circle LEFT 3-places(8). Nbr swing(8).
Ceremonial Mirror by Jonathan King (June 2016).
[Rev-progr-BECKET: Turn foursome 1-click to the RIGHT. This is your home-side.]

[New] Allemand-L 1.5 (8), to swing Nbr(8).
pass L-shoulder to start a full hey (8+8).
cross the set, passing L-shoulders, to partner and melt into swing(4+4+8).
Mad-robin-twirl, sliding-right in front of partner(8). [As returns to place, she does a 3/4 twirl, pulling R-shoulder back, to catch her partner's L-hand, then stepping into the circle-to-the-R with current NBRs.]
[Take Hands-4], Circle RIGHT all way, then Slide-right [ leading] to new NBRs(8).


Homage to Adriane Moser's Three Ceremonies, written for our own Bob Saint Laurent.


Intermediate

Major Hey AyeAye by Erik Hoffman (extended: Jonathan King).
[4-FACING-4, Becket. Crooked tune, 16×6=96 beats; AABBCC. (Modification-extension of Erik Hoffman's Major Hey for a 96-beat tune, e.g Elzic's Farewell. Written in honor of our friend and caller, Eric Harris.)     Hands4 with couple in front of you, then 1click-Left. Practice left-hand pull-by here]

Ring-balance and Petro-spin(4+4) [to the right].
Ring-balance and Petro-spin(4+4), into a...

Left-hand-Star 3-places(6), Face up and down Left-hand pull-by nbr(2) to a new set. Swing your new nbr(8). [End in BECKET, facing partner, next to nbr, in two groups-of-four.]

[Four] Long lines, fwd&back(8). allemand-L 1.5 into(8)… a long Wavy line of eight folk, your partner in your R-hand.
Rory O'More [wavy-bal, R-L, slide right catch L-hands, bal L-R, slide left, snag R-hands](4+4+4+4).

Partner Pull-by, Hey! [Half] Hey-for-Eight(16). Keep on going till you see your Partner.
Partner bal&swing(4+12); end in Becket formation. Face that other couple!


Alt-Circle Right 3-places(6), Face up and down Pass thru(2) and swing the next to a new set; Swing your new nbr(8). [End in BECKET, facing partner, next to nbr, in two groups-of-four.]
VideoCameraCis Hinkle | Band? .
Momentum by Jonathan King. (2018October)
[BECKET: Hands-in-long-lines-oval, face partner, look past; there is your shadow. Tune with energetic B1, B2. Wizard's Walk works well.]
End Effect: When you go out on the traveling turn, end reversed with the on the Left. After the shadow-swing, the partner-swing puts the on the Right.

[“Travel-left”: W.partner, traveling 2-hand-Clockwise-turn (or traveling-swing, or just Slide-L) to new nbrs, where...]
start a (L-shoulder) Full-hey(16).

[Halfway-] partner(4), swing shadow(12).

Partner swing on the side(8) [where you started].
Circle left halfway(4), roll away NBR [with a half sashay] across the set(4).


Circle left halfway, roll partner away [with a half sashay] along the Side(4+4). Circle left halfway(4), and Travel-left(4) along the set to face new nbrs.

Uses the second half of Orace Johnson's wonderful Du Quoin Races. Below is an Alternate version, where the start the hey.


Alt-[“Travel”: W.partner, traveling Counter-CW-2-hand-turn (or traveling-reverse-swing, or just Slide-L) to new nbrs, where...]
start a (usual R-shoulder) Full-hey(16).    [Then, as the comes back to place...]


Alt-... Left-shoulder [Halfway-] partner(4), swing shadow(12).
Not all Earthquakes are Andreas' Fault by Jonathan King. (July 2013)
[BECKET: The Earthquake! shakes you from the-one-you're-swinging to swinging-the-next. (Triple-Swing version, single-progression.)]
[Before becketizing: Id DIR-PROG. Pass through up-down, takes hands4 with the next; these are your current nbrs. Your Previous nbrs are behind you. Now BECKETIZE.]

Star-R 3-places(8). With new couple “your previous nbrs”, star-L all-the-way(8).

[Face orig. Nbr; ONEs down, TWOs up]  Square-Through [Nbr R-hand bal and pull-by(4+2); w.prtnr L-hand pull-by across(2); w.nbr R-hand bal and pull-by(4+2); w.prtnr pull-by across(2)], to face current nbr. In this Square-Through: always turn right, turn left.

