Chuck the Budgie

By Rick Mohr; August 1991

Contra, Duple Improper Caller's Box

Level: Easy/Intermediate

A1:

Gents allemande left (6)

Swing neighbor (10)

A2:

Circle left 3/4 (6)

Swing partner (10)

B1:

Long lines forward and back (8)

Ladies allemande right 1 1/2 (8)

(Join left hands with neighbor to form a wave of four)

B2:

Balance the wave (4)

Allemande left with neighbor 3/4 (to long wave) (4)

Balance the long wave (4)

Allemande right with next neighbor 3/4 (4)

There's a fine fiddle tune called "Pat the Budgie" with sharply punctuated notes in the B2 which cry out for balances. This dance provides the balances in the right spots and otherwise moves along pretty well.

"Budgie" is slang for "Budgerigar" (a type of small parrot) as well as, I'm told, for "logger". Whichever the tune refers to, we're left with the tormenting question of whether it commemorates a notable budgie named Pat or the act of patting some nameless budgie on the head. We may never know; likewise with the dance.

Video: George Marshall & Great Bear Trio at Dance Flurry 2013, Saratoga NY (posted by Doug Heacock):