I'd love to collect a few more whole set dances for one night stands.
I have done my version of the Virginia Reel, of course. Some Running Set figures (though not in a big circle, but, "find another couple and circle left), Sasha, the Broom Dance and/or the Fan Dance, Blobs, and possibly teach Jefferson & Liberty, or a slightly simplified version of Haste to the Wedding and the first "Hands Four" dance. So, I've been collecting the Simple Contra Dances, and adding them to my repertoire with thanks to all sharing them! I am looking for Whole Set Dances.
Here's one from me:
Building a Tunnel
I put some figures together after looking at dancing in Douglastown, Quebec, that I found from Laura Risk's wonderful collection of music and notes she coproduced with Brian Morris, the Douglastown cd (https://www.laurarisk.com/recordings.html). I call this Building a Tunnel. Then I stole part of what I think is The Flying Scottsman (which I learned from the wonderful Sandy Bradley) or is it Kingston Flyer as Tony Parkes mentioned.
Building a Tunnel
Longways set a Whole Set dance
Not too phrased to the music
In long lines, Head Person of Line One leads their line all the way around Line Two
Then Head of Line Two leads line around Line One
All Partner Do Si Do, Swing (any way: elbow, 2-hand, ballroom)
Top Couple arch over one line to the bottom-Mow The Lawn...
Top Couple arch over the other line back to the top-Cut Their Hair...
Top Couple Sashay to Bottom, Make an Arch
The two lines face down, go down and around the Top (soon to be Bottom) Couple
Through the arch, and, as the line goes under, make an Arch when couples go through the last arch (made by the couple they've been following).
In other words, Building a Tunnel.
When teaching the Top Couple to make an arch I teach taking one hand as they face the line. By the second or third time, couple start doing the arch with two hands, thus, I don't know why I bother...
Like other dances as the Virginia Reel, sets can easily get out of sync. If they do, I watch and stop calling except to remind un-sync-ed if they forgot something.
So many times when teaching the Virginia Reel, dancers want to do the "build a tunnel" and I (and most likely most of you) have to teach promenading up and not passing anyone. Now they get to build it!
Thinking of making the first Hands Four dance Easier
For years I've called the dance at the Full Belly Farm's "Hoes Down" where they put their hoes down and dance. I've used Jefferson & Liberty, but, in sets on an empty field where sets can easily get 20-couples long or longer, and not wanting to take even more time bi and trifurcating sets into shorter sets. I think I presented Barbarella earlier, and it got me thinking: would it be easier to teach a phrased progressive dance in Becket Formation ending by sliding left to a new couple? So, I'm going to try a couple of ideas at my next One Night Stand:
Start getting lines in becket formation. My first thought is to star with Long Lines going forward and back, to reinforce that we are dancing with everyone, but I can also starting by teaching a slice and then putting that slice as B2.
That said, these just thinking right now:
My First Try:
A1 LLF&B; Neighbor across Do Si Do
A2 Partner Do Si Do, Swing (any way)
B1 Face Down for Line of Four Down the Hall, Turn as a Couple (or, uh, not), Return
B2 Circle Left, Circle Right, Slide Right to next couple to A1 LLF&B
Or
A1 w/ Couple Across: Circle Left, then Right
A2 w/ Neighbor Across: DSD, Two Hand Turn
B1 Back on Own Side: Ptnr DSD, Two Hand Turn (or Swing any kind)
B2 Looking to the Left: Long Lines go Forward to a New Couple, then Straight Back, to A1 with New Nbr
I think these might be easier to explain to complete novices. Any thoughts?
~Erik Hoffman
Oakland, CA
Hi All,
I hope this helps someone in our community save money on a cordless
microphone.
Just now, a caller friend asked me about the ~$130 Monoprice-brand cordless
mic system that we use for calling and teaching. We've used this
inexpensive but perfectly adequate cordless mic system for over a year and
16 dances.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=600060
2x mics, 2x headpieces, 2x transmitters, 1x 2-channel receiver.
Outputs: 2x XLR for ea. channel or 1x 1/4" combined.
~$130
We've noticed no downsides in spite of the low price, except that Ellen
finds the headpiece slips. I understand the issue as being that long thick
straight hair prevents the head piece from clamping snugly. She solved it
once by wearing a baseball cap. I've worn the mic about six times for
calling single dances and to help teach walk-throughs and -- short hair no
baseball cap and wearing reading glasses -- had a seamless experience.
Another semi-local caller, who calls a monthly dance and to whom I
recommended the same set, hasn't mentioned to me any downsides or
frustrations.
I have no relationship with the manufacturer or dealer. I've bought other
things from Monoprice. The one time I had an issue, they quickly resolved
it.
Hope this helps someone.
Rob
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Robert Matson
Cell: (917) 626-2675
Sometimes a dance looks good on paper, and it's difficult to know dance's
issues until you dance it.
