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 with Michael. Especially in the case of a classic.
-----Original Message-----
>From: Michael Barraclough <michael(a)michaelbarraclough.com>
>Sent: Jun 20, 2013 5:25 PM
>To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
>Subject: Re: [Callers] Tampering with a classis aagain 3-33-33
>
>There are thousands of contras. If one doesn't work, why not try
>another one instead of altering that one?
>
>Michael Barraclough
>
>
>
>On Thu, 2013-06-20 at 13:16 -0700, Dave C wrote:
>
>> Instead of the Ladies Dosido 1.5 at the end to progress, just have the Ladies AL 1 1/2 in the center, with RH ready for the next neighbor. Some in the caller community have dubbed this version of the dance 3-33-34.
>>
>> Dave Colestock
>> New Cumberland, PA
>>
>>
>> --- On Thu, 6/20/13, Kalia Kliban <kalia(a)sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>>
>> From: Kalia Kliban <kalia(a)sbcglobal.net>
>> Subject: Re: [Callers] Tampering with a classis aagain 3-33-33
>> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
>> Date: Thursday, June 20, 2013, 2:10 PM
>>
>> I've had pretty good luck with it, possibly because I have the women ID the next neighbor early on. They know which face to look for. After that, they get a better feel for the area to aim for to find the new neighbor. A couple of seriously disoriented dancers can really play havoc with this dance though. It's brittle.
>>
>> Kalia
>>
>> On 6/20/2013 11:02 AM, Rickey Holt wrote:
>> > 3-33-33 lovers and callers - I have been calling this great dance recently
>> > and noticed that dancers of various experience levels in several venues have
>> > had trouble with the transition in the B2 from the Ladies Do-si-do 1 1/2 to
>> > the balance with the next neighbor that starts the dance. They have trouble
>> > finding that next neighbor, even after several times through, and with
>> > translating the momentum of crossing the set to that of up and down the line
>> > of the first part of the dance. I tried substituting an allemande right 1
>> > 1/2 for the do-si-do 1 1/2 of the original with little effect. What about a
>> > ladies allemande right about 1 1/2 to a next neighbor allemande left and
>> > then starting the dance again with a balance by the right with that
>> > neighbor? Other solutions? Have you or your dancers noticed the problem
>> > that I have seen. As always, thanks for your thoughts.
>> >
>> > Rickey Holt
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>> _______________________________________________
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>> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
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>
>
>_______________________________________________
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Bree Kalb, LCSW
301 W. Weaver St.
Carrboro, NC 27510
919-932-6262 ext 216
http://www.thewellnessalliance.com/BreeKalb.html
Regarding the Use of Email -- Please Note: Although I use a firewall and my
computer is password protected, my emails are not encrypted. Therefore, I
cannot guarantee confidentiality of email communication. If you choose to
communicate confidential information with me via email, I will assume that
you have made an informed decision and I will view it as your agreement to
take the risk that email may be intercepted. Please be aware that email is
never an appropriate vehicle for emergency communication. If you are
canceling an appointment less than 48 hours in advance, please
also leave me a voice mail message at my office.
Gang --
Wasn't really sure of the subject line, but thought I might as well not
say "memetic entrapment" because who would want to read it?
Anyway, a phenomenon I've noticed several times over the years is that
some fraction of people who were in a beginner workshop and who in the
walkthrough of the dance were able to do something like "women chain to
partner, women allemande 1x, partner balance and swing" are no longer
able to do it, instead pretty reliably doing "women pull by, partner
swing" and confusion. [That one's recoverable, although if they then
stop swinging early and move on to the after-the-swing figure it can
require attention.]
This is likelier to happen if both partners are new, and likeliest to
happen if all four in that set are new. But that couple that's new will
have that problem repeatedly. When I see that I continue to prompt the
figures, maybe with more emphasis - Ladies CHAIN and COURTESY TURN -
and it doesn't seem to make any difference.
(I'm reminded of something that happens to beginning English dancers.
