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Record: LS 180
Contra dance in waltz time by Mary and Fred Collette of Atlanta,
Georgia.
Formation: Improper duple contra.
Footwork: Opposite throughout, man starts with L.
Measures
Intro Four measures, honor partner on last two.
1-2 ADVANCE TO MEET PARTNERS; TURN INTO
COLUMN IN CENTER
All advance to the center in 6 steps (2 meas), each making a
1/4 L-face turn (CCW) on a slight curve at the end of meas
2. This brings all into a single column, No. 1 men facing
down the set, No. 2 men facing up the set and all facing
original partner.
3-6 STEP-DRAW; STEP-DRAW; STEP-DRAW; STEP-
DRAW
Partners join hands across in butterfly position (arms
extended). With arms in a straight line pointing down on an
angle parallel to drawing leg, and bodies slanting prettily
sideward, step-draw twice to man's L and then step-draw
twice to man's R.
7-8 WOMAN TURNS HALF; PARTNERS BALANCE
SIDEWARD AWAY
While man takes 3 steps in place (1 meas), woman, in 3
steps, makes « turn R-face (CW) under joined hands (his
L, her R) held high (other hands released), bringing her to
his L side in left open pos, No. 1 couples facing down, No.
2 couples facing up; all bal sideward away from each other,
stepping away on outside foot and arching the free foot
(place instep of free foot lightly against the supporting
foot), with hands still joined and arms extended (man's L
and woman's R hands)
9-10 WOMAN TWIRLS; TO FACE PARTNER IN SINGLE
COLUMN
Under same joined hands W turns 1 « R-face (CW) in 6
steps, while man step-arches in place sideward twice (L to
L, and arch, then R to R, and arch), bringing all dancers
into a single column again as in the beginning.
11-14 STEP-DRAW; STEP-DRAW; STEP-DRAW; STEP-
DRAW
All step-draw, as in meas 3-6, above.
15-16 TURN; TO PLACES IN CONTRA LINES
All return to places in contra lines in 6 steps: beginning
under joined hands (man's R, woman's L) woman makes
3/4 L-face turn (CCW), while man makes 1/4 R-face turn
(CW), releasing hands, and all back into place.
Figure II
17-18 LINES FORWARD; JOIN HANDS WITH PARTNERS
All join hands in contra lines, lifting them higher than
heads as all step-arch fwd twice (2 meas) bringing contra
lines close together in center aisle; at end of meas 18, all
release hands and No. 1 ptnrs join opposite hands across,
still lifted.
19-20 ONES BALANCE TOGETHER TWOS BACK TO
LINES
While all No. 2s return to contra lines (step-arch bwd
twice), No. 1s lower hands to sides (in sideward arc,
outward and downward), as man does step-arch to his L
and woman to her R (1 meas); then step-arch sideward to
man's R (woman's L), pivoting individually in 1/4 turn to
R open pos facing down the set, during which outside
hands are released and joined inside hands, (man's R and
woman's L) are swept fwd, extending arms to shoulder
height of the shorter person.
21-22 ONES DOWN THE INSIDE
While No. 2s bal sideward in place for 2 meas (man does
step-arch to L, then step-arch to R woman opp), the No. 1
couples dance fwd down center in 6 steps to second No. 2
person in contra line partners release joined hands and
step sideward away from each other toward this person.
23-26 REVOLVE OUTWARD WITH TWOS
No. 1 man in L side pos ("side-car") with this No. 2
woman, extends L arm sideward, straight from shoulder,
and places the back of his open hand against the back of her
shoulder, while she takes the corresponding position
(extending her L arm also), and, both going fwd, they
revolve in place CCW once in12 short measured steps (4
meas). No. 1 woman simultaneously does counterpart with
No. 2 man (in R side position ("banjo") they revolve CW,
etc., each extending R arm). Note: when No. 1s reach the
foot of the set and have no No. 2s below them, they go
through these same motions, revolving in small circles in
12 measured steps.
