Hi all,
I'm re-vamping my list of simple contra dances for new callers, and am
in search of a very particular sort of becket dance. The list is one of
my hand-outs for callers' classes at camps, so the folks who'll be using
it are likely to be nervous, brand-new callers. To that end, I'm
looking for sturdy, hard-to-break, low-piece-count dances. In a perfect
world they'd be composed of simpler glossary figures.
I already have a fair collection of simple dances to choose from, but
would like to include one more becket dance (I have Tica Tica Timing
already on the list). This perfect becket that I'm looking for should
_not_ start with circle L 3/4, and should not contain petronella twirls.
Bonus points if it doesn't have a whole hey, since I've already got a
couple of whole hey dances in the list.
I look forward to hearing what you can recommend.
Many thanks,
Kalia Kliban
Hello all,
Lately, my choreography brain has been churning on community dances
(longways, circles, etc). I've got two new ones that I haven't gotten to
test out yet.
I'd be curious to hear folks thoughts on them; both the dance moves and how
to succinctly explain it to people not used to dancing (for instance, I use
the phrase cross trail in this write-up, which I wouldn't use at a
community dance)
Each of them have (what I think is) a new figure for the progression; and
then could be mixed with the staples of long lines, DSDs, etc.
I'm not even pretending to break this up into A's and B's; because they're
not that kind of dance ;-)
*Long Corners *
by Luke Donforth
longways set
top in left line trade with bottom in right line, giving a high five with
the left hand in the middle
then next trade and high five, and the next, until both lines have swapped
and you're across from partner again
the pair at the top of the line (was bottom couple) stays put and swings
each other around, while two lines do a cross trail at the top; giving your
partner a high five with your right when you pass
head of each cross-trailing line leads back down to bottom of their
original side of the set and stays there. Everyone else follows in their
line
long lines forward and back
DSD partner straight across
Progression
1 2 3 4 5 => 5 1 2 3 4
Here's a link to a series of photos, hopefully illustrating the beginning
sequence:
https://plus.google.com/u/3/104785381669836716439/posts/ZVTsdkH6fj7
(unmarked peg is the caller)
*The Fountain*
by Luke Donforth
Longways sets
Top couple makes an arch and goes over the other two lines
The rest move up, and when the reach the top, they make an arch and go down
over the rest of the line
When the bottom couple reaches the top, the separate (peel the banana
style) and lead their line down the outside (no hands). Everyone except the
original top couple (now at the bottom) follows.
The couple at the bottom swings, and as other folks get back to line; they
can swing their partner.
Long lines forward and back
Allemande your partner
Other hand Allemande your partner
Progression:
1 2 3 4 5 => 2 3 4 5 1
Pictures at:
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipO8FvLShqqQllbGxe-IQ0fpvQiQhA1SNUiQ0S7…
> You could just as easily circle Left 1x in B2.
>
>
>> On Jul 18, 2017, at 8:14 AM, Andrea Nettleton via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>>
>> I question the flow of a circle R into a swing. But I don't recognize the sequence.
>> Cheers,
>> Andrea
>>
>> Sent from my external brain
>>
>> On Jul 18, 2017, at 9:55 AM, Jerome Grisanti via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>>
>>>>>
>>>
>>> I wonder if this sequence has already been written (and titled):
>>>
>>> Trip to Kentucky
>>> Improper contra
>>> Jerome Grisanti (unless prior claim exists)
>>>
>>> A1: Long lines go forward, roll away as you go back (women moving from left to right in front of their neighbors).
>>> Men allemande left 1.5.
>>>
>>> A2: Partner B & S.
>>>
>>> B1: Right & Left Thru, Ladies chain.
>>>
>>> B2: Circle RIGHT 1x, Neighbors swing.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Jerome
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Jerome Grisanti
>>> 660-528-0858
>>> http://www.jeromegrisanti.com
>>>
>>> "Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it." --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Callers mailing list
>>> Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>>> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
>> _______________________________________________
>> Callers mailing list
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>> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
Hi everyone,
I have undertaken to teach some modern square dancers how to contra dance,
and I'm wondering if anyone has experience with this and has any dances to
recommend? I'm a square dancer myself but most of my contra repertoire is
for modern contra dancers- 2 swings, lots of Balance and swing, etc. I'd
like more dances with MWSD moves in them and possibly without any, or only
1, swing, and they don't need to have a partner swing. The dancers I am
teaching are all either plus or advanced, so they will tire pretty quickly
of the usual simple glossary contras I would normally do in a teaching
situation. They can do the moves; it's the formation that is new to them.
