Contra Callers

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24 participants
4363 discussions

Re: [Callers] The Beginners' Lesson Tips?

by tavi merrill

As Richard said, it helps to focus on key concepts, rather than particular calls. There's a lot of great suggestions already in response to your query. I find it useful to organize the session around an outline, based on the styles of a couple callers who mentored me. 1. Have the dancers find a 'partner' and form a circle. Have the band, even just the fiddler, play a clearly-phrased tune - typically a jig. Have dancers circle L, circle R - internalize the feel of simply walking to the music, and feeling the eight-bar phrase. (Sometimes i teach the swing here, while the dancers are still in a circle, so two more experienced dancers can demo it in the center. This depends on how many beginners versus experienced dancers i have.) 2. I have the "gents" role face out. Emphasizing the elbows-down hand and arm position, i have them lean back, keeping the tension in their arms: this is shared weight. Ok, straighten up. Drop left hands and allemande R. Now allemande L. 3. Now, you've got your left hands joined. Join your right hands behind the lady's back.... promenade position. I have them promenade around the ring, (can have them reverse direction to teach the courtesy turn) and then promenade up to face the band. Turn to face that 'partner'. Voila: contra sets. >From here, it's pretty simple to teach hands-four, 1's and 2's, actives cross, ladies chain (remember that promenade position? here's a courtesy turn!) etc cetera. The truly fundamental concepts, though, like weight sharing, dance roles, feeling the music - are already established and easy to build on, and starting with the circle formation helps bring everyone in and allows you to interact with them more intimately and demo things with ease. As JD said, don't assume a move (e.g. a hey) is too 'difficult' for beginners. Most moves can be done easily if you find the right reference points and simple language to talk the dancers through them. I prefer to emphasize the concept of passing one shoulder with one dance role, and the opposite shoulder with the other; sneaking in a half-hey early in the evening and a full hey a couple dances later. Simple, positive.... amen. Don't forget that as the caller, you have a unique possibility to facilitate the learning curve, especially if the 'regulars' are cliquey. Ways to do that? After a few dances, have the noobs all raise their hands. Praise them, say they're doing great, and invite a round of applause. Sometimes i sneak in the suggestion that experienced dancers ask them to dance. Above all, though: have fun!!! If you're having fun, chances are the dancers will be having fun too. David "Tavi" Merrill

13 years, 7 months

Gig looking for talent

by Rickey Holt

Dear Caller, Musician or Sound Person A need for your talents is opening up with the re-starting of the dance in Deerfield, NH. We are writing to see if you, or any of those you call or play dances with, are available on a first Saturday sometime between November 2011 and May 2012. We are attempting to restart a local dance that the late Marianne Taylor started close to twenty years ago and that has continued since. The dance is special to us because of her tremendous and varied contribution to the dance community, and because of its special local character. For the love of the dance and in honor of the memory of Marianne Taylor. Contact Rickey Holt: holt.e(a)comcast.net ASAP Cheers, Rickey Holt, Peter Thompson and Sarah Mason, New Hampshire.

13 years, 7 months

Re: [Callers] A Burning Chorus Jig as seen from space

by David.Millstone＠valley.net

So Amy, in the first photo, which shows the whole camp, the word "Tribe" is visible in the desert. Why is the "e" backwards? Dyslexic burners, or Something Of Significance? David (former elementary school teacher) Millstone