27-28 ONES UP THE OUTSIDE
Break pos and, while No. 2s are taking 2 sideward
movements twd head of set (No. 2 man L-close R sideways
twice twd head of set No. 2 woman does counterpart),
No. 1s dance up the outside for 6 steps (2 meas) and come
into line one place below their first No. 2 couple.
(Progression has been accomplished)
29-32 REVOLVE WITH THE OTHER TWOS
No. 1 man takes R open pos with No. 2 woman, inside
hands joined and extended shoulder-high, her forearm on
his (Minuet style), and they revolve CW in place once in 12
steps (4 meas) and back into contra position
corresponding movement for No. 1 woman in R open pos
with No. 2 man, revolving CCW. (Note that as they revolve
in couples, each No. 1 person moved fwd while each No. 2
person turns in place, holding the pivot)
NOTE: Routine for neutral couple at the foot of set, meas 1-20.
1-16 Dance Figure I as usual with all others in the set.
17-18 Beginning Figure II, dance fwd in lines with all
others in
the set.
19-20 CROSS-OVER Partners having touched both hands,
while raised, momentarily, man keep woman's R in his L
long enough for woman to start fwd movement under his L
arm. In 6 steps (2 meas) woman turns « R-face (CW) while
man goes fwd on slight curve in 6 steps and turns « L-face
(CCW). Thus neutral partners exchange places, going to
opposite contra lines while all No. 2s are stepping bwd to
places and No. 1s are performing in center aisle. Then they
are ready to function immediately as No. 2s, with step-arch
bal sideward in place twice, revolving with No. 1s, etc., as
indicated above (meas 21-32), continuing as such until
reaching head of set and/or until end of music.
NOTE: Routine for neutral couple at the head of set, meas 1-32.
1-20 Exactly the same as given above for neutrals at the foot of
the set.
21-32 Partners simply step-arch balance in place, ready
to begin
new sequence as No. 1s.
A NOTE ABOUT THE MUSIC (by Dorothy Stott Shaw):
For several years, it was our custom, Pappy's and mine, to
walk around the Broadmoor Lake to sunset. There is no more
glamorous spot in the world than this romantic place, with its soft,
pink Mediterranean architecture, its beautiful landscaping, its quiet
lake alive with Mallards, and its marvelous backdrop of sheer
mountains. In June, the southern border of the lake is alive with
flowers and, beyond them is the green sweep of one of the world's
most beautiful golf courses. And on the steep face of Cheyenne
Mountain stands a white granite tower, with a carillon. At sunset of
a summer evening, waltz music drifts down across the green
landscape and the shimmering water, while the blossoming
Lindens give off an unbelievable fragrance.
At such times as this the carillon would occasionally play a
recording of waltz tunes in the midst of which was one of the
loveliest tunes we ever heard, so danceable that it was all I could
do to keep from astonishing other walkers by dancing down the
long, pink concrete path. "Oh, what a quadrille tune!" I used to say
to Lloyd, "or a waltz contra! Something simply has to be done with
it!" We finally identified it as the little carousel tune that Oscar
Strauss wrote and called "Love's Roundelay," and I found myself
dancing out a little merry-go-round quadrille pattern to it, just for
my own private joy.
When the time came for Mr. Bergin (Fred Bergin) to set
this music to a dance, we made a very simple one out of Don
Armstrong's contra, "Terry Lynn's Jig." You can see why we call
it "Dream Lake." But we also asked the Collettes, who had been
looking for music for a most heavenly waltz contra, if we might set
their dance to this same music. They called it "Motions of Joy" and
it is quite as beautiful as their great "Hills of Habersham." In it we
feel this compulsive music has met its match!
No dancer has really waltzed until he has waltzed in a
group pattern in a great waltz quadrille or a contra. This is the
ultimate joy of dancing. "Motions of Joy," "Dream Lake," memories promises.
(D. S. S.)
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