Contra Callers

contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net

8 participants
4417 discussions

by Rich Sbardella

Folks, I found a square sequence I wrote a while ago? Does it exist in trad-dance circles? Heads R&L Thru (8), Hds Pass Thru, Sep @1 into middle and Bx Gnat. (12) Same 4 RH Star (8) to corner Alle Left (6) P DSD (6), Corner Swg (8) Full Promenade (16) Thanks, Rich Sbardella Stafford Springs, CT Home of the Stafford Stomp!

8 years, 2 months

Were These Dances Written Before?

by Dugan Murphy

Does anybody recognize these two choreographical sequences as dances that have already been written by someone else? I came up with them yesterday, but they look basic enough to be already-composed, so I want to give credit where it is due if I'm not the first to land on these sequences. "Hanging Out in Portland" by Dugan Murphy (improper, double progression) A1 Neighbor right shoulder spiral/gypsy and swing (16) A2 Gents Left Hand Allemand 1.5 (8) / Partner Pass Right to Start Half Hey Across (8) B1 Partner right shoulder spiral/gypsy and swing (16) B2 Circle Left Three Places (7) - Partner Weave Left Past This Couple (3) - Weave Right Past Second Couple (3) - Weave Left to Face 3rd Neighbor on the Side (3) "Get the Baby" by Dugan Murphy (improper, single progression) A1 Neighbor Balance and swing (16) A2 Gents Left Hand Allemand 1.5 (8) / Partner Pass Right to Start Half Hey Across (8) B1 Partner Balance and swing (16) B2 Ladies Chain Across to Neighbor (8) / Left Hand Star Once (8) "Hanging Out in Portland" came about while looking at "Valerie's Trip to Portland" by Erik Weberg and "Leave Them Hanging" by Luke Donforth at the same time. "Get the Baby" is like a lot of basic star-progression dances, but I guess I had "Get Me Going" by Lisa Greenleaf and "The Baby Rose" by David Kaynor on my mind at the time when I was looking for a different progression sequence to accompany the swing-allemand-hey-swing sequence. Thanks, everybody Dugan Murphy Portland, Maine dugan at duganmurphy.com www.DuganMurphy.com www.PortlandIntownContraDance.com www.NufSed.consulting

8 years, 2 months

Contra Dances with Modern Western Square Dance Figures

by Mark Hillegonds

Hi all, I'm preparing for a workshop at a dance weekend in November where the theme will be contra dances that incorporate square dance moves. I have a number dances with square thrus and swing thrus and box circulates. However, these moves are fairly well known at this point. This will be an advanced group of dancers so I'm looking for dances that incorporate more unique and sophisicated moves. I know Bob Isaacs has several that quality, with dances that use Spin the Top and Spin Chain Exchange the Gears. Looking forward to seeing what you may have. -- *Mark Hillegonds* Cell: 734-756-8441 Email: mark.hillegonds(a)gmail.com

8 years, 2 months

How to Use Archives? Are they working?

by Mark Hillegonds

Hi all, Are the Sharedweight Archives working? I can't seem to get any searches to return results. I tried to search the archives for various square dance moves, but kept getting 0 results. So I tried terms that really ought to return results and still got nothing. For example: when I search for the word "ladies", I get 0 (zero) results. Same when I search for the word "chain". Just to see if it mattered, I tried with and without quotes and both upper and lower cases...no dice! The few options available for entering search criteria would seem to limit the possibility to screw it up. So I"m scratching my head on this. Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks. -- *Mark Hillegonds* Cell: 734-756-8441 Email: mark.hillegonds(a)gmail.com

8 years, 2 months

Last Minute Advice

by John Freeman

Hi All, I have been calling for almost 37 years, but have mostly been on “emeritus” status since I moved to an island that has no regular dances. The last dance I called was on Cape Cod 18 months ago. That dance is the only one I can get to; not more than once or twice a year. Attending that dance requires a ferry ride and leaving at intermission to catch the last ferry home. Anyway, I am going from no dances in 18 months to 3 in three weeks. Tonight’s dance will be mostly “rookies”, but I expect a handful of experienced dancers. The other two dances will full of new dancers. I have my usual ONS list of dances. I wonder if you might share a few newer dances that can easily be taught and danced by these folks. I will be working with a really great string band, so the music will be great for these dances. Thanks in advance, John B. Freeman, SFTPOCTJ

