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
Long wave Rory O'Moore balance and slides/spins and box circulates ... in
the same dance, adjacent to one another?
I've not yet seen or danced any. Anyone have?
I have a few dances; trying one or two this week.
In dance,
Ron Blechner
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Another recent composition (thanks to Luke for getting me thinking about
Zig-Zags!), called this to good feedback earlier this month.
Only tricky part of the teaching was the A2 through B1 Hey entry... how
would you teach this? I generally hate breaking the flow of a dance in a
walk-through if possible to maintain it, but some folks got lost when I
first taught it as "...Hey - Gents pass left shoulders across, Pass Partner
Right..."
My current thinking is to form a teaching-only wave across with Gents by
left in center, have them note the side Gent is on (will Swing P back here
when meet second time), drop hands and start the Hey.
Thanks,
-Don
PS: At least one dancer needed re-assurance that passing through in reverse
of progression was correct the first time around. :)
*Hey, Let's Zig-Zag!*
[Type]: Contra [Formation]: Duple Improper [Author]: Don Veino
[Status]: DV::
[Comments]: Zig-Zag into Hey dance (first of it's kind?). Tricky two
forward, one back progression.
::
[A1]:
(4,12) NEIGHBOR BALANCE, SWING
::
[A2]:
(4,4) CIRCLE LEFT 1/2, Ladies lead P ZIG LEFT [past CURRENT Ns]
(4) ZAG RIGHT [passing NEXT Ns, to face 3rd Ns] and SEPARATE from P
#PROGRESSION 1&2
(4) HEY 1/8, GENTS START BY LEFT [across set, GL, PR, etc.]
::
[B1]:
(8) HALF HEY [so 5/8 total, until meet P 2nd time]
(8) PARTNER SWING [on Lady's home side]
::
[B2]:
(4,4) RING BALANCE, LADIES ROLL GENTS [DIAGONALLY back-to-back across set,
NO Half Sashay] *OR* Alternate: Gents Cross by Right
(4,4) RING BALANCE, PASS THROUGH [Up/Dn] in REVERSE of progression
#DE-PROGRESSION
::
[Notes]: TEACH - NEVER OUT - do what those in the dance want you to do at
ends! End effects TBC, but expect it is to wait out with Lady on Left ready
to Zag right towards the Hey.
Can have dancers swap places up/down with their N after hands-4 - this is
the direction they'll come into the A1 Balance. Linda Leslie suggested a B2
Gents cross in place of my original draft's Gents See-Saw 1+1/2, added a
Gents Roll Away option for more connection.::
[Tunes]: ::
[Provenance]: From author. Composed 2/23/2015. First called Scout House
3/9/15 with Gents Cross in B2::
[Tags]: DI, Intermediate-Advanced, DV::
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Hello, Callers,
I am the talent coordinator for the Toronto Contra Dance.
If there are any of you great callers who would like to come to Toronto to call, please give me a shout and tell me something about what you do.
We dance on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month from September to mid-June.
Thanks!
Elizabeth Szekeres
Www.tcdance.org
Talent(a)tcdance.org
Sent from my iPhone
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>From Ed Butenhoff's book, "Dance Parties for Beginners"
Question - "How do I get good judgement?" Answer "Experience."
Question - "How do I get experience?" Answer "BAD JUDGEMENT..."
We all take our lumps, and hopefully learn from it... hang in there, Brooks!
Ben Allbrandt
---- Jacob Nancy Bloom via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> I would absolutely believe that the dancers were completely confounded by
> "right and left through". I remember how surprised I was, when I called my
> first dance, to discover how much more confusing it was than a Ladie's
> Chain. If you are used to both of them, then you tend to think of them as
> being similar. If you've never done either, then one of them has you
> connected to other people, while the other leaves you by yourself, trying
> to figure out which way to turn (and usually getting it wrong.)
>
> But learning which figures are easier and harder comes quickly. Learning
> which dances to call for a given crowd and how to teach them efficiently is
> a neverending process!
>
> Jacob
>
> On Fri, Mar 27, 2015 at 10:47 AM, Brooks Hart via Callers <
> callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> > So, as the original poster, I am reporting back.
> >
> > The dance with the solo fiddler was a mixed bag. The music was very nice,
> > but because I am new to calling, and our dancers are 99% beginners, way too
> > much time was spent on walk-throughs and teaching. The fiddler sat out for
> > long stretches of time, which seemed like a waste of his time and the money
> > spent on live music.
> >
> > I thought I had picked easy dances, but you wouldn't believe how
> > confounded so many of the people were at "right and left through", and
> > that falls on me and my lack of experience with teaching and crowd
> > wrangling.
> >
> > A special moment for everyone, though, was doing a circle waltz dance with
> > the fiddler playing, unplugged, in the center of the circle.
> >
> > So, thanks again for everyone's input and encouragement,
> > Brooks
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > > Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2015 03:50:51 -0700
> > > To: callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> > > Subject: Re: [Callers] Solo fiddler or recorded music?
> > > From: callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> > >
> > > [resting up before the CALLERLAB convention, catching up on some older
> > > messages]
> > >
> > > On Thu, Mar 05, 2015, Neal Schlein via Callers wrote:
> > > >
> > > > So, the moral of the story is that if a caller isn't USED to working
> > with a
> > > > band, live music isn't necessarily going to result in the best
> > experience
> > > > for the dancers.
> > >
> > > My experience as a relatively new caller is that it also depends on the
> > > caller's experience as a dancer. My hearing makes it a bit difficult to
> > > tune into the phrasing of a live band to call at the correct times, but
> > > because I've been contra dancing for so many years (almost exclusively to
> > > live music) I can roughly manage it -- and I know what it's supposed to
> > > sound like.
