Hello
I am devising a workshop for a festival here in Australia, and have long been of the opinion that there are no "leaders" in contra dance couples. Moves should be executed with mutual consent, especially embellishments such as turning under out of a ladies' chain. Conventions such as waltz hold swings are really useful here. In Australia, other related dance forms use a variety of swing holds, which lead to confusion and interruption of flow. I plan to place some emphasis on conventions of holds, such as allemande and star holds.
I would value people's opinions on this, as it may ruffle some long-held conventions. Any words of wisdom from the gender free dance community would be especially welcome.
Also, I believe that if dancers are to enjoy embellishments, they must be by mutual consent. This is so difficult to establish in a microsecond. I would value any thoughts on how to advise reaching this consent in the context of a contra dance.
Looking forward to your thoughts
cheersJeanette
Jeanette Mill
Contra dance caller, musician, workshop facilitator
Canberra, Australia
Phone: +61 (0)449 686 077
Email: jeanette_mill(a)yahoo.com.au
Skype: jeanette.mill
"The piano - 88 little mistakes waiting to happen"Kate Barnes
Interesting discussion on the Portland Country Dance Community Facebook page. Lots of great suggestions. A lot of people really don’t like “right shoulder round” (I’m one of them). I tried one of their suggestions last night - Kipsey - and it worked amazingly well. Easy to say, particularly when you are cutting down the calling to one word (what do you do with right shoulder round? shoulder? Ick.) And everyone can hear the similarity and knows what to do. I had tried spiral for a while and people just seemed confused. The other suggestion that I noticed today was from Susan Michaels - “look-see” That has the virtue of a similar rhyming two syllable call, and it’s upbeat and fun and has emphasis on facing the other person. Check out the discussion. https://www.facebook.com/groups/62950211264/permalink/10155943260651265/ <https://www.facebook.com/groups/62950211264/permalink/10155943260651265/>
My complaint originates with the "daily summary" email as read on my phone.
I find that if I got to the list archives website, it is much easier to
read and comprehend.
KP
This morning I received an update to this list that was entirely
unintelligible. Not because it was long, or that it had several replies on
a topic (substitute terms for gypsy) but because the submissions were made
without removing all that had gone before.
It was one long mass of words which I had no desire to parse.
This is a shortcoming of the mailing list software, to be sure, but please,
when you reply on a topic, take the time to remove all but the most
necessary of previous words that will form part (the annoying bulk?) of
your message.
I really appreciate being able to hear many voices on this list but when it
is gibberish, I am simply frustrated.
Thanks for reading.
Ken Panton
Hi fellow shared weight callesr
I just put this message out on the organizers list-serve but I know some of
us callers are also organizers so I wanted to share here with you. Plus
you know lots of organizers! (I'll also share with the musician group.)
============================================
Some of you may have heard about this but I wanted to share some exciting
organizer information from CDSS.
*Please share it with other organizers in your area! *This information is
for ANY traditional dance, music or song organizers (e.g., contra dance;
old time jam sessions; scandinavian dance; trad song circles; etc).
*SURVEY of TRADITIONAL DANCE, MUSIC and SONG ORGANIZERS in the US:*
CDSS wants to hear from you in order to inform their work in supporting
local organizers throughout the US! What you are organizing? What
challenges do you face? What support/connections would help you in the work
you do?
CDSS recently conducted a study of Canadian organizers (article here
<https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/columns/CDSS_News_Spring_20…>)
and has taken the findings to further improve their support of local
organizers.
The US survey available until April 13th:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DCSRMZG
Note that multiple individuals from the same organization can fill out the
survey.
Please share widely with organizers in many traditions!
*NEW CDSS E-MAIL BLASTS for ORGANIZERS*
CDSS has just launched a new organizer email newsletter to support local
organizers of traditional dance music and song. The e-news will be emailed
out four times a year. Expect notifications about new resources, upcoming
training opportunities, inspiring success stories and more.
To join the email list, click here:
https://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001l2jBILRzRVh_qG9X8…
Again - please spread widely!
Emily Addison
CDSS Canadian Initiative+
I am curious how much time you all plan programming a dance before arriving
at a venue. If you do not preprogram, what is your approach for on the fly
programming?
Rich Sbardella
Stafford, CT
I appreciate the point that several have made that a term that sounds
just like gypsy isn't a reasonable substitute. Fair enough. The search
continues...
Kalia in Sebastopol
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Chris Page <chriscpage(a)gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Mar 14, 2018 at 1:51 PM
Subject: Re: [Callers] More substitute terms for the g-word
To: Michael Barraclough <michael(a)michaelbarraclough.com>
And could we please do this under a separate thread so it doesn’t drown out
the original question?
-Chris Page
San Diego
On Wed, Mar 14, 2018 at 1:44 PM Michael Barraclough via Callers <
callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> Could someone please explain to me why the word gyp*** is considered a
> racial slur. I note that the body that represents gyp***s in the USA calls
> itself the Gypsy Council USA and in the UK it is the Gypsy Council. This is
> the term they have chosen to represent their ethnicity and they seem to be
> proud of it. Who are we to disagree?
