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
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
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
Would love to get suggestions for simpler contras containing a
hey-for-three with 3 people. Looking to set a foundation with the sequence
in the earlier part of an evening. Ideally a duple minor but willing to
consider other settings.
Yes, I'm working through the Caller's Box listings but it would be great to
have suggestions from personal experience.
Thanks,
Don
Helo Folks,
This group has been so quiet lately. The group has been so important for
me as I developed my Contra calling repertoire and skills, so I thought I'd
initiate a conversation.
As I sit here programming a dance I realize that I do not have many dances
without circles. Many that I do have, do not have a Neighbor Swing, or
have a Give & Take to cheat it out. Those factors limit where and when I
can use them.
I generally like to program two no circle dances in each half, and also a
NO neighbor Swing dance in at least one half if not both halves of an
evening. Any thoughts on this?
Does anyone want to share some modern contras that have no Circles and no
Give & Takes, but include a partner and neighbor swing.
Here are a few I have used.
Just for NEFFA, Linda Leslie
Rollin' and Tumblin'. Cis Hinkle
Rocket City Romp, Cis Hinkle
Travels with Rick and Kim, Shari Miller Johnson
Friday Night Fever, Tony Parkes
Thanks,
Rich Sbardella
Stafford, CT
Hi all,
Happy new year everyone!
I'm hoping that someone on this list can identify the names of the two tunes
being played for this dance of Dan Pearl's, Beneficial Tradition.
http://dancevideos.childgrove.org/contra/contra-modern/245
I'm pretty sure that I've seen Bob Green post on this list. Bob, do you know
the tune names? Would Martha?
I'd welcome other tune suggestions for this dance that I think needs strong
4 beat phrases in that B2. The last time I called it, The Dam Beavers played
The George Paul Reel and it was a perfect fit. I'm just looking for other
choices.
Thanks all!
Bev
****************************************************************************
*****
The Witful Turnip <mailto:wturnip@sympatico.ca>
wturnip(a)sympatico.ca
"It will be alright in the end. So, if it is not alright, it is not yet the
end."
- The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
****************************************************************************
*****
I have been using "Circulate" as the call, after seeing that people got the
general idea of the figure during teaching. I have always liked this
technique borrowed from another caller (I forget who now...) for teaching
purposes: During the walk-through (after seeing that people have gotten
into the correct positions to begin the box circulate from the previous
figure - for example "men facing out, ladies facing in" in long wavy lines)
I give this "rule":
(after balancing):
When you are facing into the set, you will walk straight across (to the
other line), and take hands with those looping to face you.
When you are facing out of the set, you will loop over your right shoulder
taking hands with the people coming towards you, (on the same side) in a
wavy line.
I have avoided calling different roles, like "Gents cross, ladies loop",
and the dancers seemed to get the "face in means cross", "face out means
turn to the right to face in on the same side" When I taught this to a
less experienced group of dancers, they all got it, and also noticed on
their own that they had sort of a shadow, and said they liked realizing
that they were heading toward a familiar face to rejoin hands.
I think the best part of a box circulate dance is when one partner is
approaching another as they are turning to go into a balance and swing, as
most of them do.
Valerie Cohen
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2019 00:45:54 -0800
From: Lenore Frigo <lfrigo(a)gmail.com>
To: callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: [Callers] Calling a "box circulate"
Message-ID:
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I'm planning to call a dance with a box circulate, for the first time, and
got to thinking, how do you call it during the dance? Do you use the actual
word "circulate"? That seems clunky to me.I can think of lots of possible
alternatives, but was wondering if there's a word that is commonly used.
For context, I'll be calling this for a group that has for the most part
never done a box circulate. (And while we're at it, if you have any tips
for teaching the box circulate, I'd be glad to hear those as well!).
Thanks so much,
Lenore Frigo
I'm planning to call a dance with a box circulate, for the first time, and
got to thinking, how do you call it during the dance? Do you use the actual
word "circulate"? That seems clunky to me.I can think of lots of possible
alternatives, but was wondering if there's a word that is commonly used.
For context, I'll be calling this for a group that has for the most part
never done a box circulate. (And while we're at it, if you have any tips
for teaching the box circulate, I'd be glad to hear those as well!).
Thanks so much,
Lenore Frigo
