Tony Saletan (formerly from Boston, now in Seattle) has been known to sing lyrics of his own devising to chestnut contras. For example, for Petronella:
You go
'round to the right, and you balance to your partner. You go
'round to the right, and you balance once again. You go
'round to the right, and you balance to your partner. You go
'round to the right, and you balance once again. Now
down the center with your own. Turn around come right back home.
Cast off with the twos and you right and left right over.
Right and left -- go over and go back again... etc.
What a fun question.
This is not "real" singing, but because I sang for years before learning to
call, I often find myself matching the pitch of my voice to the key the band is
playing in. At first, this happened subconsciously. Dancers have commented on
how they find that 'singing' pleasing, which at first embarrassed me since I
wasn't even aware I was doing it and it's unusual. Now when I know the tune, I
sometimes will 'sing' entire lines to the tune, just for fun.
I once heard Roger Diggle call in a way that held out certain phrases in a long
singing fashion - "there's your traaaaaaail buddy," which added considerably to
my enjoyment of the dance.
I think 'singing' contra bits can help some calls be much more integrated with
the music and dancers' moves than the more currently common 'chop chop' spoken
calling style, especially because singing the call helps us stay right on
rhythm.
Someone told me that Ralph Page used to 'sing' calls like that too. Maybe it's
time to bring it back!
Tina
Singing Call contra: "Slaunch to Donegal"
Lloyd Shaw has it.
Bob Livingston
Middletown, CT
--- On Wed, 8/4/10, Jeanette Mill <jeanette_mill(a)yahoo.com.au> wrote:
> From: Jeanette Mill <jeanette_mill(a)yahoo.com.au>
> Subject: [Callers] Sung contras
> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Date: Wednesday, August 4, 2010, 9:19 AM
> I have a vague recollection of
> hearing about sung contras one time, and was
> wondering if indeed there are any, and any resources
> available for learning them
> (from here in Australia). Just hearing Ralph Sweet on the
> CDSS website doing The
> Auctioneer reminded me.
>
> cheers
> Jeanette
>
> The piano - 88 little mistakes waiting to happen;
> Peter Barnes
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>
> To present a "barn dance" using recorded music sounds
> pretty shabby. If we hold to our standards I think the dance form
> will benefit from that.
Geez, Greg. Shabby? Sigh.
In my calling practice, I'm all about holding to my standards and I earnestly strive to support live musicians (and even the occasional dead one).
I imagine that's the case for every single person on this list.
However, I am also concerned with giving non-dancers a joyful experience, and with earning a living. If it's either a dance for them/gig for me with recorded music or no dance/gig at all, I choose the former, with absolutely no ethical pangs whatsoever. It's not like it's murder or theft or assault or an ethical lapse of that magnitude. But if some other caller would rather hold to different standards, well then, that's their choice. (Again, it's not on the order of egregious ethical lapses if they choose to withhold a joyful dance experience from others.)
Now, as far as benefitting our dance form and simultaneously supporting dance musicians, well there are dozens more ways** to do that than giving a fiddler a single paid gig, including these: (**And no single person can do all of these things all the time.)
1 - Produce a dance series which (a) pays musicians and callers well, both in dollars and in positive feedback for their efforts (b) carries on our dance form, (c) provides an opportunity for non-professional performers to play/call, (d) contributes to general joy in world, e=etc
2 - Serve in an organization which (a) promotes our dance/music form, (b) provides opportunities for people to learn from one another, (c) sells recordings/books/supplies connected to our dance form, (d) produces events for experienced and neophtye dancers/callers/musicians, e=etc
3 - Promote our dance form through individual efforts such as (a) advocating for worthy compensation, financial & otherwise, for self and co-performers whenever possible, (b) purchase and use recordings by dance musicians and books by callers, (c) learning new aspects of the tradition, (d) supporting others who are doing this work, e=etc
Now, this last point leads to a recent personal mission of mine. Lately it has been troubling me that many of us in our traditional dance/music subculture* choose to point fingers or name-call or criticize practices which aren't exactly like ours or otherwise belittle or tear down our peers. (*Yes, folks, remember it is a SUBculture, as in a MINISCULE proportion of the larger whole.)
