Lynn:
I think that dance transitions and progressions is one of the most interesting
things about the whole subject of contra dance choreography. As a dancer, I
think the transition from a “ladies chain” to a “circle left” is an
interesting changing of momentum, i.e. there is more responsibility on the
gents/leaders to position the ladies/followers for the next dance movement.
If this transition is awkward, I think that the gents/leaders are positioning
the ladies/followers in the “wrong position” for the next dance movement.
For example: Too much spinning equals too much disorientation, which equals
poor timing, which equals “awkward transition”. I think that each
transition has a different set of options with that transition, and depending
on the skill of the dancer, the dancer is going to be more or less comfortable
with the different set of options with that transition.
Also if a transition seems awkward, I like to think of different transitions
that are similar, but do not feel as awkward, for example the transition from
a “ladies chain” to “ladies do-si-do”. In the dance, “Scout House
Reel” by Ted Sannella there is the transition from a “ladies chain” to a
“ladies do-si-do”. As a gent/leader, the lead from my right hand to my
lady’s/follower’s left hand after the “ladies chain and courtesy turn”
would be a slight pull by my right hand to her left hand, in this case a pull
into the center for the “ladies do-si-do”. In the case of the transition
from a “ladies chain” to a “circle left”, it would still be a slight
pull from my right to her left hand into the “circle left”.
Scout House Reel – Ted Sannella
Duple Improper Formation
A1:
(8) Down the hall four in a line (active couples in the center)
(8) Turn alone and return
A2:
(8) Circle left
(8) Ladies chain
B1:
(8) Ladies do-si-do 1 ½
(8) Neighbors swing
B2:
(8) Long lines forward and back
(8) Active couple swing
I think the transition from a “right and left through” to a “circle
left” is very similar, because it is not so much the transition from a
“ladies chain” to a “circle left” or a “right and left through” to
a “circle left”, but the transition from a “courtesy turn” to a
“circle left.
I think the transition from a “swing” to a “star left” or “star
right” is at least in my opinion not the best transition. “In some
dances, depending on what follows the star, I can
replace the star with a long line forward and back, which fixes it.” – I
would like to think that every dance is a certain way, because the dance
composer wanted the dance that certain way, so I do not think it is the place
of anyone, caller, dancer, dance composer to “fix” another dance
composer’s dance.
My only advice about dance collecting is something that was passed on to me
from my friend, Lisa Sieverts, which was passed on to her from Larry Jennings,
and that is that the caller should be intimately familiar with the dance he or
she is calling. There are a lot of callers that walk around with a box of
three hundred dances in them, and I find it very hard to believe that, that
caller is intimately familiar with three hundred dances, and when I say
intimately familiar I mean that the caller should have those dances memorized.
The dance card is there for a reminder…
If you have your head stuck in a card, you are missing perhaps the best part
of calling, in my opinion. So, that may be a little off base from where you
were going with your question, but that is just my take on it. There are a
lot of good dances out there, there are a lot of good dance composers out
there, but how many dances do you remember off the top of your head, how many
dances to you love to dance, even if the dance is called three times in one
night. There are always going to be dances that stand out in your head, and
of course there is always a certain level of personal preference that comes
into play…
Respectfully submitted,
Jeff Petrovitch
Lynn,
I'm glad you're looking at your dances in detail. You've made me think about an aspect of programming that I've forgotten about. There was a time when I used to program most of my dances of the evening to be flowing and having good transitions. In the DC area I'd throw in a dance or two that had an awkward moment. Many of the dancers in that area dance 1-4 nights a week. They dance the dances that flow and have good transitions all of the time. You might even say that many of them could be a little bored by some of the common transitions that flow (and therefore are used in many dances) The awkward move or transition was a new puzzle for them to play with. It made them think and adjust. Of course the level of the dance had to fit the skill level of the crowd.
I can remember as a dancer enjoying the non flowing or bad transition on occasion (one an evening). Sounds strange but I've heard others mention the same thing. And of course not everyone will enjoy this. As we all know you can't please everyone 100%. Maybe it's save to say that we try to please the average.
