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
The post on walk-throughs for new dancers got me thinking about
recruiting new dancers. This straddles dance caller and dance
organizer, but I'd like to hear people's responses.
I'm curious about people's experiences recruiting new dancers. I've
seen several dances that do a lower cost for first time dancers to try
to lower the barrier for entry. Has any group tried doing a coupon for
a discount when they come back a second time?
I feel like the venues for dances are usually such that folks don't
randomly wander in. If folks show up for a first time, they've decided
to come (or were brought). Does knowing there is a discount for first
timers help make them come? When there is a discount, how often do the
first timers know that coming in? I'm pondering the scenario where you
charge full price for the first time, when they've committed to coming
out, and then give them a coupon to come back at a discount price
their second time.
I know a lot of people who tried contra once and were hooked, and I've
seen people who try for a little bit and then never come back. Is it
worth trying to up the likelihood of a second experience, at what
fractional cost for the first? Or should the focus be on that first
experience, and making the barriers for entry as low as possible?
If a group has the resources, then it can just say that the first two
dances are cheaper, but I feel like giving someone a reminder,
business card sized, with the website to check for more information,
is a nice way of having them think about the dance at least once more.
Do callers doing one night gigs announce local dance options if they
know them? Or do you only talk about it with the folks who come up and
ask? Presumably if a caller has been brought in, the organizer of the
party knows the folks at the party and the local dance scene. Is it on
the caller or the organizer to spread information about other chances
to dance? And do you broadcast wide, or focus on the folks who seem
really in to it. I think culturally, at a societal level, we've lost
the sense that we can dance after our 20s at things besides weddings,
which is a real shame.
--
Luke Donev
http://www.lukedonev.com
Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com
I've used it at to teach Mary Cay's Reel at a dance which had quite a few
beginners -- it was particularly useful in that context because in MC's R,
after the circle left, you pass your current N by the right, Allem. L the
NEXT, and come back and swing your original N. I found that having the
dancers line up in regular duple improper formation permitted me to introduce
them to that "next Neighbor" before they needed to find him/her, which I
think made the teaching more effective and made the "go out of your set and
come back" aspect less difficult.
April Blum
In a message dated 11/8/2010 12:00:15 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
callers-request(a)sharedweight.net writes:
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When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of Callers digest..."
Today's Topics:
1. Contra Dance Calling: A Basic Text (Chrissy Fowler)
2. clever Becket walk-through technique... (Andy Shore)
3. Re: clever Becket walk-through technique... (Mortland, Jo)
4. Re: clever Becket walk-through technique... (Jack Mitchell)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2010 07:14:57 -0500
From: Chrissy Fowler <ktaadn_me(a)hotmail.com>
To: shared weight <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: [Callers] Contra Dance Calling: A Basic Text
Message-ID: <col113-w22415767818307FE3356918D4F0(a)phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Advertisement?!? Hardly! More like a public service announcement, if
you ask me.
I recently was given a dear friend's copy (Patrick Stevens, for those who
knew him) and it's been such a boon. Excellent writing; thoughtful and
on-target explanations of contra dance calling mechanics and philosophy both;
inspirational, entertaining, provocative, etc. etc. etc.
This past month's "Tip of the Month" at our local dance series consisted
of several excerpts from the book which illuminated our tip "Move with
Poise." This very morning I planned to write to Tony to thank him again for
writing the book.
I'm utterly delighted that it's now out in a second printing. I encourage
all callers to check it out, from curmudgeonly old hands to shiny brand
newbies. There's something there for us all.
Cheers,
Chrissy Fowler
Belfast, ME
------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Sun, 7 Nov 2010 08:07:01 -0700
> From: "beth(a)hands4.com" <beth(a)hands4.com>
> To: "Caller's discussion list (callers(a)sharedweight.net)"
> <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: [Callers] Contra Dance Calling: A Basic Text
> Please forgive the blatant advertisement, but I feel that members of
this list would like to know that Tony's book, Contra Dance Calling: A Basic
Text has just been released in its second printing. Most of the content has
not changed, but the reference section has been updated with internet
addresses (hard to believe we didn't have them in 1992 when the first edition
was published) and several other sections (such as sound) have been updated
to reflect changes in technology.
>
> Available directly from the author at http://www.hands4.com
>
> Beth Parkes
>
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2010 11:35:39 -0500
From: Andy Shore <square.a.shore(a)gmail.com>
To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
Subject: [Callers] clever Becket walk-through technique...