"Back to back" (non-spinning do-si-do) and "Cross and go below" start
the same way - striding out to pass partner by the right shoulder. If
there's a do-si-do in dance #1 and a "Cross and go below" in dance #2,
they'll do the cross and go below in the walkthrough once they get the
idea, but once the dance is up and running, when it comes time for that
move they'll try to do-si-do, with resultant levels of chaos. That one
has the obvious feature that even if half of the partnership is doing it
right the other half can't see them, so there's no feedback about
anything going wrong until the 2s move up to fill the spot that one of
the 1s is still in, or only one of the 2s moves up, or neither of the 2s
moves up.)
This either doesn't happen to dancers who have been coming for a while
or is corrected quickly if it does, maybe by noticing what everybody
else in the line is doing.
My hypothesis is that these are people who are still drinking from the
firehose. (The first time you come you hear everything important about
contra dancing and probably get exposed to half or more of the common
figures. It's a big cognitive load. The second time you hear the same
things again and get exposed to many fewer new-to-you figures, and by
the third time you might be successfully associating the figures with
the names - the flow of novelty is at a trickle and easy to absorb.)
They're not ignoring the caller, per se, but they don't have CPU left
over to process the prompts and in any case the words aren't really
meaning anything to them yet; if a prompt changes what they're doing
they're going to take four-six beats to get organized enough to respond
to the prompt. )
This will get sorted out if they keep coming back, probably. But they
may be less likely to return if they were confused and overstretched
through the whole evening, and this is the kind of thing that leaves you
confused.
What do you guys do about this kind of thing? I already keep prompting
clearly and in a timely way, refrain from shouting "No!" over the
microphone, don't lose my cool (a place that took me a while to get to,
incidentally). What else can I do to help these people succeed?
[Also happy to hear alternative views of what's going on inside these
people.)
-- Alan
Laurie said, "Also, I have talked with many who have developed, as I have, a
shoulder/neck problem. This seems to come from inexperienced dancers or
assertive regular dancers (not terribly good dancers) when they FORCE a
turn, especially at an incorrect time.
"I'd love to hear from someone how to describe to a dancer who wants to
twirl what the correct timing is - can someone give me a good way to put
this out there?"
Hi Laurie,
Unless you are running a workshop that let's you go into more
detail, then the best way is probably to drip-feed hints and tips as you
teach the dances.
= = = = = = = = = =
Regarding timing, I emphasise that, while you can do what you want
in your own time and space, on beat #1 of the next phrase you and your
partner should be in the right place and facing the right way for the next
move.
So, when there is a change of direction, don't think of a move as
being 8 beats, think of it as being 6 beats plus 2 beats to transition to
the next move. This applies to, for example:
Down the hall & turn alone
Circle left/right
Star right/left
A simple flourish on the end of a swing such as an inside or outside turn
For the inexperienced: opening out from a swing into a line or circle
If the dancers are all doing the basic transitions well on beats 7 &
8 then just remind them occasionally that a twirl on the end of a swing has
to happen on beats 7 & 8 as well. Pick a dance where the transition into
the next move is demanding and remind them to finish their flourishes on
time.
Make sure the twirler knows that they are responsible for the
twirlee's timing and positioning as well as their own, and that they should
plan ahead.
= = = = = = = = = =
Regarding force, these are some of the points I make:
(Note: although contra dancing is not about lead and follow, a flourish such
as a twirl out of a swing often is - so I use the terms leader and follower
purely as indicators of who is leading and following in a flourish.)
Rule #1: Everyone is entitled to get on the dance floor and have fun without
getting hurt.
"Dancing is the vertical expression of horizontal desire", so RELAX!
A strong lead is about clarity, not strength.
(As an example, I often put my hand in an allemande position and get someone
to blow on it - as their breath hits my hand I do a complete spin. People
who want to spin don't usually need any force from their partner - they are
quite capable of spinning themselves! A strong platform can be useful to
push off, but if you try to push someone into a spin you are more likely to
push them off balance then to help them.)
When you are following, remember (as one excellent teacher used to say) "It
ain't my job to drag your ass across the floor!", so, when someone leads you
into a twirl or any other flourish, send the message straight from your
fingers to your toes and follow the lead - don't fight back!
Always start with ZERO tension and build up to what you need to execute the
move.