>
> Michael Barraclough
> http://michaelbarraclough.com
>
>
> On 03/14/2018 01:33 PM, Rich Sbardella via Callers wrote:
>
> I think having a word that sounds similar is an asset, not a liability. I
> have used look-see quite successfully. In years, few will know that a
> "look-see" used to be called as a G... I have also used Walk 'round with
> no problem.
>
> My initial attempt was Hipsy, but Linda Leslie quickly, and prudently
> discouraged such usage.
>
> Rich
>
> On Wed, Mar 14, 2018 at 4:25 PM, Martha Wild via Callers <
> callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
>> I don’t see that if you substitute a term that ends with a long e it
>> should be nixed just for that reason. OK, maybe kipsy might be considered
>> just a euphemism. But "Look-see", as described by Susan Michaels, has the
>> virtue of involving the fact that you are looking at the other person, and
>> seeing them. Why shouldn’t we choose a term that’s easier to substitute and
>> remember to use like “Look-see” instead of the bland, cold, bulky,
>> impossible to shorten, “right shoulder round” (or left shoulder round).
>> Martha
>>
>> > On Mar 14, 2018, at 1:11 PM, Kalia Kliban via Callers <
>> callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>> >
>> > I appreciate the point that several have made that a term that sounds
>> just like gypsy isn't a reasonable substitute. Fair enough. The search
>> continues...
>> >
>> > Kalia in Sebastopol
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > List Name: Callers mailing list
>> > List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>> > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> List Name: Callers mailing list
>> List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>> Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
>>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> List Name: Callers mailing list
> List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> List Name: Callers mailing list
> List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
>
Re: More substitute terms for the g-word
I have used the term "Romanesque" for the move - its a sloppy miss-use of
the word "Roman" but it has the Roma kernel in it. And most people
recognise that it is a word for something.
Cheers,
Eric Limbach
Pocatello, ID
On Wed, Mar 14, 2018 at 2:11 PM, <callers-request(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
wrote:
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> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Re: More substitute terms for the g-word (Martha Wild)
> 2. Re: More substitute terms for the g-word (Chip Hedler)
> 3. Re: Programming a Dance (Jean Gibson-Gorrindo)
> 4. Re: More substitute terms for the g-word (Donna Hunt)
> 5. Re: More substitute terms for the g-word (Yoyo Zhou)
> 6. Re: Programming a Dance (Dugan Murphy)
> 7. Re: More substitute terms for the g-word (Russell Frank)
> 8. Re: More substitute terms for the g-word (Elizabeth Szekeres)
> 9. Re: Programming a Dance (Bob Peterson)
> 10. Re: Programming a Dance (Mary Collins)
> 11. Re: Programming a Dance (Mary Collins)
> 12. Re: Programming a Dance (Linda S. Mrosko)
> 13. Re: More substitute terms for the g-word (Linda S. Mrosko)
> 14. Re: More substitute terms for the g-word (Cara Sawyer)
> 15. Re: More substitute terms for the g-word (Andrea Nettleton)
> 16. Re: More substitute terms for the g-word (Bob Hofkin)
> 17. Re: More substitute terms for the g-word (Angela DeCarlis)
> 18. Re: More substitute terms for the g-word (Don Veino)
> 19. Re: More substitute terms for the g-word (Cheryl Joyal)
> 20. Re: More substitute terms for the g-word (Amy Wimmer)
> 21. Re: More substitute terms for the g-word (Linda S. Mrosko)
> 22. More substitute terms for the g-word (Kalia Kliban)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2018 13:07:54 -0700
> From: Martha Wild <mawild(a)sbcglobal.net>
> To: John W Gintell <john(a)gintell.org>
> Cc: Perry Shafran <pshaf(a)yahoo.com>, Caller's discussion list
> <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] More substitute terms for the g-word
> Message-ID: <8BC4AEB3-D1F9-45AC-AC8F-E27E00719F80(a)sbcglobal.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
> I don?t think right shoulder round is going to make the grade. It?s
> descriptive, certainly, but it is long and unwieldy and can?t be easily
> shortened to anything recognizable as you eliminate calls in the dance. So,
> I?m sorry, but I?m not going to be using it.
> Martha
>
> > On Mar 13, 2018, at 12:53 PM, John W Gintell via Callers <
> callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> >
> > I think it would be best if only one term is used by callers at all
> dances. I think this quite important for beginners (not necessarily just
> the first time) who face enough confusion learning the terminology. One of
> the reasons why beginners don?t return is that it is too confusing.
> >
> > And I too like hearing right shoulder round because it is descriptive.
> >
> >> On Mar 13, 2018, at 3:41 PM, Perry Shafran via Callers <
> callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> I happen to *like* right shoulder round and have liked it ever since
> three callers at a dance event used it and it went rather flawlessly. I
> like the fact that it is actually descriptive in what you're doing. I
> think that the more we try to invent made-up words to try to make it sound
> fun and whimsey, the more we are likely to upset dancers who don't like
> that we're changing terms as it is. It may *sound* like a boring
> descriptor, but I feel my job as a caller is to describe the move and let
> the dancer decide what the mood is going to be for that individual dancer,
> based on their own feelings and their own connection to the music. So I
> plan to stick with "right shoulder round".
> >>
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > List Name: Callers mailing list
> > List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
>
>
