Boys of Bloomington
By Rick Mohr; December 2024
Contra, Becket
Level: Intermediate
A1: |
Right and left through (8) Hands across star left 7/8 (8) (until ladies are at the sides and gents in the middle) |
A2: |
Gents allemande left 3/4 (3) (ladies optional loop right) Eyes around and swing neighbor (13) |
B1: |
Circle left (8) With next couple, circle right 7/8 (8) (until gents are at the sides and ladies in the middle) |
B2: |
Ladies allemande left 3/4 (3) (gents optional loop right) Eyes around and swing partner (13) |
A smooth dance with nice symmetry and flow.
In B1 it's satisfying to change smoothly from one circle to the next — I encourage the ladies to turn in (toward partner) to keep a good connection.
For the optional loops in A1 and B1 the side dancers can add seamless flow by "turning single" — continue momentum from the star or circle and turn right out of the set to walk a circular path about as big as a pizza. Or they can just rest and wait.
In practice, dancers often have more time in the A2 and less in the B2, so I tell them the B2 eyes around is optional.
For Eric Schedler and Sam Bartlett of Bloomington Indiana — great guys and great musicians — and their band Supertrad.