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
I agree.
Does anyone else think that Men allemande Left 1 1/2 is overused?
How about Circle Left 3/4? Lately, I've been programming specifically to
avoid having a circle in each dance. It's surprisingly difficult to find
dances that don't have circles.
Donna Hunt
"Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should
dance." -unknown
In a message dated 2/27/2012 12:18:02 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
95sg23(a)comcast.net writes:
I like the "Gang of Four" much better, as IMHO men AL 1 1/2 is the most
over-used figure in contradancing, and the other dance has (yikes!) two of
them.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joy Greenwolfe" <joy2the(a)mindspring.com>
To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2012 12:46:36 AM
Subject: Re: [Callers] Does this exist?
Hi Luke and all,
This is strongly reminiscent of Gene Hubert's Gang of Four, but I
think yours is distinct.
Joy Greenwolfe
Durham, NC
For comparison:
Gang of Four by Gene Hubert, Jan '92
duple contra Becket
A1
Circle L 3/4
N swing, end facing in promenade position in large oval (gents L
shoulder to the inside)
A2
Promenade around the oval CCW, going around the ends like a bicycle
chain (about 6 steps)
Ladies turn back to swing the new gent behind
B1
All circle L in large oval
Forward and back (make sure you're across from P by the end)
B2
(new) Ladies allemande R 1+1/2
P swing
On Feb 24, 2012, at 11:00 PM, Luke Donforth wrote:
> I can't tell if I'm remembering or writing a dance. Anyone recognize
> this?
>
> Becket, ccw
> A1
> Men allemande Left 1.5x
> Neighbor swing, end facing cw in big oval (women inside)
> A2
> Promenade with neighbor
> Women turn back and swing new neighbor
> B1
> Promenade back until across from partner
> Men allemande Left 1.5x
> B2
> Partner gypsy (R) and swing
>
> Thanks.
>
> --
> Luke Donforth
> Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com <Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com>
> www.lukedonev.com
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
_______________________________________________
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I determine "overused" when I scan my program for the evening and 3-4
dances in a row has a certain figure (allemande 1 1/2, circle, balance and
swing, Ladies chain, etc). And when I look at my dance cards I see a lot of
Heys, circle 3/4 and allemande 1 1/2 alot.
When I balance my program for an evening I not only look for diversity in
the individual figures, I also look at the overall direction of each dance's
choreography. For example, are all the figures across the dance ie, hey
or forward and back or chain, R&L through or allemande across? Then my
next dance may be stars, circles, and allemandes on side or something up and
down the set (to a shadow) or down the hall or an oval.
Donna Hunt
"Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should
dance." -unknown
In a message dated 2/27/2012 5:51:50 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
grekenzie(a)gmail.com writes:
What is so great about the "ProgramPlanning Matrix" is that it seems to be
based upon input from a number of experienced, key people. Nevertheless,
the matrix does place a significant burden on programmers. If you add in
local preferences and personal preferences the task of programming becomes
much more of a challenge. In general this is probably a good thing.
I agree that it is the variation in the transitions, the music, the
dancers, and the calling styles that adds excitement to contras. I'm not
too concerned, personally, with "overused" figures. For me it is the
non-basic figures that seem to be "overused." Keeping it simple and
accessible allows greater participation which is what insures lots of
variation in the people you interact with at each dance, and this--in my
opinion--is the real draw of contras.
If you think a figure is "overused," what is the basis of your opinion? is
it:
- comments from dancers
- comments from programmers
- personal preference
- or something else?
Just wondering.
- Greg McKenzie
*****************
On Mon, Feb 27, 2012 at 10:53 AM, <Dhuntdancer(a)aol.com> wrote:
> I agree.
> Does anyone else think that Men allemande Left 1 1/2 is overused?
> How about Circle Left 3/4? Lately, I've been programming specifically
to
> avoid having a circle in each dance. It's surprisingly difficult to
find
> dances that don't have circles.
>
> Donna Hunt
> "Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should
> dance." -unknown
>
>
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
So i feel a bit silly walking into this discussion with such a simplistic
answer, but - to me it only merits referring to a dance by an alternate
formation if there's absolutely no way to set the dance up as a standard
formation (eg, a becket-indecent). Unlike a dance which starts with a wave
balance, "Chuck the Budgie" simply starts with a gents allemande L. I've
had no trouble calling it from a standard improper starting point; it just
makes the first allemande a little less than once.
> Message: 2
> Date: Tue, 28 Feb 2012 17:28:54 +1300
> From: Bill Baritompa <staf186(a)ext.canterbury.ac.nz>
> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: [Callers] What formation is this improper dance?
> Message-ID: <4F4C5806.2040404(a)ext.canterbury.ac.nz>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> Hi,
>
> This may seem like a silly question. It concerns Rick Mohr's
> improper dance
> "Chuck the Budgie" (on his webpage and shown on a youtube video there).
