Contra Dances by Cary Ravitz

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The number of counts used by each move is noted in parentheses. These are not necessarily rigid as the figures can trade off, especially within a 16 count phrase. For example with the common phrase circle left 3/4 (8), partners swing (8), the dancers will often use just 6 or 7 counts for the circle.

I have tried to highlight the progressions with phrases like "and turn to face new neighbors" and "to meet new neighbors". This implies that subsequent figures are done with the new minor set.

I have added a note wherever a dance is reentered improperish with lady on the left.

I use "half sashay" for two dancers to trade places with a side step. Clockwise or counter-clockwise is specified. Be sure not to read "roll away" where there isn't one.

I use "sashay around" for two dancers to walk around each other with side steps. Clockwise or counter-clockwise is specified.

A sashay around done by couples on both sides of a set of four, while facing directly across the set, is referred to as a "mad robin". A half sashay done by couples on both sides of a set of four, while facing directly across the set, is referred to as a "1/2 mad robin".

I use the phrase "roll away with a half sashay" to refer to the common figure with ladies rolling left and gents half sashaying right. If the gents roll away, I use the phrase "gents roll away and ladies half sashay", with the direction implied by the position of the dancers. If the ladies roll away right, I use the phrase "ladies roll away and gents half sashay", with the direction implied by the position of the dancers. The roll away is always in front of the half sashay.

Chains and right and left throughs end with a courtesy turn. For a right and left through to a circle left, a California twirl may be preferred to a courtesy turn.

The term "star" covers both wrist hold and hands across. If the type of star is important, it is specified.

"Bounce back", done within a hey, means bounce back in the middle and trade roles in the hey. Dancers that bounce back generally stay facing across the set. If you start on the left, you bounce back and to the right. If you start on the right, you bounce back and to the left.

"Bounce across", done within a hey, means bounce in the middle and back up and across the set.

Gyspy is a two dancer contra figure - walk around the other dancer eye to eye. Generally 4..8 counts followed by a swing or 8 counts to go 1+1/2 around. In a figure name, gypsy is used to add eye to eye - gypsy star, gypsy waves (and the common flourish, gypsy hey).

These are the rules that I follow when writing a dance. The first rules are rigid - I allow no exceptions unless the theme of the dance requires it.

A1	-	Face across.
	-	Twos pass left to start a hey (16).

A2	-	Neighbors (on the side) half sashay clockwise (ones behind the twos) (3).
	-	Gypsy clockwise for four 1 (10) (circle left 1 without hands).
	-	Ladies (across) half sashay clockwise (ones ladies behind the two ladies) (3).

B1	-	Partners balance and swing (16).

B2	-	Circle left 3/4 and pass through up and down to meet new neighbors (8).
	-	With neighbors, the one gent and two lady do-si-do, the one lady and two gent allemande right 1+1/2 (8).

A1	-	Face across.
	-	Twos pass left to start a 1/2 hey, ones bounce back (8).
	-	Continue the hey, twos bounce back, ones finish an ordinary hey (8).

A2	-	Neighbors (on the side) half sashay clockwise (ones behind the twos) (3).
	-	Gypsy clockwise for four 1 (10) (circle left 1 without hands).
	-	Gents (across) half sashay clockwise (ones gents behind the two gents) (3).

B1	-	Partners balance and swing (16).

B2	-	Circle left 3/4 and pass through up and down to meet new neighbors (8).
	-	With neighbors, the one gent and two lady do-si-do, the one lady and two gent allemande right 1+1/2 (8).

A1	-	Long lines go forward and back and partners roll away with a half sashay (8).
	-	Circle right 3/4 (8).

A2	-	With partners, gents lead a zigzag right and left around neighbors to face new neighbors (6).
	-	Neighbors swing (10).

B1	-	Circle left 3/4 (8).
	-	Partners allemande right 3/4 (3).
	-	Gents allemande left 1 (5).