13 years, 7 months

Re: [Callers] Callers Digest, Vol 86, Issue 1

by Donna Calhoun

It would not bother me to have my name left of, but some long-time dancers use that information in deciding which dances they can attend. Maybe you don't have to leave the name off. Just change the role to MC or some other title that does not have the square dance connection. Sent from my iPad On Oct 1, 2011, at 12:00 PM, callers-request(a)sharedweight.net wrote: > Send Callers mailing list submissions to > callers(a)sharedweight.net > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > callers-request(a)sharedweight.net > > You can reach the person managing the list at > callers-owner(a)sharedweight.net > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Callers digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: Recruiting new dancers (Greg McKenzie) > 2. Re: Recruiting new dancers (Richard Mckeever) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:09:14 -0700 > From: Greg McKenzie <grekenzie(a)gmail.com> > To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Recruiting new dancers > Message-ID: > <CAFqkWLtB9Lpvn3_xm7nc6vLTMYx23tgmOgKtJJBTc1ZR-2S-ow(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Thank you all for these great ideas. > > I agree that the square dance connection is a turn-off to lots of new > dancers considering contras. I just completed a flyer for an upcoming dance > here and this discussion has influenced my design. I love putting the > musician and band names on the flyer because it emphasizes the live music > and the kind of instruments used. After reading these comments, however, I > asked myself: Why list the caller's name? The presence of a "caller" > definitely links the dancing to the square dance tradition. So I removed my > own name as caller from the flyer. > > I'm not sure how other callers will take this but it makes sense to me. > Only the regular dancers will note who the caller is, and *the flyer is not > meant to target the regulars*. The name of the caller only raises questions > in the minds of people who know nothing about a contra dance. It seems to > me that the phrase: "All dances taught," should be sufficient information > for new folks. > > What do *you *think? How would you, as the caller, feel about having your > name left off of a flyer for a dance you are calling? > > - Greg McKenzie > > ************** > > On Tue, Sep 27, 2011 at 1:46 PM, Martha Edwards <meedwards(a)westendweb.com>wrote: > >> Just to set a record straight, I believe it was Spider Vetter who came up >> with the "Ants-Pants-Contradance" idea. My kid went to UChicago about the >> time she started the UChicago dance, and I heard the story back then. It >> was >> such a great idea I've been bragging on her ever since, and feel she should >> be given a whole bunch of credit from us! >> >> Here's what she said when I checked with her about it: >> >> That's absolutely true. I came up with the Ants-Pants-Contra dance >> promotion >> idea in November of 2001, and put it into circulation for the Hyde Park >> contra dance in the first week of January 2002. We accompanied the flyer >> with a huge campaign of sidewalk chalk, all around the University of >> Chicago >> campus, which Jena Barchas Lichtenstein and I spent several hours doing one >> cold January night in the snow. The flyers went up the same night. The >> guerilla approach to advertising was a huge success--the next day, people >> were talking about it nonstop, and I believe we had almost 80 attendees at >> the dance, most of them just interested parties who didn't have any idea >> what the event was. >> >> This was, incidentally, right around the time that we started holding the >> Hyde Park dances consistently every month, so the Hyde Park dance is now >> almost 10 years old. >> >> I met Julia Nickles only once, at a New Year's Eve party at the end of >> 2004. >> At that time, she was interested in new ideas to promote the dance at >> Brown, >> which she had just become involved with. I told her about my experience >> with >> the Hyde Park dance, and about some of my ideas, and I suggested that she >> try something like that. Julia asked if she could use some of my ideas and >> I >> said "sure, they seem to have worked in Chicago." >> >> Not a Big Deal, and Julia deserves a lot of credit, too, for getting the >> idea well-promoted. >> >> Spider also taught me NOT to tell people that "contra dancing is sort of >> like square dancing." Sometimes, she won't even tell people what it is. >> "You >> have to show up to find out," she'll say, or "it's fun dancing to live >> music." >> >> M >> E >> _______________________________________________ >> Callers mailing list >> Callers(a)sharedweight.net >> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers >> > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2011 16:38:47 -0700 (PDT) > From: Richard Mckeever <macmck(a)ymail.com> > To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Recruiting new dancers > Message-ID: > <1317425927.20654.YahooMailNeo(a)web120401.mail.ne1.yahoo.