You aren't fighting each other - you are only fighting centrifugal force.
Unlike arm-wrestling, if your hand moves nearer to your body in an
allemande, YOU LOSE!
It's dancing not wrestling!
You are responsible for your own balance.
Leaning backwards in swings or allemandes doesn't make you go faster it just
makes your partner have to waste their energy holding you up.
= = = = = = = = = =
Of course, the people you most want to listen to these tips are
probably the ones who aren't listening!
If I seem a little passionate about this subject please forgive me,
but I have had two shoulder operations as a result of dancing, and am hoping
not to need another one.
Hope that helps! :-)
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
As for the no-thumb allemande: Years ago, I started having a problem with
my left thumb aching for days after a dance, from the allemande lefts.
This started almost 30 years ago, so I can't blame that problem on
advancing age. As far as I'm concerned, doing an allemande without locking
thumbs is an improvement which has been made necessary by the modern
tendency to do an allemande all the way around in four beats instead of six
or eight. I'm always delighted when I run into another dancer who gives me
a no-thumb allemande. Anything that prevents injury is a good thing.
Jacob Bloom
jandnbloom(a)gmail.com
On Wed, Jun 26, 2013 at 12:00 PM, <callers-request(a)sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 00:03:40 -0700
> From: Erik Hoffman <erik(a)erikhoffman.com>
> To: jean francis <catherineaura(a)yahoo.com>, Caller's discussion list
> <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject:
>
> Re: [Callers] First-time Contra Dancers and similar figures
> Message-ID: <51CA924C.8060601(a)erikhoffman.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
>
>
> [1] An aside: many people call this the "wrist grip" form. I encourage
> us all to remove the word "grip" from out teaching lexicon, as gripping
> has led to griping, and that (IMHO) horrid no-thumb allemande... The
> connection is through hooks and surfaces to lean on, not through
> gripping. And, although I don't like the no thumb allemande, when do I
> teach this form of star, I encourage all five fingers, thumb included,
> going over the top of the wrist in front - no grip.
>
> erik hoffman
> ~oakland, ca
>
Greg, you've been writing about integrating new dancers by getting
the experienced dancers to dance with them and even teach them the
figures. For a long time I've thought that this was a bit weird- how
could this ever work?
Then my brain finally kicked in and I realized that we live in two
very different worlds. Although it's been some time since I called
in California, I remember that the dancers there were kind, gentle
and very relaxed. They were quite a contrast to some of the dancers
back east. Maybe your method works well because of the kinds of
people who live in your area. Over the years I've seen some
hostility and resentment towards new dancers in my small part of the
world.
In one dance community, the dancers were so hostile to the new
dancers that someone started a separate dance series for the sole
purpose of having a beginner friendly dance. And before the center
line was abolished at Glen Echo, a very large percentage of
experienced dancers had absolutely no interest in dancing with
beginners.
In my area we've always had a beginning lesson and the caller always
teaches the figures. It's worked there for decades. It's the
tradition. If it ain't broke why fix it? I'm thinking that to get
the experienced dancers to teach the figures might be detrimental in
some dance communities.
This is a complicated issue and involves more than language. There's
also understanding people and their values, beliefs etc. etc.
I can't remember exactly what your background is but I'm very
interested in learning more about language and it's use. Is there a
good website or book that you could recommend?
Tom
For dances where the ends get sucked in and spat out again in the middle of
the sequence, a useful rule is:
Don't worry if you are on the wrong side when you get sucked in, just do the
move with whoever you are with - you will get spat out again soon and can
then get ready for when you really join in again.
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
Great idea for a workshop for dancers, but I'm curious what the callers
approach to these types of dances are. Many of the dance weekend caliber
callers seem to take a very cavalier approach, often saying something like
"This dance has some unusual end effects, be ready and good luck" or
nothing at all. Sometimes this works out ok, sometimes not.
I like doing a star for three when I am out at the end of contra corners. Call me evil....