B2	-	Partners gypsy and swing (16) (or balance and swing).

A1	-	Long lines go forward and back and partners roll away with a half sashay (8).
	-	Gents allemande right 1+1/2 (8).

A2	-	Neighbors balance and swing (16).

B1	-	Ladies chain across (8).
	-	Circle left 3/4 and pass through up and down to meet new neighbors (8).

B2	-	Ladies allemande left 1 while gents orbit 1/2 clockwise (6).
	-	Partners swing (10).

A1	-	Circle left 3/4 (8).
	-	Neighbors swing (8).

A2	-	Right and left through across (8).
	-	On the left diagonal, only if there is someone there, ladies chain to your shadow (8).

B1	-	Take hands in a circle and balance (4).
	-	With neighbors (across), ladies roll away and gents half sashay (4).
	-	With neighbors, gents lead a zigzag left and right around your shadow to face your partner (8).

B2	-	Gents allemande left 3/4 (4).
	-	Partners swing (12).

A1	-	Dancers in the line to the caller's right are ones.
	-	Long lines go forward and back and just the ones roll away with a half sashay (8).
	-	Hands across star right 7/8 (3+1/2 places) so that a gent and lady from each set of four are in the middle (8).

A2	-	Keep hands in the star and take hands in a long wavy line in the middle.
	-	People on the sides balance in and out while people in the middle balance to a new neighbor and away (4).
	-	Slide past the person that you balanced to with a Rory O'More spin (4).
	-	Hands across star left 3/4 with the handy group of four (8).

B1	-	Keep hands in the star and take hands in a long wavy line in the middle.
	-	People on the sides balance in and out while people in the middle balance to a new neighbor and away (4).
	-	Slide past the person that you balanced to (4).
	-	Hands across star right 7/8 with the handy group of four, ending on the side with your partner (8).

B2	-	Partners gypsy and swing (16).

A1	-	Long lines go forward, neighbors gypsy 1/2, and gents take neighbors back to the side (opposite the gents' home side) (2+4+2).
	-	Neighbors swing (8).

A2	-	Gents pass left to start a 1/2 hey (8).
	-	Neighbors swing (8).

B1	-	Long lines go forward, partners gypsy 1/2, and long lines go back (2+4+2).
	-	Star right 7/8, ending with gents in the middle (8).

B2	-	Gents look for a new neighbor gent to allemande left 3/4 while ladies walk to meet your partner (4).
	-	Partners swing (12).

A1	-	Right and left through across (8).
	-	Circle right 3/4 (8).

A2	-	With partners, ladies lead a zigzag right and left around neighbors to face new neighbors (6).
	-	Neighbors swing (10).

B1	-	Circle left 3/4 (8).
	-	Partners allemande right 3/4 (3).
	-	Gents allemande left 1 (5).

B2	-	Partners balance and swing (16).

A1	-	Forward to the middle (3).
	-	Gent roll to face your partner while ladies quarter sashay to the left (2) (half of gents roll away and ladies half sashay).
	-	Back up to face your partner across the set (3).
	-	Do-si-do (8).

A2	-	Balance, go forward to the middle, bounce while rotating counter-clockwise 90 degrees, back up to progress one place around a diamond.
	-	Balance, go forward to the middle, bounce while rotating counter-clockwise 90 degrees, back up to progress one place around a diamond.

B1	-	Pass right to start a hey - partners pass right, loop left, partners pass right, small loop left - ending in the middle (16).

B2	-	Balance and swing in the middle, end where you started the swing, facing down, lady on the right (16).
	-	The phantom set rotates 90 degrees, so you are now on the side, facing across.

A1	-	Ladies chain across (8).
	-	Ladies pass right to start a 1/2 hey (8).

A2	-	Neighbors balance and swing (16).

B1	-	Gents allemande left 1+1/2 (8).
	-	Partner swing (8).

B2	-	Circle left 3/4 (7).
	-	Pass through up and down to meet new neighbors (2).
	-	Circle right 3/4 (7).