> > > --
> > > Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6 http://rule6.info/
> > > <*> <*> <*>
> > > Help a hearing-impaired person: http://rule6.info/hearing.html
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Callers mailing list
> > > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> > > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Callers mailing list
> > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
> >
> >
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What's your Broken Transcription, Don?
On Fri, Mar 27, 2015 at 3:21 PM, Don Veino via Callers <
callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> Broken Sixpence? I personally find the triple Dosi excessive and use my
> "accidental" creation Broken Transcription in place of it.
>
> Broken Sixpence – DI – Don Armstrong
>
> A1
>
> (8) N Dosido
>
> (8) L Dosido
>
> A2
>
> (8) G Dosido
>
> (8) Ones Swing, *End facing down the hall*
>
> *Twos tack on to outside ends*
>
> B1
>
> (8) Down the Hall 4 in Line, turn Alone
>
> (8) Up the Hall, Bend the Line
>
> B2
>
> (8) L Chain *to P*
>
> (8) L Chain *to N*
>
>
>
>
> On Fri, Mar 27, 2015 at 3:03 PM, Aahz Maruch via Callers <
> callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
>> The thread about dizziness reminded me of a dance I was in once or twice
>> in the late 80s or early 90s and have never seen since. It was unusual
>> in having a triple dosado -- yes, consecutive, I think neighbor, partner,
>> neighbor.
>>
>> Anyone have a clue what I'm referring to?
>> --
>> Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6
>> http://rule6.info/
>> <*> <*> <*>
>> Help a hearing-impaired person: http://rule6.info/hearing.html
>> _______________________________________________
>> Callers mailing list
>> Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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>
>
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On Wed, Mar 25, 2015, Eric Black via Callers wrote:
>
> MEDLEYS: Medleys are becoming or have become mainstream at many contra
> dances. I often call a 3-dance no-walkthrough medley at a regular
> contra even with lots of beginners (in fact, I did so several times
> on my recent tour in NC), and local dancers kind of expect it. I do
> 45-minute medleys from time to time (not at a regular evening dance).
> Lots of callers do medleys, and dancers get a thrill from successfully
> navigating an accessible medley chosen for the crowd. For my taste,
> the most salient aspect of a Techno Contra is the long-running dance
> set, with the option (and encouragement) for people to drop out at the
> bottom, get refreshed, maybe change partners, and join back in. But
> for sure the long medley is not restricted to a techno.
Medleys suck for people with hearing impairments. As I've mentioned
before, the average contra caller definitely has worse enunciation than
the average square dance caller, amplified by sound that focuses more on
music than voice. Trying to hear calling over the music while dancing
really doesn't work very well.
(I can manage because I have a good kinesthetic sense and many years of
experience with both contra and folk dance -- most of the folk dances I
know I never was formally taught, so I'm pretty good at just following
along. But I still loathe medleys, and I would be much more inclined to
sit them out if I knew ahead of time when one was being called.)
--
Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6 http://rule6.info/
<*> <*> <*>
Help a hearing-impaired person: http://rule6.info/hearing.html
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The thread about dizziness reminded me of a dance I was in once or twice
in the late 80s or early 90s and have never seen since. It was unusual
in having a triple dosado -- yes, consecutive, I think neighbor, partner,
neighbor.
Anyone have a clue what I'm referring to?
--
Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6 http://rule6.info/
<*> <*> <*>
Help a hearing-impaired person: http://rule6.info/hearing.html
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I would absolutely believe that the dancers were completely confounded by
"right and left through". I remember how surprised I was, when I called my
first dance, to discover how much more confusing it was than a Ladie's
Chain. If you are used to both of them, then you tend to think of them as
being similar. If you've never done either, then one of them has you
connected to other people, while the other leaves you by yourself, trying
to figure out which way to turn (and usually getting it wrong.)
But learning which figures are easier and harder comes quickly. Learning
which dances to call for a given crowd and how to teach them efficiently is
a neverending process!
Jacob
On Fri, Mar 27, 2015 at 10:47 AM, Brooks Hart via Callers <
callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> So, as the original poster, I am reporting back.
>
> The dance with the solo fiddler was a mixed bag. The music was very nice,
> but because I am new to calling, and our dancers are 99% beginners, way too
> much time was spent on walk-throughs and teaching. The fiddler sat out for
> long stretches of time, which seemed like a waste of his time and the money
> spent on live music.
>
> I thought I had picked easy dances, but you wouldn't believe how
> confounded so many of the people were at "right and left through", and
> that falls on me and my lack of experience with teaching and crowd
> wrangling.
>
> A special moment for everyone, though, was doing a circle waltz dance with
> the fiddler playing, unplugged, in the center of the circle.
>
> So, thanks again for everyone's input and encouragement,
> Brooks
>
>
>
>
> > Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2015 03:50:51 -0700
> > To: callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Solo fiddler or recorded music?
> > From: callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> >
> > [resting up before the CALLERLAB convention, catching up on some older
> > messages]
> >
> > On Thu, Mar 05, 2015, Neal Schlein via Callers wrote:
> > >
> > > So, the moral of the story is that if a caller isn't USED to working
> with a
> > > band, live music isn't necessarily going to result in the best
> experience
> > > for the dancers.
> >
> > My experience as a relatively new caller is that it also depends on the
> > caller's experience as a dancer. My hearing makes it a bit difficult to
> > tune into the phrasing of a live band to call at the correct times, but
> > because I've been contra dancing for so many years (almost exclusively to
> > live music) I can roughly manage it -- and I know what it's supposed to
> > sound like.
> > --
> > Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6 http://rule6.info/
> > <*> <*> <*>
> > Help a hearing-impaired person: http://rule6.info/hearing.html
> > _______________________________________________
> > Callers mailing list
> > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
>
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
>
>
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