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
Hello all,
Pete's Posse is running a Kickstarter to help launch a new album (and, you
know, offset the $7K+ in gigs they've lost...):
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/petesposse/petes-posse-project-support…
independent of the rest of this thread, you should check it out!
(My kickstarter wraps up successfully tomorrow, so I'm flogging other
people's now :-)
They've asked me to provide calling along with a track; and so I wrote what
I think is a new dance.
Anyone got a prior? Anyone have opinions?
Karen's Posse
Becket
A1 -----------
(6) Circle Left 3/4
(10) Swing neighbor
End facing down the hall
A2 -----------
(8) Down the hall, four in line (turn as couples)
(8) Return and Bend the line
B1 -----------
(16) Hey, larks/gents passing left shoulders
last time, robins/ladies ricochet back to partner
B2 -----------
(16) Partner gyre/right shoulder round and swing
The closest I found on Callers Box was
Dance High by Don Flaherty
https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=15270
or
Norcross by Rick Mohr
https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=11951
Thanks all.
We will dance again!
I’m researching photos of contra dance halls, preferably empty so I can see clear, high-res images of the walls, floors, ceiling, stage, etc. All angles. During my down time I want to make 3D models of some generic halls, not of any particular hall. Your photos will I hope help me see the architectures, colors, decorations and materials used.
I can get a number from web image searches, but sometimes they are limited to what people thought would be worth posting.
If you have shots you’re willing to share under a free use or Creative Commons license, please send them along to me directly. Don’t include this list in the reply or we’ll overwhelm the server. (Also, I want the original photos, not links to already-posted and size-compressed pictures.)
Thanks!
\Bob Peterson
bob(a)contracorner.com <mailto:bob@contracorner.com>
I would send the renewal to Lew Cocke. He's the point person for Lloyd Shaw memberships these days.
Online payment: http://lloydshaw.org/join.html
Pay by mail: Send check payable to Lloyd Shaw Foundation to:
Lew & Enid Cocke
2924 Hickory Ct.
Manhattan, KS 66503
That info is from the March 2020 "The American Dance Circle" LSF newsletter.
Joy Greenwolfe
Durham, NC
> On Mar 19, 2020, at 5:56 PM, Jonathan Sivier via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> I recently realized I hadn't gotten any notice of needing to renew my membership in the Lloyd Shaw Foundation for 2020, though perhaps I just misplaced it. However, I have no record of having paid it. In the past this has usually come in January or February.
>
> I attempted to send a message to Bill Litchman (President) and Nancy Kane VP) at the addresses listed for them on the web site. My email to them bounced with what looks like permanent fatal errors.
>
> Can anyone tell me I can contact someone from the organization?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Jonathan
> -----
> Jonathan Sivier
> Caller of Contra, Square, English and Early American Dances
> jsivier AT illinois DOT edu
> Dance Page: http://www.sivier.me/dance_leader.html
> -----
> Q: How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
> A: It depends on what dance you call!
> _______________________________________________
> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
I recently realized I hadn't gotten any notice of needing to renew my membership in the Lloyd Shaw Foundation for 2020, though perhaps I just misplaced it. However, I have no record of having paid it. In the past this has usually come in January or February.
I attempted to send a message to Bill Litchman (President) and Nancy Kane VP) at the addresses listed for them on the web site. My email to them bounced with what looks like permanent fatal errors.
Can anyone tell me I can contact someone from the organization?
Thanks.
Jonathan
-----
Jonathan Sivier
Caller of Contra, Square, English and Early American Dances
jsivier AT illinois DOT edu
Dance Page: http://www.sivier.me/dance_leader.html
-----
Q: How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
A: It depends on what dance you call!
We should all just switch to ECD...
On 3/18/20, Martha Wild via Contra Callers
<contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> Amounts on the last spiral are approximate - until you face your new
> neighbor…..
>
> Martha
>
>> On Mar 18, 2020, at 11:40 AM, Erik Hoffman via Contra Callers
>> <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>>
>> Make sure all are at least six feet away from each other…
>>
>> From: Mary Collins via Contra Callers
>> <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>> <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>>
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2020 5:18 AM
>> To: Martha Wild <mawild(a)sbcglobal.net <mailto:mawild@sbcglobal.net>>
>> Cc: contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>> <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
>> Subject: [Callers] Re: Coronadance
>>
>> LOVE this!!! Thanks.