Message-ID: <C734DC91-E8B7-4238-A690-5C292C940B6A(a)gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Halloween weekend, my partner and I attended the Fire Ant Frolic in Austin
with Nils Fredland calling and Elixer playing. Great dances, great music,
nice people - what a wonderful weekend!
Nils did something on several walkthroughs that I don't think I'd ever
noticed before and I thought it was very clever and effective. I asked him
during a break if he had thought it up or where he had learned it and he kind
of avoided answering the question directly... but I thought I'd share it
here and see what people think.
On Becket dances that begin with a Circle Left 3/4, he did not have the
sets "becketize" themselves before the walk through... he'd say "hands 4,
ones cross over" and begin the walk through with a "Join Hands Circle Left All
the Way" (which is the same a becketizing by circling left 1/4 and then
beginning the walk through with a circle left 3/4).
I often notice that many dancers aren't listening when you ask them to
"becketize" by circling left 1/4, which leads to initial confusion down the
line, so Nils' solution avoids that common problem. It was obvious (at least
to me) that the dances were, in fact, Becket dances based on how they
ended and his description of the progression, and he'd actually have us begin
to the music from the "backed up" becket formation and Circle 3/4.
I just thought it was a really neat way to do walk throughs for those
Becket dances that start with a Circle Left 3/4. Note that it won't be correct
to use for Becket dances that begin with other moves.
Has anyone else ever seen or used this walk-through technique?
What do you think of it?
I tried it on one dance I called in Cocoa Beach on Saturday and it worked
very well.
/Andy Shore
http://andyshore.com
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2010 10:44:33 -0600
From: "Mortland, Jo" <j-mortland(a)neiu.edu>
To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] clever Becket walk-through technique...
Message-ID:
<9B0B0B8FF2328E48930D4B6273C1B2611A357505(a)EXNODE2.univ.neiu.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Beth Molaro did this in Chicago last April, and it was novel. A very
neat trick, IMHO.
Jo Mortland
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Mon, 08 Nov 2010 11:48:19 -0500
From: Jack Mitchell <jamitch3(a)mindspring.com>
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] clever Becket walk-through technique...
Message-ID: <4CD829D3.6080405(a)mindspring.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
With a becket that begins circle left 3/4 and swing your current/next
neighbor, I will frequently walk it through just starting from the
neighbor swing. If it's a pass through and swing a new neighbor, I'll
walk it through the second time with the pass thru, and then dance from
there so that the folks who just got sent out of the set will come in at
the beginning of the dance. Generally I do point out to dancers after
the walk thru that the dance is becket and that it will start from here
with you on the side of the set with your partner. This doesn't work
(or just isn't effective) for dances that do something other than just
take you back to improper at the beginning of the dance. If the dance
starts with long lines or with other stuff with your partner, then you
do still have to get becket first (or walk the dance through starting
somewhere in the middle, which, while it can work, can be chancy if you
have any newer dancers.
Jack
On 11/8/2010 11:35 AM, Andy Shore wrote:
> Halloween weekend, my partner and I attended the Fire Ant Frolic in
Austin with Nils Fredland calling and Elixer playing. Great dances, great
music, nice people - what a wonderful weekend!
>
> Nils did something on several walkthroughs that I don't think I'd ever
noticed before and I thought it was very clever and effective. I asked him
during a break if he had thought it up or where he had learned it and he
kind of avoided answering the question directly... but I thought I'd share it
here and see what people think.
>
> On Becket dances that begin with a Circle Left 3/4, he did not have the
sets "becketize" themselves before the walk through... he'd say "hands 4,
ones cross over" and begin the walk through with a "Join Hands Circle Left
All the Way" (which is the same a becketizing by circling left 1/4 and then
beginning the walk through with a circle left 3/4).
>
> I often notice that many dancers aren't listening when you ask them to
"becketize" by circling left 1/4, which leads to initial confusion down the
line, so Nils' solution avoids that common problem. It was obvious (at
least to me) that the dances were, in fact, Becket dances based on how they
ended and his description of the progression, and he'd actually have us begin
to the music from the "backed up" becket formation and Circle 3/4.
>
> I just thought it was a really neat way to do walk throughs for those
Becket dances that start with a Circle Left 3/4. Note that it won't be
correct to use for Becket dances that begin with other moves.
>
> Has anyone else ever seen or used this walk-through technique?
> What do you think of it?
>
> I tried it on one dance I called in Cocoa Beach on Saturday and it
worked very well.