8 years, 2 months

Re: [Callers] Multiple N swings / does this dance exist?

by Ron Blechner

The biggest caution I'd say is that 2 Neighbor swing has a higher chance of too-much-clockwise. I saw four dances in these suggestions with 40 beats of clockwise rotation for at least one of the roles, which is right around the threshold where people are getting dizzy but not quite noticing it. I've got some in my box at home - I'll try and dig some out and forward them. I second "Cheat Lake Gypsies" - that ones in my box and a definite good dance! Ron Blechner On Sep 20, 2017 1:11 PM, "Isaac Banner via Callers" < callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: Hi Maia, Here's one of my own - *Grab Bag* Contra/Dup Imp/Easy A1 LLFB (new) neighbor swing A2 Ladies RS full hey B1 Ladies pass right Partner turn right shoulder, swing B2 Circle left 3/4 (same) neighbor swing Notes I've found folks are also happy just skipping the right shoulder 'round / gypsy in the B1 and going straight to the swing - either way works, your mileage may vary. On Wed, Sep 20, 2017 at 6:30 AM Angela DeCarlis via Callers < callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > Howdy Maia! > > "Cheat Lake Gypsies" sprung to mind. I think I had it down as a Cary > Ravitz dance, but on his website, it looks like it was done collaboratively > by a group of folks at a dance weekend. Of course, the other annoying thing > about this dance is that the title includes the G-word. I trust you'll > handle that in some way that feels appropriate for you and your audience. :) > > Cheat Lake Gypsies > Becket CCW > > A1 - Take hands in a ring and balance (4). > - Ladies gypsy 1/2 (4). > - Neighbors swing (8). > > A2 - Neighbors promenade around the full set (oval), counter-clockwise > (6). > - Ladies turn back to find a new neighbor (2). > - (New) neighbors swing (8). > > B1 - Take hands with the full set and circle left (8). > - Keep your neighbor and look for your partner to circle left 3/4 (8). > > B2 - Partners gypsy and swing (16). > > > On Wed, Sep 20, 2017 at 8:07 AM, Linda Leslie via Callers < > callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > >> Here are a few for you, Maia. Hope the workshop is a lot of fun! >> Linda >> ps: I have not seen your dance before… >> >> *Back from Vermont* >> by David Zinkin >> Contra/Improper/Int >> >> A1 ----------- >> Neighbor swing >> Long lines forward and back >> A2 ----------- >> Star right three-quarters to long waves (P right, gents out, ladies in) >> Balance the long wave >> Shadow allemande left once >> B1 ----------- >> Partner Balance and Swing >> B2 ----------- >> Circle left three-quarters >> Swing same neighbor >> At ends, don't cross! shadow! >> >> *Got Nice Neighbors* >> by Billy Boyer >> Contra/Becket-CW/Easy >> >> A1 ----------- >> Down the Hall four in line, turn as a couple, return >> A2 ----------- >> Circle left 3/4 >> (8) Neighbor swing >> B1 ----------- >> (8) Long lines, forward and back >> (8) NEXT Neighbor swing* >> B2 ----------- >> (8) Ladies allemande Right 1-1/2 >> (8) Partner swing >> >> *Naked in California* >> by Nils Fredland >> Contra/Improper/Int >> >> A1 ----------- >> Long lines forward and back >> Neighbor swing >> A2 ----------- >> Ladies allemande right One-Half >> Partner allemande left three-quarters >> Shadow allemande right once and a half (ladies out, gents face in) >> B1 ----------- >> Long waves balance right, left, Slide right >> Partner swing >> B2 ----------- >> Circle left three-quarters >> Same neighbor swing >> >> *Around the Sound* >> by Cary Ravitz >> Contra/Becket-CW/Adv >> >> A1 ----------- >> (var. on Give & Take): Long lines forward >> Neighbor gypsy 1/2, gent back up with N to swing (ladies side) >> A2 ----------- >> (8) 1/2 Hey, men passing left shoulders >> Same Neighbor swing >> B1 ----------- >> Long lines forward, P gypsy 1/2 (same effect as pass thru, TA) >> (8) Star Right 3/4 >> NEW GENTS alle L once (ladies step L to meet P) >> >> B2 ----------- >> P B&S >> >> *CDS Reel* >> by Ted Sannella >> Contra/Improper/Easy >> >> A1 ----------- >> Neighbor swing >> Long lines forward and back (end join in) >> A2 ----------- >> Whole set circle left >> Circle right >> B1 ----------- >> Star left three-quarters >> Gents turn back and swing partner >> B2 ----------- >> Gents allemande left once and a half >> Same neighbor Swing >> >> >> On Sep 19, 2017, at 11:19 PM, Maia McCormick via Callers < >> callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: >> >> Hey folks, >> >> Looking for a dance with multiple swings with the same N, and also >> preferably a P b&s, for a workshop I'm running on in-dance communication. >> Anyone have one to recommend? >> >> On a similar note, this is the dance I tossed off to fill this need: does >> it exist? If not, tentatively titling it "Good Fences". >> >> Improper >> A1: long lines forward and back >> (new) N swing >> A2: ladies chain to P >> half hey (ladies pass R) >> B1: P b&s >> B2: gents alle. L 1 1/2 >> (same) N swing >> _______________________________________________ >> Callers mailing list >> Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net >> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Callers mailing list >> Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net >> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net >> >> > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