But, whether it's chestnuts/modern, squares/contras, old-time/northern, totally-trad/non-trad-envelope-pushers, young/old, fast/slow, straightforward/flourishes, catering-to-hard-core/focusing-on-neophytes, recordings/live music, kids/adults, no-swings/2-swings or whatever the supposed conflict or failing, every single flavor of these callers/musicians/dancers is ADDING SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL TO THE WORLD, and that, my friends, is something I think ought to be honored and appreciated.
So what I've been doing (and, perhaps tiresomely, encouraging others of my caller/musician friends to do) is focusing on that thought in CAPS, especially when a caller or musician or dancer does something that annoys me, or isn't what I'd do, or has some sort of minor failing in my opinion, or is getting more attention than I think their work merits, etc. So I'm working to quiet the outward expression of my critical thoughts, and simultaneously to look for and reinforce the positive instead.
Because really, even an offering that I might rate with a B- or C+ or even D grade is disseminating traditional dance & music values in the larger culture, and every bit of disseminating can benefit all of us in the world.
Well, that was a bit longer than I envisioned. As David Millstone quoted, "If I'd had more time, I'd have written a shorter letter."
Maybe some other time I'll outline my "Dance as Social Change Agent" theory. Or maybe not.
Cheers,
Chrissy Fowler
Belfast, ME
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
website www.chrissyfowler.com
dance series www.belfastflyingshoes.org
telephone 207-338-0979
Hi Bill,
Wow, thanks! It sounds like the resource at UNH will soon be expanded significantly because of your help.
The lists of dances from the 1988 and 1989 weekends that Roland has put up were made by Ted Sannella, before anyone started making a full syllabus for the event. The first syllabus was the one that you scanned from 1990. I did not know (and was excited to learn) that Roland had found Ted's list from 1989, and so it was not reflected in my index. After receiving your note yesterday I updated the index to include 1989. Meanwhile, I happen to have Ted's list from 1993, and so that year is already reflected in the index. I sent Roland a scan of that list along with the updated index, so I suspect those two pieces will go up on the UNH site pretty soon.
It is even possible that recordings were made of one or more of the missing years. If so, I have no doubt that they will surface eventually and be used to make a more complete record. (That is, in fact, how the 1997 syllabus was made.)
This may be more detail than most people need or want. The short version is that the Ralph Page weekend's online resource is getting better and better over time. What fun!
David Smukler
>
> Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2010 17:19:08 +1200
> From: Liz and Bill <staf186(a)ext.canterbury.ac.nz>
> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Ralph Page Syllabi
> Message-ID: <4C49264C.3050805(a)ext.canterbury.ac.nz>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> Hi David(s) and others,
>
> I agree with you all that the Ralph Page syllabi are a fantastic
> resource. Especially so for me being at the end of the world here
> in NZ.
>
> David Millstone suggested I contact UNH library and ask about
> earlier years.
>
> Roland the librarian in charge of the Ralph Page collection
> has been very helpful and has started to scan more syllabi.
> He said it may take awhile as the scanning produced multiple
> large files which need to be combined, and he has other
> work to do.
>
> Since I'm retired, I offered to help him from here. So today using
> the power of the internet I've been remotely accessing the university
> of Canterbury (where I am still an 'associate' ) to process files
> Roland sent me for 1990, 1991 and 1995.
>
> So now there are text based pdf documents available - they are
> searchable and not too large. I've uploaded them back to Roland, so
> they should appear on the web
> www.library.unh.edu/special/index.php/ralph-page-dance-legacy-weekend
> very soon.
>
> He will send me 1994 and 1996 soon, and the search is on for 1992 and 1993 if
> they exist.
>
> Note that 1988 and 1989 are there now, however they are only one page
> programs with details.
>
> Cheers, Bill
And I've heard it called "immoral" or sometimes "illicit."
April Blum
In a message dated 8/2/2010 3:36:43 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
callers-request(a)sharedweight.net writes:
Luke asked:
> >
> > If the 1s and the 2s cross? I'd be inclined towards anti-proper or
> > maybe improper-indecent (a mouthful). This was the question that
> > prompted the query.
> >
>
So from the stage, all the men are on the left and all the ladies on the
right? In keeping with the improper and indecent themes, I've heard this
formation referred to as "downright scandalous." But it may have been more
for the schtick than the etymology.
