Contra Callers October 2012

contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net

53 participants
31 discussions

by Leslie Gotfrit

My teen daughter plays in a performing fiddle group. I sometimes call family dances using the group. The director asked me 1. to suggest some tunes she could teach the group that would be ideal for contras 2. what makes a tune or medley of tunes work well for contras. (There are lots in their repertoire that seems to work for "Southern" squares or big circle dances). Besides being square, 32 bar tunes with A parts distinguishable from B, what makes a great contra tune? I like dancing to medleys where the second tune picks up the energy: how is that accomplished? Can anyone suggest a couple of tunes and (perhaps which recording of it) that are essential to a contra music repertoire? Thanks very much to those who responded to my question about determining space for contra dancing. It was incredibly helpful and I learned something new from each response.

12 years, 12 months

childcare at dances

by JoLaine Jones-Pokorney

The Gainesville FL dance community has always provided childcare. We hire someone to watch any children who don't want to dance. Parents pay $5/child which goes to the childcare provider. We guarantee the childcare provider $20 if no children show up (which is pretty rare). Many of our children dance but also want to play with the other kids some. We have had a few children grow up in our community and are still dancing as adults. I am a huge advocate for providing childcare! -- JoLaine Jones-Pokorney "We are as gods and might as well get good at it!" - Stewart Brand

12 years, 12 months

Estimating space and couples

by Leslie Gotfrit

I am a new caller trying to log calling hours by hosting kitchen contra parties (with live music, beer and food). Could anyone tell me how many linear feet I need per couple? My friends' home is about 24 feet on the diagonal: how many couple in a longways can I (safely) accommodate? And what's the minimum number of couples in a contra line so that is still fun? Thanks for any advice.

13 years

Boston Harbor vs. Fairport Harbor

by Kalia Kliban

I haven't yet gotten to dance Boston Harbor, but love Fairport Harbor. From either a calling or dancing point of view, what would make you choose one of these two dances over the other? What about end effects? Seems like with both of them, as long as you get _everyone_ into the big promenade circle it would work ok. Kalia

13 years

Have you called Double Boomerang by Gene Hubert?

by Rickey Holt

Hi, If you have called Gene Hubert's wonderful dance "Double Boomerang", I have 2 questions for you about end effects. The dance is below. When the ladies chain on the left diagonal there are ladies at each end who cannot do that as there is no one there. That's fine. I am used to that. My questions are not about that. They are: (1) When a couple reaches an end ( I have only been able to watch the top), where do they wait and for how long. . The woman needs to get into position for the ladies chain on the diagonal, which I think means that she needs to cross over as she waits for that. The man also needs to cross over and stand next to her at that point. . When however the second pass through is done (in B1), both the man and the woman who are waiting out at that point need to be in position to balance and swing with their partners (B2), which I think means that they need to be in different lines from each other. . Finally, as it is a Becket, at the end of the partner swing you and your partner need to be together on the same side but - which side and how do you get there. (2) How do you teach all of this. Really good dancers seem to understand where they need to be and get there, but even experienced dancers have been having trouble with this and it has thrown them. Do you know the dance? Can you help? Thanks, Rickey Holt, Fremont, NH Here is the dance if you have forgotten it: DOUBLE BOOMERANG, Gene Hubert (Becket) A1 Gents Allemande Left (1 1/2) Neighbor Swing A2 ON THE LEFT DIAGONAL, Ladies chain Long Lines Forward and Back B1 Pass through straight across the set and turn alone. Circle Left all of the way around Up and down the set pass through B2 Partner Balance and Swing

13 years

Re: [Callers] Boston Harbor vs. Fairport Harbor

by Kalia Kliban

I'm not sure why my responses to some of you go only to you, and my responses to others here go to the whole list, but here, for all of you (this time for sure :>), are the two dances I've been wondering about: Boston Harbor Laura Johannes A1 N dosido and swing A2 Promenade w/Nbr CCW around the big ring, then turn as a cpl. Promenade back, watching for Ptnr. B1 Wo. Allemande R 1-1/2 Ptnr swing. B2 Circle 3/4 Balance the ring and pass through Fairport Harbor Paul Balliet Becket A1 Men allemande L 1-1/2 Promenade w/Nbr CCW around the big ring A2 Wo. roll back to Nbr behind for gypsy and swing, ending in promenade position facing CW B1 Promenade back to Ptnr Ladies chain B2 Pass through and swing Ptnr. (Men will want to reach R for new man) I'm never quite sure which dances are so familiar that everyone knows them, and which ones aren't :>) Kalia

13 years

birthdays, notable anniversaries

by Hilton Baxter

Is there a compilation (online or printed) of birthdays, anniversaries of notable events, death dates, etc. related to contradance, notable contra choreographers and musicians, dance series, and so on? There are such resources for general events, classical music, and other categories. If there isn't already one for contradance, English country dance and related traditions, it would be interesting to start one. Hilton Baxter

13 years

Storage solutions for dance cards

by tavi merrill

Hi neighbors, partners, and peers, On a quest to deepen my bench of dances, my collection has much outgrown the handy little recipe box i store them in. Shopping around i find that the majority of boxes for 3x5 cards only hold 250-350. I'm wondering what sorts of nifty 3x5 storage solutions - durable, portable, and at least a little bit classy - other callers have come up with... and where you might have found 'em. thanks for sharing the weight! tavi merrill

13 years

Wanna teach polka (and maybe call one dance) at Harvard Divinity School next Friday afternoon for free?

by Alan Winston

Boston-Area callers: Harvard Divinity School has an annual Oktoberfest where a professor's German band plays mostly polkas for two hours. I have a dancing friend from California now attending HDS, and she's bummed that nobody knows how to polka so there's never any dancing, and is hoping to scare up somebody who can come and give a quick lesson to give people confidence to get up and dance. (I asked if that person could maybe lead a country dance to polka music too and she says fine.) There's no funding, so the pay is in beer, sausages, pretzels, and karma. It's on the Harvard Campus, October 19. The whole event is 3-5 pm, and I assume a half-hour polka lesson is most useful at the beginning. If interested get in touch with me and I'll pass your info on to my friend. Thanks! -- Alan

13 years

Re: [Callers] Storage solutions for dance cards

by colin＠colinhume.com

I got up to 5 boxes of 3 x 5 cards, decided that was getting silly, and bought a briefcase such as you can see at http://tinyurl.com/9nug8o7 I put in two cardboard dividers to make three columns and it will take all 2,500 cards plus microphone, cough sweets, Ibuprofen and anything else I need! Now my eyes have got to the stage where I need glasses to read the cards, and then I can't see the dancers. So now I use a lap-top with my Dance Organiser program which you can download from http://www.colinhume.com/download.htm - it has a full-screen option which is what I need when I'm calling. Colin Hume -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://link.mail2web.com/mail2web

13 years

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Contra Callers October 2012