Dances
Baby Sharks
Becket (CCW)
A1 (2) Larks cross Left shoulder to Neighbor
(14) Neighbor right-shoulder-round and swing
A2 (8) Robins Chain
(8) Partner Promenade across, face in and slide right to new neighbors [or equivalently, loop
left one place as you face back in]
B1 (4) Pass through to a wave [right hand to Partner, Robins middle]
(4) Balance the Wave
(8) Robins allemande Left 1.5 while Larks orbit 1/2 clockwise
B2 (16) Partner balance and swing
Notes: A simplification of Sharks in the Pond by Angela DeCarlis, Bryan Suchenski, Erika Rosenberg, and Lynn Ackerson at Rick Mohr’s choreo class at Pinewoods in 2012.
Brooklyn Transfer
with Maia McCormick
Becket (CW)
A1 (8) Slide left, Circle left 3/4
(8) Neighbor swing
A2 (8) Long lines forward and back
(8) Robins chain (to Partner)
B1 (8) Left hand star 1.0 (to long wave with Shadow)
(8) Balance wave, slide right (past Shadow)
B2 (8) Balance wave, slide left (past Shadow, to Partner)
(8) Partner swing
Notes: Written in collaboration with Maia McCormick, riffing on Dancing on the Train, which was riffing on Train Delay.
Chicken Tikka Timing
Becket (CW)
A1 (8) Slide [or promenade] left, Revolving Door
(8) Neighbor swing
A2 (8) Long lines forward and back
(8) Robins chain
B1 (8) Ring balance, spin to the right
(8) Ring balance, spin to the right
B2 (16) Partner balance and swing
Notes: Riffing on Tika Tika Timing by Dean Snipes.
Dancing on the Train
Becket (CW)
A1 (8) Slide left, Circle left 3/4
(8) Neighbor swing
A2 (8) Robins chain (to Partner)
(8) Left hand star 1.0 (to long wave with Shadow)
B1 (8) Balance wave, slide right (past Shadow)
(8) Balance wave, slide left (past Shadow, to Partner)
B2 (16) Partner balance and swing
Notes: Inspired by Train Delay by Maia McCormick and Dancing with Amy by Bill Olson.
Double Date
Improper
A1 (16) Neighbor balance and swing
A2 (8) Long lines forward and back
(8) 1s [2s] Swing in middle of set, End facing Robin No. 2 [No. 1]
B1 (8) With Robin No. 2 [No. 1], Circle Left 1.0, send Robin through to their
Partner
(8) All swing Partner on sides
B2 (8) Circle Left 3/4, Pass through along the line
(8) New Neighbor Do-si-do
Notes: One of my earliest dances, riffing on Three's Crowd by Paul Balliet and Lisa Greenleaf, and making it alternate. Be aware, it has a lot of clockwise motion.
Eliza’s Excitingly Explicated Exercise
Becket (CCW)
A1 (6) Circle Left 3/4
(8) Neighbor swing
A2 (8) Long lines, forward and back
(8) Robins chain, and form ring
B1 (8) Balance ring, spin to the right, Face new Ns
(8) Ring balance, spin to the right
B2 (16) Partner balance and swing
Notes: Riffing on Maliza's Magical Mystery Motion by Cary Ravitz. Depending on your heuristics, it may only count as a variation of Maliza's, but I enjoy the name.
Erin’s Commission
Improper
A1 (8) Mad Robin clockwise, Robins in front first
(8) All four basket swing
A2 (X) Circle left until the 1s are below and 2s above
(16 - X) Neighbor swing
B1 (8) Half Hey, Larks starting left shoulder, Robins ricochet
(8) Partner swing
B2 (8) Robins chain
(8) Left-hand star 1.0
Notes: One of my earliest dances, written with my friend Erin's tastes in mind, notably the basket swing. Since the basket swing may end in any rotation, the circle will be between zero and four places around, and the neighbor swing takes the rest. You can help by reminding them, "Ones face the music!"
Forgotten Dream
Improper
A1 (8) Neighbor right shoulder round
(8) Neighbor swing (face down)
A2 (8) Down the hall four-in-line, turn as couples
(8) Come up the hall, bend the line
B1 (6) Circle left 3/4
(10) Partner swing
B2 (8) Robins chain (to neighbor)
(8) Mad robin (counterclockwise, around neighbor, to new neighbor)
Notes: Inspired by Forgotten Treasure by Beth Parkes.