Thanks,
Judy
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Hi everyone,
Thank you for all your suggestions and helpful tips. Just to emphasize-I am
BOTH a square dancer AND a contra dancer, but so far only a contra caller. I
love both! For different reasons.
I've undertaken to call some contras for a local group. Our caller, who has
been calling for over 50 years-he started when he was 9 years old-has never
called contras and I have challenged him to start. He's accepted that
challenge but says he's never called a program he hasn't danced. Since
contra dance around here-southern Ontario-pretty much shuts down for the
summer I'm filling a gap until the fall. I don't expect to make contra
dancers of them, although if some of them get bitten by the bug.
Judy
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>
>
>>
I wonder if this sequence has already been written (and titled):
Trip to Kentucky
Improper contra
Jerome Grisanti (unless prior claim exists)
A1: Long lines go forward, roll away as you go back (women moving from left
to right in front of their neighbors).
Men allemande left 1.5.
A2: Partner B & S.
B1: Right & Left Thru, Ladies chain.
B2: Circle RIGHT 1x, Neighbors swing.
Thanks,
Jerome
--
Jerome Grisanti
660-528-0858
http://www.jeromegrisanti.com
"Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power
and magic in it." --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Hi All! I am working on a dance to call for a special occasion. It needs to be “play friendly” - that is, a dance where the figures facilitate partner swapping. Figures I was given to work with are allemandes in the center (either gender role), heys, shadows, petronellas and LLFB next to your partner (not necessarily including all of those figures, of course). I am wondering if this dance has already been written by someone else? Also, those of you who like to play, would this dance work well? Is it too weird to have the full hey cross the phrase? Is it awkward to get into Long Lines from the Hey? I am not sure I love the B1 part. Thanks for your feedback in advance!
Jean Gorrindo
(as yet untitled) - Becket
A1 (8) Ladies allemande R 1 1/2
(8) Neighbor swing
A2 (8) Left diagonal chain to Shadow
(8) Begin a full hey, Ladies passing R
B1 (8) Finish the hey
(8) LLFB - on the way back Gent’s role Shadow away with a half-sashay to face Partner
B2 (16) Partner B&S - slide left to new Neighbors
I came up with this one for a particular gig. Given the simplicity it was
probably already written - if so I'd like to give proper credit. Please let
me know.
Thanks,
Don
Shortly before calling the Santa Fe NM dance last month I was informed that
a group of 20+ international students who’d never done contra were planning
on attending (turned out to be ~60% of the attendees at the start). In
planning my program I realized the existing mixers in my deck were either
too risky for those folks or too simple for the regulars. I wanted
something that would build on the sequence of moves introduced in my
teaching plan (which factored in language challenge) so I came up with the
following. It worked out well with that group.
Trip to Santa Fe – Circle Mixer – Don Veino 20170622
*A1*
Into the Center and Back
Circle Left
*A2*
Circle Right
Partner Dosido (and turn away from P)
[so Gents look CW, Ladies CCW]
*B1*
Neighbor Balance and Swing
*B2*
(new) Partner Promenade
http://veino.com/blog/?p=1722
Hi Everyone
In the past there has been a lot of discussion on this group about gender
free calling, and in particular about the terms used for the two roles.
This got me thinking as to whether it would be possible to eliminate the
use of role names and call using just positional references.
Some significant thought later, I came up with a system that I believe
could, in theory, work. This is largely an intellectual exercise rather
than a serious suggestion, but I would appreciate any comments / feedback /
thoughts / ideas you have.
The details are at: http://barndancecaller.net/PositionalCalling.html
(There is a link to another document I have written about gender free
calling - this is primarily aimed at English Barn Dance / Ceilidh calling.)
Jeremy
Hello Everyone,
A group of dancers/callers/musicians in the Triangle area of North Carolina
are in the midst of exciting plans to create a continuing care retirement
community centered around music and dance. We have been meeting with groups
of interested people, conducted a market study (with an excellent outcome),
started working with a group of consultants who design innovative
retirement communities, and have begun fundraising to pay for the design
process.
So far, we have focused on reaching out to local folks; now we are
spreading the word more widely.
If you are curious, please visit our website.
http://dancingintoretirementnc.org/
Right now, the website is the way we communicate with people out of town,
but I'll soon create a Facebook page and then an electronic newsletter. If
you are close enough to Durham, NC to attend a 1/2 day informational
session, let me know if you would like to be invited. We offer one every
few months--the next is August 26.
You can write to me directly or leave a message at the website if you want
more information or have comments/reactions.
Bree Kalb
Carrboro, NC