Swing curr.nbr(8). “Earthquake! You swing the next!” Face away from the-one-you-swung, and swing the next(8) [in your Dir-Prog.].

Circle-left 3-places(8). Partner swing(8).

Written for my Cocoa Beach friend, Andreas. First called at his dance.
Hey on the fritz by Jonathan King.
[BECKET: [First, memorize DIR-PROG, to find new NBRs, for RH_star. Now Becketize, hands in long lines, join at ends to make a huge Oval. Partner in one hand, Shadow in the other.]

[new] Star-R all-the-way-around (8). look left to find Shadow. Shadow L-allemand(8).
Partner (bal or long) swing(4+12).
chain(8). start half-hey(8). [As finish crossing the set, melt into a...]
...Nbr swing(8). “Left-shoulder Hey” [a half-hey](8). pass L-shoulder, then R-shoulder with partner, then looks right, and sticks out R-arm, ready for the star-R with new nbrs. Each passes R-shoulder w.partner, then does a with the other , till she sees her partner's back; hook on to him and make a R-hand star with New Nbrs.
A modification of: The Ritz by Gene Hubert.

A video of the dance being developed, to recorded music by Groovemongers:
VideoCamera2nd run (JK calling/dancing); taught as Becket dance, 24Aug2014.
VideoCamera1st run; taught as Improper dance, 27July2014.
Oval-teen by Jonathan King. (July 2013)
[BECKET: At A2, explain the pattern: allemand-L, oval-right; allemand-R, oval-left. In counting couples, count your own couple, when appropriate.]

[Slide-left to New Nbrs to...] Circle left 3-places(8). Nbr swing(8).
allemand-L(8) [back to place].   Oval-right(8).
[You are across from your Partner, and same-gender Nbr; they are couple #1. Oval-R to pass couple #2, #3, and as you get to couple #4... (opposite gender in  #4 is your “Distant Shadow”) stop, get ready to...]

R-allemand with  #4 (8). Oval-left(8) [back to your original four-some, facing your Partner].
Circle left 3-places(8). Partner swing, and Slide-Left to face new Nbrs(8).
Written for my teen, Ruth, when she was 12, while driving to pick her up from Adventure Camp.
Chainsaw Orbit by Jonathan King.
[BECKET: Huge oval.] Identify DIR-PROG, then Becketize. Now identify home-side.

[Same two] chain(8). W. left-hand, leads his nbr- into a Mad-Robin [sideways dosido](8). Join hands into a huge…
…Oval right(8) [“Ovaltine”]. Oval left(8) [“Ovaltang”].
[Original foursomes] Circle-left(8) [approx] 3-places. [C'mon back with a] Left-Hands-across star(8); at halfway round, push off [and walk fwd in Dir-Progr] while keep on allemanding halfway more, to progress.
[ look right and] Allemand-R the new nbr- coming toward her; simultaneously, orbit CCW around the (8) [As two cross, I suggest passing L-shoulders, interlocking their orbits.]. Partner-swing(8), on your original [home] side.
A modification of D.L's beloved Chainsaw Reel, VideoCameraFootloose, called by JK.
Listed as Intermediate, only because of its intentionally rushed nature.
Hurrpocalypse by Jonathan King. (Written Fri.08Sep2017)
[BECKET: Slide-left to chain]
[New] chain(8), into Mad-Robin(8) [around NBR].
[“Whirlwind”] allemand-L 1.5 (8), meanwhile orbit [clockwise, to the other side of the set] interlocking by passing R-shoulders.
Nbr-swing(8) [on 's home side].

pass L-shoulders to start a full hey (8+8).
cross one more time, [straight across] to swing partner(3+5). Circle left all way, then Slide-Left to new NBRs(8).
Written on Friday, 08Sep2017 in honor of the category-5 hurricane, Irma, that was about to hit Florida.    The beginning of is intentionally rushed, to evoke the hurried evacuation from parts of southern Florida.


Challenging or atypical

Melrosean Triplet by Jonathan King.
[Triplet, PROPER: abc
123
Letters are ,  diGits are .]

Circle-6-Right, halfway(8) 321
cba
.
THREEs star-L [with the couple below] halfway(4) bc1
23a
[and flow into a]
THREEs star-R [with the couple below] halfway(4), to end in handshake with partner across the set ba3
21c
.


Box-DoSiDo: [“meanwhile-move”: Bottom couple (the THREEs) Balance & Box-the-Gnat(4+4), while top two couples mirror-DoSiDo Ptnr, passing between the . (ONEs DoSi, TWOs see-saw).] bac
213
.
Lines fwd-and-back(8).

