Head Over Heels

By Rick Mohr; March 2018

Contra, Progressed Improper Caller's Box

Level: Intermediate

A1:

Balance partner (4)

Square through two (4)

Swing next neighbor (8)

A2:

(On left diagonal) Right and left through (8)

Left hand star 3/4 (6)

Pass shadow by right shoulder (2)

B1:

Balance and swing partner (16)

B2:

Half hey (ladies pass right shoulders to start) (8)

Ladies chain (8)

An all-moving dance with balances at the tops of the parts and a nice partner reunion.

In A2 dancers pull by their shadow in the right and left through, then star left and pass by the same shadow.

Technically the formation is "indecent" (2's cross over rather than 1's). But I line people up improper and start with the neighbor swing, teaching the dance as if the balance and square through were the final figure. At that point in the second walkthrough (or the first if there's only one) I say that once we get going this will be the beginning of the dance. Then I start the dance with a long neighbor swing.

The end effects are numerous, but intuitive when dancers orient themselves to prepare for the next figure.

For Joel and Michal Bluestein of Arlington VA, in honor of their 25th wedding anniversary.

Video: Lisa Greenleaf with Polaris at a 2019 Greenfield dance, Greenfield MA:
Video: Janine Smith with Rachel Eddy & the Rock Farmers at Chesapeake Dance Weekend 2018, Edgewater MD: