Proper Duples - Easy
Christmas Star
By Dottie Welch, December 2015
Formation: Proper Duple Contra Lines
Music: "Christmas Hornpipe" on Great Chunes CD
A1 (8) (New Four) Star Right
(8) Star Left
A2 (8) Actives Center, Four in Line go down
(8) Turn Alone and Come Back
B1 (8) Circle Left
(8) Circle Right
B2 (8) Forward and Back
(8) Bow to old, with new two put Right Hand In (and Balance)
Oyster River Hornpipe Simplified
Traditional, simplification by Dottie Welch
(originally the last 20 beats were Cast Off, Right and Left Thru, and Back)
Formation: Proper Duple Contra Lines
Music: "Durang's Hornpipe"
A1 (8) Actives balance double with the gent below
(8) Circle Three (to the left once around)
A2 (8) Actives balance double with the lady below
(8) Circle Three
B1 (8) Active couples go down the center (or Active Center, Four in Line Go Down)
(8) Turn alone, Come Back
B2 (8) Slow (assisted) Cast Off
(8) Long Lines Forward and Back
Proper Turns (Swing, Twirl and Cast)
By Dottie Welch, September 2015 (Simplified version of Proper Swinger)
Formation: Proper Duple Contra Lines
Music: "Earl Bley's and Fiddle Hill Jig" on Southerners Plus Two
A1 (8) New Four Circle Left
(8) Circle Right
A2 (8) Same four Balance Double
(8) Ones Swing (end with Lady on right)
B1 (8) Ones Centre, Four in Line Go Down (6 steps)
(8) Centers California Twirl, Ends Turn Alone, Come Back
B2 (8) (Twos are pivots) slow Cast Off
(8) Long Lines Forward and Back
Liard Hot Springs
By Dottie Welch, August 2012
Formation: Proper Duple
Music: "Tribute to Borders medley" on Caledonia Ball, (Marching Jigs)
A1 (8) Actives Dosado 1 1/2 to opposite side facing out
(8) Turn by Right Arm full around (pigeon wing)
A2 (8) Turn by Left Arm, actives to partner in center
(8) Actives turn by right back to starting spot
B1 (8) Forward and pairs turn to face down (Actives in center)
(8) Lines of Four go Down
B2 (8) Turn Alone and Come Back
(8) Slow Cast Off
Only Three-Quarters
By Dottie Welch, January 2011
Formation: Proper Duple
Music: "January 7th Jig" on Lloyd Shaw 318
A1 (8) Each four Circle Left 3/4
(8) Gents Split Two and Separate around partner to a line facing down
A2 (8) Lines of four down the hall six steps, Turn Alone
(8) Come Back
B1 (8) Slow Cast Off to facing lines (pivoting around the Gent)
(8) Forward and Back
B2 (8) Circle Left 3/4 ending facing up or down along dancer's original long line
(8) Balance Four then face across to make long lines and new groups of four
Easy Eight
By Dottie Welch, November 2011
Formation: Proper Duple
Music: Reels (Before music Actives Swing, put lady on right and face down)
A1 (8) Actives Center, Lines of 4 Down the Hall
(8) Turn alone and Come Back
A2 (8) Slow Cast Off
(8) Forward and Back
B1 (8) Each four Circle Left
(8) Circle Right
B2 (8) Actives up Half Figure Eight
(Lady cross up around lady, gent cross up around gent)
(8) Actives Swing
Diagonal Dilly
By Dottie Welch, November 2009
Formation: Proper Duple
Music: "March to May & Bonaparte" on Kitchen Chair CD
A1 (8) Long Lines Forward and Back
(8) Diagonally right, turn by right arm back to place (Ends use phantom)
A2 (8) Diagonally left and turn by left arm
(8) Long Lines Forward and Back
B1 (8) Actives Swing ending with the lady on the right and facing down
(8) Actives step between In-actives, lines of four go down the hall
B2 (8) Centers California Twirl, others turn alone, come back
(8) Slow Cast Off 3/4 back to long lines
Cross My Heart
By Dottie Welch, February 2009, revised later
Idea from Anniversary Contra by Don Armstrong
Formation: Proper Duple, spread out a bit
Music Fiddlers: Shetland Set ("Da Forfeit o de Ship")
A1 (8) #1's Cross and go below one
(8) Long Lines Forward and Back
A2 (8) #2's Cross and go below one
(8) Long Lines Forward and Back
B1 (8) All Swing Partner (end facing down with girl on right)
(8) Down in Twos (6 steps)
B2 (8) California Twirl and Come Back
(8) 1's Cast Off, Others Face In
Double Cross
By Dottie Welch, March 2013
Formation: Proper Duple
Music: Reels
A1 (8) #1's Cross and go below one
(8) Long Lines Forward and Back
A2 (8) Right and Left Thru
(8) Right and Left Back
B1 (8) #1's Cross and go below another
(8) Forward and Back
B2 (8) Long Lines Circle Left
(8) Circle Right back to facing partner
Proper Start
By Dottie Welch, December 2008, a dance for new contra dancers
Formation: Proper Duple
Music: "Turkey in the Straw" on Blue Star 2462
A1 (8) Long lines Forward and Back
(8) Pass Thru, U-turn back and clap on 8th beat
A2 (8) Forward and Back
(8) Pass Thru, U-turn back and clap on 8th beat
B1 (8) Each four Star Right (#1's look below, use hands up, fingers touching)
(8) Star Left back to starting spot
B2 (8) #1's hold left hands and turn around each other to face out on own side
(8) #1's Cast Down outside around one while #2's slide up one position
Wentworth Valley
By Dottie Welch, May 2006, this is a teaching contra created while driving through a pastoral section of old highway in the Cobequid Mountains of Nova Scotia.
Formation: Proper Duple (Ladies in left line and Gents in right line), #1s are Active
Music: "The Frisky Medley" on Caledonian Ball
Tunes are: Humber Jumber, Solomon Levi, The Haymakers, Tight Little Island
A1 (8) Star Right
(8) Star Left
A2 (8) Active Gent Dosado 2nd Lady
(8) Active Lady Dosado 2nd Gent
B1 (8) Actives Swing
(8) Actives Center, Lines of four down the hall (6 steps)
B2 (8) Centers California Twirl, Others Turn Alone, Come Back
(8) Slow Cast Off