Middle-couple [ONEs] turn Contra Corners(4+4+4+4).
ONEs swing(8) [drifting down between the THREEs] while THREEs cast-up [“ONEs swing-down, THREEs cast-up”] bca
231
.
Everyone, dosido partner(8).

Done to contra music, this dance is challenging. Done to waltz music, each 2 contra-steps becomes a single waltz triple-step; e.g, a parenthetical (8) means four waltz triple-steps.    In waltz timing, for “Lines-fwd-and-back” I recommend going fwd on the R-diagonal (triple-step 1), fwd on L-diagonal (triple-step 2), then reversing for the remaining two triple-steps. With hands-joined, this is very satisfying.
Double Dolphin Hey by Jonathan King. (Aug. 2013)
[IMPROPER:] [A dolphin-hey is a hey-for-3, with the two ONEs acting as a single person. To turn-around, each pivots in place; now #1 is in front of #1. When they pivot again, #1 will be in front of #1. At all times, the #1 is dolphin-side of the #1. (After 16 beats, all four folk are back where they started; the ONEs in the center, facing dolphin-side, -before-.)] Dolphin: Cross-1-2 Pass-3-4 Pivot-5-6 Return-7-8
[This dance also works to waltz music.]

Circle left all-the-way(8). Nbr swing(8). Puts the TWOs above, progressing.

4-places(8). [ shake R-hands, shake L-hands, hands on top. back up, fwd.] Now TWOs Bal&Push-off back to place, while ONEs swing in the center(8). [ONEs end in the center, behind , facing across, facing the Dolphin-side].

Dolphin-hey, ONEs (as a unit) split the above-TWOs(16).

Dolphin-hey, ONEs split the below-TWOs(16), ending in a hand-4 with them.
If anyone asks: “Dolphin hey —what is it?”, answer “It's what Nebraska dolphins eat.”
Musk of Contra by Jonathan King.
[PROPER, triple minor: 48-beat tune] abc
123

To Money Musk, this adjoins figures for the TWOs and THREEs, and introduces a swing.

ONEs allemand-R 1.5, while TWOs/THREEs do a mad-robin [#3  slides Left in front of #2 ](8). 1bc
a23
.
ONEs cast down to 2nd place(4) [“ONEs go below”], while TWOs lead up.
Forward six & six fall back(4). b1c
2a3
. “Once-and-half-Mad-Robin-now” “One-and-half-Mad-Robin-now” “Three-quarters-round-Mad-Robin now” “Go below one couple and forward 6.”

ONEs R-hand turn 3/4 to lines-of-3 facing up and down(8) b c
1 a
2 3
. Forward six &  back(4). ONEs R-hand turn to home side(4) bac
213
.

[The order is TWOs ONEs THREEs]
Top two couples: Square-Through: [Partner R-hand bal and pull-across(4+2); w.nbr L-hand pull-by up/dn(2); w.prtnr R-hand bal and pull-by(4+2); w.nbr L-hand pull-by up/dn(2)]
during which the THREEs swing (across the set). b acb
2 132
.
Princely Petronella Stars by Jonathan King. (Aug. 2013)
[BECKET: Reverse--single-prog. Before becketizing: (We'll start with one couple out.) Pass through up-down, takes hands4 with next nbrs. (For me: Your Previous nbrs are behind you.) BECKETIZE. In one hand is your Partner, the other is your SHADOW.]

[Everyone: Look on the R-diagonal; after once though the dance, you'll be across from that couple. And in just a moment, you be swinging that person on the R-diagonal.]

A “Petronella-star” is a conventional petronella (ring-balance, twirl-right one place) but ending in a L-hand wristgrip-star. A “petronella-star 5-places-round” is relative to your initial psn. You end up in the same place a “circle-right 5-places ” puts you, but using 16 beats of music.

A “revonella” is a reverse petronella: Ring-balance, then twirl-left one place. A “Revonella-star” is a reverse petronella that ends in a right-hand star. And a “revonella-star 4-places-round” puts you back where you started.


Revonella-star back to place(8+8). Face away from partner, take hands4 with a new couple; you are facing your Shadow.
[Your partner is in a different hands4.] [Out at the end: Turn as a couple to face in.]


Petronella-star back to place, and one place more(8+8). Swing your New-nbr; the person [on your side of the set] in the adjacent star(8). [At the end of the petronella-star, the is looking at the back of her New Nbr's head, while the rolls over his R-shoulder to see his new nbr behind him.]