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: End Effect Rules / Patterns (Bill Olson)
2. Re: integrating new dancers (rich sbardella)
3. Regency for newbies (Andrea Nettleton)
4. Re: Regency for newbies (Alan Winston)
5. End Effect Rules for callers (Jim Hemphill)
6. Re: End Effect Rules / Patterns (Michael Fuerst)
7. Re: End Effect Rules for callers (Jack Mitchell)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 16:08:39 +0000
From: Bill Olson <callbill(a)hotmail.com>
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] End Effect Rules / Patterns
Message-ID: <BAY165-W59CD63CB4616FA8E75D398C6760(a)phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
On type #1, Rule: don't cross over immediately when waiting out, face partner and participate in dance using inevitable partner swing to change places .
On type #2 Don't know if this is a rule or not, but when women chain (let's say) to couple waiting out she thinks she's still in the dance and it's the waiting out gent's responsibility to "hold her back"... (and not get drawn back into the dance himself)..
Is it worth mentioning that a pair of couples waiting out at the end of a 4 facing 4 can face across and dance the dance with each other? That's "sort of" an end effect..
bill
> Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 16:27:24 -0400
> From: jamitch3(a)mindspring.com
> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
> Subject: [Callers] End Effect Rules / Patterns
>
> So...I've been thinking about trying to put together a workshop for
> experienced dancerd that would consist of dances that have end effects,
> but giving the dancers some rules of thumb to go on for different types
> of end effects. Would be glad of some help brainstorming different
> general categories of end effects (grouped by "coping mechanism").
> Here's what I can come up with off the top of my head (Corrections,
> additions and clarifications welcome)
>
> Type: Dances where you pull by along the set or do things with one
> neighbor after another
> Rule: At the ends, when you don't have a neighbor, treat your partner
> like your neighbor
> Rule: If you have to pass by shadows to get back to your partner, go the
> long way at the ends -- don't try to cut the corner
>
> Type: Things on the diagonal
> Rule: If there's no one there, stay put and *keep dancing -- you're not
> out yet*
>
> Type: Shadow is also neighbor
> Rule: Know that Shadow will fill both roles
>
> Type: spit out temporarily (with partner, neighbor or shadow) and then
> come back in
> Rule: Dance with ghosts
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 10:27:42 -0700 (PDT)
From: rich sbardella <richsbardella(a)snet.net>
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] integrating new dancers
Message-ID:
<1372440462.13746.YahooMailClassic(a)web184705.mail.ne1.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
I dance regularly at three places in New England and the dancers at those venues?fit the description of those kind, gentle and very relaxed Californian dancers.
Rich
--- On Thu, 6/27/13, Tom Hinds <twhinds(a)earthlink.net> wrote:
From: Tom Hinds <twhinds(a)earthlink.net>
Subject: [Callers] integrating new dancers
To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
Date: Thursday, June 27, 2013, 8:37 AM
Greg, you've been writing about integrating new dancers by getting the experienced dancers to dance with them and even teach them the figures.? For a long time I've thought that this was a bit weird- how could this ever work?
Then my brain finally kicked in and I realized that we live in two very different worlds.? Although it's been some time since I called in California, I remember that the dancers there were kind, gentle and very relaxed.???They were quite a contrast to some of the dancers back east.? Maybe your method works well because of the kinds of people who live in your area.? Over the years I've seen some hostility and resentment towards new dancers in my small part of the world.
In one dance community, the dancers were so hostile to the new dancers that someone started a separate dance series for the sole purpose of having a beginner friendly dance.? And before the center line was abolished at Glen Echo, a very large percentage of experienced dancers had absolutely no interest in dancing with beginners.
In my area we've always had a beginning lesson and the caller always teaches the figures.? It's worked there for decades.? It's the tradition.? If it ain't broke why fix it?? I'm thinking that to get the experienced dancers to teach the figures might be detrimental in some dance communities.
This is a complicated issue and involves more than language. There's also understanding people and their values, beliefs etc. etc.
I can't remember exactly what your background is but I'm very interested in learning more about language and it's use.? Is there a good website or book that you could recommend?