>
> I thought an improper dance has the #1's facing down the hall, facing their
> #2's who are facing up the hall. All gents have their partners on their
> right side.
>
> Although the dance description says it's improper, it actually starts in a
> short
> wave which you get into by Nbr Right Allemand 3/4 to have gents in the
> center
> with left hands joined. (the last 4 beats of B2, (next nbr) Right Allemand
> 3/4
> forms the next short wave).
>
> So this dances has a formation (consisting of short waves) with the #1's
> facing up
> the hall facing their #2's who are facing down the hall. Gents have their
> partners
> on their left. Does this have a name? Are there any other dances in this
> formation?
>
> Questioningly yours,
> Bill
> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>
>
> End of Callers Digest, Vol 90, Issue 40
> ***************************************
>
I can't tell if I'm remembering or writing a dance. Anyone recognize this?
Becket, ccw
A1
Men allemande Left 1.5x
Neighbor swing, end facing cw in big oval (women inside)
A2
Promenade with neighbor
Women turn back and swing new neighbor
B1
Promenade back until across from partner
Men allemande Left 1.5x
B2
Partner gypsy (R) and swing
Thanks.
--
Luke Donforth
Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com <Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com>
www.lukedonev.com
Linda:
Do you have a electronic copy of Larry's grid?
If so would you please share?
Donna
"Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should
dance." -unknown
In a message dated 2/27/2012 2:08:23 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
laleslierjg(a)comcast.net writes:
I agree that men allemande left is found in many good dances and can
be overused in a program; circles and long lines forward and back are
other moves that can fit this category. One of the many advantages to
Caller's Companion, or the use of the grid developed by Larry
Jennings, is to help avoid repetitious moves. Using this feature has
helped in my program planning!
Linda
On Feb 27, 2012, at 1:53 PM, Dhuntdancer(a)aol.com wrote:
> I agree.
> Does anyone else think that Men allemande Left 1 1/2 is overused?
> How about Circle Left 3/4? Lately, I've been programming
> specifically to
> avoid having a circle in each dance. It's surprisingly difficult
> to find
> dances that don't have circles.
>
> Donna Hunt
> "Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we
> should
> dance." -unknown
>
>
> In a message dated 2/27/2012 12:18:02 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> 95sg23(a)comcast.net writes:
>
> I like the "Gang of Four" much better, as IMHO men AL 1 1/2 is the
> most
> over-used figure in contradancing, and the other dance has (yikes!)
> two of
> them.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Joy Greenwolfe" <joy2the(a)mindspring.com>
> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2012 12:46:36 AM
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Does this exist?
>
> Hi Luke and all,
>
> This is strongly reminiscent of Gene Hubert's Gang of Four, but I
> think yours is distinct.
>
> Joy Greenwolfe
> Durham, NC
>
> For comparison:
> Gang of Four by Gene Hubert, Jan '92
> duple contra Becket
>
> A1
> Circle L 3/4
> N swing, end facing in promenade position in large oval (gents L
> shoulder to the inside)
> A2
> Promenade around the oval CCW, going around the ends like a bicycle
> chain (about 6 steps)
> Ladies turn back to swing the new gent behind
> B1
> All circle L in large oval
> Forward and back (make sure you're across from P by the end)
> B2
> (new) Ladies allemande R 1+1/2
> P swing
>
>
> On Feb 24, 2012, at 11:00 PM, Luke Donforth wrote:
>
>> I can't tell if I'm remembering or writing a dance. Anyone recognize
>> this?
>>
>> Becket, ccw
>> A1
>> Men allemande Left 1.5x
>> Neighbor swing, end facing cw in big oval (women inside)
>> A2
>> Promenade with neighbor
>> Women turn back and swing new neighbor
>> B1
>> Promenade back until across from partner
>> Men allemande Left 1.5x
>> B2
>> Partner gypsy (R) and swing
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> --
>> Luke Donforth
>> Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com <Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com>
>> www.lukedonev.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
> _______________________________________________
> 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
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
Yeah Beth! I couldn't agree more... the courtesy turn is so underestimated
in how much coordination dancers must have to do it gracefully, and the
regional variation in R&L through can be befuddling... but heys are so
wonderfully innocuous, provided the ratio of experience levels is
appropriate.
It's interesting how organizers' and dancers' experience with the
overcomplicated ways some callers teach specific moves biases them against
the move rather than against a caller's overcomplicated teaching method :
/ As a developing caller i'm finding that the best way to learn is
listening to dancers talk about what teaching methods they've seen work
well versus badly. Listening to dancers has radically improved my teaching
all around.
