Hi,
I am wondering if you have any dances for low numbers of dancers (perhaps 6
or less), when most or all of the dancers are beginners and adults. I am
also wondering if you have any dances (presumably different dances), that do
not require choosing a partner and are good openers for beginner adults.
Thanks as always to all,
Rickey Holt.
I can only speak with reference to calling at NEFFA, as I have never applied to DownEast. As some of you may know that Linda Leslie is NEFFA's program chair, I will note that the program chair does not select performers for contra sessions.
Regarding NEFFA 2007, the following notice is now posted at http://neffa.org/perf_app.html - The Program Committee is not prepared to take your application at this time, since it is too late to apply for this year's NEFFA Festival. Please note that the application to perform is always available during the month of September, with a deadline in October. If you'd like to get an e-mail notice of application availability, send a blank e-mail to NEFFA_Performers-subscribe(a)yahoogroups.com
So you can note on your calendar that September is a good time to check the NEFFA web site, and also arrange for a notice to pop up in your e-mail.
The NEFFA application invites you to come up with a briefly-described theme for your session, with a title of 20 characters or less. IMO, use your own judgment as to how important the theme is. If you are offering a concept that's really meaningful to you, don't be afraid to describe it. If what you really want to do is just call some hot contras, then IMO I wouldn't go overboard on the theme.
Unlike Northwest Folklife, callers and bands apply SEPARATELY to the New England Folk Festival. And I believe that this is a very good thing for beginning callers who hope to have a chance at getting onstage. This mix-and-match policy gives a fresh perspective for experienced performers, and can be an eye-opening experience for newcomers who may get to work with seasoned veterans. I will never forget calling at NEFFA with Northern Spy, a band that has worked with caller David Millstone for 25 years. And where was David during this session? Out on the floor, happily dancing to the music of his own band. NEFFA's selection process made that wonderful hour possible for me.
For what it's worth, the first year I successfully applied I asked for a "Festival Orchestra" slot, which means that instead of calling a themed, hour-long session I called two dances in the Main Hall with the assembled orchestra and then got off the stage as the next Festival Orchestra caller had a turn. IMO, the key here (as well as in submitting a session proposal) is to choose dances that you know by heart, can teach well, fully believe in, and love to share with a crowd. You don't want to have second thoughts as you approach the microphone.
If you're wondering why performer applications are required so far in advance of a festival, note that NEFFA may have 1700 performers, many of whom perform in multiple sessions (perhaps performing alone, and with a participatory dance group, and also with a concert performance group!). You can't doublebook a performer (or larger groups to which she may belong), you have to give her time to move from one venue to another, plus a bunch of other scheduling etceteras that would drive me loony to contemplate further. How scheduling was done in the days before computers is beyond me.
--
Robert Jon Golder
164 Maxfield St
New Bedford, MA 02740
(508) 999-2486
If there are a lot of children, and no other contra dancers, for the
first workshop, don't start with a contra.
Start with something that breaks the ice and is easy and gets them
facing each other in long lines.
For my "one night stands", weddings, etc., I start with a dance
sometimes called "The Hat Dance" - except I use a large stuffed
animal gorilla, so people call it the "gorilla dance' - you know,
three chairs at the top of the set, two lines on either side, one
person sits in middle with gorilla on lap, one head of each line sit
on the side, band starts up and plays like a house afire, mid person
gives gorilla to one of the seated people, dances down set with the
other in a sashay or polka or whatever they choose, gorilla receiver
moves to mid seat, next two sit down. I don't know why this is so
successful, but people love this dance. They love watching other
people get or give the gorilla. I gave up on the hat idea because w.
kids there may be head lice. Really. The gorilla is cuter anyway.
This gets people moving, touching, laughing, and standing in two
lines and learning top of set and bottom of set.
Then follow perhaps with a reel, like Virginia reel. This gives a
vague concept of progression and doing something different at
different positions in the dance. There are some other simpler reels
than Virginia reel as well, without the strip the willow but with the
follow around and arch and under.
I think the one of the easiest contras is Ellen's Green Jig. I don't
have time to put it up here, maybe someone else could if you don't
know it, but it's one where everyone pretty much is in contact all
the time so it's hard to screw up, has just balance and swing, do-si-
do and circles pretty much, and the progression is oh-so-obvious, and
it doesn't matter if the genders get all screwed up as long as ones
are ones and twos are twos.