Tom
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http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 23:34:51 +0100
From: Andrea Nettleton <twirly-girl(a)bellsouth.net>
To: trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com, Caller's discussion list
<callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: [Callers] Regency for newbies
Message-ID: <85AE677B-A215-48BB-ACEB-7C8F951C11BE(a)bellsouth.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
I'm in Oxford with a group of GA Tech undergrads and the Prof who is teaching a Jane Austen class has requested that I teach them a bunch of ECD from that era, things that would really have been danced then. I don't have with me the resources I had available in the states. I need a selection of maybe a dozen dances, and a resource from which to give them interesting tidbits about etiquette, flirtation, the circumstances of a ball such as chaperones, the necessity for an introduction before inter gender conversation could occur, etc. I want something as authentic as possible, but they are all newbies and I want them to have fun. Recommendations most welcome. I have a fiddler and a Barnes book, and notes for a few dances and any I can glean from the web, unless one of my esteemed colleagues loans them to me. I'm confident about the teaching part, it is more a matter of what to present.
Thanks
Andrea
Sent from my iPad
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 16:05:58 -0700
From: Alan Winston <winston(a)slac.stanford.edu>
To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] Regency for newbies
Message-ID: <51CE16D6.3000606(a)slac.stanford.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
On 6/28/2013 3:34 PM, Andrea Nettleton wrote:
> I'm in Oxford with a group of GA Tech undergrads and the Prof who is teaching a Jane Austen class has requested that I teach them a bunch of ECD from that era, things that would really have been danced then. I don't have with me the resources I had available in the states. I need a selection of maybe a dozen dances, and a resource from which to give them interesting tidbits about etiquette, flirtation, the circumstances of a ball such as chaperones, the necessity for an introduction before inter gender conversation could occur, etc. I want something as authentic as possible, but they are all newbies and I want them to have fun. Recommendations most welcome. I have a fiddler and a Barnes book, and notes for a few dances and any I can glean from the web, unless one of my esteemed colleagues loans them to me. I'm confident about the teaching part, it is more a matter of what to present.
> Thanks
> Andrea
>
I just send Andrea a big file of dance notes off-list. That file has
mid-1700s to early 1800s in it - probably too much, but I had it already
made up. For Jane Austen class it's probably more apropos to do
Austen's lifetime (1775-1817) than strictly Regency (1811-1820).
For extremely authentic you'd be teaching them to make up dances out of
building block figures. Many of the reconstructed Austen-era dances for
modern dancers have been tweaked; triple minors often became
three-couple sets. There's a number of 1740s or 1750s dance patterns
that are very much like c.1800 dance patterns.
Suggestions more closely focused on Austen's lifetime and general
accessiblity, as I think of them and not in the order I would present them
Haste to the Wedding (as a longways set, not Sicilian Circle)
Midnight Ramble
Young Widow
Marlbrouk Cotillion
Dover Pier
Trip to Tunbridge (contra corners, similar to Chorus Jig)
North Down Waltz
Long Odds (requires the ability to RH turn 1.5 in four bars, which may
be challenging)
Physical Snob
Prince William (crossover mirror hey _and_ contra corners!)
Rakes of Rochester
The Spaniard
The Bishop (gypsy is historically questionable)
Dover Pier
(If your fiddler doesn't like any of those tunes - and I hear "the
Bishop" can be a bear to play - it would be period practice to use the
figures with a different tune.)
Hope this helps!
-- Alan
------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 19:04:50 -0500
From: Jim Hemphill <arcadian35(a)gmail.com>
To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
Subject: [Callers] End Effect Rules for callers
Message-ID:
<CAL3h0BR23EhOAb=vG8Db04PdZEe04Bu0kSaZMkC5BrXShpVNgA(a)mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Great idea for a workshop for dancers, but I'm curious what the callers
approach to these types of dances are. Many of the dance weekend caliber
callers seem to take a very cavalier approach, often saying something like
"This dance has some unusual end effects, be ready and good luck" or
nothing at all. Sometimes this works out ok, sometimes not.
------------------------------
Message: 6
Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 21:42:08 -0700 (PDT)
From: Michael Fuerst <mjerryfuerst(a)yahoo.com>
To: "jamitch3(a)mindspring.com" <jamitch3(a)mindspring.com>, Caller's
discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] End Effect Rules / Patterns
Message-ID:
<1372480928.50470.YahooMailNeo(a)web122202.mail.ne1.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Actually this strikes me a bad idea for a workshop.