>
> /Andy Shore
> http://andyshore.com
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>
------------------------------
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
End of Callers Digest, Vol 75, Issue 2
**************************************
Halloween weekend, my partner and I attended the Fire Ant Frolic in Austin with Nils Fredland calling and Elixer playing. Great dances, great music, nice people - what a wonderful weekend!
Nils did something on several walkthroughs that I don't think I'd ever noticed before and I thought it was very clever and effective. I asked him during a break if he had thought it up or where he had learned it and he kind of avoided answering the question directly... but I thought I'd share it here and see what people think.
On Becket dances that begin with a Circle Left 3/4, he did not have the sets "becketize" themselves before the walk through... he'd say "hands 4, ones cross over" and begin the walk through with a "Join Hands Circle Left All the Way" (which is the same a becketizing by circling left 1/4 and then beginning the walk through with a circle left 3/4).
I often notice that many dancers aren't listening when you ask them to "becketize" by circling left 1/4, which leads to initial confusion down the line, so Nils' solution avoids that common problem. It was obvious (at least to me) that the dances were, in fact, Becket dances based on how they ended and his description of the progression, and he'd actually have us begin to the music from the "backed up" becket formation and Circle 3/4.
I just thought it was a really neat way to do walk throughs for those Becket dances that start with a Circle Left 3/4. Note that it won't be correct to use for Becket dances that begin with other moves.
Has anyone else ever seen or used this walk-through technique?
What do you think of it?
I tried it on one dance I called in Cocoa Beach on Saturday and it worked very well.
/Andy Shore
http://andyshore.com
Inspired by dancing to Rick Mohr's satisfying and efficient use of this same sort of technique over the years (my earliest specific recollection is 2003 in Greenfield MA), I've done it a few times myself, w similar success. (As Andy notes, only for those sorts of Beckets starting w circle L 3/4.)
Chrissy Fowler
Belfast, ME
> he'd say "hands 4, ones cross over" and begin the walk through with a "Join Hands Circle Left All the Way"
>
>
> Has anyone else ever seen or used this walk-through technique?
> What do you think of it?
>
> Andy Shore
> http://andyshore.com
>
Advertisement?!? Hardly! More like a public service announcement, if you ask me.
I recently was given a dear friend's copy (Patrick Stevens, for those who knew him) and it's been such a boon. Excellent writing; thoughtful and on-target explanations of contra dance calling mechanics and philosophy both; inspirational, entertaining, provocative, etc. etc. etc.
This past month's "Tip of the Month" at our local dance series consisted of several excerpts from the book which illuminated our tip "Move with Poise." This very morning I planned to write to Tony to thank him again for writing the book.
I'm utterly delighted that it's now out in a second printing. I encourage all callers to check it out, from curmudgeonly old hands to shiny brand newbies. There's something there for us all.
Cheers,
Chrissy Fowler
Belfast, ME
------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Sun, 7 Nov 2010 08:07:01 -0700
> From: "beth(a)hands4.com" <beth(a)hands4.com>
> To: "Caller's discussion list (callers(a)sharedweight.net)"
> <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: [Callers] Contra Dance Calling: A Basic Text
> Please forgive the blatant advertisement, but I feel that members of this list would like to know that Tony's book, Contra Dance Calling: A Basic Text has just been released in its second printing. Most of the content has not changed, but the reference section has been updated with internet addresses (hard to believe we didn't have them in 1992 when the first edition was published) and several other sections (such as sound) have been updated to reflect changes in technology.
>
> Available directly from the author at http://www.hands4.com
>
> Beth Parkes
>
Please forgive the blatant advertisement, but I feel that members of this list would like to know that Tony's book, Contra Dance Calling: A Basic Text has just been released in its second printing. Most of the content has not changed, but the reference section has been updated with internet addresses (hard to believe we didn't have them in 1992 when the first edition was published) and several other sections (such as sound) have been updated to reflect changes in technology.
Available directly from the author at http://www.hands4.com
Beth Parkes
Came to me via Will Mentor...no name or author. Anyone recognize it?
Type: Contra
Formation: Duple-Improper
A1 -----------
(8) Circle Right 1X
(8) Neighbor See-saw (left shoulder Do-Si-Do)
A2 -----------
(16) Neighbor balance and swing
B1 -----------
(16) Give and Take (women draw partner to their side)
B2 -----------
(10) Circle Left 1-1/4X (to original position facing up or down the set)
(6) As couples, zig left to pass current neighbors, zag right to join hands
with next