Oh, I called for a dance where 15 foreign exchange students showed up
with limited English. I'd keep the calls in English as you are a
beginning caller and it would be too much to think of to do it in
Japanese as well. But just pick the way you are going to call the
figure, e.g. Ladie's Chain - and NEVER vary it. It will always be
Ladie's Chain, not "Chain the women", not "women chain" not "chain
across" just flat out plain "Ladies Chain". People will catch on.
Martha
On Oct 2, 2007, at 4:00 PM, callers-request(a)sharedweight.net wrote:
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> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Japan dance and self intro/update
> (sharedweight.99.kyoto(a)spamgourmet.com)
> 2. Re: Japan dance and self intro/update (Lindsay Morris)
> 3. Re: Japan dance and self intro/update (Greg McKenzie)
> 4. Re: Japan dance and self intro/update
> (Alan Winston - SSRL Central Computing)
> 5. Re: Japan dance and self intro/update (Lisa Sieverts)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2007 11:59:28 -0700 (PDT)
> From: sharedweight.99.kyoto(a)spamgourmet.com
> Subject: [Callers] Japan dance and self intro/update
> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
> Message-ID: <74363.4139.qm(a)web38705.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
> [n.b. this has been 'cross posted' to the yahoo traditional callers
> list, in case anyone is on
> both lists...]
>
> This post from a llooonnnngg time dancer and first time caller who is
> requesting some advice for an unusual situation...but as it is my
> first post, I will explain a little about myself, and along the way
> that will explain the unusual situation and help guide and refine any
> replies.
>
> My name is david crespo, a name some of you no doubt fear -- I mean
> recognize -- or would (recognize, that is) (if you saw my ugly
> mug) (well, maybe fear...) from my 20 odd (quite odd) years of
> dancing and involvement in the dance community in New England, mostly
> Vermont (Etna, Norwich, Thetford, to Northern Spy etc.) and Maine
> (SMFA (Yarmouth), Falmouth, Bates, Bowdoinham...). As some of you
> thus know, about 3 years ago, at a Wake the Neighbors Bates dance I
> was met by a cute and not very frightening Japanese exchange student,
> Yukie, who with a very little gentle nudging at Deffa a week later,
> eventually (rapidly, that is) was able to parlay that happenstance
> circumstance into what is now a beautiful and happy marriage. She
> returned to Japan shortly after we completed our courtship and about
> a year later I followed. We're living in Kyoto.
>
> Alas, there is one tragic note attending this otherwise joyous and
> perfect scenario. Japan, you see, is a land thouroughly devoid of one
> essential nutrient: contradancing. You can imagine my dismay, tears,
> and lamentations. Sadly, then, since my arrival, I have been quietly
> (well not so quietly) teaching english while secretly incubating evil
> plans to conquer Japan, then Asia, then the world in 64 (drastic)
> measures (hmmm--- good name for a dance). This month, my long patient
> agony of waiting has begun to pay off. I have been given the
> opportunity to indoctrinate a few trusting and innocent souls into
> the sublime mysteries of la dance du contra and create an army of
> swiftfooted robots, ready and willing to do my bidding at every call.
> SOON I WILL CONQUER THE WORLD!!!
>
> ahem.
>
> please excuse me while my medicine kicks in. Ah, yes, thank you. OK,
> where was I? The fact is, my wife and I have been invited to lead a
> contradance workshop at a local festival on October 20. When we found
> out, we began doing as much research as we could on calling and so
> on. We found a few basic dances, like Baby Rose and Diane's Visit and
> Atonement Reel that we like and figured would be suitable and we have
> been practicing calling them. But I really welcome any suggestions...
>
> Actually, above and beyond some decades of doing things proper and
> improper, I took a caller workshop or two from Rick Mohr (thanks
> Rick) so I have a rough idea of what's involved. And I've learned a
> bit from practicing calling and writing a few ad hoc dances on my
> own. For example, I learned that being a dancer has habituated me to
> act ON the beat, but as a caller I need to act BEFORE the beat,
> eh....this flustered me at first. Are there any other typical first
> caller pointers we should be on the lookout for?