Let's Play Already
Improper
A1 (16) Neighbor balance and swing
A2 (6) Circle left 3/4
(2) Pass through (Partner by right) along the line
(8) Shadow allemande left 1.0
B1 (16) Partner balance and swing
B2 (8) Long lines forward and back
(8) Robins dosido 1.5 (to new neighbor)
Notes: Written to have as many clear opportunities to role swap and play (partner swap with shadow) as possible.
Seriously Seven
Circle Mixer, 7-Progression
A1 (16) Partner 0 balance and swing
A2 (4) Partner 0 promenade counterclockwise
(2) Robins turn back to meet Partner 1
(8) Partner 1 swing
B1 (8) Go forward and back
(8) Partner 0 allemande 1.0, right hand to Partner 1
B2 (16) Grand Right and Left (P1 pull by right, P2 left, P3 right, P4 left, P5 right, P6 left) to Partner 7 (new Partner 0)
Notes: Most "seven"-based circle dances are actually 6-progression dances, which have unfortunate side effects if the number of dancers is even or divisible by three. This is a true 7-progression dance, which will only have trouble if the number of dancers is a multiple of 7.
Star Fleet
Becket (CW)
A1 (8) Long lines forward and back
(8) Left hands-across star 1.0
A2 (4) Whole set single file promenade (counterclockwise) to new neighbors (N2)
(8) Left hands-across star 1.0
(4) Larks pull by left while Robins turn alone (over right shoulder)
B1 (8) Half hey, Neighbor (N2 start passing right)
(8) Neighbor (N2) swing
B2 (6) Circle left 3/4
(10) Partner swing
Notes: Riffing on my own dance Strange New Worlds, tightening up its loose timing in B1.
Strange New Worlds
Becket (CW)
A1 (8) Right and left through
(8) Left hands-across star 1.0
A2 (4) Whole set single file promenade (counterclockwise) to new neighbors (N2)
(8) Left hands-across star 1.0
(4) Larks pull by left while Robins turn alone (over right shoulder)
B1 (16) Neighbor (N2) right shoulder round and swing
B2 (6) Circle left 3/4
(10) Partner swing
Notes: Inspired by Star Trek by Mike Richardson. Loose timing around the pull by, sometimes leading to the right shoulder round "in B1" completing before B1 starts.
Stun Dance
Improper
A1 (16) Larks balance and swing, end near Partner
A2 (16) Partner balance and swing
B1 (8) Larks chain
(8) Right-hand star
B1 (8) Left-hand star, with new Neighbors (N2)
(8) Neighbor (N2) allemande left 1.0 [Or, 1.5 to switch to Swoon Dance]
Notes: In the spirit of Sun Dance by Robert Cromartie. Pairs with Swoon Dance below. Can also be Becket (CCW) if you start at B1, or Improper with a star-to-star progression if you start at B2.
Swoon Dance
Improper
A1 (16) Robins balance and swing, end near Partner
A2 (16) Partner balance and swing
B1 (8) Robins chain
(8) Left-hand star
B1 (8) Right-hand star, with new Neighbors (N2)
(8) Neighbor (N2) allemande right 1.0 [Or, 1.5 to switch to Stun Dance]
Notes: In the spirit of Moon Dance by Robert Cromartie. Pairs with Stun Dance above. Can also be Becket (CW) if you start at B1, or Improper with a star-to-star progression if you start at B2.
Ultranella
Improper
A1 (8) Ring balance, spin to the right
(8) Ring balance, spin to the right
A2 (16) Neighbor balance and swing
B1 (8) Circle Left 3/4
(8) Partner swing
B2 (8) Ring balance, spin to the right
(8) Balance and California Twirl
Notes: Written to fill a role in a rapid-fire medley.
Up Against a Waltz
Improper
A1 (8) Wave balance, box circulate
(8) Wave balance, box circulate
A2 (16) Neighbor balance and swing
B1 (8) Larks allemande Left 1.5
(8) Partner swing
B2 (8) Long lines forward and back
(8) Robins pull by right, Neighbor allemande Left 3/4 (equivalently "open chain") to
long waves
Notes: Written to be a forgiving box circulate dance. The B2 open chain offers lots of time to make long waves.