DANCIN' DOWN UNDER

http://www.dancindownunder.com

WALTZIN' IN CONTRA

December 2003

SONG:          The Last Cheater's Waltz by Emmy Lou Harris

               Also on Jan's no. 16 cd compilation

CHOREOGRAPHER: Jan Wyllie, 4 Pebble Court, Torquay, Hervey Bay, 4655 Qld., Australia

               Email:janwyllie@iinet.net.au

               Web Site: http://www.members.iinet.net.au/~janwyllie/

DANCE:         2 wall contra circle line dance, Take your partner and form a circle

              (it is really 2 circles) When everyone is in position all dancers move

               slightly to the right to the offset position, 104 bpm

               THE DANCE MAY ALSO BE DONE AS A NORMAL 2 WALL WALTZ.

STEPS           PATTERN OF DANCE

1-6    Waltz fwd L,R,L. Waltz back R,L,R

7-12   Waltz fwd L,R,L making 1/2 turn L, Waltz back R,L,R (now in opposite circlel)

13-15  Waltz straight fwd L,R,L making 1/4 turn left

16-18  Waltz back R,L,R   

The next 12 counts will see you 'weave' in and out of the line as you move fwd

With your left hand take the right hand of the person on your right diagonal and...

19-21  Step L fwd and across R, Rock/step R to right, Step L to left, With your right hand take the left hand of the person now on your left diagonal  and.....

22-24  Step R fwd and across L, Rock/step L to left, Step R to right, With your left

hand take the right hand of the person now on your right diagonal and.......

25-27  Step L fwd and across R, Rock/step R to right, Step L to left, With your right

       hand take the left hand of the person now on your left diagonal and.....

28-30  Step R fwd and across L, Rock/step L to left, Step R to right

       Make sure you end up in front of your last partner in the offset position

31-33  Step L across R, Step R behind L, Step L behind R

34-36  Making 1/4 right step fwd on R, Step fwd on L, Pivot 1/2 turn right (wt on R)

37-39  Waltz fwd  L,R,L making 1/2 turn left

40-42  Waltz back R,L,R  (now in opposite circle)

43-45  Step fwd on L, Touch R beside L, Hold  (touch your hat or bow to acknowledge

       person on your right diagonal               

46-48  Step back on R, Touch L beside R, Hold

This beautiful song has always been difficult to write a dance to because of it's odd phrasing.  However, when you dance in contra, the average line dancer doesn't have much time to wonder about phrasing, or to even notice it. 

In fact, chances are if I hadn't told you, you might never have known

about it.  I'm good at giving out incredibly useless pieces of

information though - so there, I've done it again!

Oh, but the dance is worth doing..... well I think so anyhow.  It's slow and you have time to think about where you are in the contra line circle (and fix it up if you have gone wrong), but mind you, the music is soooooo lovely you could get

carried away and totally forget what you are doing.  I do!

I would advise you to teach in in regular lines before trying contra circle.

Whatever, I hope you enjoy this different little waltz. 

   See you on the floor sometime.........  Jan