A1	-	Promenade clockwise (ladies in the middle) around the full set 1 place to meet new neighbors (2).
	-	Ladies allemande right 1/2 (2).
	-	Neighbors swing (12).

A2	-	Gents allemande left 1 while ladies pause and then follow your neighbor to cross the set (6).
	-	Gents keep left hands, pick up your partner, star promenade across, and butterfly whirl to face in (8).

B1	-	Ladies pass right to start a 1/2 hey, gents bounce back (8).
	-	Continue the hey, ladies bounce back, gents finish an ordinary hey (8).

B2	-	Partners balance and swing (16).

A1	-	Take hands in a circle, balance, and spin one place to the right, as in Petronella, and turn alone to face new neighbors (8).
	-	Take hands in a circle, balance, and spin one place to the right (8).

A2	-	Gents allemande left 1+1/2 (8).
	-	Neighbors swing (8) (or allemande right 1+3/4).

B1	-	Circle left 3/4 (8).
	-	Ladies pass left to start a 1/2 hey (8).

B2	-	Partners balance and swing (16).

A1	-	Long lines go forward and back (8).
	-	Ladies chain across (8).

A2	-	Star left 1 and turn to face new neighbors (8).
	-	Neighbors swing (8) (or allemande right 1+1/2).

B1	-	Pass through across (4).
	-	Neighbors California twirl(4).
	-	Gents allemande left 1+1/2 (8).

B2	-	Partners gypsy and swing (16) (or balance and swing).

A1	-	Neighbors balance and swing (16).

A2	-	Long lines go forward (4).
	-	Ones swing in the middle and end facing down while twos back up and face up (12).

B1	-	With new neighbors, ones split the twos to start a mirror do-si-do (one gents and two ladies see-saw, two gents and one ladies do-si-do) (8).
	-	Twos swing and end facing up (8).

B2	-	Circle left 1 (8).
	-	Neighbors do-si-do (8).

A1	-	On the left diagonal walk forward to meet new neighbors (4).
	-	Back up straight to form a set of four (4).
	-	Ladies chain across (8).

A2	-	Ladies pass right to start a hey (16).

B1	-	Neighbors balance and swing (16).

B2	-	Circle left 3/4 (8).
	-	Partners swing (8).

A1	-	Pass through across (4).
	-	Neighbors balance and swing (12) (reenter with ladies on the left).

A2	-	Gents allemande left 1+1/2 (8).
	-	Partners swing (8).

B1	-	Circle left 3/4 and pass through up and down to meet new neighbors (8).
	-	Star left 1 and turn to face your original neighbors (8) (reenter with ladies on the left).

B2	-	Neighbors do-si-do (8).
	-	Neighbors swing (8).
	-	Face across and look for new neighbors.

A1	-	Neighbors balance and swing (16).

A2	-	Gents allemande left 1/2 (2).
	-	Gents keep left hands, pick up your partner, star promenade across, and butterfly whirl 1/2 to put the ladies in the middle (6).
	-	Ladies allemande right 1/2 (2).
	-	Ladies keep right hands, pick up your neighbor, star promenade across, and butterfly whirl 1/2 (gents go forward, ladies go backward) to put the gents in the middle (6).

B1	-	Gents allemande left 1/2 (4).
	-	Partners swing (12).

B2	-	Circle left 3/4 and pass through up and down to meet new neighbors (8).
	-	Neighbors do-si-do (8).

A1	-	Gents allemande left 1 (6).
	-	Gents keep left hands, pick up your partner, star promenade across, and butterfly whirl while shifting one place to the right to face new neighbors (10).

A2	-	Ladies allemande right 1+1/2 (8).
	-	Neighbors swing (8).

B1	-	Circle left 3/4 (8).
	-	Ladies pass left to start a 1/2 hey (8).

B2	-	Partners balance and swing (16).

A1	-	Neighbors balance and swing (16).

