[Callers] Grand Square in a contra?

[Bill Olson via Callers]

Hi Luke, "Bases Loaded" was the one.. authors: Jim Saxe, Lydee King Scudder, To Thoreau, maybe a few more? As far as I know this was written in a choreography workshop led by Jim Saxe.  The "concept" was to put a grand square into a 2x2 contradance, where there obviously aren't enough dancers to do a 'real' grand square.. The result was pretty darn cool. When and where this workshop was held I am not sure.. You there Jim??? I learned this one from Kathy Anderson.. and definitely called it at the DEFFA Festival..  It helps to keep the music "marchy", not too fast and ask the dancers to "look sharp".. hee hee.. Try to keep the dancers on the 45 degree "bias" for the first 5/8 of the dance., that is hard some times..
 
"forward, two, three, turn, back, two, rollaway" etc.. the whole "Grand Square"  part (both A's) I call "on the beat".
 
there ya go....
 
bill
 
From: luke.donev at gmail.com
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2016 22:38:10 -0400
Subject: Re: [Callers] Grand Square in a contra?
To: callers at lists.sharedweight.net; callbill at hotmail.com

Thanks all for your help!

It seems probably that it was Bases Loaded (based on the write up at http://www.dancerhapsody.com/calling/dances.html); but it's even more likely that it was Bill Olsen calling, so I'd like to hear him weigh in on both probabilities ;-)

I found write ups of some of the others mentioned:
Fatal Attraction:
http://www.dance.ravitz.us/#fa
Mini Grand Swing:
http://www.childgrove.org/index.php/about-dances/dance-writers/jim-hemphill-dances#
and the don't jog my memory. 
Didn't find the others, but had fun poking around though. 

The discussion of doing the grand square on the diagonal struck me as something that could be included in a 4x4 as variations of Jacob Bloom's dance ff your 4x4 was "bent".

To get into bent 4x4: 
get into regular 4x4 lines, 
point out the couple on the diagonal in the other lines of four
swing partner, end facing that diagonal couple.
It's like a square dance on an x instead of a +

Once you're there:

Fox Hollow Foibles
"bent" 4x4
A1
Grand Square, right side couples starting forward, left side couples starting with split
A2
Reverse, right side couples starting with split, left side couples starting forward
B1
Corner Balance and Swing, square set
B2
Heads pass through
Sides pass through
Partner swing, face "bent" line of direction

Musically, I could see pluses and minus to moving the entire grand square to the A phrases. It's consistent, and allows for a punch on the B1 balance & swing. But the A2->B1 transition signifying the reverse could also add some pizzazz. When I use it as a break in squares, I (usually) have both halves of the grand square in the same half of the tune. I'm curious how other people use grand squares, and what they try to do in terms of phrasing. 

One apparent advantage of the original Fox Hollow Fancy is setting up clear head couples to start forward in the grand square. I don't know how well dancers would remember "right side couple goes forward" as they swap sides back and forth. Even in the "bent" formation, you could have the heads (who are corners) start the Grand Square forward. You don't see much of your partner in Fox Hollow Fancy though, and the diagonal grand square lets you have more partner interaction. Small factors to weigh. 

Anyway, thanks again Shared Weight for being a resource. 
Luke

On Thu, Jun 30, 2016 at 7:05 PM, Chris Page <chriscpage at gmail.com> wrote:
The popular four-face-four is "Grand Square Contra"

There's also

"McQuillen Fancy" by Tony Saletan

"Bloom One" by Al Olson

"To Hans T" by Birgit Rasmussen

"To Torsten" by Birgit Rasmussen





There's a grid square by Bob Isaacs called "Grand Square Grid".



There's some contras that try and give the feel of Grand Square:

Bases Loaded

Fatal Attraction (Ravitz)

Mini Grand Swing (Hemphill)

Petite Square Contra (Tom Senior)

Square Off Reel (Gaudreau)

To Mette T (Rasumussen)



-Chris Page

San Diego



-- 
Luke Donforth
Luke.Donforth at gmail.com

 		 	   		  
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