Contra Callers February 2018

contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net

41 participants
25 discussions

by Rickey

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.

1 year, 4 months

Re: [Callers] Festival Applications

by robertgolder＠comcast.net

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

3 years, 11 months

Calling a Halloween dance tonight? Try this circle mixer...

by Amy Cann via Callers

I try and call the dances of Rich Blazej whenever I can and this one's a Halloween favorite, re-done as "Werewolves and Zombies". *Garfield's Escape* -- circle of couples PLUS ONE EXTRA in the center (Garfield) A1 All into the center EIGHT steps and back, menacing the Garfield A2 Circle left, circle right B1 Women (werewolves) promenade single file to the right, while men (zombies) "star" by the right -- each man puts his right hand on right shoulder of the man in front - including Garfield. B2 Caller hollers "Escape!" ("Boo!", or maybe "Braaaiiins") and all men run to the outside and swing with a woman in the outer circle. A new Garfield remains in the center. Rich himself named this after Garfield the comic-strip cat, way back when he was cynical and funny (the cat, not Rich). "The single man remaining at the end of the dance is entitled to a pan of lasagna and some fresh kitty litter". My favorite normal tune for this is the minor jig Coleraine, played at a slightly slower lurch-y tempo, but if I'm lucky the band'll do the Alfred Hitchcock theme. Have fun, just thought I'd share -- and I'd love to hear how it goes if you do it, and what variations emerge. Cheers, Amy

4 years, 6 months

Looking for "fun" dances

by sdgola＠aol.com

Sure they're all fun (we hope). I'm looking for a few dances that are particularly playful, quirky, silly....something that typically gets the dancers laughing. Some examples would be "Over the Hill and Still Chased" with the lady round two/gent cut through figure, or Beneficial Tradition when the dancers throw their free arm up and shout "Wooo!" You get the idea. What are your favorites? Sue Gola Princeton, NJ

4 years, 11 months

A new(?) dance, written with a gyre

by Luke Donforth via Callers

Hello all, Linda Leslie's suggestion of gyre as a replacement for gypsy bubbled around in my brain and a new (I think) dance percolated up. It has a twist that isn't the gyre (which I consider just new nomenclature); women casting out of the swing to travel from one minor set to another (similar to gent's movement in Scoot by Tom Hinds). I haven't gotten to test it with dancers yet, as I just finished running it through with pegs on my desk; but I wanted to share it in support of a new term. A Gyre for Linda by Luke Donforth Contra/Becket-CCW A1 ----------- (4) Pass through to an ocean wave (ladies left, catch right with partner) (4) Balance the short Wavy line (2) Walk forward (3) Shadow gyre right 1/2 (3) Gents gyre left 1/2 in the middle A2 ----------- (16) Neighbor gyre right and swing B1 ----------- MEANWHILE FIGURE: (8) Men allemande Left 1-1/2 WHILE women cast cw around whole set one woman’s place (8) 1/2 Hey, passing partner by right shoulder B2 ----------- (16) Partner gyre right and swing at home As for the other aspects that have been discussed: I pronounce it with a softer g sound. For reasons unclear to me, gyre has different accepted pronunciations; but (to my knowledge) gyration doesn't. As for using the term (which I clearly support); it costs me nearly nothing to switch and helps make the dance more accessible for some; both in dropping a term some find offensive and making the name more descriptive of the move. My job as a caller is to help share the joy of dancing, and if this does that I'm in favor of it. -- Luke Donforth Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com <Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com>

6 years

May the Fourth be with you!

by Maia McCormick

For those of us lucky enough to be calling on May the Fourth (or it’s sister holiday, Revenge of the Fifth): Anyone have some Star Wars-themed dances to recommend? Cheers, Maia

6 years, 1 month

Mystery dance

by Kalia Kliban

Hi all, Just found a dance card with no name, and I'm sure somebody out there can plug it into the dance-o-matic* and tell me what it is. A1 N b&s A2 M alle L 1-1/2; P sw B1 Lines of 4 down the hall, turn as cpls, return and bend. B2 Balance ring, circle L 1/2; Ladies chain Kalia Kliban *and wouldn't that be a good name for a dance?

6 years, 1 month

"I've Got A Bad Feeling About This" -- does this dance exist?

by Amy Cann

Hey all! This dance just popped into my head as part of a discussion over on the pourparler/family dance community. I have NO idea if I've just reinvented someone else's wheel or not. Anyone know? Working Title: *"I've Got a Bad Feeling About This" * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7U3Oti2L8S4 Suggested Tune: *Cantina Theme* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6PDcBhODqo Eight or more couples, "Big Square" formation Prep: form up like you're going to do a big circle, then "square the circle": divide dancers into four equal sets of partners, lined up along four NSEW walls. Wave at people across the room, figure out who your opposite pair is. Sides and Top walls can be slightly different numbers of partners as long as they match each *other*. *Side walls advance, right hand allemande* with opposite, retire *Top walls sashay *to opposite side (if gendered: "Drive in the right lane, men passing back to back") *Side walls advance, left hand allemande*, retire *Top walls sashay* home Everyone *dosido* partner, *do-SA-do* partner, *promenade* to next WALL. Do the dance four times with calls, four times "on your own" Possible prep practice: Tops advance, meet/identify your opposite, retire. Sides in, identify, retire. All promenade to next wall. Depending on size of hall, number of couples, and experience level/sobriety of dancers, this could either be cleanly/tightly phrased or a total pig-pile, sorta like Foula Reel. I'm going to totally try this at our (small, square-shaped, local, fun-loving and open-minded) Peirce's Hall this weekend, if Steve Howland will share the mic for a moment, but before I do: Does this already exist, and I've just forgotten? Or anything similar? Does it work in real life, with the right crowd/band/hall? Kinda excited to find out... Cheers, Amy

6 years, 1 month

ONS contract

by Mary Collins

Anyone have a general contract for one night stands that they would care to share? Thanks! Mary Collins

6 years, 2 months

Fwd: Dance notes for Don Flaherty?s ?Reflection ?3

by Bob Green

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: <callers-owner(a)lists.sharedweight.net> Date: Fri, Feb 23, 2018 at 3:28 PM Subject: Dance notes for Don Flaherty?s ?Reflection ?3 To: bobgreen.swbell.net(a)gmail.com I'm sorry! To send messages to this list, you must be a member. Please consider signing up! If you get this message and ARE subscribed, please make sure you are sending from the correct address. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Bob <bobgreen.swbell.net(a)gmail.com> To: callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net Cc: Bcc: Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2018 13:28:22 -0800 Subject: Dance notes for Don Flaherty’s “Reflection “3 I have a video I want to check against the notes for the archive. Thanks Bob Green Sent from my iPad

6 years, 2 months

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Contra Callers February 2018