A Different Way Forward https://share.google/1OzBw4bN7wf8Zu9JN
I am calling this weekend and walked this dance through with a small group
last night to prepare. I thought it was such an easy, straightforward
dance. 😆 No hard moves, everything flows into the next move nicely... The
end effects were tripping people up even though they *knew* what was going
on. These were all experienced dancers. We only had 2 hands fours and it's
a triple progression dance, so everyone was always involved in end effects.
Maybe that's the only reason it was so complicated. I do know more things I
could point out from the beginning now (the ladies that are out won't be
doing the first allemande, but everybody will be doing the second
allemande; all the ladies will be traveling counterclockwise around the
major set and all the men will be traveling clockwise) but I'm afraid to
call it on Saturday. Is this dance really that hard? What should I think?
😅 How do I do a better walkthrough? I don't want it to be information
overload but do I need to give a big picture explanation of the dance
before anyone starts moving? Or is this just all going to go better in
longer sets and people will sort out the end effects... ? It's such a fun
dance that I don't want to give it up but I don't want it to be a flop
either.
I'm trying to get in touch with Tom Hinds to ask whether I may put a
modified version of his dance "Portland Chain" on my website, but have
had no reply. I'm using an address with yahoo but if someone has a more
recent one please let me know.
Colin Hume
Email: colin(a)colinhume.com Website: https://colinhume.com
Hi Folks,
I wanted to report in as some of you gave some alternative B1/B2 parts to
Anne's Dream and I was able to workshop a few this weekend to some really
great success.
(I would have tried others but I'm thinking about the context of my local
dance community and what might work best here given their familiarity. I
really appreciate everyone who chimed in though.)
The first we tried was Lisa Sieverts' version:
*B1: 1s with #3 neighbor, balance and allemande right 1 1/2, 1s with #2
neighbor, balance and allemande left 1 1/2B2: 1s cast to bottom. All step
up and 2H turn or swing to their original side.I’m tempted by a mirror
allemande in B1, which I think would leave both 1s facing out at the end of
the second allemande, but fear that would be too complicated.*
When we tested this, we quickly found that there wasn't enough time to
balance and do the Allemands + cast/swing. What we ended up doing is
B1: 1&3s Neighbour Allemand R 1.5 --> 1&2s Neighbour Allemand L 1.5
B2: Kept the same.
The dancers really liked this version. They did point out that the cast
should be prompted as the 1s forget what to do at the top. Folks also
really liked the idea of the mirror Allemande but we didn't test that.
Trickiest part is the 1s turn around to start Als right after popping thru.
The second we tried was Jacob Bloom's version:
*B1 Take hands in a ring, top couple (original #2 couple) make an arch, 1s
duck through the arch and separate, pulling couples 3 and 2 under the arch
as they cast back to placeB2 All swing partners in their new place*
Folks really liked this! There seemed to be too much music for the amount
of dance plus the end of A2 is a bit disorienting for the 1s. One dancer
suggested we do a Bal at the top of the B1 before the rip and snort as well
as a Bal at the top of the B2 before the P sw. That worked really well.
Anyway... just wanted to share in the thought that a few others might enjoy
trying these!
Thanks again to all those who chimed in to share ideas.
:) Emily in Ottawa
Hi Folks :)
I have what I think is a fun ask/challenge for a few of you.... I'm
wondering if you might be up for a triplet composition brainstorm?
Here's the situation....
One of the series that I call is to a very novice group of dancers - there
are VERY few contra dancers in the mix. I do a lot of squares, scatters,
the occasional very simple contra, and mix in other formations. Triplets
work really well for this group.
I came across the dance below a while back and I love love love the A part.
Super simple but quite enjoyable. When I've workshopped it at home though,
the B part is fairly tricky to get the actives to move up to the very top
to get to that cast off. (It should work but I've workshopped it with a
few other callers+ experienced dancers and doesn't seem intuitive/easy)
So... I was wondering if anyone might enjoy the challenge of coming up with
a fun second part to create a new dance? I thought I'd throw it out there
into the universe as I know some of you are dance composers and enjoy
taking aspects of a particular dance and playing with it.
Nooooo pressure - just a fun exploration for those who might enjoy.
:)
Emily in Ottawa
====================
Anne's Dream by Katy Heine
Triplet (can be danced no role if one wants)
A1: Top 4 circle L all the way. Balance. 2s arch & 1s thru.
A2: Bottom 4 circle L all the way. Balance. 3s arch & 1s thru.
B1: Couple 1 strips the willow back up to the top (I've played with this a
bit in terms of how many times around etc... it never seems to settle in)
B2: 1s cross and cast to bottom. All step up and 2H turn or swing.
As a caller and/or dance composer, when mentally visualizing a dance do you put the caller at the top or bottom of your mental simulation.
If the dance is Becket, do you put the caller off to the right or left?
I've got a variant of Leave 'em Hanging by Luke Donforth called "Leave
Them Standing" ("Leave 'em Standing?"), does anyone know who wrote this?
