These dances form a collection that I frequently use at private parties, or at community dances that have a large number of new dancers. There are a variety of formations included here. Easy dances listed on the other pages can also be useful with newer dancers. Most of these dances can be called gender role-free.
Attleboro Reel Beginner/Sicilian Circle (1/20/1995 Lincoln, MA)A1 Neighbor do si do
As couples do si do
A2 Star right
Star left
B1 Circle left
Circle right
Var: Partner B & S or P do si do and 2 hand swing
B2 Forward and Back
Pass through (or dip and dive)
Bow & Swing Longways for small children (7/18/2008 Providence, RI)
A1 Bow to your Partner
2 hand swing your partner
A2 Top couple sashay down to the bottom
Celebration Circle Mixer/Easy (5/20/1995 Sandwich, MA)
A1 Forward & back
Forward & back
A2 (Face partner and take 2 hands) Sashay In & Out
Sashay In & Out
B1 Partner do si do
Partner swing
B2 Promenade
Women (outies) move up one place to a new partner
Written for the wedding of Susan and Richard
Circle of Fun Sicilian Circle/Beginner (7/23/1994 West Chop, Martha's Vineyard, MA)
A1 Circle Left 1X
Circle Right 1X
A2 Neighbor right elbow
Neighbor left elbow
B1 Partner right elbow
Partner left elbow
B2 As couples forward and back
Pass through or arch and duck
Dipping and Diving Longways/Beginner (5/3/2008 Harvard Outing Club, Cambridge, MA)
A1 Forward and Back
Forward and Back
A2 Top couple sashay down and back
B1 Top couple Dip and dive down
B2 All swing P
Timing here is not essential!
Do Si Three Beginner/Three face three in lines facing up/down the hall (10/23/1993 Boston, MA)A1 Circle Left once
Circle Right once
A2 Ends do si do your opposite neighbor
Middles do si do your opposite neighbor
B1 Ends swing your opposite
Middles swing your opposite
B2 Lines of three forward & back
Pass thru to a new line of three
Although I don't have the exact time that I wrote this dance, it must predate the first date I called it: 10/22/93 for the
Appalachian Mountain Club, Joy Street, Boston. Especially useful for one night stands! Any combination of three. All dancers
CAN do this dance, and it really mixes up the dancers. Great for weddings, etc. For these type evenings, I don't talk about
Downtown Stroll #2 Circle Mixer/Beginner (2/26/1999 Northampton, MA)
A1 Promenade, turn alone
Promenade back
A2 (Face Partner) Wheelbarrow in & out
Repeat
B1 Partner do si do
(Face on the left diagonal) New partner do si do
B2 This P B&S
ECD Dreaming Longways/Beginner (11/11/2012 Cambridge, MA)
A1 Up a double and back
Up a double and back
A2 Partner right elbow
Partner left elbow
B1 Top cpl sashay down and back
B2 Top couple cast, all others follow
top couple make an arch at the bottom, all others duck thru with partner
Called "on the fly" the first time.
Fun in New Bedford Sicilian Circle/Beginner (6/7/2008 Easton, MA)
A1 Circle Left 1X
Circle Right
A2 Neighbor do si do and 2 hand swing (go home: no progression here)
B1 Partner do si do and 2 hand swing
B2 As couples forward and back
cw couples arch, ccw couples duck through
Notes: A2 and B1 can be elbow swings
Halloween Shuffle Longways/Beginner (10/28/2007 Wickford, RI)
A1 (All face up) With Partner sashay to the right and back
Sashay to the left and back
A2 All March up the Hall as couples and back up to place
Repeat
B1 Face partner and do si do
Partner 2 hand swing
B2 Top couple sashay to the bottom
Written for the Wickford, RI Halloween celebration.
Harvard Sashay Duple/Role free/Beginner (5/3/2008 Cambridge, MA)
A1 Neighbor do si do
right diagonals do si do
A2 Left diagonals do si do
Partner do si do
B1 (facing your neighbors)
Hold inside hand with your partner, All sashay right and back
All sashay left and back
B2 As couples do si do once and a half
Written for the Harvard Outing Club
Linda’s Promenade Longways/Beginner (11/5/1994 Attleboro, MA)
A1 Long lines, forward and back
Long lines, forward and back
A2 Right elbow turn P
Left elbow turn P
B1 2 hand turn P
do si do P
B2 Promenade down 2 by 2
Top couple make an arch at the bottom
All other couples duck through, and separate back to place up the outside
Little Compton Fair Sicilian Circle/Beginner (7/15/1994 Little Compton, RI)
A1 Circle Left 1X
Circle Right 1X
A2 Neighbor Do-si-do
Partner Do-si-do
B1 Partner R elbow
P L elbow
B2 forward and back
Pass through
Mix it Up Circle Mixer/Beginner-Easy (6/14/2002 Rehoboth, MA)
A1 Circle right
Circle left
A2 Forward and back
Forward and back
B1 New Partner Balance and Swing (ladies turn to right, gents turn to left)
B2 Promenade
Outing Club Contra Duple/Beginner (9/5/2009 Pinewoods Labor Day Weekend Camp)
A1 Balance the Ring
Repeat
Circle left once
A2 Neighbor do si do
Neighbor 2 hand swing (and back to place:no progression!)
B1 Partner do si do
Partner 2 hand swing
B2 As couples do si do once and a half to progress
Peak Bagger 3 face 3/Beginner (11/13/1994 AMC Dance, Boston, MA)
A1 Circle left
Circle right
A2 Centers on the right, right elbow turn (right hand Partner)
Centers on the left, left elbow turn (left hand Partner)
B1 All dancers Opposite 2 hand turn (or do si do and 2 hand swing)
B2 Lines of three forward and back
Pass through
Que Guapo Duple/Beginner (5/3/2008 Harvard Outing Club, Cambridge, MA)
A1 Circle left
Circle right
A2 Right hand star
Left hand star
B1 Partner do si do
Partner 2 hand Swing (face these neighbors)
B2 Forward and Back
Twos arch, Ones Duck
Sandwich Reel Improper/Beginner-Easy 3/18/2005 Sandwich, MA)
A1 Long lines forward and back twice
A2 Actives do si do and swing
B1 Neighbor do si do and swing
B2 Promenade over and back
Sandwich Town Hall Longways/Beginner (3/10/2012 Sandwich, MA)
A1 Long lines, forward and back (or up a double)
Long lines, forward and back
A2 Top couple sashay down and back
B1 Top couples sashay down through arches made by all of the other couples
B2 All do si do and swing Partner
Sea Waves Sicilian Circle/Beginner (11/9/1996 Cranston, RI)
A1 Opposite do si do
Partner do si do
A2 Circle left
Circle right
(or P B & S)
B1 One’s arch over the lady, back up over the gent
Two’s arch over the lady, back up over the gent
B2 Forward and Back
Twos arch, Ones duck
Summer Promenade Longways/Beginner (7/14/2008 Wheeler School, Providence, RI)
A1 (All face up) As couples, Promenade to the left & down to the bottom of the set
A2 All follow the top couple back to place
B1 Clap own hands x 3
Clap with P x 3
Clap own thighs x 3
2 hand swing P
B2 Top couple sashay to the bottom (all face up)