8 years, 2 months

terminology in Sicilian Circle

by Sue C. Hulsether

Does anyone have an opinion about the use of the term “neighbor” and the term “opposite” in a Sicilian Circle? “Neighbor” is more correct from a contra perspective, but “opposite" feels more correct to me from a square dance perspective. thanks, sue Sue Hulsether shulsether(a)mac.com www.suehulsether.com 608-632-1267 Cell 608-629-6250 Home P.O. Box 363 Viroqua, WI 54665

8 years, 2 months

Under the Birches ECD Tune.......Is there a dance written for it?

by Lorraine Sutton

Hi, I am preparing my program for my ECD group this Fall, Lord Greys ECD in southern Ontario. I was listening to Vol. #14 of CDSS ECD and loved The Waltz by Earl Gaddis Under the Birches. Wondering if a dance has been written for this gorgeous music. Thanks for any help with this Lorraine Sutton

8 years, 3 months

Grid Contra: Contra Bias (as in, on the diagonal)

by Luke Donforth

Hello all, I had a three hour drive to a gig the other day, and ruminated (again) on grid contras. I think I've come up with a potentially dancable one. This is advanced-dance stuff, not to be deployed lightly. And while I hope it won't take 3 hours to digest this e-mail, I'm going to get into the weeds here. Dive in only if you feel like bush-whacking with me. Here we go... I'm going at it from a theoretical framework, from the ground up. This is NOT how I'd teach it to dancers. If you want to start with the dance, jump to down to *Contra Bias* in bold. One drawback to grid contras attempts is what I'll call the "corner issue" (discussed in more detail in footnote); where folks travel on diagonal lines and get stuck in closed loop. Grid Squares can break the loop by having figures and breaks that do different things. You're less likely to get stuck in a corner when you progress in different ways at different times through the dance. But modern contra is defined by doing the same sequence every time through. I personally enjoy, as a dancer and as a caller, when the caller can drop out and let the dancers move to the music. (It's why I'm biased towards contras.) So I want a sequence that doesn't trap dancers in a corner loop, but is the same sequence every time. So I think we need to de-couple the up and down the set progression from the lateral progression from set to set. If you're a 1, you're going to stay a 1 until you reach the bottom of the set, whether or not you reach the edge of the sets. The 2s will be 2s until they reach the top of the hall. But if you were progressing to the right across sets, when you reach the edge, you have to start progressing left; or you'll run out of dancers. So some folks are progressing right, and some left. That means that different sets will have different progressions. Let's set up a dance hall, 8 sets wide, and 4 hands-four deep. Stage is to the North (or you can think of N for Nutcase Caller...) (*I've attempted to format this with a fixed-width font to keep the grid clear. If it doesn't line up, your e-mail program may have changed the formatting*). N 1s(A1) 1s(B1) 1s(C1) 1s(D1) 1s(E1) 1s(F1) 1s(G1) 1s(H1) 2s(a1) 2s(b1) 2s(c1) 2s(d1) 2s(e1) 2s(f1) 2s(g1) 2s(h1) 1s(A2) 1s(B2) 1s(C2) 1s(D2) 1s(E2) 1s(F2) 1s(G2) 1s(H2) 2s(a2) 2s(b2) 2s(c2) 2s(D2) 2s(e2) 2s(f2) 2s(g2) 2s(h2) W E 1s(A3) 1s(B3) 1s(C3) 1s(D3) 1s(E3) 1s(F3) 1s(G3) 1s(H3) 2s(a3) 2s(b3) 2s(c3) 2s(D3) 2s(e3) 2s(f3) 2s(g3) 2s(h3) 1s(A4) 1s(B4) 1s(C4) 1s(D4) 1s(E4) 1s(F4) 1s(G4) 1s(H4) 2s(a4) 2s(b4) 2s(c4) 2s(D4) 2s(e4) 2s(f4) 2s(g4) 2s(h4) S 1s are going progressing south. 