By the way, Bob Dalsemer once made a good point in this regard. He said that many of the transitions that we now consider as good transitions were considered awkward years ago when they were first introduced.
Tom
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> 1. Questionable figure transitions (lynn ackerson)
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> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2005 15:07:33 -0800 (PST)
> From: lynn ackerson <callynn1(a)pacbell.net>
> Subject: [Callers] Questionable figure transitions
> To: callers <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Message-ID: <20051212230733.60116.qmail(a)web81608.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
> Hi all. Several times a year I go through my cards and try to throw out dances that turned out not to be as great as I thought they were when I collected them. This round, several transitions are sticking out for me as being awkward. The first is a ladies chain to a circle L with the same group of 4. The courtesy turn ends with both dancers' momentum going more toward a circle R than circle L. I find this transition even worse when the ladies chain is on the L diagonal followed by a circle L with the couple across. On a R&L through followed by a circle L, I recommend that the dancers use a California twirl instead of a courtesy turn and that gets around that courtesy turn to circle L transition. Am I being a bit too anal about this? There are just so many dances available, I feel like I need to get down to this level of detail to weed some out.
>
> The second transition that I see a lot, especially in Cary Ravitz dances is swing to star (L or R) in same group of 4. For this one, one of the swingee's needed hand will be around their swinging partner and it's awkward to extricate it to make the star. In some dances, depending on what follows the star, I can replace the star with a Long Lines F&B which fixes it.
>
> I talked to several of you at NEFFA about another transition that really bugs me: from a hey which has a R shoulder pass in the middle to a swing on the side. Whoever finishes the hey first, has to make an immediate change in momentum (since they just passed L on the side) to get into a swing. Some dances alleviate the problem by using a balance and swing instead of just a swing, but that only works if there's enough time.
>
> Any thoughts? Like I said, I'm getting way down to the details to come up with reasons to weed out dances. Do you have suggestions for making these transitions smoother? Are there other transitions you personally try to avoid?
>
> Thanks,
> Lynn
>
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Hi all. Several times a year I go through my cards and try to throw out dances that turned out not to be as great as I thought they were when I collected them. This round, several transitions are sticking out for me as being awkward. The first is a ladies chain to a circle L with the same group of 4. The courtesy turn ends with both dancers' momentum going more toward a circle R than circle L. I find this transition even worse when the ladies chain is on the L diagonal followed by a circle L with the couple across. On a R&L through followed by a circle L, I recommend that the dancers use a California twirl instead of a courtesy turn and that gets around that courtesy turn to circle L transition. Am I being a bit too anal about this? There are just so many dances available, I feel like I need to get down to this level of detail to weed some out.
The second transition that I see a lot, especially in Cary Ravitz dances is swing to star (L or R) in same group of 4. For this one, one of the swingee's needed hand will be around their swinging partner and it's awkward to extricate it to make the star. In some dances, depending on what follows the star, I can replace the star with a Long Lines F&B which fixes it.
I talked to several of you at NEFFA about another transition that really bugs me: from a hey which has a R shoulder pass in the middle to a swing on the side. Whoever finishes the hey first, has to make an immediate change in momentum (since they just passed L on the side) to get into a swing. Some dances alleviate the problem by using a balance and swing instead of just a swing, but that only works if there's enough time.
Any thoughts? Like I said, I'm getting way down to the details to come up with reasons to weed out dances. Do you have suggestions for making these transitions smoother? Are there other transitions you personally try to avoid?
Thanks,
Lynn
Hi All,
Thanks for mentioning the dance, Perry. It's called
"A Nifty Fifty". Here it is, and yes, I just copied
and pasted it from my website at www.DaveColestock.Com
There's a dozen or so dances there. Bob Isaacs also
has written a dance called "50/50", which I will also
include here (I hope you don't mind, Bob). Hope you
all enjoy these dances.