>
> In addition, there are a few other associated circumstances in this
> project that create the aforementioned unique situation. In brief
> (HA! fooled you), since I've rattled on too long, here is what I mean:
>
> I don't speak more than the rudiments of Japanese. My wife is still a
> beginner dancer, to wit, she isn't a strong enough one to call on her
> own. Between us we are trying to teach each other what the other
> lacks and hopefully make one good caller out of the two of us. One
> question that has come up is is it better to keep the standard names
> for the figures, or to Japanify them. (We are leaning to the
> former...Japanese has a very high percentage of english loan words,
> and they learn english (poooooorly) in school.) Still, has anyone
> ever tried to call across a language barrier?
>
> Japanese are touch sensitve. They don't touch, they don't give eye
> contact. They don't give weight. (They give wait). They don't hug.
> They don't even say I love you. They are very shy. For example, I am
> told that this is to the point that standing in a line of men facing
> a line of women is likely be uncomfortable, even for the younger
> generation, so Yukie feels we should use mixed couples with armbands
> to distinguish "gender"--I mean position. As we build a community of
> experienced dancers, it would be expected that some of this
> inhibition might wear off...). You can see why they need to dance. On
> the other hand, they are good followers. Any advice for working with
> a shy crowd?
>
> Some or many of the attendees at this workshop, we just found out,
> are likely to be children. Depending on the percentage, it may be
> necessary to do a kids dance, or at least a dance kids could enjoy. I
> am good at working with kids in general, but I would love any advice
> for doing a dance with young people. I don't know or haven't been
> able to find any children's dances, though I assume the Family Dance
> in Yarmouth is still up and I plan to contact Jeff Raymond about it,
> because I can't remember the caller's name (Nancy....) (though we
> have danced and chatted about dancing and calling several times at
> the May Day Festival...gads! say hi if you're listening..).
> So, children's dances are one thing I am looking for.
>
> We are working in a small space...maybe two lines of six couples
> each. Advice for small spaces???　
>
> We are doing three workshops. If the same people return, we may do
> more advanced things, or we may just repeat teh workshop...but I
> would like to try different dances each time, for my practice.
>
> The room will be full of beginners, so no experienced dancers to rely
> on. Ballroom dancing had a certain following here (and in Kyoto there
> is a small set dancing group that we visited...small 14 or so... and
> a square dancing group that we plan to visit. ) but not enough to be
> helpful, in the sense that there are few cultural supports for
> learning (i.e. in the US most everyone knows (even if they don't
> admit it) how to at least fake a waltz or ballroom position...not
> here.) Think martian territory...
>
> I should add that we are seriously working towards starting a regular
> dance here (we've found an available and very suitable space, a
> church hall in a nearby church, for example) and this is for us a
> tryout and possible stepping stone. We want to whet people's
> appetite, and leave them wanting more. We have a half hour to do it...
>
> OK...apologies for the verbose and windy post. Fond regards to all of
> you I know, hajimemashite ("nice to meet you" in japanese, literally
> "beginning") to the rest and many thanks in advance for your time and
> help...cheers...david
>
> nothing rhymes with nostril...
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________________
> ______________
> Don't let your dream ride pass you by. Make it a reality with
> Yahoo! Autos.
> http://autos.yahoo.com/index.html
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Tue, 02 Oct 2007 15:23:07 -0400
> From: Lindsay Morris <lindsay(a)tsmworks.com>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Japan dance and self intro/update
> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Message-ID: <47029A9B.1020203(a)tsmworks.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> Wow, you're biting off too much.
> Teach them community-dance stuff first - circle mixers, easy
> things to
> get them used to touching, allemanding, and giving weight.
> If they refuse to take hands and circle left, then I suggest you
> fake a
> heart attack and get out.
> Lindsay Morris
> Principal
> TSMworks
> [1]www.tsmworks.com
> 859-539-9900
>
>
> [2]sharedweight.99.kyoto(a)spamgourmet.com wrote:
>
> [n.b. this has been 'cross posted' to the yahoo traditional callers
> list, in cas
> e anyone is on
> both lists...]
>
> This post from a llooonnnngg time dancer and first time caller who is
> requesting some advice for an unusual situation...but as it is my
> first post, I will explain a little about myself, and along the way
> that will explain the unusual situation and help guide and refine any
> replies.
