Have any of you ever called this dance by Mike Boerschig? It's been in my box for years, and I've never called it because I haven't been sure about who should go to which star. It was published one way in Midwest Folklore (see below), but the two YouTube videos I've seen of it have a shorter partner allemande, ending with the first woman and second man (i.e., second corners) starring above, while the second woman and the first man (first corners) star below. 

If you've called this and have an opinion about how it's best danced, or if you've found it challenging to teach, I'd love to hear what you have to say about it!

--Katy Heine

HAPPY AS A WARM PIG IN COLD MUD
by Mike Boerschig
dpl imp

A1
Neighbor balance and swing

A2
Men allemande left once and a half
allemande right partner once and three quarters
so men are facing in, women out

B1
Star left
away from partner, 1st corners star up, 2nd down; reaching across to shadow in star
swing partner

B2
Circle left three quarters
balance in that circle, California twirl partner to face next couple
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Hi Katy,

I learned this dance from the calling of Sue Rosen several years ago and it is one of my favorites. I advise dancers after the A1 neighbor balance and swing to look on the right diagonal to identify the shadow with whom they will later star. Then after the partner allemande, which I call as almost two times around, everyone usually can easily find their shadow and neighbor for the star. No. 1 lady and No. 2 man star below, No. 1 man and No. 2 lady above. 

(By the way, in the past year, I've seen this dance called by two different callers who told everyone that, during the star left, they could use those eight counts to star anywhere with anyone in the hall as long as they were back in the correct place and on time for the partner swing. It created a lot of fun chaos.)

Joyce Miller
Grass Valley, CA

On Jan 31, 2011, at 9:56 AM, <kheine@twcny.rr.com> wrote:

> Have any of you ever called this dance by Mike Boerschig? It's been in my box for years, and I've never called it because I haven't been sure about who should go to which star. It was published one way in Midwest Folklore (see below), but the two YouTube videos I've seen of it have a shorter partner allemande, ending with the first woman and second man (i.e., second corners) starring above, while the second woman and the first man (first corners) star below. 
> 
> If you've called this and have an opinion about how it's best danced, or if you've found it challenging to teach, I'd love to hear what you have to say about it!
> 
> --Katy Heine
> 
> HAPPY AS A WARM PIG IN COLD MUD
> by Mike Boerschig
> dpl imp
> 
> A1
> Neighbor balance and swing
> 
> A2
> Men allemande left once and a half
> allemande right partner once and three quarters
> so men are facing in, women out
> 
> B1
> Star left
> away from partner, 1st corners star up, 2nd down; reaching across to shadow in star
> swing partner
> 
> B2
> Circle left three quarters
> balance in that circle, California twirl partner to face next couple
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers@sharedweight.net
> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers

_______________________________________________
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I tried calling it at a dance, but ended up switching to a simpler
dance --- it was my problem, not theirs.  I wasn't able to clearly
explain how to get into the star -- the problem you are worried about.

I tried it a few days later at a calling party and got it right then,
so I'm going to try again "in public" sometime soon.

The way that worked at the party was:

A2: Men allemande left once and a half to your partner
Partner's allemande one and a half to trade places.
  ->  You're in a line across the set with men on the outside and
women on the inside.
  ->   Notice that you and your partner are facing opposite directions
up and down the set.
  ->   Drop your partner's hand and walk forward into a left hand star
with the people you meet.

B2: Star left all the way around to your partner for a swing.

I still find the 1 3/4 allemende and men facing out/ women facing in
description to be terribly confusing, but the dance itself is fine.

Dale
...




On Mon, Jan 31, 2011 at 11:56 AM,  <kheine@twcny.rr.com> wrote:
> Have any of you ever called this dance by Mike Boerschig? It's been in my box for years, and I've never called it because I haven't been sure about who should go to which star. It was published one way in Midwest Folklore (see below), but the two YouTube videos I've seen of it have a shorter partner allemande, ending with the first woman and second man (i.e., second corners) starring above, while the second woman and the first man (first corners) star below.
>
> If you've called this and have an opinion about how it's best danced, or if you've found it challenging to teach, I'd love to hear what you have to say about it!
>
> --Katy Heine
>
> HAPPY AS A WARM PIG IN COLD MUD
> by Mike Boerschig
> dpl imp
>
> A1
> Neighbor balance and swing
>
> A2
> Men allemande left once and a half
> allemande right partner once and three quarters
> so men are facing in, women out
>
> B1
> Star left
> away from partner, 1st corners star up, 2nd down; reaching across to shadow in star
> swing partner
>
> B2
> Circle left three quarters
> balance in that circle, California twirl partner to face next couple
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers@sharedweight.net
> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>



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one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day
difficult.
 -E. B. White
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