I wonder if anyone has variations to Bob Isaacs' "Hinge Binge"?
I really like the hinging part of the dance, but ... in lark/gent/lefthand
role, I find my right arm is strained from having it up so much.
Here's the original:
Becket
A1: Larks Give and Take, Neighbor Swing
A2: Circle L 3/4, Partner Dosido to short wavy line, P in RH, larks in ctr
with LH
B1: Bal Wave, Hinge + Circulate (Partner Alle R 1/4, then box circulate
with Robins crossing set to new wave, larks, looping right to face back in
and join wave on the same side)
Bal Wave, Hinge + Advance (N1 Alle R 1/4, then walk forward to new
neighbors, make another wave)
B2: Bal Wave, Hinge + Circulate (N2 Alle R 1/4, Robins cross, larks loop
right)
Partner Swing
So the Lark role is holding their arm up and providing weight:
A1: 8 beats for swing
A2: 6 beats during circle, continued from the swing
B1a: 4 beats for the balance, 2-3 beats for the allemande, and you don't
really have any time to move your arms down and let them rest before you
have to take hands in the next wave
B1b: 4 beats for the balance , another 2-3 beats for the allemande, again,
no real time to put your arms down.
B2a: 4 beats for the balance , another 2-3 beats for the allemande, and,
again, no real time to put your arms down before the swing.
B2b: 8 beats for swing
So the dance for the larks/gents is an 8 beat break, 14-16 beats of swing
-> circle, a 8 beat dosido where the last beat or two to raise your arms
for the wave, and then 32 beats continuously keeping right arms up.
Could give a longer rest in the A:
A1: Robins G+T, NS
A2: Robins Chain, Pass Thru to an Ocean wave w/P in right, robins in ctr.
This keeps the dance nearly intact, a bit harder since Pass-the-Ocean isn't
a glossary move, but affords 6-8 more beats of rest. Roles are swapped in
the waves, but it doesn't matter since you progress the same and wind up
with your partner.
We could lose the neighbor swing in the A1 and make it something like:
A1. LLFB
Larks Alle L 1.5x
A2. 3/4 Hey (NR, Robins L, PR, Larks L, NR, Robins L)
Partner Alle R 1/4 to short waves
... which preserves the B1-B2 of Hinge Binge more closely without the role
swap.
There's probably a way to move the partner swing to the A1 and remove the
neighbor swing.
Anyway. Curious if there's already dances out there.
In dance,
Julian Blechner
> Which do you speculate will come first?
> a) The press will regularly refer to "X" rather than "X, formerly known as Twitter"
> OR
> b) The contra dance world will agree to one of larks/robins or gents/ladies
>
I like to point out two important factors that should influence the transition to larks/robins.
1. To some LGBTQ+ people being called a Lady or Gent is mentally harmful because gender ID is a very important matter and sometimes has a long and often uncomfortable personal history.
2. It helps encourage people to dance both roles.
a) I’ve been at dances where there are more people of one gender than the other and as a result some dancers sit out a dance because they feel uncomfortable about asking someone of the same gender to dance. And there are some people who think that Ladies shouldn’t ask Gents to dance.
b) I think dancing both roles makes you a better dancer because you get to appreciate the affect of some moves on the other person.
Which do you speculate will come first?
a) The press will regularly refer to "X" rather than "X, formerly known as Twitter"
OR
b) The contra dance world will agree to one of larks/robins or gents/ladies
I've been asked if I will teach/lead a one hour long 'contra dance' at a
day program for young adults with a variety of physical and cognitive
disabilities. (The staff probably would be happy for me to do more than one
session, but I'm not willing to commit to that. At Least not now.)
My usual repertoire for a wedding or party of non-dancers seems tricky for
many of the clients--especially those who are uncomfortable being touched.
I did a similar event about 10 years ago--at a different program-- and it
didn't seem many of them had a good time.
I'd like to figure out a way to make it fun for this group.
I have a couple of ideas and am looking for more. Have you ever led a
dance/music event with a similar population?
I'd appreciate any advice/suggestions.
Bree Kalb
Carrboro NC
Hi all,
Does anyone know when the Balance & Swing as we know it today
become popular with a 12-beat Swing instead of the more standard 8-beat or
16-beat Swing?
Thanks.
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802
940 574
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
Hi Folks :)
This summer, I called for a week long event. Near the end of the week, I
found my ears were really tired and the level of sound coming from the
speakers was hurting my ears. I did talk to the sound person a bit but
they needed to accommodate the dancers of course and so turning down the
main speakers was not an option. While I call from the stage some of the
time, it often worked better if I was calling from the floor.
Has anyone had similar experiences? Have you found solutions?
Thanks!
:) Emily in Ottawa
