The following dances are by Keith Hunt of Camillus, NY. Keith has been a fixture in the Syracuse dance community for many years, both as a contra dancer and as an international dancer. He and his wife Judy play with the bands, Crooked Stovepipe and the Syracuse Country Orchestra. Keith is a caller whose roots go back to rural New York dances. His programs often include a variety of styles of dance, both old and new, and help us stay connected with tradition.
If you'd like to see dances by other authors, return to David's Dance Caller's Home Page.
Jealous Sally
a duple proper contra dance
| Gent 1 goes diagaonally down across the set below lady 2, then up the outside behind both ladies; now with his partner following gent 1 crosses back going below gent 2, then up the outside through his place and straight across to his partner's place; the 1's ending improper | |
| All gypsy neighbor and swing, end facing down | |
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Down the hall 4-in-line, turn as couples Return, hand cast |
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Actives 1/2 figure 8 above All forward and back |
The fun is in the chase!
Mix'nella
a duple improper contra dance
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Couple 1 balance to partner across the set, then turn over own right
shoulder to move into the center of the set, gent facing down and lady up;
as the ones spin the twos move up slightly, then all take hands in a
"diamond" Balance this ring, all spin one place to the right and re-form the ring |
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Balance again, spin right, and... Swing your neighbor |
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Down the hall 4-in-line, turn as couples Return and cast off |
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Right and left through across the set Long lines forward and back |
Mix'nella preserves several features of the classic version of the dance Petronella. The first couple has the opportunity to show off as many balance step variations as they would like. The spin to the right, down the hall and back, and right and left, are all reflections of the earlier dance. But Mix'nella also mixes it up by having everyone active most of the time in keeping with current preferences, and including the figure in a ring that most dancers today associate with Petronella. The name of the dance is a nod to Pat'nella, the name given to the original dance by the rural folk of Ralph Page's area.
Northern Quadrille
a square dance figure
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Head couples forward and back Forward again and do si do opposite |
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Swing the same, end facing nearest side couple Circle left, 4 hands |
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Left-hand star, gents turn back (over right shoulder) And swing the one you meet (your corner) |
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| Promenade to the gent's home |
This New England style square dance figure is suitable for dancers of all abilities. It works well with a clearly phrased jig.
Snowflake Chain
a triple minor improper contra dance
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Actives do-si-do below 1-1/2 (actives are now progressed) Circle 6 hands round to the left |
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Complete the circle left and then each gent courtesy turn the lady on his
right Three ladies start a triple grand chain |
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| . . . and chain twice more until you are back to progressed place | |
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Couples 1 and 2, half promenade And half right and left through |
The "three ladies triple grand chain" figure was originated by Rod Linnell and used in his Long Pond Chain square dance. To do the figure, three ladies make a 3 handed right-hand star. They pass in front of their current gent and one gent more to do a courtesy turn with the third gent they meet. (Note that for couples 1 and 2 the "current gent" is not their partner, but the neighbor with whom they did the do si do.) Two more chains done the same way will bring you back where you started.
The figures of this dance fit to a standard 64-count tune. The do-si-do takes 8 counts. The circle 6 goes all the way round and takes a full 16 counts, so it begins partway through the first A-part of the tune and ends partway through the second A-part. The triple grand chain uses 24 counts, ending after the first B-part. The half promenade (8) and the half right and left through (8) fit into the second B-part.
This dance goes well with the tune Snowflake Breakdown or similar distinctively phrased reels.
Three Sashay
a triple minor proper contra dance
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Actives do si do and cast below one (unassisted) Forward 6 and back |
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Circle left 3/4 until the gents face up and the ladies down Sashay to the right and back to the left |
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| Actives turn contra corners, ending back in your lines-of-3 | |
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Sashay to the right and back to the left Circle right 3/4 |
This dance is a modification of Sackett's Harbor.
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This page last updated 7-24-05