I don't recall where I got the card so it may be someone local, or maybe
it's in wider circulation?
I also feel like I'm missing something in the B2 since the same thing
takes 8 beats in the original dance. If you do have this card does it
match what I've got here?
Thanks,
Sam
A1. Circle left; N. swing
A2. Larks by the left, P. swing
B1. Long lines; balance and petronella
B2. Lark 1 cast CCW, single promenade ring out and around to next neighbors
--
Sam Whited
sam(a)samwhited.com
Hi all,
A good friend I made through contra dance has asked me to call some dancing
at her wedding reception. (She is also a budding caller who I mentored for
a while as she was getting started.) As soon as I said "yes", she asked
what compensation would be meaningful to me, which strikes me as a
thoughtful and thought-provoking way to put it.
While I ponder my answer, I'm curious to hear what other callers charge for
wedding dances. If there's a range, would you ask differently for newly-met
people vs. friends from your dance community vs. close friends and family?
What other factors would you consider?
For myself, for very close friends I have sometimes refused payment out of
love, considering it a wedding gift to them. Others view their own wedding
as a time of outward generosity and wouldn't dream of paying less than the
customary amount, whatever the heck that is. (I am also an occasional
wedding officiant and faced the same conundrum there, but at least have a
more well-defined range of fees from the local community to fall back on
when either side considers full payment to be needed.)
I have called enough family events that I know what to bring and what to
expect as a caller. I'd just like to focus on compensation here, unless
there's something about the work that's needed from the caller that would
influence what you ask.
Joseph Erhard-Hudson
Moscow, Idaho
Hey folks,
I wonder what people's thoughts are on end-of-the night thank-you's for a
contra dance.
Folks you might thank or call-out for applause:
Band
Caller
Organizers/volunteers
Sound person
I feel like a lot of places go band->caller->sound person; hopefully
thanking the volunteers at the announcements.
I can see doing the final band thank you right after the band gets to play
their big closing number for the evening. Everyone's amped up, call out the
band and then tack the other ones on.
But I think about the theater, where at the end of the performance the
performers come out for bows. There, it's usually chorus->supporting->main
cast; and by that system I think we should thank the band last. But usually
in theater when all the cast is on stage they give a thank you and wave to
the tech crew and director. Which would imply
caller->band->sound+organizers.
Just wondering what folks' thoughts were on the subject.
Happy dancing,
Luke Donforth
(Burlington, VT)
I may waive or halve my fee for a close friend but I always ensure the three-piece band gets their full fee. With sound and travel of 1-2 hours I charge $2000 to $2500 with half up front to hold the date. (Date is not guaranteed until deposit is paid.) We are the entertainment. We take a dinner party and turn it to a memorable, joyful, playful event that brings two families together. We are there for four or five hours working hard to make that event a success regardless of alcohol, children, or lousy dance floors. All the same to me--that's my job. I have spent hours pulling the band, sound, the couple's vision and program together and no matter how inexpensive the wedding, we are still often the cheapest piece.
Leslie Gotfrit
WWW.LeslieGotfrit.com
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> 1. Right hand high and left hand low figure (Elizabeth Bloom Albert)
> 2. Re: [External] Right hand high and left hand low figure
> (Tepfer, Seth)
> 3. Re: Right hand high and left hand low figure (john(a)modernjive.com)
> 4. Re: [External] Right hand high and left hand low figure
> (Elizabeth Bloom Albert)
> 5. Re: Right hand high and left hand low figure
> (Elizabeth Bloom Albert)
> 6. Re: Right hand high and left hand low figure (Yoyo Zhou)
> 7. Re: Right hand high and left hand low figure (Winston, Alan P.)
> 8. Thoughts on fees for a wedding dance? (Joseph Erhard-Hudson)
> 9. Re: Thoughts on fees for a wedding dance? (Rich Goss)
> 10. Re: Right hand high and left hand low figure (Louise Siddons)
> 11. Re: Thoughts on fees for a wedding dance? (Mac Mckeever)
> 12. Re: Thoughts on fees for a wedding dance? (Katherine Kitching)
> 13. Re: Thoughts on fees for a wedding dance? (Luke Donforth)
> 14. Re: Thoughts on fees for a wedding dance? (Lorraine Sutton)
> 15. Re: Thoughts on fees for a wedding dance? (Lisa Sieverts)
> 16. Re: Right hand high and left hand low figure
> (Elizabeth Bloom Albert)
> 17. Re: Order of thanks (Bill Olson)
> 18. Re: Right hand high and left hand low figure (john(a)modernjive.com)
> 19. Re: Right hand high and left hand low figure (john(a)modernjive.com)
> 20. Re: Thoughts on fees for a wedding dance? (Julian Blechner)
> 21. Re: Order of thanks (Rich Dempsey)
> 22. Re: Order of thanks (Allison Jonjak)
> 23. Re: Right hand high and left hand low figure (Winston, Alan P.)
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