Contra Callers July 2015

contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net

1 participants
29 discussions

by Jerome Grisanti via Callers

If you can find UNscented talc (and good luck with that!), try it in a small area to see if it works on your floor. Do NOT use scented baby power -- the cure would be worse than the disease. --Jerome Jerome Grisanti 660-528-0858 http://www.jeromegrisanti.com "There's no point in being unhappy about things you can't change, and no point being unhappy about things you can."

8 years, 9 months

Re: [Callers] few dancers dances

by John Sweeney via Callers

Hi Rickey, Some of your options depend on the skill levels of your dancers and their willingness to explore related genres. There have been lots of great suggestions already. Here are a few more. Many of the Playford dances are great fun and can be danced with the kind of energy that contra dancers like to use. Have a look at this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Avfqi-cjrYI The first figure is OK, albeit a little long, but the second one, the Shuttle (starts at 1:22), is great fun, as is the last one, the Sheepskin Hey (starts at 1:46). If you think your dancers would enjoy that sort of dance then there are loads of great English dances out there, from Playford through to eCeilidh: http://www.webfeet.org/dances/index.html Here is another sample with four different heys in three figures (watch the top couple carefully in the last figure - they are doing a circular hey while the others are dancing heys on the side!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmepHV5cM7k Couple dances: Salty Dog Rag Swedish Masquerade The Ideal Schottische Two Couple Dances: Thanks to Mr Playford Jubilation and lots more... Three Couple Dances: Too many to mention! Four Couple Dances: No good - if you have 10 to 14 people then too many are sitting out - I have the same problem at some of my sessions. Five Couple Dances: Yorkshire Rose Boston Tea Party Fivepenny Piece And I have a version of Up Tails All using modern moves, each couple going round the circle doing the move of their choice with each other couple, with multiple couples active at the same time - contact me if you are interested. Six Couple Dances: Square --- NOT! Hexitation - and double up the Heads to turn 12 people into a square dance for fun in the choruses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qNy9II3OiU Seven Couple Dances: See the recent discussion at Cat's Calling Academy: https://www.facebook.com/groups/110222402336603/permalink/1201075319917967/ Five Assorted Dancers: Five Weevils (I think some weevils were mentioned already) F-Lock Quintilinear SAD Dances (Seven Assorted Dancers): Six Plus One The Moon & Seven Stars Nine Assorted Dancers: Westward Ho! Of course there are also Circle Mixers. And Appalachian Big Set is fun as well if you have 12 people (or 10 or 14 - one couple will be out briefly each time). Here is a sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy3mEOihRck There are lots of two couple figures in the tradition and you can mix them up any way you wish, with a scatter promenade between each couple of figures to change neighbours. Each dance starts and ends in a big circle and there are lots of fun moves for that formation in the tradition as well. This is square dancing for when you don't have multiples of eight! 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

8 years, 9 months

Re: [Callers] Help for a caller

by jandnbloom via Callers

Since no one has mentioned it yet, Paul Rosenberg's book Peel The Banana is another excellent source. I'll be getting in touch with Sister Mary Joseph after I get back home tomorrow. Jacob Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device -------- Original message -------- From: "P. Campbell via Callers" <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> Date:07/15/2015 9:33 AM (GMT-05:00) To: Colin Hume <colin(a)colinhume.com> Cc: Sister Mary Joseph <smjmicm2004(a)gmail.com>,Callers List <callers(a)sharedweight.net> Subject: Re: [Callers] Help for a caller I agree - the dances she's leading are what I call "community dances" and I've also emailed her separately with some suggestions of mainly whole set dances and circle, square, & other formations that are family-friendly. Marion Rose also has some great books with CDs; the series is called Step Lively (Canadian). Patricia countrydancecaller(a)gmail.com www.countrydancecaller.com Sent from my iPhone > On Jul 15, 2015, at 9:00 AM, Colin Hume via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > >> On Tue, 14 Jul 2015 18:34:10 -0400, Sister Mary Joseph wrote: >> I'm not sure if the dances I do know are even contras technically. >> I am pretty much working with the families who come here to Mass >> and am looking to add to the ten or so dances that they already >> know. Here are a few of our dances. >> >> -The Virginia Reel >> - The Bridge of Athlone >> - Heel & Toe Polka >> - Oh Suzanna > > No, they're not contras; they're English Barn Dance repertoire - > though I'm not saying they're all dances from England; Bridge of > Athlone comes from Ireland and Virginia Reel comes from America though > the original was Sir Roger de Coverley which comes from England. > Every Saturday night hundreds of callers in England will be teaching > these at Barn Dances to people who may never have danced before: > school PTAs, Weddings, Scout or Guide parents, etc. > > I recommend http://barndances.org.uk/ where Thomas Green which gives > lots of good advice and instructions for lots of good dances. > > To find out what the terms mean, I recommend Hugh Stewart's book > "Elements of English Country Dance" which you can find online at > http://round.soc.srcf.net/dances/elements.htm > > Colin Hume > > Email colin(a)colinhume.com Web site http://www.colinhume.com > > > _______________________________________________ > 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

