June 2009 - Contra Callers - mailman3.tofutavern.com

by Jerome Grisanti

I recently had the following exchange on a different list with Michael Shapiro (guitarist with U4): Michael wrote: >>> U4 just played the SwingShift weekend in Lexington/Berea. The caller was Barbara Groh. She did something that I think most callers should do, but I haven't seen before. After the sets were formed and people had done the hand four, she then broke up the beginners sets that had formed at the end of the lines. She asked then to move forward and intersperse themselves with the more advanced dancers (so that they were more toward the beggining of the line and the foursomes were not all beginners). She was also good at letting the music be heard ... I wrote: >> Regarding the caller asking sets to reform in order to spread the less experienced dancers throughout the hall, much tact is required. Generally, callers strive to avoid calling attention to particular dancers other than when asking people to watch a demonstration, but asking people to change sets can have the effect of making them feel like there is attention on them. In addition, newish dancers want to dance with people they know, even if those friends may also be newish dancers. >> Speaking to the entire crowd, I do encourage experienced dancers to share their experience by asking someone they've never met to dance at least once in the evening, and praise the community for being so welcoming to newcomer dancers. So while I might be thinking "let's break up this clump of confusion," it would not be good to say something that draws attention to "you people right here." >> I have asked, off mic, for a set of experienced dancers to offer to repartner with a set of inexperienced dancers down the line. To this list, I ask: I'd be interested in the wording that Barbara Groh used (which I'm assuming was quite gentle). I'm also guessing other callers on this list have developed tactful ways to address this issue. Thanks, Jerome -- Jerome Grisanti 660-528-0858 http://www.jeromegrisanti.com

9 years, 10 months

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Re: [Callers] Especially Irish and French ONS dances

by Beth Parkes

Some version of Crooked Stovepipe (Le Pipe Accroché) Square: Head ladies forward & back Forward again & there they swing Circle six hands around them while they swing Allemande left your corner, do-si-do your partner Allemande left our corner again, promenade your own. Repeat for side ladies, head gents, side gents. (Can also be done instead as Head lady and the opposite gent go forward & back, etc.) Has its own tune. Beth > -----Original Message----- > From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net [mailto:callers- > bounces(a)sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Jack Mitchell > Sent: Monday, June 22, 2009 8:04 PM > To: Caller's discussion list > Subject: Re: [Callers] Especially Irish and French ONS dances > > ONS = One Night Stand. Easy dances for crowds with almost no > experienced dancers. > At 01:58 PM 6/22/2009, you wrote: > > I can forward this to our Irish dance group and see if they can > help > you > out. What is ONS ? I'm not familiar with that abbreviation. If > you are > talking about ceili dancing for beginners there are some simple > ones > but > there is also specific music that goes with them. Good luck. > Mary Collins > On Mon, Jun 22, 2009 at 9:49 AM, Rickey <holt.e(a)comcast.net> > wrote: > > Hi all, > > > > I am planning an ONS for about 100, mostly adults. The husband > of > the > > organizer is Irish, from Ireland, and her dad, I think, is > either > French or > > French-Canadian. > > > > Do you have any suggestions for Irish, French, or French > Canadian > dances > > that might have been popular where these folks grew up, and > which > would be > > appropriate for this crowd. The organizer mentioned > specifically > that her > > dad especially liked French Quadrilles. Do you have any that > these > folks > > might enjoy? Any and all suggestions are, of course, more than > welcome. > > > > Thanks. > > > > Rickey Holt, > > > > Fremont, NH > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Callers mailing list > > Callers(a)sharedweight.net > > [1]http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)sharedweight.net > [2]http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > References > > 1. http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > 2. http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)sharedweight.net > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers

10 years, 7 months

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Re: [Callers] Especially Irish and French ONS dances

by Sue Robishaw

Hi, The French, or French Canadian, quadrille "The Carding" is easy and fun if the band will play a reel with a good strong beat (but not too fast) on the end of the phrase (4 1/2 x through). I got it from Dudley Laufman's book "Sweets of May". It's nice because you don't have to fuss trying to get an even four couples per square. An individual with a ghost partner can even fit in fine. The simple version Sweets of May (not the quadrille which is fun but too complicated) goes well to a jig if the crowd can move reasonably well. The Irish Bridge of Athlone simplified (forward and back and cross over instead of the 7s & 3s) is one of my favorites. I agree with Martha that the simplified LaBastringue is always an upper if the band knows the music, and the original version is fun for more experienced dancers too (as a dancer) The Irish Haymaker's Jig is fun but having danced it with a friend calling the more Irish version I'd suggest simplifying the first part to just forward and back. The rest is do-able and fun with a lively crowd. Summer Cheers, Sue Robishaw P.S. Let me know if you need the steps to any.

