[Callers] Suggestions welcome (was Re: Callers Digest, Vol 14, Issue 10)

[James Saxe via Callers]

> On Jun 11, 2015, at 9:56 PM, Michael Barraclough via Callers <callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> 
> Sounds like Bases Loaded by Lydee King Scudder

Make that "Lydee Scudder".

> , Tom Thoreau, Jim Saxe
> ...

The idea behind the distinctive figure in "Bases Loaded" was
indeed to get some of the feel of a grand square in a contra
setting.  The name "Slice and Dice" for each eight-beat chunk
of it is a coinage due, I believe, to Seth Tepfer.  At any rate
it's not a term introduced by Lydee, Tom, or me.  And, with
all due respect to Seth, I see no need for such a coinage.

Since "Bases Loaded"--or some dance with "a mini-grand square
on the diagonal"--was mentioned in the context of Michael
Barraclough's query about calling for a mixed group of contra
dancers and (LGBT) MWSDers, let me say that I'm not sure "Bases
Loaded" would be a particularly good choice in that setting.
The intended feel of the distinctive figure in the A parts
depends on it being danced accurately to the phrase.  I don't
about the dancers in Desert Valley Squares, but in many places
MWSDers have gotten into the habit of dancing a grand square
in 24 to 28 beats.  In fact, over on trad-dance-callers, where
Michael posted the same query that he posted here, Rich
Sbardella recently wrote:

> ... Sides Face Grand Square is a 32 step, 4 phrase call, but watch
> videos online and you will rarely see it danced correctly.

To illustrate Rich's point see, for example, the grand square
called at at about 4:02 in this video:

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FsBTH0ESzk

Or look at this instructional video:

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQDw_4ZSpZo

When the narrator teaches Grand Square, starting about 1:19,
he calles it with four beats per change ("one, two, three, turn,
...).  But look at the way the dancers dance it during the
opening credits (0:00-0:18).

--Jim,

> On Jun 11, 2015, at 9:56 PM, Michael Barraclough via Callers <callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> 
> Sounds like Bases Loaded by Lydee King Scudder

Make that "Lydee Scudder".

> , Tom Thoreau, Jim Saxe
> 
> Formation, becket, left diagonal neighbors (see  *)
> 
> A1: Slice and Dice (see  **); repeat Slice and Dice
> 
> A2: Repeat Slice and Dice from new positions (left diagonal opposite from starting place); repeat Slice and Dice
> 
> B1: Same two ladies chain over; Circle left nearly once (until on original side of set with partner)
> 
> B2: Parter DSD and swing; finish looking on left diagonal for new neighboring couple
> 
> 
> Notes:
> 
> 
> *line up in becket formation, then have couples take 2 steps to the right, so that the original neighbors are now on L diagonal (still your neighbors, though!). The action in A1, A2, first half of B1 is on that left diagonal.
> 
> **Slice and Dice: On the left diagonal dance forward 3 steps, turn (count 4) and face partner, hold inside hands with neighbor (lady on the right). Back up two steps (count 5 & 6), Gents roll lady away with 1/2 sashay (7 &8). The second time, when repeated, you will walk towards partner and face neighbor.The count is "Forward-2-3-turn-back-2-and rollaway."
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Michael Barraclough
> michael at michaelbarraclough.com
> www.michaelbarraclough.com
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tina Fields via Callers <callers at lists.sharedweight.net>
> Reply-to: Tina Fields <tfields8 at yahoo.com>
> To: callers at lists.sharedweight.net <callers at lists.sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Callers Digest, Vol 14, Issue 10
> Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2015 22:40:16 -0600
> 
> Oo! That sounds neat. Do you, or anyone here, have the card to share?
> 
> Tina
> 
> 
> > On Jun 11, 2015, at 2:05 PM, via Callers <callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> > 
> > From: Alexandra Deis-Lauby via Callers
> > 
> > If you get mostly advanced square dancers, Bill Olson called a great contra
> > at Brattleboro that had a mini-grand square on the diagonal. It was cool!
> > You sacrifice the neighbor swing I think, but it was a cool figure.
> 
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