>
> My name is david crespo, a name some of you no doubt fear -- I mean
> recognize -- or would (recognize, that is) (if you saw my ugly
> mug) (well, maybe fear...) from my 20 odd (quite odd) years of
> dancing and involvement in the dance community in New England, mostly
> Vermont (Etna, Norwich, Thetford, to Northern Spy etc.) and Maine
> (SMFA (Yarmouth), Falmouth, Bates, Bowdoinham...). As some of you
> thus know, about 3 years ago, at a Wake the Neighbors Bates dance I
> was met by a cute and not very frightening Japanese exchange student,
> Yukie, who with a very little gentle nudging at Deffa a week later,
> eventually (rapidly, that is) was able to parlay that happenstance
> circumstance into what is now a beautiful and happy marriage. She
> returned to Japan shortly after we completed our courtship and about
> a year later I followed. We're living in Kyoto.
>
> Alas, there is one tragic note attending this otherwise joyous and
> perfect scenario. Japan, you see, is a land thouroughly devoid of one
> essential nutrient: contradancing. You can imagine my dismay, tears,
> and lamentations. Sadly, then, since my arrival, I have been quietly
> (well not so quietly) teaching english while secretly incubating evil
> plans to conquer Japan, then Asia, then the world in 64 (drastic)
> measures (hmmm--- good name for a dance). This month, my long patient
> agony of waiting has begun to pay off. I have been given the
> opportunity to indoctrinate a few trusting and innocent souls into
> the sublime mysteries of la dance du contra and create an army of
> swiftfooted robots, ready and willing to do my bidding at every call.
> SOON I WILL CONQUER THE WORLD!!!
>
> ahem.
>
> please excuse me while my medicine kicks in. Ah, yes, thank you. OK,
> where was I? The fact is, my wife and I have been invited to lead a
> contradance workshop at a local festival on October 20. When we found
> out, we began doing as much research as we could on calling and so
> on. We found a few basic dances, like Baby Rose and Diane's Visit and
> Atonement Reel that we like and figured would be suitable and we have
> been practicing calling them. But I really welcome any suggestions...
>
> Actually, above and beyond some decades of doing things proper and
> improper, I took a caller workshop or two from Rick Mohr (thanks
> Rick) so I have a rough idea of what's involved. And I've learned a
> bit from practicing calling and writing a few ad hoc dances on my
> own. For example, I learned that being a dancer has habituated me to
> act ON the beat, but as a caller I need to act BEFORE the beat,
> eh....this flustered me at first. Are there any other typical first
> caller pointers we should be on the lookout for?
>
> In addition, there are a few other associated circumstances in this
> project that create the aforementioned unique situation. In brief
> (HA! fooled you), since I've rattled on too long, here is what I mean:
>
> I don't speak more than the rudiments of Japanese. My wife is still a
> beginner dancer, to wit, she isn't a strong enough one to call on her
> own. Between us we are trying to teach each other what the other
> lacks and hopefully make one good caller out of the two of us. One
> question that has come up is is it better to keep the standard names
> for the figures, or to Japanify them. (We are leaning to the
> former...Japanese has a very high percentage of english loan words,
> and they learn english (poooooorly) in school.) Still, has anyone
> ever tried to call across a language barrier?
>
> Japanese are touch sensitve. They don't touch, they don't give eye
> contact. They don't give weight. (They give wait). They don't hug.
> They don't even say I love you. They are very shy. For example, I am
> told that this is to the point that standing in a line of men facing
> a line of women is likely be uncomfortable, even for the younger
> generation, so Yukie feels we should use mixed couples with armbands
> to distinguish "gender"--I mean position. As we build a community of
> experienced dancers, it would be expected that some of this
> inhibition might wear off...). You can see why they need to dance. On
> the other hand, they are good followers. Any advice for working with
> a shy crowd?
>
> Some or many of the attendees at this workshop, we just found out,
> are likely to be children. Depending on the percentage, it may be
> necessary to do a kids dance, or at least a dance kids could enjoy. I
> am good at working with kids in general, but I would love any advice
> for doing a dance with young people. I don't know or haven't been
> able to find any children's dances, though I assume the Family Dance
> in Yarmouth is still up and I plan to contact Jeff Raymond about it,
> because I can't remember the caller's name (Nancy....) (though we
> have danced and chatted about dancing and calling several times at
> the May Day Festival...gads! say hi if you're listening..).
> So, children's dances are one thing I am looking for.
>
> We are working in a small space...maybe two lines of six couples
> each. Advice for small spaces???　
>
> We are doing three workshops. If the same people return, we may do
> more advanced things, or we may just repeat teh workshop...but I
> would like to try different dances each time, for my practice.