8 years, 9 months

Help for a caller

by Cary Ravitz via Callers

I received this note a couple of days ago. I am not qualified to answer it, but I know there are many people here who could help. I gave her a limited response and offered to help her out with SharedWeight - she asked me to post here for her. You can email her directly or I will forward any posted responses. Thanks, Cary Ravitz " My name is Sr. Mary Joseph and I am Catholic Sister who is very new at calling dances. I'm not sure if the dances I do know are even contras technically. I am pretty much working with the families who come here to Mass and am looking to add to the ten or so dances that they already know. Here are a few of our dances. -The Virginia Reel - The Bridge of Athlone - Heel & Toe Polka - Oh Suzanna I have had success learning dances off a few YouTube videos especially the set from Mark Geslison and Geoff Groberg. I have a very hard time deciphering dances that are simply written out on some web sites. If I knew the jargon a little better, I'm sure that would be a huge resourse. Right now, I think I need to see it. Because you have a much better idea about the world of contra dancing/ folk dancing than I do, I was hoping you could point me in the right direction. Do you know of any websites that have lots of videos of the dances? I could probably invest in a set of DVD's if I new it was going to be helpful. Is there someone I could call with my questions? I unfortunately do not have much time to dedicate to developing this skill, but I figure a little improvement would be better than none. Thank you for your time. May God bless you. " Sister Mary Joseph <smjmicm2004(a)gmail.com> -- Cary Ravitz ravitz(a)ravitz.us

8 years, 9 months

Re: [Callers] Help for a caller

by Sandy Knudson via Callers

Yes, everything from New England Dancing Masters is excellent, including video and DVD. Sent from my iPhone > On Jul 14, 2015, at 11:24 PM, James Saxe via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > Note that New England Dancing Masters have also produced > a video to go with the _Chimes of Dunkirk_ book and CD. > The description here > > http://www.dancingmasters.com/store/books-cds-dvds/chimes-of-dunkirk-video > > says that it includes teaching of the dances. > > Disclaimer: I don't own this video and haven't watched it. > But the quality of the NEDM books and CDs makes me guess > it would be similarly well produced. Perhaps there's > someone on this list who could give a first-hand review. > > --Jim > > On Jul 14, 2015, at 8:46 PM, Delia Clark via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote > (re the inquiry from Sr. Mary Joseph forwarded by Cary Ravitz): >> >> If she has any budget at all, I really recommend the New England Dancing Masters books: http://www.amidonmusic.com/books-cds-store/new-england-dancing-masters which I learned about from David Millstone. >> I especially like Chimes of Dunkirk and Sashay the Donut. They’re FULL of the kinds of dances she’s looking for! > > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

8 years, 9 months

Re: [Callers] Help for a caller

by janet via Callers

The Childgrove website has lots of videos. The chestnuts may be good for her and maybe she can pick up some of the contras as well. Because the video is there with the choreography as well she may be able to start picking up the written terminology that she reads as well. You could also point out that some of your dances have youtube links, but they may be more than what she is looking for. Janet Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone -------- Original message -------- From: Cary Ravitz via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> Date: 07/14/2015 6:34 PM (GMT-05:00) To: Shared_Weight_Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> Subject: [Callers] Help for a caller I received this note a couple of days ago. I am not qualified to answer it, but I know there are many people here who could help. I gave her a limited response and offered to help her out with SharedWeight - she asked me to post here for her. You can email her directly or I will forward any posted responses. Thanks, Cary Ravitz " My name is Sr. Mary Joseph and I am Catholic Sister who is very new at calling dances. I'm not sure if the dances I do know are even contras technically. I am pretty much working with the families who come here to Mass and am looking to add to the ten or so dances that they already know. Here are a few of our dances. -The Virginia Reel - The Bridge of Athlone - Heel & Toe Polka - Oh Suzanna I have had success learning dances off a few YouTube videos especially the set from Mark Geslison and Geoff Groberg. I have a very hard time deciphering dances that are simply written out on some web sites. If I knew the jargon a little better, I'm sure that would be a huge resourse. Right now, I think I need to see it. Because you have a much better idea about the world of contra dancing/ folk dancing than I do, I was hoping you could point me in the right direction. Do you know of any websites that have lots of videos of the dances? I could probably invest in a set of DVD's if I new it was going to be helpful. Is there someone I could call with my questions? I unfortunately do not have much time to dedicate to developing this skill, but I figure a little improvement would be better than none. Thank you for your time. May God bless you. " Sister Mary Joseph <smjmicm2004(a)gmail.com> -- Cary Ravitz ravitz(a)ravitz.us