Dave Colestock
> "A Nifty 50" - 04/02/2004 Dave Colestock
>
> Improper
>
> A1 As Couples, Weave to the Right, passing by
> current
> N1 to a new N2, Lady Leads
> As Couples, Weave to the Left, passing by N2 to
> new N3, Gent Leads
> Circle Right Once Around with N3
>
> A2 Balance in a Ring of 4
> CA Twirl (to face N2)
> Swing Neighbor N2
> (this becomes the new neighbor)
>
> B1 Give RH to Partner Across the Set and Balance
> with
> Partner
> Box the Gnat with Partner
> Just the 1's, Swing Partner, end facing down
> with
> same N2
>
> B2 RH Star
> Circle Right back to improper position
> (N2 becomes known as N1 at top of dance - still
> current neighbor)
>
> The dance has a nice flow to it, and has a 2 up, 1
> back style of progressing. If you follow the path
> the
> couple makes on the dance floor, it looks like a 5
> (with the weaves) followed by a circle right for the
> 0. It's a rather nifty way to trace a fifty on the
> dance floor. Hence, "A Nifty Fifty". I wrote it
> for
> my good friend John P. for his 50th birthday in
> April
> 2004.
>
>
> "50/50" - 11/20/2002 Bob Isaacs
>
> Becket L
>
> A1 CL 3/4
> Neighbor Swing
> A2 Ladies Chain to Partner
> 1/2 Hey, Ladies pass RS to start
> Give RH to Partner
>
> B1 RH Balance w/Partner
> Box the Gnat
> 1/2 Hey, Gents pass LS to start
> B2 Balance and Swing Partner, (or Gypsy and Swing)
> end facing new couple of left Diagonal to slide
> left and circle with.
>
> The dance was written for Bob Hofkin and Naomi
> Weiner's 50th Birthdays in late 2002. It gives
> everyone a chance to lead and follow in the heys,
> and
> maintaining eye contact during the dance is lots of
> fun. Tip: If you tell the dancers to finish they
> hey
> in the A2 slightly to the Left of straight it will
> help set them up positionally for the return hey
> after
> the box the gnat.
>
>
> --- Perry Shafran <pshaf(a)yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > I know that Dave Colestock has a dance called
> Nifty
> > Fifty. If he's around he might want to share it
> > with
> > us; otherwise I think it's on his webpage, which I
> > think is simply davecolestock.com.
> >
> > Perry
> >
> > --- Seth Tepfer <labst(a)emory.edu> wrote:
> >
> > > This weekend I'm calling a special dance
> (modern,
> > > urban contra) for Karen
> > > Parker, who turns 50. You have any interesting
> > > dances featuring over the
> > > hill, 50, Karen, or Parker? Listed below is what
> > > Michael Dyck's fabulous
> > > index came up with.
> > >
> > > Any help welcome.
> > > seth
> > >
> > > PS: I've already got "Dennis' 50 Years of
> > > Enlightenment" and "The Turning
> > > Point", though other punny ideas are welcome!
> > >
> > >
> > > Old as the Hills
> > > Lm 2x2 ip Ted Sannella
> > > GaT p130h
> > > StN p104
> > >
> > >
> > > E50
> > > Lm 2x2 becket Al Olson
> > > GaT p106a
> > >
> > > Not Quite Fifty
> > > Lm 2x2 becket Michael Fuerst
> > >
> > >
> >
>
<http://web.archive.org/web/20011128124517/http://www.advancenet.net/%7Emfue…>wMF
> > >
> > > NotQuiteFifty
> > >
> > > Number Fifty
> > > Lm 2x2 ip Henry Garfath
> > > KKiC p14f
> > >
> > > Karen's Beginning
> > > Lm 2x2 ip Erik Hoffman
> > > C p14b
> > >
> > > Karen's Treasure
> > > Lm 2x2 ip James Hutson
> > > sCT p63
> > >
> > > Karin's Quadrille
> > > C 4x2 mixer Roger Whynot
> > >
> > >
> >
>
<http://www.cambridgefolk.org.uk/contra/dances/roger_whynot/karins_quadrille…>wHS
> > >
> > > roger_whynot/karins_quadrille.html
> > >
> > >
> > > Miss Parker's Fancy
> > > Lm 3x2 ppp trad
> > > HDoEA p40
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
=========================================================================
> > > Seth Tepfer: Director of Administrative
> Computing
> > &
> > > Innovative Technology
> > > Oxford College of Emory University -
> 770-784-8487
> > -
> > > labst(a)emory.edu
> > >
> > > For fast and easy computer help,
> > > try...