--Jerome
One that wasn't mentioned so far is the fairly new formation is the
adapted grid square. A square in the middle with contra lines
branching out behind each of the four square couples. With a large
hall, you can link the contra lines to other squares. Bob Isaacs once
tried using this formation at a Sunday night Glen Echo dance.
He called it the "Zuni Formation." If you take a look at the New
Mexico flag, it'll make sense!
Also, I've heard the two-couple scatter mixers referred to as
"Kentucky Squares" before. But that might only be used for particular
dances using that setup.
-Sargon
On Mon, Aug 2, 2010 at 12:00 PM, <callers-request(a)sharedweight.net> wrote:
> Send Callers mailing list submissions to
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>
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> than "Re: Contents of Callers digest..."
>
>
> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Dance formation names? (Luke Donev)
> 2. Re: Calling to Recorded Music Resource List (john meechan)
> 3. Re: Dance formation names? (Andrea Nettleton)
> 4. Re: Dance formation names? (Alan Winston - SSRL Central Computing)
> 5. Re: Dance formation names? (David Millstone)
> 6. Re: Contra Music Examples (Jim McKinney)
> 7. Re: Contra Music Examples (Amy Cann)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Sun, 1 Aug 2010 20:17:10 -0500
> From: Luke Donev <luke.donev(a)gmail.com>
> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: [Callers] Dance formation names?
> Message-ID:
> <AANLkTikFQZiB1BBXw8kaw0BB3m1BED9NCFGOcDv8KdYH(a)mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Hello all,
>
> A dancer friend asked me about initial formation terminology, and I
> wasn't sure so I thought I'd ask the hive mind.
>
> In contra sets with hands four, if neither the 1s nor 2s cross over,
> it's proper formation (specifically duple minor I believe). If the 1s
> cross, it's improper.
>
> If the 1s cross and the whole set rotates 1/4 circle, it's Becket.
>
> If the 1s don't cross over but the 2s do, I've called that formation
> indecent. I'm not sure how widespread that use is.
>
> If the 1s and the 2s cross? I'd be inclined towards anti-proper or
> maybe improper-indecent (a mouthful). This was the question that
> prompted the query.
>
> Triple minor dances are hands six, and can be proper or with some
> couples crossed over... I don't know specific sub-names.
>
> Tempest formation is a wide n shape of four couples, actives in the
> middle facing down, inactives on the sides facing in.
>
> There's circle dances and Sicillian circles of facing couples. There's
> four couple square dance formation, five couples for Levi Jackson's
> rag, Morris and rapper formations and more. But are there other contra
> formations and if so what are they called?
>
> Are there other traditional formations, and if so what are they called?
>
> Thanks
>
> --
> Luke Donev
> http://www.lukedonev.com
> Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com
>
Luke asked:
> >
> > If the 1s and the 2s cross? I'd be inclined towards anti-proper or
> > maybe improper-indecent (a mouthful). This was the question that
> > prompted the query.
> >
>
So from the stage, all the men are on the left and all the ladies on the
right? In keeping with the improper and indecent themes, I've heard this
formation referred to as "downright scandalous." But it may have been more
for the schtick than the etymology.
--Jerome
--
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
Thank you, everyone, for the spirited discussion and the resources.
I totally agree that calling WITH a band is the way to go - in fact, when I was
asked if I could do without, I was taken aback for awhile. But I also agree with
Chrissy: if the choice comes down to (A) calling a ONS dance to recorded music,
or (B) no dance for them/no gig for me, I'd rather there be more collective joy
in the world even if it's not optimally set up.
I'm thinking of dancing to recorded music as a gateway drug.
Tina
There are also dances in four-facing-four formation, which some (especially
those influenced by the Lloyd Shaw Foundation) term mescolanza. One example
would be The Devil's Backbone by William Watson.
Luke mentioned Becket formation dances. There are also a handful of dances in
double Becket formation. Start with two sets in Becket formation and then have
them move closer to each other; dancers in all four lines (i.e., four couples)
will be interacting with each other. As far as I know, Pat Shaw's dance K&E was
the first one in this formation.
David Millstone
