Contra Callers February 2016

contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net

1 participants
26 discussions

by Joseph Erhard-Hudson via Callers

Hi Everyone, I've been pretty low-key on calling for several years now, just a few local dances a year. Years ago I did close to one gig a month at home and around my local region, but cut back due to busy life. Now I've accepted an invitation for a regular gig that's going to be a bit different, so I'm back on this email list, and I seek your advice. A few people from the nearby Western Square Dance group came to one of our local contra dances where I was calling, and had such a fun time they have invited me, and the band from that evening, to come and do a monthly series in their hall, promoted and sponsored by them. The band and I decided we'd give it a shot. I've had barely any exposure to Western Square Dance, but I know their education system is formalized, calling is improvised, and the music is mostly recorded; whereas in contra dancing the education is more by assimilation, the calling is mostly fixed within a given dance, and the music is live and improvised. I anticipate we may feel like strange cousins to each other. Do any of you have any experiences or thoughts about crossing over into this parallel universe of traditional dancers? I'm particularly concerned about how I can best help them feel comfortable with the way Contra Dance is done, and how I can be a gracious presence in their space. Bonus question: they want to know how to split the gate, since they don't have experience paying bands. Your thoughts? Best regards, Joseph

8 years, 10 months

ID a dance?

by Linda Thomas via Callers

Can anyone ID this dance and author? I found it on a Youtube video but it wasn't named. A1 Bal & Sw N A2 Men Almd L 1-1 /2 Sw Ptnr B1 Sq Thru - (Rt hand Bal N, pull by, pull by Ptnr w/ left, repeat) B2 Bal ring, Petronella, Bal Ring, Calif Twirl Thanks in advance... Linda Thomas Wilmington, NC coastaldancer(a)ec.rr.com

8 years, 10 months

Family dance- educational supplements?

by Claire Takemori via Callers

I’m a new contra dance caller (took Nils’ workshop at American Week last July). And my goal is to offer calling for Family dances to help spread folk music/dance in our community. (maybe College contras, but that’s a different thread) I’m calling my first Family dance on March 6th for a home-school community. I was hoping to offer a page of INTERESTING , Kid-friendly, FUN info, activities, links in case someone wants to delve further into the history, dance or music. Any great resources out there? I don’t have a ton of time to put this together from scrap. And I don’t know enough yet to figure out the history. I’m learning as I go! thanks ! Claire Takemori Bay Area California

8 years, 10 months

Re: [Callers] Family dances for 3-9 people?

by John Sweeney via Callers

I use The Horse's Branle for small groups http://www.webfeet.org/eceilidh/dances/horses-branle.html 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, 10 months

Family dances for 3-9 people?

by Claire Takemori via Callers

Hi Everyone, In preparation for calling my first family dance on March 6, I’d like to find some family-friendly dances that are for very small groups, like 3-9 people. Ideally NOT proper triplets, or 3x3s (already have a few of those) and NO gender roles. I’ve got a good collection of simple dances for 10++ people, circles, lines, etc. I’m preparing for a crowd of up to 100 but if it dwindles down to 1-2 families or starts slow, I’d like something for small groups too. Thanks! Claire Takemori

8 years, 10 months

Re: [Callers] ONS with a *tiny* inexperienced crowd?

