Christmas Hornpipe

via Ralph Page

Longways proper contra

A1

First lady balance to second man, then to 'third' man (the first man in the set below)
- he will be too busy watching his partner's efforts to attract the attention of the man below to take any notice of the lady balancing to him
all three circle left

A2

First man balance to second lady, then third lady
all three circle left

B1

First couple lead down, and back, and cast a place

B2

Long lines go forward and back; all swing partners

In the Ralph Page Book of Contras (EFDSS, 1969); also in Ted Sannella's Swing the Next

This is an old dance that was originally triple minor, with four changes of rights and lefts at the top for B2. Ralph Page compressed it down to duple minor (which gives the caller endless amusement as third men keep getting caught out); Ted Sannella and Tony Saletan took away half the fun by making it purely duple minor, but modified B2 to put in a swing.

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