[Callers] Contra dancing... on ICE!

[Rich Dempsey]

The extra skater models the obligato of the kids frolic around the hall
while we dance.

Rich

On Mon, Apr 15, 2019 at 10:06 PM Bree Kalb via Callers <
callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

> This is terrific. Will you be posting this to any Contra groups on FB? If
> not, would it be okay if I post to Triangle Country Dancers' page? I think
> lots of people would enjoys seeing it.
>
> On Mon, Apr 15, 2019 at 1:57 PM Luke Donforth via Callers <
> callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
>> I'd like to share this because I think it's really fun.
>>
>> Several months ago, I was approached by the coaches of a Theater on Ice
>> team about helping put together a program for their 2018-19 Choreographic
>> Challenge, which was to showcase cultural dance. Burlington's team, "On
>> Thin Ice" wanted to do a contra dance on ice.
>>
>> There were various restrictions; style and historic elements that they
>> wanted included, coverage of the ring, movement on the ice, etc. What they
>> generated is not a contra dance, but does showcase several elements of a
>> contra dance, and they do it on ice.
>>
>> You can check out their performance at
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EzYx4XtxSs&lc
>>
>> It was a learning experience for me, and a fun exercise in deconstructing
>> and putting things back together with different constraints. For instance,
>> they needed percussive elements in the choreography; I'd originally tried
>> to sell them on petronellas; but they all balked at the turning over
>> "outside edges" on skates (a harder feat).
>>
>> It's the first time I've every had folks dance to recorded calls, but
>> they wanted them to add to the feeling of a contra (and I won't be
>> travelling with them to nationals in Alabama this June).
>>
>> As a side not, for historical reasons relating to how their program would
>> be judged, I used the term gypsy instead of my preference of an
>> alternative. I still think they do a wonderful job of bringing contra dance
>> to a different corner of the world.
>>
>> When I went to my first contra dance, I'd never have guessed where it
>> would take me. Here's to more fun memories and interesting experiences in
>> this community and others.
>>
>> --
>> Luke Donforth
>> Luke.Donforth at gmail.com <Luke.Donev at gmail.com>
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