>
> The room will be full of beginners, so no experienced dancers to rely
> on. Ballroom dancing had a certain following here (and in Kyoto there
> is a small set dancing group that we visited...small 14 or so... and
> a square dancing group that we plan to visit. ) but not enough to be
> helpful, in the sense that there are few cultural supports for
> learning (i.e. in the US most everyone knows (even if they don't
> admit it) how to at least fake a waltz or ballroom position...not
> here.) Think martian territory...
>
> I should add that we are seriously working towards starting a regular
> dance here (we've found an available and very suitable space, a
> church hall in a nearby church, for example) and this is for us a
> tryout and possible stepping stone. We want to whet people's
> appetite, and leave them wanting more. We have a half hour to do it...
>
> OK...apologies for the verbose and windy post. Fond regards to all of
> you I know, hajimemashite ("nice to meet you" in japanese, literally
> "beginning") to the rest and many thanks in advance for your time and
> help...cheers...david
>
> nothing rhymes with nostril...
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________________
> ____
> __________
> Don't let your dream ride pass you by. Make it a reality with
> Yahoo! Autos.
> [3]http://autos.yahoo.com/index.html
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> [4]Callers(a)sharedweight.net
> [5]http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>
> References
>
> 1. http://www.tsmworks.com/
> 2. mailto:sharedweight.99.kyoto@spamgourmet.com
> 3. http://autos.yahoo.com/index.html
> 4. mailto:Callers@sharedweight.net
> 5. http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>
Does anyone know the name and author of the Becket dance below? I'm going to call it next weekend and I'd like to give proper credit.
Thanks.
Parker Mann
A1:
Circle L 3/4 (6)
Pass through up and down (2) [the progression]
Swing next neighbor (8)
A2:
Gents allemande L 1 1/2 (8)
Gents scoop up partner and star promenade across (4)
Partners whirl on side (4)
B1:
Full chain across and back - ladies pass R to start (16)
B2:
Partners balance and swing (16)
Hi,
I'm getting ready for an "introduction to
contra" workshop at our local folk festival next
weekend. I've been looking at some of the
'chestnut' dances. Partly to learn more about the
background, but I'd also like to teach a simple
one for everyone to try.
I've found this traditional version of Lady
Walpole's Reel in "The Country Dance Book."
A1: Balance and swing neighbor; A2: Actives
down the center, turn alone, come back and cast;
B1: Ladies chain over and back; B2: Promenade
across; Right and Left thru back.
On various web pages I've also found this version
which I thought might be a bit easier as the
dancers stay connected. It has A2: 4 in line down
the hall, turn alone and come back, cast off.
This doesn't seem right to me. In the traditional
version the actives cast around the inactive
neighbor they had just swung, thus giving the
progression. However, in this second version, the
actives are on the ends of the lines, so the
inactive neighbors are casting around and no
progression occurs (as well as men not ending up
with women on their right to start the chains). I
would have thought it should be A2: 4 in line down
the hall, as couple turn, come back, cast off (as
in David Smuckler's Stopping By Woods and Tony
Parkes' Woods Hole Jig). Could someone clarify? I
may be missing something obvious as I'm thinking
more like a square dancer. Can you chain the
ladies when the men have them on their left? If so
that would fix it, but the flow and hand
availability doesn't seem right.
Thanks. Cheers, Bill
Hey Sue (and other community dance callers),
Would you mind posting the content of some of these dances
here? The quadrille sounds very interesting. I've been
asked to call a couple of barn dances too, and keep seeing
references to these dances, but don't have access to the
books they're printed in.
Thank you!!
Tina
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:48:46 -0500
> From: Sue Robishaw <sue(a)manytracks.com>
> Subject: [Callers] Beginner Contras
> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
> Message-ID: <47D887FE.9040700(a)manytracks.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"
>
> Hi,
> We are sadly lacking in contra in my neck of the
> world, and I don't
> have the experience of others on the list (who I'm
> thoroughly enjoying
> learning from), but I've taught a few easy ones to our
> IFD group to
> introduce the idea, and these worked well (I think
> they were all from
> the New England Dancing Masters "Chimes of Dunkirk"
> book:
> Jefferson & Liberty
> Haste to the Wedding
> Broken Sixpence
> A non-contra easy dance that's gone over well with
> both our IFDers and
> mixed public is the quadrille "The Carding" from
> Dudley Laufman's
> "Sweets of May". Lively and you don't need even
> numbers of couples as
> in a square.
