On the Ball

By Rick Mohr; September 2018

Contra

A1:

Circle left (8)

Dosido neighbor (8)

A2:

Circle right (8)

See-saw partner (8)

B1:

Balance the ring (4)

"Petronella turn" one place to the right (4)

Balance the ring (4)

"Petronella turn" one place to the right (4)

B2:

Balance the ring (4)

Two-hand turn partner 1 1/2 (12)

Most contras with "Petronellas" also have role-specific figures like swings and courtesy turns which are challenging in a group of mostly beginners. But Petronellas are easy and everyone likes them, so here's a dance any group can enjoy (above age 7 or so), without worrying about roles.

The two-hand turn in B2 gets everyone back on their original side, and opening out to face the next couple leads smoothly into the circle left.

For Ian Brehm, a founding member of the Philly teen dance, whose enthusiasm, personality, and across-the-board contributions were hugely important to making the series thrive. Thanks, Ian, for being always On the Ball!