[Callers] Amy Wimmer

[Claire Takemori via Callers]

Hi Amy,
Would you be willing to share your program set list for the Cows/Chickens dance? 
I’m curious what kind of dances went so well.  

Thanks !
Claire Takemori (Campbell CA) 

> On Mon, Jul 31, 2017 at 12:59 PM, Amy Wimmer via Callers
> <callers at lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:callers at lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
>> Hi All,
>> 
>> I recently had the opportunity to call a contra to a group of rank
> beginners
>> in a difficult situation: outdoors, on sloping concrete, without
>> amplification for either myself or the band, to people not expecting a
>> dance, with a band mostly unfamiliar with either contra or fiddle tunes,
> who
>> had no opportunity to practice or choose tunes. It was a staff party
> with a
>> barnyard theme. Granted, this particular good of people is accustomed to
>> being spontaneous and silly at times, most are in their 20's, and it's a
>> liberal, accepting group.
>> 
>> The organizers wanted to use the terms "cows" and "chickens" instead of
> any
>> other usual terms for dancers. When they arrived at the party each person
>> chose a name tag with either a cow or a chicken on it. They didn't know
> it,
>> but this determined which role they'd play in the dance. I arbitrarily
> chose
>> to "put the chicken on the right, because the chicken is always right."
> (I
>> keep chickens, and they ARE always right)
>> 
>> There was not time for much of a lesson, either. It'd have been much
> easier
>> if everyone had joined the dance at the beginning. All said, just about
>> everyone had a really great time, myself included. The band was hyped up
> to
>> try another dance evening later in the week, though that never
> materialized.
>> 
>> I never mentioned gender in any way. That part just seemed to not matter.
>> They were dancing with their friends. It didn't matter that they weren't
>> experts or even very good.
>> 
>> I was heartened and encouraged to try something like this again, perhaps
>> with more widely used dancer terms.
>> 
>> -Amy
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