> Snowy Cheers,
> Sue Robishaw
> Upper Peninsula of Michigan
>
> --
>
> * * * * * * * * * *
>
> Sue Robishaw ~ [1]sue(a)manytracks.com ~
> 906-644-2598
> 770N Fox Rd, Cooks MI 49817 ~ ~ ~
> [2]www.ManyTracks.com
>
> "At the heart of this story, I think , is a
> simple, abiding
> belief: it is possible to live wisely on the land,
> and to live well.
> And in behaving respectfully toward all that the land
> contains, it is
> possible to imagine a stifling ignorance falling away
> from us."
> Barry Lopez ~ "Arctic Dreams"
>
> * * * * * * * * * *
>
> References
>
> 1. mailto:sue@manytracks.com
> 2. http://www.ManyTracks.com/
>
>
Tina R. Fields, Ph.D.
(707) 824-9318
"Hindsight Now!"
If you are 35 or younger, there is a new contra dance weekend just for you!*
Where: Table Rock State Park
When: June 6-8
Talent: Mock Turtle Soup; The Cornstalkers; calling by Adina Gordon and company
Cost: if a student 35 or under $35 until 3/15; then $45 and up to $55. Prices for others at website.
More info: http://whipperstompers.org/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=21639866704&ref=nf
*Those over 35 are welcome, but know the dance is targeted towards the 35 and under set. (There is also a youth dance weekend in VT in Sept).
The Whipperstompers Weekend is a dance weekend for young people, June 6th-8th 2008 at Table Rock State Park in South Carolina.
A whole week-end festival of high quality dancing made as inexpensive as possible for students and young people in order to encourage them to attend. Not only an opportunity to dance a lot, but also to improve and broaden your dancing skills with awesome instructors and musical artists.
We are fortunate that there is a broad and growing interest among young people in traditional dance. As with every other movement centered around young people, we have brought a new momentum and energy with us. The purpose of this weekend is to both provide an outlet for this energy and channel it into a new unity and positive change in the community as the torch is being passed to new leaders and movers and shakers across the nation.
Please keep in mind that this weekend is open to everyone and we welcome people of all ages. The dance is merely designed primarily for and by young people as a way to help young dancers to mesh well with the dance community nation wide.
This years weekend we will be dancing to music by Mock Turtle Soup and the Cornstalkers, with calling by Adina Gordon and Co.
We have waltz, swing, and other couple dance classes in the works, details soon!
Made possible in part by a Leadership Grant from the Country Dance and Song Society.<http://www.cdss.org/>
We are the
Old
Mountains
Group
of
Wild
Twirly
Folks
We are a group of young people from all over, united by a love of dance, and the fact that we all live and dance in western North Carolina, from Asheville to Brasstown.
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<Would you mind sharing some of these dances,>
Be glad to -- here they are:
Haste to the Wedding (contra duple proper or circle)
A1 4 Circle left
4 Circle right
A2 4 Right hand star
4 Left hand star
B1 4 Partner Do-si-do
4 Clap 2x; Two hand turn
B2 4 Neighbor Do-si-do
4 Clap 2x; Walk on by (right shoulders)
Jefferson & Liberty - 1 contre proper duple
A1 8 Circle left
8 Circle right
A2 8 Right hand star
8 Left hand star
B1 16 Ones Down Outside & Back (between twos)
B2 8 Four hands down
8 Ones Arch (back up) & pull Twos thru (move up)
Jefferson & Liberty - 2 contre Improper duple
A1 8 Circle left
8 Circle right
A2 8 Right hand star
8 Left hand star
B1 8 Ones Down Ctr
8 Back and Cast Off (with twos, going one below)
B2 16 Right and Left through, over and back*
(* not a beginner figure but a comfortable place to
teach it if they've done J&L1)
Broken Sixpence contre Improper duple (by Don Armstrong)
A1 8 Neighbors - Do-si-do
8 Ladies - Do-si-do
A2 8 Men - Do-si-do
8 Ones - Two hand turn
B1 8 Four Hands Down (ones between twos)
8 Turn single; Back to place
B2 8 Bend the Line - Circle Left
8 Left Hand Star (prog 1s below 2s - remember which side
you're on*)
(*for women dancing men's side, more a problem with
lots of women)
The Carding Quebec quadrille for as many as will
(refers to carding of wool) (from Dudley Laufman's "Sweets of May"
book)
(note: music is 4 1/2 x through a regular reel. Something lively with a
strong rhythm for the stamps. Not too fast for beginners. Faster for
experienced is fun.)