A2	-	Go down the hall (5).
	-	Turn as a couple (3).
	-	Come back up (5).
	-	Ones cast around the twos (3).

B1	-	Ones half figure eight around the twos (8).
	-	Ones swing and end facing down to face new neighbors (8).

B2	-	Circle left 1 (8).
	-	Twos swing and end facing up (8).

A1	-	Neighbors balance and swing (16).

A2	-	Face your partner and lock eyes.
	-	The one gent and two lady half sashay clockwise (gent in front of lady) (4).
	-	Neighbors sashay around clockwise (starting with twos walk forward and right) (8).
	-	The two gent and one lady half sashay clockwise (gent in front of lady) (4).

B1	-	Ladies allemande left 1+1/2 (8).
	-	Partners swing (8).

B2	-	Gents start a hands across star left and ladies fall in behind your partner. From initial positions, turn the star 1 for gents and 1/2 for ladies and turn to face new neighbors (8).
	-	Neighbors do-si-do (8).

A1	-	Long lines go forward and back and partners roll away with a half sashay (8).
	-	On the left diagonal, only if there is someone there, gents chain by the right hand (8) (gents are on the right).

A2	-	With your shadow (across) and the neighbor that you chained with, star left 3/4 (8).
	-	On the right diagonal, only if there is someone there, ladies chain (8).

B1	-	With your partner (across) and the neighbor that you finished the chain with, ladies pass right to start a 1/2 hey (8).
	-	Ladies allemande right 1+1/2 (8).

B2	-	Partners balance and swing (16).

A1	-	Neighbors balance and swing (16) (or do-si-do and allemande right 1+1/2).

A2	-	Right and left through across (8).
	-	Ladies pass right to start a 1/2 hey (8).

B1	-	Ladies start a hands across star right and gents fall in behind your neighbor. From initial positions, turn the star 1 for ladies and 1/2 for gents (8).
	-	Gents turn in and partners swing (8).

B2	-	Gents pass left to start a 1/2 hey (8).
	-	Gents start a hands across star left and ladies fall in behind your partner. From initial positions, turn the star 1 for gents and 1/2 for ladies and turn to face new neighbors (8).

A1	-	Gents chain across by the left hand to a mirror courtesy turn (8) (ending with gents on the left).
	-	Star right 1 (8).

A2	-	Gents turn in and neighbors gypsy and swing (16).

B1	-	Right and left through across (8).
	-	On the right diagonal, only if there is someone there, ladies chain (8).

B2	-	Star left 1 and turn to face your partner (8).
	-	Partners swing (8).

A1	-	Neighbors balance and swing (16) (or do-si-do and allemande right 1+1/2).

A2	-	Circle left 1 (8).
	-	Hands across star left 1 (8).

B1	-	Gents allemande left 1+1/2 (8).
	-	Partners swing (8).

B2	-	Right and left through across (8).
	-	Ladies chain across and turn to face new neighbors (8).

A1	-	Gents pass left to start a 1/2 hey and turn to face your shadow (8).
	-	(With your shadow and neighbor) star left 3/4 and turn to face new neighbors (8).

A2	-	Neighbors do-si-do (8).
	-	Neighbors swing (8).

B1	-	Circle left 3/4 (8).
	-	Balance (4).
	-	California twirl to face your partner (4).

B2	-	Partners balance and swing (16).

A1	-	Circle left 1/2 (4).
	-	Neighbors roll away with a half sashay (across) (2).
	-	Pass through up and down to meet your shadow (2).
	-	With your shadow and neighbor circle right 3/4 (8).

A2	-	Neighbors allemande left 1+1/2 and turn to face new neighbors (8) (reenter with ladies on the left).
	-	Neighbors swing (8).

B1	-	Right and left through across (8).
	-	Star left 3/4 and turn to face your partner (8) (reenter with ladies on the left).

B2	-	Partners balance and swing (16).

