Contra Callers August 2009

contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net

38 participants
35 discussions

by Jeffrey Petrovitch

Hey Everyone: I was wondering if anyone would be interested in calling the Gorham contra dance on Saturday, September 12. There was a miscommunication and I am trying to find a replacement for myself. I have called for the dance the last three years and have had a great time. It is a small community of people. They are open to having new callers as well. If there is anyone interested, please contact me. I am trying to find a replacement ASAP. Thanks, Jeff

11 years, 11 months

The Frolic in the Fall - 9/26/09 in Harrisburg, PA

by Dave Colestock

The Third Annual Frolic in the Fall. To be held Saturday, September 26, 2009 from 11am-11pm . Location is the YWCA Camp Reily, just outside of Harrisburg , PA , a 5-acre camp where we dance in a rustic lodge with a wood floor, surrounded by Nature in the Appalachian Mountains of PA. Music from CONTRANELLA from New York and Maryland, and THE AVANT GARDENERS from Virginia, calling by SUSAN PETRICK, from California, and DAVE COLESTOCK, from Pennsylvania. The Frolic starts with an hour of Waltzing from 11-12, then Contra Dancing from Noon-11. There will be an HOUR LONG Dance Medley, at about 4:30 , followed by a Pot Luck Dinner (last name A-M, dessert or side dish; N-Z main dish, please). Cost is $25/person, limited to 100 dancers, advance registration highly encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome if space is available. Dance at the Locust Lane Contra Dance on Friday 9/25/09 with GREG FROCK calling to THE AVANT GARDENERS, then stay over at a local motel, b&b, or camp with us on-site. Tent camping for Fri and Sat nights is available for additional $15 /person. Contact us at Fallfrolic@yahoo. com or visit the website at www.frolicinthefall .freeservers. com Download the registration form and send snail mail by 9/13/09 , please. Print out the flyer and take copies to your local dance. Feel free to forward this email, and tell all of your friends - spread the word about the Frolic! Thank you, and hope to see YOU at the Frolic. Can you DANCE for an HOUR??? Come to the FROLIC and find out!!! Thanks for your interest, Dave Colestock

11 years, 11 months

Chicago Contra Dance Leadership Weekend with Lisa Greenleaf!

by Rachel Shapiro

The University of Chicago, with support from the CDSS Outreach Fund, is sponsoring a contra dance leadership weekend with an intensive callers workshop led by Boston caller Lisa Greenleaf the weekend of October 16th. *"Lisa *leads an intensive workshop designed for advanced-beginner through intermediate contra dance callers. It will focus on stage presence and teaching skills. The workshop runs Friday Night through Sunday Morning, and includes calling opportunities at the Saturday dance" callers must submit an application for this weekend in Chicago. There are only 10 slots available. the applications are due August 31 and can be found, along with the flyer, at: http://fac.uchicago.edu/leadership.html There will also be master musician classes with Pete Sutherland, Mark Roberts, and Jeremiah McLane (Three of the five members of Clayfoot Strutters!). There will be two dances this weekend, so even if you cant make the whole workshop, join us for a dance led by the callers on Saturday, and an Advanced Dance led by Lisa on Sunday. This is not to be missed. Please email with any questions (off list, please). See you there! Rachel

11 years, 11 months

more wedding dances

by Marguerite Durant

'Tis the season, isn't it? Linda Mrosko mentioned Newlywed Lane and Fancy Free Flirting circle waltz. Can someone please pass on the choreography to me? I'm also looking for a dance called at Princeton Country Dancers' anniversary dance this year, a longways set dance having to do with a wolf in a barn snatching piglets...? Thank you! Marguerite Durant

11 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] Mystery Dance

by Liz and Bill

Hi Jack, My suggested fix is no good :-( I think this would fix it B2: Balance the Ring, Petronella Turn Balance the Ring, Petronella Turn and a 1/2 more but with this suggestion, I think it's too clockwise. B2: LLFB, right hand balance, and square thru 2 would be nicer Cheers, Bill

11 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] Mystery Dance

by Liz and Bill

Hi Jack, Salmonella Evening by Steve Zakon-Anderson has the same A1, A2 and B2 but B1: Balance the Ring, Petronella Twirl Balance the Ring, Petronella Twirl Your mystery dance doesn't progress. It would work if B2 was Balance Ring, Petronella Twirl Balance Ring, California Twirl Cheers, Bill

11 years, 11 months

Mystery Dance

by Jack Mitchell

So...I just discovered a dance in my box without a title or author on it. Can anyone ID it for me? A1: Neighbor Alle R 1.5 Gents Alle Left 1.5 A2: Partner Gypsy and Swing B1: Balance Ring, Petronella Twirl right into your N's arms N Sw B2: Balance Ring, Petronella Twirl Balance Ring, Pass Thru Along the Set

11 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] How do you handle little arches/big people traffic jams?

by Jerome Grisanti

Amy, I explain that we can make drawbridges when people in the middle are tall, and demonstrate. They catch on pretty quickly. Often an adult in the line will call out "drawbridge!" if little ones are creating a regular arch. --Jerome > I'm curious: > > Family dance callers, how do you handle the dances in which: > -- everyone goes through an arch (or the arch is brought over folks' > heads) at some point > -- and you get an arch made by two toddlers (aren't they CUTE???!) with a > whole bunch of grownups sqeeeeezing through it > -- while the band plays the B part for the 7th time > -- and the other sets are all done and rarin' to go? > > (it always happens in the set with the person who hired you, and the cute > toddlers are always their grandkids, have you noticed?) > > Cheers, > Amy > -- Jerome Grisanti 660-528-0858 http://www.jeromegrisanti.com For the good are always the merry, Save by an evil chance, And the merry love the fiddle And the merry love to dance. ~ William Butler Yeats

11 years, 11 months

How do you handle little arches/big people traffic jams?

by Amy Cann

I'm curious: Family dance callers, how do you handle the dances in which: -- everyone goes through an arch (or the arch is brought over folks' heads) at some point -- and you get an arch made by two toddlers (aren't they CUTE???!) with a whole bunch of grownups sqeeeeezing through it -- while the band plays the B part for the 7th time -- and the other sets are all done and rarin' to go? (it always happens in the set with the person who hired you, and the cute toddlers are always their grandkids, have you noticed?) Cheers, Amy

11 years, 12 months

Keepin family dancers to the measures

by Nancy Turner

Here is a question I've mulled over and I'm curious to know what others practice. Do you always try to keep family dancers in time with the music? Most of the family dances I've called have had a mix of young children 4 and up and their parents; so it is this type of crowd that I'm thinking of when I ask this question. Rather than split longways sets into 6-8 couples, I've let them run longer. The dancers need more time to complete the figures due to the length of the sets and I get them going with the next figure at the start of the next A or B. The plus is that we don't have to worry about rushing, but I find that this requires me to call the entire time as the dancers don't have the music as the cue. I've played a bit with tempo. Slowing it way down does allow even young dancers to complete the moves in sync, but I have found a corresponding loss of energy from the slow tempo. Thoughts? Nancy Turner Waitsfield VT

11 years, 12 months

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Contra Callers August 2009