Swing this new-nbr, then [as a couple] slide-left, till you are across from the couple that has your partner(8). snag R-hands and allemand 1.5 (8).

Partner bal&swing(4+12).
I wrote this dance for Stan & Linda Prince, who have been energetic contra dance organizers for many years, making many hundreds of people happy.


Dances in-progress

The Long Hello by Jonathan King. (Aug. 2013)
[(Work-in-progress) BECKET: Reverse-prog. Waltz-contra, or regular-contra]
Rights-&-lefts across(8). On the Left-diagonal, chain(8).
Slice-right [long-lines going in diagonal-R]; slice-R back, and while backing-up, the in the right-hand, puts herself into wrap(4+4); Nbr wrap. [The slices are so that nbr- are lined-up to star-promenade]
Star-promenade to the other side(4) and unwrap(4), so that #1Gent-and- are facing down, other couple facing up.

[, pull against each other a bit, so that] As a couple, slide-left a little and then: With the couple that is facing you [your partner is in it] Circle-left halfway(4); as you arrive, the in the 's Left-hand, his Partner, puts herself into wrap(4) [as she arrives at her home rail]; Partner wrap.
  Star-promenade all-the-way around to the 's home side(8).

unwraps into a partner swing(16).
End effect: After the Rights-&-lefts: Do NOT chain, if there is no couple on your left-diagonal. [If there is a couple out, do NOT chain with them.]
You will go out at the start of the circle-L. Turn around individually. Now the 's partner is in his L-hand. You will come back on the continuation of the circle-L.
,
[In honor of the marriage of Sidney & Lainey, and of Donny & Shauna.]
[Takes a move from Tailor Made by Kirston Koths.]
VideoCameraTailor Made, called by Jack Mitchell | Footloose Trio.
Ribbing Adam by Jonathan King. (Aug. 2013)
[(Work-in-progress) BECKET: Rev-single-progression; so have the hands-4 rotate one click to the right. Each is on her Home side.]
initiate partner-trades, at will.

With partner, promenade across(8). chain(8), then give a R-hand to partner, across the set.
[Facing partner] Square-Through [Across the set: Prtnr R-hand bal and pull-by(4+2); w.nbr L-hand pull-by(2); w.prtnr bal and pull-by(4+2); w.nbr pull-by(2)], to face new NBR. always turn right, turn left.
[With these new nbrs] Step immediately into a short wavy-line across the set [ in the center], bal-the-wave(4). Everyone spin/slide right, with sliding two places to snag L-hands(4). allemand-L 3/4 into a long wavy-line of in the center(4) [facing Partner], and bal-the-wave(4).
[Each is at her Home, on the side of the set.] : Bring home either your partner, or a -in-Trade, and swing (4+12) on the side of the set. [Make sure to end that swing across from the couple that has the from the short-wave.]

[-in-Trade: “Jane” has: On her L-diagonal is her previous-nbr . Across from Jane is current nbr-.
  (Using hand-signals, telepathy, carrier pigeons) While the are allemanding and balancing [8 beats of music], Jane agrees to trade partners with one of these 2 . In that case, Jane takes the appropriate –who is facing away from her– and brings him home to swing; he is Jane's new partner. (Jane's trading- will take Jane's former partner home to swing.)
  Lost-and-found is at the bottom of the set.
  N.B: A trade causes the to switch his direction of progression.]
Those who go to dance-weekends in Florida, know Rona Wiener, role-switching imp. When you see a ball of Joyful Chaos moving down a contra-line, Rona is probably in the center of it. I wrote this dance for her.
Bob's your Uncle In progress by Jonathan King. 19Aug2017: This title is already taken, for a different dance, by John Nance. Apparently I wrote this dance in 2016, Looks like it is based on "Three-Ceremonies"
[BECKET: Slide-left to chain]
[New] chain(8), into Mad-Robin(8) [around NBR].
L-hand-star(8), Nbr-swing(8) [on home side]. pass left to start a full hey (8+8).
cross one more time, [L-shoulders] to swing partner(8).
Long-lines(8). Circle left all way, then Slide-Left to new NBRs(8).
My original version of the following was too complex to dance:
Conveyor my Love by Jonathan King.
[BECKET: Has the conveyor-belt move]

Am working on a simplified version, and when it is done, it will appear here.