A1	-	Forward to the middle (3).
	-	Ladies roll to face your partner while gents quarter sashay to the right (2) (half of a roll away with a half sashay).
	-	Back up to face your partner across the set (3).
	-	Do-si-do (8).

A2	-	Balance and Petronella turn (8) (moving one place around a diamond).
	-	Balance and Petronella turn (8).

B1	-	Allemande left 1+1/2 (8).
	-	Big loop out and back (8).

B2	-	Balance and swing in the middle, end where you started the swing, facing down, lady on the right (16).
	-	The phantom set rotates 90 degrees, so you are now on the side, facing across.

A1	-	Face your neighbor in the diamond.
	-	Gents pass left to start a hey (diagonal) (16).

A2	-	Partners balance and swing (16).

B1	-	Circle left 1 (8).
	-	Hands across star left 1 (8).

B2	-	Gents keep left hands, pick up your partner, star promenade across, and butterfly whirl back into the diamond (8).
	-	Ladies look for the lady in the next diamond (first new couple), take right hands, keep your partner, star promenade across, and butterfly whirl to a new diamond with a second new couple (gents go forward, ladies go backward) (8).

A1	-	Ladies pass right to start a hey (diagonal) (16).

A2	-	Partners balance and swing (16).

B1	-	Circle left 1 (8).
	-	Hands across star left 1 (8).

B2	-	Gents keep left hands, pick up your partner, star promenade across, and butterfly whirl to face out of the diamond (8).
	-	Gents look for the gent in the next diamond (first new couple), take left hands, keep your partner, star promenade across, and butterfly whirl to a new diamond with a second new couple (8).

A1	-	Neighbors balance and swing (16).

A2	-	Gents start a hands across star left and ladies fall in behind your neighbor. From initial positions, turn the star 1 for gents and 1/2 for ladies and turn to face your shadow (8).
	-	Shadows allemande right 1+1/2, ending in wavy lines on the sides with gents facing in (8).

B1	-	Balance right and left and slide right with a Rory O'More spin to face your partner (8).
	-	Partners swing (8).

B2	-	Gents start a hands across star left and ladies fall in behind your partner. From initial positions, turn the star 1 for gents and 1/2 for ladies and turn to face new neighbors (8).
	-	Neighbors do-si-so (8).

A1	-	Star left 3/4 so that the gents are in the middle and gents turn to face a new neighbor gent (8).
	-	(New neighbor) gents allemande right 1+1/2 (8).

A2	-	Take hands in a diamond oriented circle.
	-	Balance and spin one place to the right, as in Petronella (8).
	-	Take hands in the diamond, balance, and spin one place to the right (8).

B1	-	Star right 3/4 so that ladies are in the middle and ladies turn to face a new neighbor lady (8).
	-	(New neighbor) ladies allemande left 1+1/2, ending with everyone progressed and in a diamond (8).

B2	-	Partners balance and swing and end in a diamond (16).

A1	-	Long lines go forward and back and partners roll away with a half sashay (8).
	-	Circle right 1 (8).

A2	-	With partners, gents roll away and ladies half sashay into a butterfly whirl hold (3).
	-	Butterfly whirl 3/4 so that gents are in the middle (3).
	-	Gents take left hands, star promenade across, and butterfly whirl while shifting one place to the right to face new neighbors (10).

B1	-	Ladies pass right to start a 1/2 hey, gents bounce back (8).
	-	Continue the hey, ladies bounce back, gents finish an ordinary hey (8).

B2	-	Partners balance and swing (16).

A1	-	Long lines go forward and back (8).
	-	Ladies pass right to start a 1/2 hey and turn to face your shadow (8).

A2	-	(With your shadow and neighbor) star right 3/4 (8).
	-	Gents turn in and neighbors swing (8).

B1	-	Shadows do-si-do (across) and turn to face new neighbors (8).
	-	(With your shadow and neighbor) star left 3/4 and turn to face your partner (8).

B2	-	Partners balance and swing (16).