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 > > Greg, > > I hadn't thought about that before - but it makes sense.? The caller's name is meaningless to new dancers and could even be a distraction.? The bands often have colorful names that could attract attention.? You do have to try to look at it from a potential dancer's perspective.? I want to know about the event.? The caller's name is kind of an inside thing - I am sure no one sees the flyer and says - wow - look who's calling - I need to do this. > > Mac McKeever > > > > ________________________________ > From: Greg McKenzie <grekenzie(a)gmail.com> > To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> > Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 4:09 PM > Subject: Re: [Callers] Recruiting new dancers > > Thank you all for these great ideas. > > I agree that the square dance connection is a turn-off to lots of new > dancers considering contras.? I just completed a flyer for an upcoming dance > here and this discussion has influenced my design.? I love putting the > musician and band names on the flyer because it emphasizes the live music > and the kind of instruments used.? After reading these comments, however, I > asked myself: Why list the caller's name?? The presence of a "caller" > definitely links the dancing to the square dance tradition.? So I removed my > own name as caller from the flyer. > > I'm not sure how other callers will take this but it makes sense to me. > Only the regular dancers will note who the caller is, and *the flyer is not > meant to target the regulars*.? The name of the caller only raises questions > in the minds of people who know nothing about a contra dance.? It seems to > me that the phrase: "All dances taught," should be sufficient information > for new folks. > > What do *you *think?? How would you, as the caller, feel about having your > name left off of a flyer for a dance you are calling? > > - Greg McKenzie > > ************** > > On Tue, Sep 27, 2011 at 1:46 PM, Martha Edwards <meedwards(a)westendweb.com>wrote: > >> Just to set a record straight, I believe it was Spider Vetter who came up >> with the "Ants-Pants-Contradance" idea. My kid went to UChicago about the >> time she started the UChicago dance, and I heard the story back then. It >> was >> such a great idea I've been bragging on her ever since, and feel she should >> be given a whole bunch of credit from us! >> >> Here's what she said when I checked with her about it: >> >> That's absolutely true. I came up with the Ants-Pants-Contra dance >> promotion >> idea in November of 2001, and put it into circulation for the Hyde Park >> contra dance in the first week of January 2002. We accompanied the flyer >> with a huge campaign of sidewalk chalk, all around the University of >> Chicago >> campus, which Jena Barchas Lichtenstein and I spent several hours doing one >> cold January night in the snow. The flyers went up the same night. The >> guerilla approach to advertising was a huge success--the next day, people >> were talking about it nonstop, and I believe we had almost 80 attendees at >> the dance, most of them just interested parties who didn't have any idea >> what the event was. >> >> This was, incidentally, right around the time that we started holding the >> Hyde Park dances consistently every month, so the Hyde Park dance is now >> almost 10 years old. >> >> I met Julia Nickles only once, at a New Year's Eve party at the end of >> 2004. >> At that time, she was interested in new ideas to promote the dance at >> Brown, >> which she had just become involved with. I told her about my experience >> with >> the Hyde Park dance, and about some of my ideas, and I suggested that she >> try something like that. Julia asked if she could use some of my ideas and >> I >> said "sure, they seem to have worked in Chicago." >> >> Not a Big Deal, and Julia deserves a lot of credit, too, for getting the >> idea well-promoted. >> >> Spider also taught me NOT to tell people that "contra dancing is sort of >> like square dancing." Sometimes, she won't even tell people what it is. >> "You >> have to show up to find out," she'll say, or "it's fun dancing to live >> music." >> >> M >> E >> _______________________________________________ >> Callers mailing list >> Callers(a)sharedweight.net >> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers >> > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)sharedweight.net > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)sharedweight.net > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > End of Callers Digest, Vol 86, Issue 1 > **************************************