In "square" formation, one or two couples per side. Doesn't have to be
even number anywhere. Single person can easily dance with ghost
partner. Pattern of Heads do figure, then Sides do figure, back to
Heads, etc.
Starts with
CHORUS - CARDING: Heads Card // then Sides Card: (face partner,
sashay/side slips)
4-4 In-2-3-stamp / Out-2-3-stamp
8 Cross over (sashay across)
4-4-8 In - Out - Cross back
Verse1 8-8 Heads Circle Left / Circle Right // Sides ...
Chorus: 8-8-16 Heads Card // Sides Card
Verse2 8-8 Heads Right hand Star/ Left hand Star // Sides ...
Chorus: 8-8-16 Heads Card // Sides Card
V3 8-8 All Circle Left / Circle Right ("face partner" at end so
ready for..)
4-4-4-4 All (sashay) In-2-3-stamp / Out-2-3-stamp. That
again (strong Stamp on final beat).
Notes: Couples have to pass by when sashaying across, so when setting
up, look across at opposites. If same number of couples on both sides,
all step one step to their own right, and see that space to their opps
right where they will go. If two cpls on one side and one on the other,
the one cpl go between the two, so the two step away from each other a
step to make room.
Point out need to face partner at end of V3 so they're ready to all
Sashay In... If they're slow going they'll probably end In the circle
instead of out, which isn't a big problem.
Sue Robishaw
--
* * * * * * * * * *
Sue Robishaw ~ [1]sue(a)manytracks.com ~ 906-644-2598
770N Fox Rd, Cooks MI 49817 ~ ~ ~ [2]www.ManyTracks.com
"At the heart of this story, I think , is a simple, abiding
belief: it is possible to live wisely on the land, and to live well.
And in behaving respectfully toward all that the land contains, it is
possible to imagine a stifling ignorance falling away from us."
Barry Lopez ~ "Arctic Dreams"
* * * * * * * * * *
References
1. mailto:sue@manytracks.com
2. http://www.ManyTracks.com/
Hi,
We are sadly lacking in contra in my neck of the world, and I don't
have the experience of others on the list (who I'm thoroughly enjoying
learning from), but I've taught a few easy ones to our IFD group to
introduce the idea, and these worked well (I think they were all from
the New England Dancing Masters "Chimes of Dunkirk" book:
Jefferson & Liberty
Haste to the Wedding
Broken Sixpence
A non-contra easy dance that's gone over well with both our IFDers and
mixed public is the quadrille "The Carding" from Dudley Laufman's
"Sweets of May". Lively and you don't need even numbers of couples as
in a square.
Snowy Cheers,
Sue Robishaw
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
--
* * * * * * * * * *
Sue Robishaw ~ [1]sue(a)manytracks.com ~ 906-644-2598
770N Fox Rd, Cooks MI 49817 ~ ~ ~ [2]www.ManyTracks.com
"At the heart of this story, I think , is a simple, abiding
belief: it is possible to live wisely on the land, and to live well.
And in behaving respectfully toward all that the land contains, it is
possible to imagine a stifling ignorance falling away from us."
Barry Lopez ~ "Arctic Dreams"
* * * * * * * * * *
References
1. mailto:sue@manytracks.com
2. http://www.ManyTracks.com/
Diane Silver confirmed that the dance in question is her calling Road Kill by Cary Ravitz. See link to his site below.
Chrissy Fowler
>
> Hi Chrissy --
>
> Well, dang! I am so flattered. That IS me, but the fact that you
> recognized it is amazing. I had not seen this Moondance footage
> before. Do you know if it's possible to save the video to my hard
> drive? Saving the link target doesn't seem to work.
>
> The dance is Road Kill by Cary Ravitz --it's on his webpage:
> http://ravitz.us/dance/
>
> - Diane
>
> Chrissy Fowler wrote:
> > hi diane,
> > someone on the shared weight caller list was asking about this dance
> > (title, composer) and the caller sounded like you (to me, anyhow)
> > just curious.
> > hope all's well,
> > c
> >
> > Does anyone know the title and composer of this dance?
> >
> > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQbsl5lvJZc
> >
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