This page is part of The Caller's Box, a contra dance database.

Brief contra database glossary

A short version of the key terms and language used in this database. For reference the full glossary is here.

Abbreviations

Context matters, but here's some common ones:
R    Right (pass right, hold right hands)
L    Left
F    Forward
B    Back
cw   clockwise
ccw  counterclockwise
M    Men's role
       M1    Man one
       M2    Man two
       M3    Man three (triplets/triple minors)
W    Women's role
N    Neighbor
       N2, N3      Future neighbors
       N0, N-1     Previous neighbors
       SRN         Same-(gender) Role Neighbor
P    Partner
       P2, P3      Future partner (in a mixer)
       P0, P-1     Previous partner (in a mixer)
S    Shadow
       S-1   Another shadow, on the other side 
             of your partner from S1.
       S2    Two shadows away, in the direction 
		  of the first shadow.
C1   Corner (in a square/circle/4-face-4)
       C2    Opposite (in a square)
       C3    Right-hand lady / left-hand gent
O    Opposite in a 3-face-3/4-face-4
       ON    Opposite neighbor
TB   Trail buddy (people travelling 
                  with you in a 4-face-4)
1    Ones (unless overruled, as in:)
       1C    First Corner people (M1 and W2)
       1CC   First Contra Corners
2    Twos (unless overruled, as in:)
       2C    Second Corner people (W1 and M2)
       2CC   Second Contra Corners
       2SR   Twos, with their shadow, pass right
       2H    Two-hand clap
H    Hand (used to describe some balances)

Punctuation

()   Details on figure, but not full definition.
:    Full definition of the figure follows.
        If multiple lines, description's indented.
[]   Who does the figure.
        Prefix: Naming individual people.
        Postfix: Relationships.
;    Then. Separates two consecutive figures.
,    While. Separates two simultaneous figures.
?    Variable/not defined.
//   One of two possible figures, depending 
          on choice of caller/dancers.
||   While. Also separates simultaneous figures.
-    Negative sign. Used for previous neighbors.
-    Spacer when listing people in a line of four.
~    A partial hey pass, finishing shoulder to 
          shoulder with that person.
" "  Shows spoken text.
' ‘  Literal text from original source material.
+    And. Used with people.
&    And. Used with numbers.
/    Fractions. Used with numbers.
.    Used as normal punctuation.

Four-face-fours

At the beginning of a four-face-four, the neighbor you're facing is your opposite. The neighbor on your diagonal is called your C2 corner.

Corners are labelled as per squares. If at the start of the dance, you took hands in a circle of eight, you'd be next to C1. Other corners are determined by imagining the circle to be a square. (Rotated 45 degrees, but yes, a square.)

A standard grand right and left is notated (PR;C3L;C2R;C1L)


Ones/Twos

In a contra, ones always progress down the set. Twos always progress up the set. So, in a reverse progression dance, ones would start below the twos in a hands-four.


Across/along

Along: Facing the direction of progression. For instance, when facing your neighbor at the start of an improper dance. Or the starting direction of "lines of four forward and back" in a four-face-four.

Across: Facing perpendicular to the direction of progression. During "Long lines, go forward and back", you're facing across the set. Most ladies chains are done across the set.


Figures details