10 years, 8 months

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Re: [Callers] Especially Irish and French

by Martha Wild

Well, it's not a quadrille, but La Bastrangue is French Canadian and generally a crowd pleaser. Martha On Jun 22, 2009, at 9:00 AM, callers-request(a)sharedweight.net wrote: > Send Callers mailing list submissions to > callers(a)sharedweight.net > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > callers-request(a)sharedweight.net > > You can reach the person managing the list at > callers-owner(a)sharedweight.net > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Callers digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Especially Irish and French ONS dances (Rickey) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:49:27 -0400 > From: "Rickey" <holt.e(a)comcast.net> > Subject: [Callers] Especially Irish and French ONS dances > To: <callers(a)sharedweight.net> > Message-ID: <D4CB1FA425EF4542BE73CCB7F6CD6831@maxx> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > Hi all, > > I am planning an ONS for about 100, mostly adults. The husband of the > organizer is Irish, from Ireland, and her dad, I think, is either > French or > French-Canadian. > > Do you have any suggestions for Irish, French, or French Canadian > dances > that might have been popular where these folks grew up, and which > would be > appropriate for this crowd. The organizer mentioned specifically > that her > dad especially liked French Quadrilles. Do you have any that these > folks > might enjoy? Any and all suggestions are, of course, more than > welcome. > > Thanks. > > Rickey Holt, > > Fremont, NH > > > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)sharedweight.net > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > End of Callers Digest, Vol 58, Issue 11 > ***************************************

10 years, 8 months

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Re: [Callers] Especially Irish and French ONS dances

by Mary Collins

Thanks for the clarification...obviously I'm not a girl that does ONS's...lol.... On Mon, Jun 22, 2009 at 2:04 PM, Jack Mitchell <jamitch3(a)mindspring.com>wrote: > ONS = One Night Stand. Easy dances for crowds with almost no > experienced dancers. > At 01:58 PM 6/22/2009, you wrote: > > I can forward this to our Irish dance group and see if they can help > you > out. What is ONS ? I'm not familiar with that abbreviation. If > you are > talking about ceili dancing for beginners there are some simple ones > but > there is also specific music that goes with them. Good luck. > Mary Collins > On Mon, Jun 22, 2009 at 9:49 AM, Rickey <holt.e(a)comcast.net> wrote: > > Hi all, > > > > I am planning an ONS for about 100, mostly adults. The husband of > the > > organizer is Irish, from Ireland, and her dad, I think, is either > French or > > French-Canadian. > > > > Do you have any suggestions for Irish, French, or French Canadian > dances > > that might have been popular where these folks grew up, and which > would be > > appropriate for this crowd. The organizer mentioned specifically > that her > > dad especially liked French Quadrilles. Do you have any that these > folks > > might enjoy? Any and all suggestions are, of course, more than > welcome. > > > > Thanks. > > > > Rickey Holt, > > > > Fremont, NH > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Callers mailing list > > Callers(a)sharedweight.net > > [1]http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)sharedweight.net > [2]http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > References > > 1. http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > 2. http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)sharedweight.net > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers >

10 years, 8 months

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Especially Irish and French ONS dances

by Rickey

Hi all, I am planning an ONS for about 100, mostly adults. The husband of the organizer is Irish, from Ireland, and her dad, I think, is either French or French-Canadian. Do you have any suggestions for Irish, French, or French Canadian dances that might have been popular where these folks grew up, and which would be appropriate for this crowd. The organizer mentioned specifically that her dad especially liked French Quadrilles. Do you have any that these folks might enjoy? Any and all suggestions are, of course, more than welcome. Thanks. Rickey Holt, Fremont, NH

10 years, 8 months

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Disregard: Re: reminder of camp...

by Jack Mitchell

Callers List folks: Sorry....didn't mean to send that to the whole list. Please ignore. Jack

10 years, 8 months

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reminder of camp...

by Laur

Last night I called the dance Bronwyn Woods wrote and called at Callers week "Hortensia's Cravat". It was a nice memory. The dance community enjoyed it. It brought back fond memories of our night on the floor. Laurie Pietravalle

10 years, 8 months

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Fiddler Needed Urgently in Exeter, NH

by Rickey

Hi, July 11, Exeter NH, 7:30 for a share of the gate. Our series is in its fifth or sixth year and we usually have a house band. I recently found out that all but two members of the band will not be able to play July 11. In fact we are left with only rhythm guitar and drums. If you can play on July 11, please contact me ASAP. Thanks, Rickey

10 years, 8 months

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Re: [Callers] the fatal kiss of the ice princess

by David.Millstone＠valley.net

Will wrote:" I don't understand what's happening in B2 the way it's written..." In Gems, here's how the dance appears: FATAL KISS OF THE ICE PRINCESS (Timothy Gant) Imp-Double progression Tune: Flowing Reel A1 CCW gypsy neighbor three-quarters. Women pass right shoulders. CCW gypsy partner. A2 Hey, women starting by passing right shoulders. B1 Women, followed by partners, start right hands across; turn about once and a quarter to progressed position. LH across with near couple once around. B2 Partners promenade about one-half around that new couple and face counter to direction of progression Right and left thru up and down the set and pass thru along to yet another couple. "The author suggests consummating the gypsies in the last change: A1 Allemande right your neighbor once and three-quarters. Men allemande left once and a half. A2: Clockwise gypsy and swing your partner. B1 & B2: Ladies chain across; women pull by, with right hands, to partner; gypsy and swing your partner." David Millstone Lebanon, NH

10 years, 8 months

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Contra Callers June 2009