> > > <http://help.emory.edu>http://help.emory.edu
> > >
> > >
> > > Jex Raven Eidson Tepfer - Born 6/5/05 00:52!
> Say
> > hi
> > > at:
> > > http://www.jexRaven.com/
> > >
> >
>
=========================================================================
> > > "A facility for quotation covers the absence of
> > > original thought." -Dorothy
> > > L. Sayers
> > >
> > >
> > > [Non-text portions of this message have been
> > > removed]
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This weekend I'm calling a special dance (modern, urban contra) for Karen
Parker, who turns 50. You have any interesting dances featuring over the
hill, 50, Karen, or Parker? Listed below is what Michael Dyck's fabulous
index came up with.
Any help welcome.
seth
PS: I've already got "Dennis' 50 Years of Enlightenment" and "The Turning
Point", though other punny ideas are welcome!
Old as the Hills
Lm 2x2 ip Ted Sannella
GaT p130h
StN p104
E50
Lm 2x2 becket Al Olson
GaT p106a
Not Quite Fifty
Lm 2x2 becket Michael Fuerst
<http://web.archive.org/web/20011128124517/http://www.advancenet.net/%7Emfue…>wMF
NotQuiteFifty
Number Fifty
Lm 2x2 ip Henry Garfath
KKiC p14f
Karen's Beginning
Lm 2x2 ip Erik Hoffman
C p14b
Karen's Treasure
Lm 2x2 ip James Hutson
sCT p63
Karin's Quadrille
C 4x2 mixer Roger Whynot
<http://www.cambridgefolk.org.uk/contra/dances/roger_whynot/karins_quadrille…>wHS
roger_whynot/karins_quadrille.html
Miss Parker's Fancy
Lm 3x2 ppp trad
HDoEA p40
=========================================================================
Seth Tepfer: Director of Administrative Computing & Innovative Technology
Oxford College of Emory University - 770-784-8487 - labst(a)emory.edu
For fast and easy computer help,
try... <http://help.emory.edu>http://help.emory.edu
Jex Raven Eidson Tepfer - Born 6/5/05 00:52! Say hi at:
http://www.jexRaven.com/
=========================================================================
"A facility for quotation covers the absence of original thought." -Dorothy
L. Sayers
Seth,
This is not what you asked for but what comes up for me.
First; a tune called Karen's Walk by Sarah Bauhan recorded on her
CD Broad Waters. It is played as a processional/recessional, but its
form and style lend it well to dance. Nancy & I have played around
putting ECD figures to it but haven't come up with just the correct
combination. Admittedly, we haven't put much effort into the project.
Perhaps you'll do better.
Second; as a person who had a very public celebration of 50 almost
6 years ago, I think the "over the hill" thing is over done. I'm
reminded of a dance Ted Sannella composed about 11 years back on the
occassion of Marianne Taylor's 65th birthday, "65 and very much
alive". The dance figures are widely available and if taught well, is
a crowd pleaser. Might be a god way to inspire Karen to keep going
rather than "slide downhill".
Marianne, by the way, continues to dance circles around folks 10
years her junior. She does so much dance leading it is difficult to
keep track of her but she will be at the Ralph Page Dance Legacy
Weekend in Durham NH, along with a good many other notable callers and
musicians, on Jan 13-15, 2006. check it out at [1]www.neffa.org .
BTW; Nice pics and bio of Jex. Hope all is going well some 6
months later.
Cheers, John
John C McIntire
323 Crosby Brook Rd
Unity ME 04988-4023
207-567-7597
References
1. http://www.neffa.org/
