[Callers] Quiet (was: Super easy dances - do they exist?)

Sun Jun 18 21:55:04 PDT 2017

Ooooh, that looks like a good one.  I'll add it to my list of potential
methods.

I also thought of using a chant...like, "If I say Quiet, you say Right Now
-- Quiet -- Right Now"
Can someone think of a better chant?

On Sun, Jun 18, 2017 at 11:12 PM, Jacob or Nancy Bloom <jandnbloom at gmail.com
> wrote:

> It isn't necessary to hire a person who can do a loud whistle - you can
> buy a loud whistle for a few dollars, and hang it from a lanyard.
>
> Here's another technique for calling for quiet which I have seen work,
> although I haven't used it myself.
>
> "If you can hear my voice clap once. <clap> If you can hear my voice clap
> twice. <clap clap> If you can hear my voice clap three times. <clap clap
> clap>  ... "
>
> The few people who hear you the first time clap, and that attracts the
> attention of people near them, so more people hear you calling for them to
> clap twice, which attracts more attention.  Repeat until you have the
> attention of the room.  It won't solve the problem of keeping them quiet,
> but it doesn't hurt to have more than one technique to draw on.
>
> And it's easier on the ears than that loud whistle.
>
> Jacob
>
>
> On Sat, Jun 17, 2017 at 12:50 PM, Linda S. Mrosko via Callers <
> callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
>> Oh how I wish that would work.  I've tried that technique over the
>> years.  They just ignore me.  Shushing works, but I have to repeat the
>> shhhhh into the mic lots of times.  A big part of the challenge is the
>> acoustics -- it's worse than being in a gym.  For instance, I get them
>> quiet and then teach them the first move -- there is a roar -- I get them
>> quiet again -- teach the next move -- there is a roar -- I get them quiet
>> again -- teach the third move -- there is a roar -- ad nauseam.  The
>> musicians crank up their music to the max for the dance, but even I can
>> barely hear it over the din from the dancers.  Short of hiring a person who
>> can do that loud whistle, I'm at a loss.  I've sort of grown used to it,
>> but my temper is short and I really have to watch myself.
>>
>> On Sat, Jun 17, 2017 at 7:42 AM, Jeremy Child <jeremy.m.child at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> To quiet a room I use the Girl Guides technique:
>>>
>>> I raise my hand, and anyone who sees me knows to stop talking and raise
>>> their hand too.  More notice this (other peoples hands up and slightly
>>> diminished volume).  This snowballs quite quickly as peer pressure kicks
>>> in, and is a very effective technique.  You have to teach it to them first,
>>> of course, but they pick it up quite quickly.
>>>
>>> Jeremy
>>> www.barndancecaller.net
>>>
>>> On 16 June 2017 at 20:10, Linda S. Mrosko via Callers <
>>> callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I lead an annual dance for 200+ 18-year olds in a hall with terrible
>>>> acoustics.  Been doing it for 15+ years.  If they all whispered at the same
>>>> time, it would sound like a roar in that room.  I can only do the most
>>>> basic stuff most of the time...simple circles, longways with lots of
>>>> sashaying, an easy folk dance.  But I experiment every now and then, which
>>>> lead me to come up with the following dances which, for the most part,
>>>> worked.  Am I stealing them from somebody?  (I like to give credit where
>>>> credit is due.)
>>>>
>>>> They call their dance "Swat the Flea".  I searched for a long time for
>>>> a very easy dance that had a Swat the Flea and finally wrote this one --
>>>>
>>>> BOX'NSWAT (Circle)
>>>> A1  Women into the middle and back; Gents into the middle & back
>>>> A2  All make a quarter turn to the right and walk single file to the
>>>> right
>>>> B1  Women turn back to face partner -- all shake R hands with Partner &
>>>> Box the Gnat; change hands, Balance & Swat the Flea
>>>> B2  DSD Partner; Allemande R w/partner 1-1/2 to progress (women end
>>>> facing into the center ready to go F&B)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Since contra dances are almost impossible to teach to a loud,
>>>> boisterous, energetic bunch of 18-year olds who have never heard of or seen
>>>> a contra dance, I decided to give this a whirl -- and it worked -- mostly!
>>>> It would probably be better with a smaller more sedate crowd.
>>>>
>>>> GREASE & GLUE (Contra formation -- Gender free -- all you need is a
>>>> partner)
>>>> A1  Couple 1 split Couple 2, return to places; Couple 1 DSD
>>>> A2  Couple 2 split Couple 1, return to places; Couple 2 DSD
>>>> B1  Star R; Star L (w/hands)
>>>> B2  Couples face each other -- Couples DSD 1-1/2 ending back-to-back,
>>>> facing next couple
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> As an aside -- how do you quiet a room with terrible acoustics full of
>>>> loud people?  Thanks!
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> *Looking forward,Linda S. Mrosko*
>>>>
>>>> *102 Mitchell Drive*
>>>>
>>>> *Temple, Texas 76501*
>>>>
>>>> *(903) 292-3713 <(903)%20292-3713> (Cell)*
>>>> *(903) 603-9955 <(903)%20603-9955> (Skype)*
>>>> *contradancetx.com <http://www.contradancetx.com>*
>>>>
>>>> *www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* <http://www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy*> (Dance
>>>> buttons, t-shirts, & more)*
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Callers mailing list
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>>
>>
>> *Looking forward,Linda S. Mrosko*
>>
>> *102 Mitchell Drive*
>>
>> *Temple, Texas 76501*
>>
>> *(903) 292-3713 <(903)%20292-3713> (Cell)*
>> *(903) 603-9955 <(903)%20603-9955> (Skype)*
>> *contradancetx.com <http://www.contradancetx.com>*
>>
>> *www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* <http://www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy*> (Dance
>> buttons, t-shirts, & more)*
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Callers mailing list
>> Callers at lists.sharedweight.net
>> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> jandnbloom at gmail.com
> http://jacobbloom.net/
> View my Arlington Food Pantry fundraiser at https://www.youcaring.com/
> arlington-food-pantry-621657
>

-- 

*Looking forward,Linda S. Mrosko*

*102 Mitchell Drive*

*Temple, Texas 76501*

*(903) 292-3713 (Cell)*
*(903) 603-9955 (Skype)*
*contradancetx.com <http://www.contradancetx.com>*

*www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* <http://www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy*> (Dance
buttons, t-shirts, & more)*
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