Bob the Surfer (2017)

This dance was inspired by "Surfing the Set" by Bob Isaacs and Richard Alan Fisher.  The figure in B2 is often referred to as "box circulate."

DUPLE IMPROPER

SINGLE PROGRESSION

A1  Neighbor Balance & Swing (16)

A2  Larks Left Hand Allemande 1.5 (8) / Partner Swing (8)

B1  Circle Left Three Places (8) / Neighbor Right Hand Allemande 1.5 (8)

B2  Long Wave on the Side (Larks face in; ravens face out; current neighbor in right hand) Balance Right then Back (4) - Larks Cross the Set While Ravens Turn Right to Take Neighbor's Place (4) / Long Wave on the Side (Larks face out; ravens face in; partner in right hand) Balance Right then Back (4); Ravens Cross the Set While Larks Turn Right to Take Partner's Place and Turn Away on the Side to Face New Neighbor (4) 

Back of the Envelope (2017)

This sequence occurred to me as I was brushing my teeth, so I jotted it down when I was done with that.  After the first time through, dancers in the raven's role may find it helpful in the second half of A1 to be referred to as "new ravens" ("on the other side of your partner," as I may say at the end of the walk through) to clear up any confusion.    

DUPLE IMPROPER

SINGLE PROGRESSION

A1  Long Lines Forward and Back (8) / Ravens Left Hand Allemande 1.5 (8)

A2  Partner Balance & Swing (16)

B1  Circle Left 3 Places (8) / Neighbor Di-Si-Do (8)

B2  Neighbor Balance & Swing (16)

All Hands on Deck (2015)

A2 of this dance is a variation on the A2 from "Fast Hands" by Diane Silver. B2 is derived from "A Pirate's Life for Me" by Nathaniel Jack. Also see my dance "Hold Fast." The timing in A2 is tight, so I often tell dancers that there is no shame in skipping the balance at the top of B1 if they're late finding their partner.

DUPLE IMPROPER

SINGLE PROGRESSION

A1  Neighbor Balance & Swing (16)

A2  Pull by Hey: Larks Pull by Left (2) - Partner Pull by Right (2) - Ravens Pull by Left (2) - Neighbor Pull by Right (2)- Larks Pull by Left (2)- Partner Pull by Right (2)- Ravens Allemande Left Once (4)

B1  Partner Balance & Swing (16)

B2  Ravens Do-si-do 1.5 (8) / Neighbor Right Shoulder Round Once (ish) and Turn Away to Face New Neighbor (8)

Alexander Avery's Articulate Anime Adventure (2017)

This dance was written for Alexander Avery Gale of Cincinnati, Ohio.  His mother, Anita Gale, sponsored a dance for him as part of the December 2016 fundraiser for Portland Intown Contra Dance.  She requested "one of those dances that makes the engineers in the community chuckle."  Before the walk through, dancers can identify their shadow by looking past their partner up and down the hall.

CLOCKWISE BECKET

SINGLE PROGRESSION

A1  Left Diagonal (Only if someone is there) Ravens Chain to a New Neighbor (8) / (Shadow is now across the set) Straight Across Ravens Pass Right to Start a Half Hey (8)

A2  Neighbor Balance and Swing (16)

B1  Right and Left Through Across (8) / Ring Balance (4) - Slide One Place to the Right as in Petronella (4)

B2  Long Wavy Lines (Larks facing out; shadow in right hand) Balance Right then Left (4) - Slide Right Past Shadow as in Rory O'More (4) / Partner Swing (8)

Alan's Dots (2018)

A2 of this dance is borrowed from “Dipping Dots” by Alan Winston.

DUPLE IMPROPER

SINGLE PROGRESSION

A1 Neighbor Balance and Swing (16)

A2 Dip and Dive Across the Set: #1 Lark and #2 Raven Arches and Other Couple Dives Through to Trade Places Across (4) - Neighbor California Twirl on the Side to Face Back in (4) / #2 Lark and #1 Raven Arches and Other Couple Dives Through to Trade Places Across (4) - Neighbor California Twirl on the Side to Face Back in (4)

B1  Ravens Right Hand Allemande 1.5 (8) / Partner Swing (8)

B2  Circle Left Three Places (6) - Pass Through Up and Down (2) / New Neighbor Do-si-Do (8)