FRENCH FOUR Chestnut contra - longways duple proper. 32-bar whatever A1 Actives balance partner (4 beats) & cross over (4 beats). Go below one couple. (Inactives stay in place - long trip for actives). A2 As above, but go back up to place. B1 Actives down the center, turn alone & return. Cast off. B2 Right & left over. Right & left back. That's the "modern" version of French Four. I put "modern" in quotes because I don't know how old this version is, only that it's not the original. As with Hull's Victory, the "A" parts have been modified to allow for a swing for the ones. The original: Duple proper A.1 Ones forward and back Cross over and go down behind the twos A.2 Ones (improper) forward and back Cross over and go up behind the twos to original place B.1 Ones down center, turn alone, return, cast off with twos B.2 Right and left (over and back, of course) Tony Parkes Billerica, Mass. tony@hands4.com Contra Dance Calling is back in print! See our new website with online ordering: www.hands4.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ The Traditional Dance Callers List: Subscribe by sending a blank e-mail message (no subject, no message) to: trad-dance-callers-subscribe@yahoogroups.comYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/trad-dance-callers/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/trad-dance-callers/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: trad-dance-callers-digest@yahoogroups.com trad-dance-callers-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: trad-dance-callers-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Mo said: > Looks like it's called "boring for the 2s" > Why not dance it as a triple minor? Actually, it does require a bit of effort and dancing skill for the 2s. In the A1 the 2s have to move together and up, and revers that to get back to place. I did the dance at a festival last year and it was really quite a nice dance. It also has the same gender rights and lefts, a new skill for many of our young contra dancers, so that's a plus. Requires short sets, though, to give everyone a turn. I like it as an easy chestnut for modern urban contra dancers, if one is willing to challenge them with older dances. Maybe just a personal reaction or the spirit of the moment, but even as a No. 2, I thought it was fun. R > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Ridge Kennedy > To: Traditional American Dance Callers List > Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2012 7:17 PM > Subject: [trad-dance-callers] Reminder -- Name of this Dance > > Contra, Duple, Proper > > A-1 1s Balance, pull by and cast down one place (8) > 1s Balance, pull by and cast up to original places > A2 1s Balance and Swing > B1 1s down the hall, turn and couples, return, cast off with no. 2s > B2 Rights and Left over and back > > -- > Ridge Kennedy [Exit 145] > When you stumble, make it part of the dance. > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > -- Ridge Kennedy [Exit 145] When you stumble, make it part of the dance. ------------------------------------ The Traditional Dance Callers List: Subscribe by sending a blank e-mail message (no subject, no message) to: trad-dance-callers-subscribe@yahoogroups.comYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/trad-dance-callers/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/trad-dance-callers/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: trad-dance-callers-digest@yahoogroups.com trad-dance-callers-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: trad-dance-callers-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Yes, as Tony pointed out, the original didn't have the swing for the ones. At a Ralph Page weekend many years ago, Fred Breunig presented French Four in several versions, with increasing levels of activity. One of them included this variation, which David Smukler and I put in our decription of the dance in Cracking Chestnuts: In A1, the twos can balance as well, making their part: balance (4 beats), move up (4); balance (4), move down (4). And whether or not the twos balance, having them be aware of the ones going around them is essential. If they just stand there, at a distance from their partner, the ones will never make it! As you might expect, I've also seen twos squeeze in a quick partner swing while the ones around them. David Millstone ------------------------------------ The Traditional Dance Callers List: Subscribe by sending a blank e-mail message (no subject, no message) to: trad-dance-callers-subscribe@yahoogroups.comYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/trad-dance-callers/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/trad-dance-callers/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: trad-dance-callers-digest@yahoogroups.com trad-dance-callers-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: trad-dance-callers-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/