When it comes to dances with good "flow", i'm learning they (can) be a
double edged sword. I love how Bob put it that in Flirtation Reel "the body
WANTS to go in the right direction, and the soul follows". However, a
fellow caller pointed out to me recently that some dances which "flow"
beautifully also have high piece count. In his opinion, sometimes dances
which have a moment to pause between moves (eg. ladies' chain to circle L)
are good because they give newbies a moment to think/digest the motion.
Still figuring out how i feel about that idea on a dance-by-dance basis.
Either way, it strikes me how often we humans can take a good rule-of-thumb
and make it a terrible ironclad principle.
> On Feb 18, 2012, at 2:43 PM, beth(a)hands4.com wrote:
>
> > LOL, I once had a caller berate me for using Flirtation Reel as a
> > dance to teach beginners (this was a beginner's workshop at NEFFA,
> > they really were beginning something.) He rather emphatically said
> > "how could you use a non-standard hey as a teaching tool?" Until
> > then I hadn't realized there was a standard vs. a non-standard hey.
> > Actually I still don't think there is.
> >
> > I don't remember who the caller was, but I do remember the comment
> > <G>.
> >
> > I also once had a dance organizer inform me "Do not teach a hey in
> > the first half of the evening." There are so many other moves that
> > people think are easy that are actually quite difficult for new
> > folks: right and left through for example. Banning a hey seems a bit
> > arbitrary, but I assume the dance had a bad experience at some time.
> >
> > Beth
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Linda Leslie
> > Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 11:24 PM
> > To: Caller's discussion list
> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Heys for new dancers
> >
> >
> > On Feb 17, 2012, at 7:55 AM, barb kirchner wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> i like teaching "the ladies' pattern". ladies walk the same path
> >> (turn left, end on right) for a promenade, right and left through,
> >> ladies chain, and hey. they're kinda used to looping out a little,
> >> because in the first three figures, they're actually walking around a
> >> person - easy enough to get the concept of walking around a ghost
> >> from
> >> there.
> >>
> > Certainly useful techinique, if heys you will be using for the
> > evening are right in the center, left shoulder at the ends.
> > Flirtation Reel is a good example of Left shoulder in the center,
> > right shoulder at the ends. Most dancers don't have trouble with
> > this difference, but I have occasionally had dancers be a bit
> > surprised that heys can and do vary.
> > Linda
> >
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2012 02:28:28 +0000
> From: barb kirchner <barbkirchner(a)hotmail.com>
> To: <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Heys for new dancers
> Message-ID: <SNT134-W46A809C54F37FB35C10B0FDE610(a)phx.gbl>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
>
> any dance that has good "flow" is going to be easier for dancers, old and
> new. when you find them, you keep them - because they work.
>
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2012 00:45:49 -0500
> From: Robert Golder <robertgolder(a)comcast.net>
> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Heys for new dancers
> Message-ID: <3B2F5DAD-8814-44D8-977A-549C88738630(a)comcast.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
> If there is a "standard" in hey dances, then Flirtation Reel is the gold
> standard. It is a perfect blend of aesthetics and ergonomics. It works
> because the body WANTS to go in the right direction, and the soul follows.
>
> I have just returned from calling a little community dance of 1/3
> experienced dancers and 2/3 beginners, much as Linda described. Of course
> we danced Flirtation Reel. Committed to memory for use at a moment's
> notice, Flirtation Reel is at the top of my list of dances that are
> accessible to newcomers, but reward my experienced folks on the floor for
> hanging in there. ... Bob
>
>
Yes, Flirtation Reel is a lovely dance, but there are a few things about it which make it a bit less than ideal for dancers' first exposure to heys.
First, the transition from the up-the-center to the hey provides no momentum/flow guidance about which shoulder to pass to start the hey. For the first hey dance, I'd prefer one with stronger flow at the moment of initiation.
Second, the series of passes (NR, 2's L, Same sex R, 1's L, etc.) is not only different from most heys (which have same-sex in the center [because they are equal dances]), but the series of passes seems to be a bit harder to grasp in the same way that the differing roles of unequal dances bumps up the complexity of the sequence a bit.
For my money, a hey dance that satisfies my requirements is a modified "Roll in the Hey". The original is:
A1 circle left; swing neighbour
A2 circle left three quarters; swing partner
B1 long lines go forward and back; half ladies chain across
B2 hey for four, ladies pass right to start
Lately, I have been calling it A1 Dosido neighbor; swing neighbor. This is much more forgiving than the Hey/Circle (full) left combination.
This dance features a Ladies Chain immediately before the hey, and the women's track is essentially the same as the hey. I use this similarity when I walk through the dance.
Dan
An electronic version of Larry's program planning grid can be found here:
http://www.quiteapair.us/calling/
Scroll down about halfway, and it's the last item before the subhead"My articles
and web pages about contra dance calling"