Dances with challenging end effects have such because of the interesting stuff within the dances.
Dancers will not be enlightened by the ?end effects.
So just do a workshop of advanced dances.
Dancers just will remember at most ?one or two instruction for end effects, and it should be the most important instruction . ? For example:
? ? ? a) ?Dance around at the ends, or
? ? ? b) When out at the end, face back in with man on right, woman on left (which I do not think has been suggested yet). ? or
? ? ? c) You'll will pop in and out at the end several times
If the dancers in front of the caller aren't skilled enough to handle the end effects with one or two brief items of advice, s/he should consider calling a different dance
Some ideas for workshops
a) ?Proper dances. ? ?? There are small number of interesting proper dances where bout couples are equally active. ?Tom Hinds probably has written the most of these. ? ??
? ? ? ? ?Al Olson has a dance Contra Corners Special. ? ?Mark Richardson, David?Kirchner?and I have written one.
? ? ? ? ?Roger Diggle has several elegant, but uneven proper dance
b) ?Quirky dances. ? ?Dances with seemingly bizarre choreography, but which are fun.
? ? ? ? ?Kirston Koths wrote quite a few of these in the 1980's
? ? ? ? ?Mike Boerschig has one called the The Fishin' Reel
? ? ? ? ?Claudio Buchwald has one, I think it's in Zesty Contras
c) Quirky Formations (e.g. 1's crossed, backwards progressions, 1's start below 2's)
?
Michael Fuerst ? ? ?802 N Broadway ? ? ?Urbana IL 61801?????? 217-239-5844
Links to photos of many of my drawings and paintings are at www.ArtComesFuerst.com
________________________________
From: Jack Mitchell <jamitch3(a)mindspring.com>
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 3:27 PM
Subject: [Callers] End Effect Rules / Patterns
So...I've been thinking about trying to put together a workshop for
experienced dancerd that would consist of dances that have end effects,
but giving the dancers some rules of thumb to go on for different types
of end effects.? Would be glad of some help brainstorming different
general categories of end effects (grouped by "coping mechanism").?
Here's what I can come up with off the top of my head (Corrections,
additions and clarifications welcome)
Type: Dances where you pull by along the set or do things with one
neighbor after another
Rule: At the ends, when you don't have a neighbor, treat your partner
like your neighbor
Rule: If you have to pass by shadows to get back to your partner, go the
long way at the ends -- don't try to cut the corner
Type: Things on the diagonal
Rule: If there's no one there, stay put and *keep dancing -- you're not
out yet*
Type: Shadow is also neighbor
Rule: Know that Shadow will fill both roles
Type: spit out temporarily (with partner, neighbor or shadow) and then
come back in
Rule: Dance with ghosts
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Message: 7
Date: Sat, 29 Jun 2013 01:33:45 -0400
From: Jack Mitchell <jamitch3(a)mindspring.com>
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] End Effect Rules for callers
Message-ID: <51CE71B9.9040402(a)mindspring.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
My goal in the workshop would be to give people tools that they can use
to make sense of at least a large subset of dances with challenging end
effects by trying to come up with the smallest number of general
categories of end effects / coping skills possible, and avoiding having
to give specific instructions for that dance -- the first time you go
out wait out with the lady on the left, then wait out on the right
diagonal, and such as that. While I strongly doubt that I can cover
every possible type of end effect, I think that it should be possible to
cover some general categories of end effect and to give folks some
structure for dealing with them. I would really like to help the
dancers find the patterns so that they can better cope with end effects
when they come along...
I'm going to sit down with some of the things that folks have posted
this weekend and with my dance box and see what I can come up with.
Jack
On 6/28/2013 8:04 PM, Jim Hemphill wrote:
> Great idea for a workshop for dancers, but I'm curious what the callers
> approach to these types of dances are. Many of the dance weekend caliber
> callers seem to take a very cavalier approach, often saying something like
> "This dance has some unusual end effects, be ready and good luck" or
> nothing at all. Sometimes this works out ok, sometimes not.
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>
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End of Callers Digest, Vol 106, Issue 38
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