>> Mary
>>
>> On Tue, Mar 17, 2020, 9:37 PM Martha Wild via Contra Callers
>> <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>> <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
>> A contra dance for social distancing:
>>
>> Coronadance
>>
>> Duple improper
>>
>> A1) Do-si-do neighbor
>> Mad robin (facing partner) ladies in front
>> A2) Single file circle 3/4 around
>> Spiral around your partner 2x until gents are facing across
>> B1) Full hey, gents passing left shoulder to start
>> B2) Gents spiral left 1 1/2
>> Spiral right neighbor 1 1/2
>> _______________________________________________
>> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>> <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
>> To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>> <mailto:contracallers-leave@lists.sharedweight.net>_______________________________________________
>> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>> <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
>> To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>> <mailto:contracallers-leave@lists.sharedweight.net>
>
Amounts on the last spiral are approximate - until you face your new neighbor…..
Martha
> On Mar 18, 2020, at 11:40 AM, Erik Hoffman via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> Make sure all are at least six feet away from each other…
>
> From: Mary Collins via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2020 5:18 AM
> To: Martha Wild <mawild(a)sbcglobal.net <mailto:mawild@sbcglobal.net>>
> Cc: contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
> Subject: [Callers] Re: Coronadance
>
> LOVE this!!! Thanks.
> Mary
>
> On Tue, Mar 17, 2020, 9:37 PM Martha Wild via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
> A contra dance for social distancing:
>
> Coronadance
>
> Duple improper
>
> A1) Do-si-do neighbor
> Mad robin (facing partner) ladies in front
> A2) Single file circle 3/4 around
> Spiral around your partner 2x until gents are facing across
> B1) Full hey, gents passing left shoulder to start
> B2) Gents spiral left 1 1/2
> Spiral right neighbor 1 1/2
> _______________________________________________
> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
> To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers-leave@lists.sharedweight.net>_______________________________________________
> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
> To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:contracallers-leave@lists.sharedweight.net>
The idea is not new, but it is, of course, pertinent.
I’ve been looking for an old dance card I had since at least the mid 80s, for The Atomic Contra. It, too, was a no touching dance. It’s concept was dancing after a nuclear accident or war, and dancing with partners that were too radioactive to touch…
If I locate it, I’ll post it.
~Erik Hoffman
Oakland, CA
From: Abigail Golden via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2020 11:44 AM
Cc: Shared Weight - Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
Subject: [Callers] Re: Coronadance
I had the same idea!
Corona Chaser
Improper duple
inspired by Honor Among Thieves by Penn Fix
A1: (8) Neighbor dosido
(8) Neighbor right shoulder round once and a half
A2: (8) Lady around two and gent around one and he cuts through
(8) Gent around two and lady around one and she cuts through
B1: (8) Hands-on-hips long lines forward and back
(8) Gypsy star left
B2: (16) Hey for four (ladies right, partners left, gents right, neighbors left), face new neighbors
On Wed, Mar 18, 2020 at 2:41 PM Erik Hoffman via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
Make sure all are at least six feet away from each other…
From: Mary Collins via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>>
Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2020 5:18 AM
To: Martha Wild <mawild(a)sbcglobal.net<mailto:mawild@sbcglobal.net>>
Cc: contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Subject: [Callers] Re: Coronadance
LOVE this!!! Thanks.
Mary
On Tue, Mar 17, 2020, 9:37 PM Martha Wild via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
A contra dance for social distancing:
Coronadance
Duple improper
A1) Do-si-do neighbor
Mad robin (facing partner) ladies in front
A2) Single file circle 3/4 around
Spiral around your partner 2x until gents are facing across
B1) Full hey, gents passing left shoulder to start
B2) Gents spiral left 1 1/2
Spiral right neighbor 1 1/2
_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers-leave@lists.sharedweight.net>
_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers-leave@lists.sharedweight.net>
--
Rutgers University
Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources
abigail.golden(a)rutgers.edu<mailto:abigail.golden@rutgers.edu>
https://abigailgolden.weebly.com/