2s are progressing north. Sets A, C, E, and G will all be right-progressing. Sets B, D, F, H, will be left-progressing. It doesn't matter if the west-most set is right or left, but it does need to alternate. Right/left progressing here means relative to the direction they're facing. Left-progressing D set has 1s(D) progressing south and east; and 2s(d) progressing north and west. Right-progressing E set has 1s(E) progressing south and west; and 2s(e) progressing north and east. When a couple reaches the edge of the set, (which westward progressing 1s(As) will do after one time through; as will eastward 1s(Hs)) we need them to come back in the set still the same 1s or 2s, but now going the other way laterally (east/left for the initial As; west/right for the initial Hs). Because I don't want to have folks wait out on the sides as well as the top and bottom; I'm going to go for a double lateral progression. So we've set up requirements, for progression and consistent moves; which means we have to have moves that put different people in different places; something like "1s half figure 8", but you need to be able to differentiate the dancers in the rightward/leftward sets; and it shouldn't be something that is called for only half of the sets (although, like 1/2 figure 8, or gents allemande left, I do consider having half the dancers move okay, especially if we can keep it balanced over the course of the dance). The solution that occurred to me while driving on highway 89 was corners. I'd call them 1st and 2nd corners, but those have specific meaning to English Country dancers; so I'm going to call it Bias Corners and Other Corners; where Bias is from the sewing and/or cooking sense, and refers to "on the diagonal". If you're a leftward progressing couple, you're facing another leftward progressing couple. The Bias Corners are the folks on the left of each couple (i.e. the gents role). The Other Corners for left-ward progressing couples are the folks on the right (i.e. the ladies role). For rightward progressing couple, the Bias Corners are the folks on the right of each couple (ladies role), and the Other Corners are the folks on the left (gents role). The bias pair for left/right progressing couple is not the left/right diagonal; it's the opposite diagonal; i.e. the left progressing bias couple is the right diagonal couple. *Bias Contra* Grid contra of duple improper Alternating leftward and rightward progressing sets. Single vertical progression, double lateral progression. Any number of equal-length* sets, ideally 3 or more. *A1* (4) Balance the ring of four (4) Bias Corners trade places, passing by left shoulder; all face neighbor across the set (8) Half hey across the sets; passing four people (initial neighbor right, then left N2, right N3, left N4, all will be opposite role dancers) *A2* With Partner and New Neighbor (#5) (4) Balance the ring of four (12) Swing Neighbor on the top or bottom, end facing up or down the set, towards your partner *B1* (4) Balance the Ring of four (12) Partner swing on the side of the set, end facing across at the neighbor you just swing *B2* (4) Balance the Ring of four (4) Other Corners trade places, passing by left shoulders (4) Right hand to partner, balance (4) Pull by partner right, current neighbor left *Notes:* Bias Corners: In a left progressing set, this is the gents (the folks on the left); for a right progressing set, this is the ladies (the folks on the right). Other Corners: In a left progressing set, this is the ladies (the folks on the right); for a right progressing set, this is the gents (the folks on the left). Edge effects: This is a double lateral progression. When you reach the edge of the sets, you pass your partner by the left as one of the passes in your hey (2nd or 4th) and trade lines that you're heying across the set in. You've just swapped left/right progressing End effects: When you run out of couples top or bottom, you wait out one time. 