8 years, 9 months

few dancers dances

by Rickey Holt via Callers

Hi callers, have you any dances for evenings when only a few folks show up, say 10 or 12 or under, other than squares. Rickey Holt with the summertime low attendance blues holt.e(a)comcast.net

8 years, 9 months

Re: [Callers] Ferry Boat Contra Ideas

by Claire Takemori via Callers

Lindsey, I was looking for a fun but easy to call contra and found this one for your nautical theme. From Rich Goss' collection of dance cards. http://www.quiteapair.us/calling/ claire takemori Dancing Sailors - Ed Shaw Proper Reels A1: Actives down the outside below two couples Return up the center, cast off A2: Actives turn contra corners B1: Actives with their second corners Hey-for-4 on the diag (actives start pass right sh) B2: Actives swing in the middle (end facing up)

8 years, 9 months

Re: [Callers] Title and author if this dance, please?

by Erik Hoffman via Callers

Um, yes, difference is in the B1, of course. ~erik hoffman On 7/12/2015 1:30 PM, Amy Carroll wrote: > > Hi Erik - > > > I'm thinking you mean the difference between your dance and Tony's is > in the B1, not the B2? Am I right? > > > Amy Carroll > > Seattle > >> On July 12, 2015 at 1:41 PM Erik Hoffman via Callers >> <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: >> >> On Writing Dances that have been Written: >> >> Years ago our we danced Bill Cochran's: >> /Third Friday/ >> A1 Neighbor Balance & Swing >> A2 Down Hall 4 in Line, Turn as Couple, Return, Fold Line >> B1 Women Chan -- over & back >> B2 Partner Balance, Square Thru Two, Partner Balance, Square Thru >> Two to next Neighbor >> >> I loved the B2 move, but wanted a partner swing in the dance, so I >> made the: >> /Second Third Friday/ >> Improper >> Erik Hoffman >> A1 Neighbor Balance & Swing >> A2 Men Allemande Left 1½; Partner Swing >> B1 Right & Left Thru Across the set; Women chain back >> B2 Partner Balance, Square Thru Two, Partner Balance, Square Thru >> Two to next Neighbor. >> >> And, I published it in my first book, Contra Comments. >> >> Turns out Tony Parkes had the same idea, and he wrote: >> /Friday Night Fever/ >> with the only difference being the B2, where Tony's dance goes: >> B2 Partner Promenade; Women Chain >> -- Which I now like better. And, Tony wrote his dance prior to me >> Tony published it in one of his books (don't recall which) >> >> Turns out Myrtle Wilhite also wrote and published this dance, the >> same as my version, and called it /Balanced Out #2/ >> >> In looking at composition dates, Tony's came first, mine second, and >> Ms. Wilhite's third -- all in the late 80s or early 90s. >> >> I'm pretty sure we all came out with this dance independently. Both >> Tony and I attribute Bill Cochran for the basic Idea. Myrtle doesn't, >> so, perhaps she came up with the dance independently. >> >> But the point of this is, we choreographers are all bound to put >> together some dance that someone else has also come up with. At this >> point, it's great to have this list to check that a sequence is >> original. It goes a long way to checking this. >> >> ~erik hoffman >> oakland, ca >>

8 years, 9 months

I'm marooned near Asheville for the week -- will trade ride for opportunity to call East Putney...

by Amy Cann via Callers

Hi everyone. I'm teaching a summer string intensive near Asheville NC this week and my host has emergent family medical issues that need evening attention. I'm in a charming B&B in Weaverville and get done with teaching at 5:00... I would DEARLY love to find a carpool to the local dances, I'd be HAPPY to recompense gas/mileage. If anyone has any suggestions re: who to contact, which Facebook page to post on, I'd love to hear them. My phone's 802-222-7598. IN RETURN, may I offer you the chance to call dances in FABULOUS Pierce's Hall, East Putney, VT, longtime home of callers Fred Breunig and Rich Blazej? Possessor of one of the best two-holer outhouses on the contra scene? Last Saturday of every month, and if you want a TRULY scintillating time, come on the months the All-Comers band is playing with its phalanx of fiddlers, masses of mandoliners, fleets of flautists, grand line of guitarists, and also a few dogs? We pay a PRINCELY sum. Actually, if you want to call Putney and know nothing about Asheville, you can still email me. Cheers, Amy

8 years, 9 months

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Contra Callers July 2015