Contradances written by my daughter

Papa, what's a good name for this dance? by Ruth King (age 5). [IMPROPER: 16May2006: Created by Ruth E. King, with help from her mother.]
Nbr Allemand-R (8). Partner allemand-L [across the set](8).
Nbr swing(8). chain(8).
start a full-hey(16).
Star-L 5-places(8). [Slide L-hand to L-hand with current nbr] With L-hand balance, Swat-the-Flea, then spin-R to face new nbr(4+4).
What's good for the Goose is good for the Gander by Ruth King (age 10).
[IMPROPER: roll-away , L roll-away G at right-angles]

On side of set: With nbr, Do-Si-Do 1.5 (8). [Across the set] With Partner, See-saw [or left allemand] 1.5 (8).
On (other) side of set: Swing nbr(8). chain(8).
start a full-hey(16).
[From the hey go into] Partner-swing(8). Goose-then-Gander move(4), couple ends facing up/down the set, facing their current nbrs. Then pass-through(4) to a new couple.
Music should be a bit slower than standard.
Goose-then-Gander move: [Along the side, R-to-L] rolls the away(2), then rolls the away [R-to-L](2), but he ends up across the set, having traveled almost diagonally; then end as-a-couple facing up/down the set, ready to pass through.
King's Gambit by Ruth King.
[BECKET: ] In progress. The second half of the dance is not yet correct.
Allemand-L 1.5 (8). Mad-Robin(8) [ slides left, in front of nbr-].
start a full-hey(16).
[?] Give&Take to 's home side(8). Partner swing(8).
[?] Square-through (orientation?), slide-left to new nbrs.
Written by Ruth and Erin for Jonathan's 60th birthday.


Doomed Dances, destined Never To Be Called

The No-touch Tango.
[Properly-IMPROPER:] One of our GODS (Gainesville Old-Time Dance Society) dancers loves dancing with others, but is none-too-fond of their sweat. For her, I've written this sweat-transferless dance.

Dosido nbr 1.5(8) [to change places with nbr]. With NEXT neighbor, see-saw [left-shoulder dosido](8).
[With original neighbors] March single-file all the way around(8) [as if circling right].
Mad-robin: [facing across] sliding left in front of nbr-(8). As she comes back to place...

[ start a...] Full-Hey(16).
left-shoulder (8), [flowing into right-shoulder] current nbr(8), to face new nbr.
End effect: When you're an end couple who'll go out next, the see-saw will be with your partner.
Zero-Progression Dance.
[Extremely IMPROPER:]
Smile at your partner(8). Glare at your Neighbor(8).
stare(8). stare(8). Now don't progress.
This dance has no part-B, because there is no need.
Great for a last-dance-of-the-evening, when all but one foursome have gone home...
Bumper-car Waltz    Use your imagination...
(nuclear) Dance fusion, for reel
[Compression-mixer (opposite of a scatter mixer...)]
to the center(8). to the center, around them(8).
Everyone push forward...
Forever Hertz, forever Avis
Call any contra, instructing the ONEs flowing off the bottom to scurry like bats outta... to enter the top of the set still as ONEs.
Like a Sicilian Circle, but without the lack of exhaustion.

Videos

An old old video of JK calling
Three Ceremonies by Adriane Moser.
[BECKET: Slide-left to chain.]
[New] chain(8), into Mad-Robin(8) [ slide-L in front of NBR].
pass right to start a full hey (8+8).
cross the set, passing right shoulders, to swing partner(4+12).
Long-lines(8). Circle left all way, then Slide-Left to new NBRs(8).
VideoCameraJonathan King (no-walk-through) | Montage.
VideoCameraJolaine Jones-Pokorney | Barnstorm.
Posted on the Callers mailing list was: “The published choreography has B1 as pass rt shoulder to gypsy partner, then swing.”
to a mellow mellow tune. This no-walk-through is from Vernals 2012:

An even older video:
Chainsaw Reel by Don Lennartson.
[BECKET: ID-dir-prog, THEN Becketize! Huge oval circle.]
[Same two] chain(8). Long lines(8); keep hands, and connect at the ends to make a huge oval.
Oval right(8) [“Ovaltine”]. Oval left(8) [“OvalTang”].
[Original foursomes] Circle-left(8). [C'mon back with a] Left-hand star(8) all the way around [ in front of his partner].
[ look right and] Allemand-R the new nbr- coming toward you(8). Partner-swing(8), on the side.
VideoCameraJonathan King, Footloose. Called as no-walk-through. VideoCameraCaller? | Band?.
, from Vernals 2011: Dancers twirling.


Major Hey II

Major Hey II

Horizontal rule

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____End:
    JK composed JK composed