1s become 2s, and vice versa. Your left/right progression status DOES NOT change, but the wall (East/West) that you're laterally progressing towards DOES change, because you've turned around. *: Equal Length: It's not terrible if the sets aren't completely even. If you had some extra, they could be a partial across the bottom (each X is a hands four): XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXX But they should all be contiguous, not XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XX X X X which would create awkward mini-loops in the dangling sets. To look at where folks end up after one time through the dance, lets go back to our grid, with A, C, E, G our rightward sets: N R L R L R L R L 1s(A1) 1s(B1) 1s(C1) 1s(D1) 1s(E1) 1s(F1) 1s(G1) 1s(H1) 2s(a1) 2s(b1) 2s(c1) 2s(d1) 2s(e1) 2s(f1) 2s(g1) 2s(h1) 1s(A2) 1s(B2) 1s(C2) 1s(D2) 1s(E2) 1s(F2) 1s(G2) 1s(H2) 2s(a2) 2s(b2) 2s(c2) 2s(D2) 2s(e2) 2s(f2) 2s(g2) 2s(h2) W E 1s(A3) 1s(B3) 1s(C3) 1s(D3) 1s(E3) 1s(F3) 1s(G3) 1s(H3) 2s(a3) 2s(b3) 2s(c3) 2s(D3) 2s(e3) 2s(f3) 2s(g3) 2s(h3) 1s(A4) 1s(B4) 1s(C4) 1s(D4) 1s(E4) 1s(F4) 1s(G4) 1s(H4) 2s(a4) 2s(b4) 2s(c4) 2s(D4) 2s(e4) 2s(f4) 2s(g4) 2s(h4) S After one time through the dance: N R L R L R L R L 2s(b1) 2s(d1) 2s(a1) 2s(f1) 2s(c1) 2s(h1) 2s(e1) 2s(g1) - OUT 1s(C1) 1s(A1) 1s(E1) 1s(B1) 1s(G1) 1s(D1) 1s(H1) 1s(F1) 2s(b2) 2s(d2) 2s(a2) 2s(f2) 2s(c2) 2s(h2) 2s(e2) 2s(g2) 1s(C2) 1s(A2) 1s(E2) 1s(B2) 1s(G2) 1s(D2) 1s(H2) 1s(F2) 2s(b3) 2s(d3) 2s(a3) 2s(f3) 2s(c3) 2s(h3) 2s(e3) 2s(g3) W E 1s(C3) 1s(A3) 1s(E3) 1s(B3) 1s(G3) 1s(D3) 1s(H3) 1s(F3) 2s(b4) 2s(d4) 2s(a4) 2s(f4) 2s(c4) 2s(h4) 2s(e4) 2s(g4) 1s(C4) 1s(A4) 1s(E4) 1s(B4) 1s(G4) 1s(D4) 1s(H4) 1s(F4) - OUT S As for actually teaching it; the criteria I would want before trying: - You need dancers that want to stretch their brain. No sense calling this for caller ego, it has to be something folks are excited to try. - You need enough dancers to make enough sets to make it interesting. It would work with 2 or 3 sets (or even technically 1 set, although why bother then) - The room should have visible cues to help anchor dancers (like the stage, quilt, exits, and bleachers at Flurry; but even those might not be noticeable enough) - You need enough space to enable swinging on the side of the set, and top/bottom of the set of four I'd get the dancers lined up in regular sets. Then have them take wide lines between the sets to make sure they're lined up that way too. Then back to long lines in their contra sets, and have the sets count off; left-right-left-etc to identify their initial lateral progression direction. I'd mention it's a double lateral progression; and that you switch lateral progression direction at the edges; and up/down the set only at the top and bottom. I'd explain Bias Corners. Do the first move, start the half hey and mention that you're passing 4 people of the opposite role. If you reach the end, pass your partner as one of your four and trade lines that you're heying in. When you've just come in off the ends, or around the edges; trust the folks coming at you with regards to who is Bias/Other corners. Mentioning small swing would be critical, since you'll need to end tight enough that you can go from a swing to a ring balance. And I think it's worth walking twice, just so that people don't have to go back ;-) I welcome feedback on the whole thing; but also see this mostly as a theoretical exercise about what a grid contra could be. The conditions to actually call it seem less common than a solar eclipse; and there's not a great way to practice it ahead of time. But if someone wants to get a couple hundred people together, I'd be game to give it a go. Thanks for even reading this far. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Footnote:* *Corner Issue (or why I de-coupled the progression directions):* Standard contra has you progress up and down the line, turning around when you reach an end. If everyone in a grid contra were to progress to the right one set while also progressing up and down, you're progressing on a diagonal. When you reach the edge of the set; you have to swap number, or the grid runs out of dancers. One you pop out of the bottom as 1s in a regular contra, you have to come back as a 2s to replace the folks that would normally have danced with you and moved past you. Same thing on the edges for and all-same lateral progression grid contra. In a case where you have 8 sets A-H, 4 hands four deep: 1s(A1) 1s(B1) 1s(C1) 1s(D1) 1s(E1) 1s(F1) 1s(G1) 1s(H1) 2s(a1) 2s(b1) 2s(c1) 2s(d1) 2s(e1) 2s(f1) 2s(g1) 2s(h1) 1s(A2) 1s(B2) 1s(C2) 1s(D2) 1s(E2) 1s(F2) 1s(G2) 1s(H2) 2s(a2) 2s(b2) 2s(c2) 2s(D2) 2s(e2) 2s(f2) 2s(g2) 2s(h2) 1s(A3) 1s(B3) 1s(C3) 1s(D3) 1s(E3) 1s(F3) 1s(G3) 1s(H3) 2s(a3) 2s(b3) 2s(c3) 2s(D3) 2s(e3) 2s(f3) 2s(g3) 2s(h3) 1s(A4) 1s(B4) 1s(C4) 1s(D4) 1s(E4) 1s(F4) 1s(G4) 1s(H4) 2s(a5) 2s(b4) 2s(c4) 2s(D4) 2s(e4) 2s(f4) 2s(g4) 2s(h4) If the progression for a grid contra were: 1s down the set 1 couple, and right one set 2s up the set 1 couple, and right one set Then when couple 1s(A1) finished one time through the dance, they'd come back in as the 2s(a1) couple. The initial 2s(a1) will come in as 1s(A1); and they'd never get to dance with anyone else. The B1 couples would only get dance with 2 other couples. C1 with 3. D1 with four, and which point the length and width tie for influence. But everyone from D1 to A4 is stuck in their corner, travelling back and forth on a diagonal line. If all the 1s and 2s progress in different directions, i.e. 1s down and right, 2s down and left; then you're shifting the whole dance hall; i.e. folks are shifting into sets to the right of A, and leaving set H. Other progression attempts, say 1s down and right 2; 2s up and right 2; just draw different diagonal lines through the matrix. You could try to set up a diamond set, but that's logistically a pain, and you'd still only be travelling in one set, it would just be on a diagonal compared to regular progression. You could make a single-lateral progression grid contra, and have folks wait out at the sides. The waiting out folks could swap with another waiting out couple to switch the diagonal line that they were bouncing around in. But it'd either be chaotic with random swapping (and who would want to go to the "bad" corner and get stuck) or systematic - everyone shuffles two places along; but then folks have to run from top to bottom; and grid contras are designed for large numbers of dancers. The alternating lateral progression sets of *Bias Contra* creates (in my mind) two sub-lattices of contra sets, who's boundary conditions for propagating units (i.e. couples) feed into each other. But I don't know that thinking of it that way would make sense to anyone besides a physicist. -- Luke Donforth Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com <Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com>

8 years, 3 months

Re: [Callers] Pre-dance preparation

by Bev Young

Here in Montana, I routinely travel 100-300 miles (one way!) to call dances. I, too, leave early and use my driving time as an opportunity to practice calling. I arrange my program ahead of time, put on some music as I travel and call. Going over the dances while I drive gives me time to practice and also to realize when consecutive dances are too similar. I feel more prepared for these distant dances than I do for the local ones, due to the practice. Bev Young

8 years, 3 months

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