13 years, 7 months

New dance?

by Chris Weiler (home)

> > > > Hi All, > > I was wondering if you could tell me if this is a new sequence or not. I'm two states away from my cards and I don't know if this is too close to Melanie Axel-Lute's Almost Never Too Late. > > LL > Gent 's al R 1 1/2 > > P bal & sw > > Down the hall, turn as a couple, come back, bend the line > > R&L thru > Ladies Chain > > Let me know as soon as you can. > > Thanks! > > Chris >

13 years, 7 months

Re Recruiting new dancers

by John Sweeney

We have two types of flyer: 1) Informational flyers for people who have attended a dance: Small print, lots of dates, details of bands and callers 2) Marketing flyers/posters for people who haven't yet attended a dance: Large type, pictures, marketing hype - no details of callers, but usually mention the band to let them know it is live music. 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

13 years, 7 months

Recruiting new dancers

by Luke Donev

The post on walk-throughs for new dancers got me thinking about recruiting new dancers. This straddles dance caller and dance organizer, but I'd like to hear people's responses. I'm curious about people's experiences recruiting new dancers. I've seen several dances that do a lower cost for first time dancers to try to lower the barrier for entry. Has any group tried doing a coupon for a discount when they come back a second time? I feel like the venues for dances are usually such that folks don't randomly wander in. If folks show up for a first time, they've decided to come (or were brought). Does knowing there is a discount for first timers help make them come? When there is a discount, how often do the first timers know that coming in? I'm pondering the scenario where you charge full price for the first time, when they've committed to coming out, and then give them a coupon to come back at a discount price their second time. I know a lot of people who tried contra once and were hooked, and I've seen people who try for a little bit and then never come back. Is it worth trying to up the likelihood of a second experience, at what fractional cost for the first? Or should the focus be on that first experience, and making the barriers for entry as low as possible? If a group has the resources, then it can just say that the first two dances are cheaper, but I feel like giving someone a reminder, business card sized, with the website to check for more information, is a nice way of having them think about the dance at least once more. Do callers doing one night gigs announce local dance options if they know them? Or do you only talk about it with the folks who come up and ask? Presumably if a caller has been brought in, the organizer of the party knows the folks at the party and the local dance scene. Is it on the caller or the organizer to spread information about other chances to dance? And do you broadcast wide, or focus on the folks who seem really in to it. I think culturally, at a societal level, we've lost the sense that we can dance after our 20s at things besides weddings, which is a real shame. -- Luke Donev http://www.lukedonev.com Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com

13 years, 7 months

Ralph Page

by Cynthia Phinney

Okay all - I just made our reservations at the Holiday Inn for the 2012 Ralph Page weekend. Hope to see lots of you there! -cynthia

13 years, 7 months

Re: [Callers] Contra dance for frat pledges

by Brian Hamshar

Thanks for the clarification, JoLaine! This is exactly how I interpreted the concept in the first place: not an evil hazing but a good-natured game among dance-loving youth...another potentially effective vehicle like the "ants, pants" thing. This is the kind of fraternity I would have jumped at. Maybe it takes a younger guy like me to see all that, but I didn't think so. I really like the idea of a fraternity built around social dancing rather than drinking, mischief and all the rest. In a way, I think many of us profound gypsies could say we have something of an adult fraternity, maybe making up for what we didn't have in our college experience (at least in my case). I'm still laughing inside at the very idea of an old-school sadistic hazing-type frat taking any interest whatsoever in contra dancing. If they wanted to be evil about it, why not make them wear a skirt to a less friendly context...maybe a dance club. Then again, I could picture them getting bounced at the door, so maybe not. Yes, folks, I'd say this is humor - not humiliation. Now the question is whether the idea of a contra fraternity might spread to other campuses... -----Original Message----- From: "JoLaine Jones-Pokorney" <jolaine(a)gmail.com> First let it be said that the frat guy who came up with the idea thought the pledges would find it fun, not humiliating. His idea was that they would LIKE contra and want to keep coming. Why would it be humiliating to join in a group where there are others dressed in the same way and doing the same thing? Its not like asking a guy to wear a skirt to the mall or church. In the conversation, there were lots of ideas thrown around. Perhaps none of it will happen.

13 years, 7 months

Contra dance for frat pledges

by JoLaine Jones-Pokorney

First let it be said that the frat guy who came up with the idea thought the pledges would find it fun, not humiliating. His idea was that they would LIKE contra and want to keep coming. Why would it be humiliating to join in a group where there are others dressed in the same way and doing the same thing? Its not like asking a guy to wear a skirt to the mall or church. In the conversation, there were lots of ideas thrown around. Perhaps none of it will happen. JoLaine

13 years, 7 months

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