by Don Veino via Callers

OK, sorry for this much delayed report back on the gig. First, I really appreciate all the dance suggestions and helpful tips shared both on and off-list (many). A reminder of just how wonderful this list can be! At first, it was looking like my worries were founded - with just 5 minutes to go there were maybe 8 people from the set up crew in the hall, clustered around the refreshments table... and then the posse of t(w)een girls paraded out of the powder room where they were all making ready, just in time for the start. And then the families appeared, etc. By the end of the early circle -> spiral dance we'd coaxed most out of their chairs and were close to 70 people on the dance floor. :) I used a number of the suggested material, plus a bunch of my existing family dance collection. Modified some dances to suit the theme -- for instance, there's a "Grumpy March" longways in the NEDM "Sashay the Donut" book. I asked the dancers "how does a cowboy walk?" and got a bunch of folks immediately sticking their thumbs in belts and doing a bowlegged strut, just what I wanted! So we did the A1 of that dance with a Cowboy Strut instead of the Grump Across in the original, plus some simplification of the A2/B1. Virginia (no)Reel type stuff, Sasha, two singing squares, bunch of simple longways with a lot of shashays. Taught a basic and rotary waltz - I'd announced a waltz to start the break and then noticed a whole bunch of folks watching my partner and I intently, trying to follow along as we danced, so I stopped the band - gracefully - and then we started it up again after a 5 minute basic lesson (everyone in long lines, leads on one side - partner across, show hold and basic steps then get into formation around the hall). Stopped once more and showed the rotary turn, then we did a second tune. They picked it up pretty darn quickly - last one of the night they did a great job all on their own. Big smiles all around and almost everyone danced most of the night. I don't think more than a few left before the very end (and two tweens begged for one more dance after the last waltz). The fiddler (Paul Lizotte) and pianist (Deborah Gerstein) were wonderful and the live music/flexibility made my job much easier - but I was sure exhausted by the end! Thanks again, Don On Thu, Jan 28, 2016 at 12:07 AM, Don Veino <sharedweight_net(a)veino.com> wrote: > Thanks for all the great input! I've now got quite a few options for the > tiny crowd scenario offered. > > Much appreciated! > -Don > > ps: I've had a chance to meet with the sponsors and see some of the > all-out decorations they've got going for the hall - including hay bales, > old time milk cans, saddles on sawhorses, etc. - may need to pull together > some themed outfit for myself after all. :) >

8 years, 10 months

Dances from English Dance & Song

by John Sweeney via Callers

Over the last 100 years the English Folk Dance & Song Society has published many great dances in its magazine "English Dance & Song" and its predecessor "E.F.D.S. News". Having been given a pile of old magazines by Chris Turner, John Sweeney has started a project to make these wonderful dances available to everyone via the Internet at http://www.contrafusion.co.uk/Dances.html#eds. There are over 60 dances presented so far, covering all genres. They are mostly contemporary compositions, but there are also articles about traditional dances and interpretations of much older dances. If you can provide any more information about any of these dances, their composers, their style, their tempo or their history, then please contact John Sweeney at info(a)contrafusion.co.uk so that he can add that information to the Web pages. For each dance John provides both the original page from the magazine and his own interpretation of the dance. Words such as "Balance", "Allemande" and "Swing" have been used by different dancing masters to mean many different things. Styles, tempos and nomenclature vary depending on the century, the country, the dance genre and countless other factors. John has tried to put the dances into words that he uses when he is calling today, and to provide other hints where possible, often using other sources. Of course you are welcome to interpret the dances any way you wish. John hopes you have fun calling and dancing some of these great old dances. The original pages from the magazines are reproduced with kind permission of the English Folk Dance & Song Society. The dances were submitted to the magazine so as to reach as wide an audience as possible. Publishing them in this way will help to further that aim. = = = = = 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, 10 months

Another New Dance?

by Erik Hoffman via Callers

Hi All, I made up another dance last night. Is it new? Becket A1 Petronella Ring Balance; Neighbor Swing A2 Big Oval Promenade--Clockwise (women towards center)--turn as a couple (men now towards center); Return B1 (looking for man with partner) Men Allemande Left 1-1/2; Partner Swing B2 Long Lines Forward & Back; Star Right Half, Single File Prom (men leading partner) to next Couple to form a Ring If it is new, and not out of some misplaced memory, then it's called A Valentine Surprise. ~erik hoffman oakland, ca

8 years, 10 months

Is there a searchable archive for this list?

by Amy Carroll via Callers

8 years, 10 months

looking for zesty Proper dances?

by Andy Shore via Callers

I'm looking for some zesty Proper dances to add to my collection. Suggestions? aTdHvAaNnKcSe (thanks in advance) /Andy Shore http://andyshore.com/ best email - andyshore(a)gmail.com

8 years, 10 months

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

Contra Callers February 2016