Chris Page's contra dance site

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Contra dances of others

I don't plan on including many here, but this is a dumping ground for dances that I need to and can refer to in other documents. All dances here are either traditional, or with the permission of the author. Email me if you have a concern about the above.


California Reel
Traditional
Sicilian Circle
A1 Chasse right with partner (4)
   Balance (4)
   Chasse left with partner (4)
   Circle left 1/2 (4)
A2 Chasse right with partner (4)
   Balance (4)
   Chasse left with partner (4)
   Circle left 1/2 (4)
B1 Ladies chain
   Ladies chain
B2 Balance partner [1]
   Balance partner
   Right-hand turn partner 1
C1 Circle left 1/2 [2]
   Circle right 1/2
D1 Promenade
   Right and left through
D2 Forward and back
   Forward again, pass through to next

[1] In the text, simply described as "balance and swing partners." But that meant something different back then. The turn may be a two-hand turn -- I'm still researching stuff like that. And the balances in the A's are described as "half balances," as opposed to the full balances, which at that time were eight beats long.
[2] This part is a puzzler. There's seven sections clearly in the text, but the top of the dance lists only six sections. I need to dig up other sources on this dance, but I'd recommend dropping the C section for now.

My source for this dance is from "The ball-room manual of contra dances and social cotillons, with remarks on quadrilles and Spanish dance." (page 20, 1863.) (Spanish dance, by the way, is name at that time for a Sicilian circle.) Check here.