Contra dance: Left-hand Gypsy

Left-hand Gypsy Erik Erhardt Type: Contra Formation: Duple-Indecent Level: Easy-Int A1 ———– (4) Partner Swat the Flea, (left-hand box-the-gnat) (4) Partner Swat the Flea back (8) Star Left 3/4 with same neighbors (partners on lady’s home side) A2 ———– (8) Partner left-hand gypsy (8) Partner right-shoulder swing B1 ———– (4) Gents forward (4) Gents balance a long wavy line of gents, stay in wavy line (4) Ladies cast over their right shoulder, then forward (to the left of their partner) (4) Ladies balance a long wavy lines of ladies B2 ———– (8) New neighbors, Gypsy star 3/4, Gents drop right back up, Ladies drop left walk forward (8) Neighbor swing (on everyone’s home side) Notes: A2 – Left-hand gypsy (like a right-hand gypsy) has left hand at your waist, palm facing your own hip, and linked with your partner as you gypsy.  Turn this into a swing by pulling the joined left hand into an allemande position, put right hand on partner’s right shoulder, and reverse body momentum to swing in usual direction. Other Notes: The handed-gypsy comes from Richard Wilson’s “Right hand Gypsy”, the sexiest move in contra.  Written for Katherine Sanden.

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