Contra Callers March 2012

contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net

73 participants
81 discussions

by Rickey

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.

2 years

Re: [Callers] Festival Applications

by robertgolder＠comcast.net

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

4 years, 6 months

Appropriate Tempos

by Dugan Murphy

Callers, What is your experience working with bands to establish an appropriate tempo? Do bands ever ask you what tempo you want? Do you ever request a particular tempo to fit a dance? Do you communicate tempo requirements numerically (beats per minute) or maybe by tapping your feet? When are slower tempos appropriate and when are faster ones appropriate? What do you consider to be the range in beats per minute that is appropriate for contra? Some preliminary research told me that a range of 112-120 beats per minute is appropriate. Do you agree? I've called with maybe 20-25 bands in my young calling career and only 2 have asked me for guidance or confirmation concerning the tempo of their music (both bands play primarily for non-contra audiences, I believe). I told both bands to use their judgment, which produced satisfactory results in all cases except one dance in which the band misunderstood my request for a sultry/flirty tune to mean that they should play at about half the tempo one would normally expect for contra, which proved terribly confusing for the dancers. The lesson I learned is that I ought to know more about the range of tempo that is expected for contra and what tempos are appropriate when so that I can provide that information to bands when asked. -- Dugan Murphy Cincinnati, Ohio http://caller.duganmurphy.com <http://www.linkedin.com/in/duganmurphy>

12 years, 4 months

Low Numbers, Slow Starts

by JoLaine Jones-Pokorney

I am calling a dance this Friday night for a small town in Florida that is trying to start a contra dance series in their community hall. I have several ONS-type dances that I use for weddings, but what I don't have is very very easy dances for low numbers. This is their first event so we could see 5 or 6 people. I need to make sure they have fun or it will be the end of their dreams of a contra community! I've looked at Ted's Triplets, but they are too complex for a group that has never contra danced before. What are suggestions for ultra easy ONS-type dances that would also work for very low numbers? JoLaine -- JoLaine Jones-Pokorney "We are as gods and might as well get good at it!" - Stewart Brand

12 years, 8 months

easy dances, low numbers

by JoLaine Jones-Pokorney

In researching the dances some of you suggested, I found this website: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/greenery/BarnDances/WholeSet.html Very helpful! JoLaine

12 years, 8 months

Re: [Callers] What makes a program varied, how important is that

by Brian Hamshar

Me too! Wow, what a great tool to keep in mind while planning out my programs. Brian Hamshar -----Original Message----- Date: Tuesday, March 27, 2012 10:53:42 am To: "shared weight" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> From: "Chrissy Fowler" <ktaadn_me(a)hotmail.com> Subject: Re: [Callers] What makes a program varied, how important is that wow, i love don's analogy! chrissy fowler belfast, me > ------------------------------ > > From: Donald Perley <donperley(a)gmail.com> > > I'll make an analogy between an evening of 12 dances and an essay of > 12 paragraphs. > > If a common word appears in every paragraph, I wouldn't notice. If > it's a less common word, or every paragraph begins with the same > word, or the same sentence appears in several paragraph, then I would. > > To me as a dancer, ladies chain or B&S I wouldn't notice as > repetitious. Something like rory o'more or mad robin I would. > > _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers

12 years, 8 months

What makes a program varied, how important is that

by Rickey Holt

Hi Callers, I have asked this question before and still I do not understand this. I suspect that it will take thinking about it several more times before I do. Here is my question. What makes a program varied and how important is that. Let me say that I am thinking of this in situations where most of the dancers are experienced. I have had programs like this before and someday mean to pay attention to this at dance evenings I have enjoyed. I have a program in mind which I list below, that I know has 7 dances with a ladies chains in it, six of them in a row. I know this because I am the proud and happy owner of Will Loving's program "The Caller's Companion". Yet the evening's program seems very varied to me. If the "hooks" or the mood of the dances, for instance, are sufficiently different is that what matters. In terms of variety versus too much repetition, how does this look to you. It does not strike me as a boring program at all. The proposed program is: Scout House Reel, Rod's Grits, MAD About Dancing, Ease About Mixer, A Question of Balance, Zombies of Sugar Hill, [BREAK], Roll Eleven, Laura's Zig Zag, Snowshoe, Shipping and Receiving, Fan in the Doorway, and Sleepwalking I am interested in your thoughts, Rickey Holt, Fremont, NH _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers

12 years, 8 months

Re: [Callers] What makes a program varied, how important is that

by Chrissy Fowler

wow, i love don's analogy! chrissy fowler belfast, me > ------------------------------ > > From: Donald Perley <donperley(a)gmail.com> > > I'll make an analogy between an evening of 12 dances and an essay of > 12 paragraphs. > > If a common word appears in every paragraph, I wouldn't notice. If > it's a less common word, or every paragraph begins with the same > word, or the same sentence appears in several paragraph, then I would. > > To me as a dancer, ladies chain or B&S I wouldn't notice as > repetitious. Something like rory o'more or mad robin I would. > >

12 years, 8 months

Low numbers - slow starts

by Alan Winston - SSRL Central Computing

Callers -- I called last weekend (St Patrick's Day, and a very rainy night) and the dance was very slow to get started. By about 10 minutes after the starting time we had something five or six couples, with two first-timers among them. I let the first two dances run normal length, consciously, because I wanted the first-timers to get the experience of getting the dance long enoug to get it and no longer need calling. I think I was successful in that goal, but I heard that the experienced dancers were pretty bored seeing the same faces over and over. (By the third dance more people had turned up and it wasn't so much of a problem.) How do y'all handle this kind of thing? -- Alan -- =============================================================================== Alan Winston --- WINSTON(a)SSRL.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU Disclaimer: I speak only for myself, not SLAC or SSRL Phone: 650/926-3056 Paper mail to: SSRL -- SLAC BIN 99, 2575 Sand Hill Rd, Menlo Park CA 94025 ==============================================================================

12 years, 9 months

Re: [Callers] Low numbers - slow starts

by John Sweeney

I see how many people are there when it is time to start and choose a dance with a contra feel that works for that number: A square like Kimmswick Express (by Gene Hubert) A four couple Becket dance like Still Waiting on the Corner (by Gary Roodman) A circle mixer like Avery One Dance (by William Watson/Tiffany Tabbert) A six-couple dance like Hexitation (by Tom Hinds) Any of Ted Sanella's Triplets With the right music these all have most of the elements of a contra dance. But definitely keep the number of repetitions low so that people don't get bored and so that you can start another dance quickly with all the new people that have turned up while you were doing the first dance. Circle Mixers are good because experienced late arrivals can join in. Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent

12 years, 9 months

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Contra Callers March 2012