In the recent "easy dances" thread there was a brief discussion about
attracting attention and keeping dancers quiet enough to hear the walk
through, using humor.
what tricks/words do you use to get people laughing (and therefore paying
attention)? Here are a couple of things that I use. I find that as soon as
they are laughing with me, they are also paying attention.
1. Men (or everyone, or ladies), Identify your right hand. (Then use it for
a star or allemainde)
2. Take hands in a ring. Look at the person in your right hand. They don't
know you are looking at them, because they are looking at someone else....
(Before a petronella turn)
It's often just enough to make them smile, and pay attention, too. What are
some other possibilities?
Rich Hart.
Erik Barry Erhardt wrote:
> This is Lloyd Shaw's index of dances.
> http://www.lloydshaw.org/dance-figures.html
Jonathan Sivier wrote:
> I'm assuming that the Docey Doe in this dance isn't just a dos-a-do,
> but is a more complex set of movements. I know I've done some
> similar figures in the past, but is there an explanation for this
> somewhere on the web site?
One of the links in the index is to a “Docey-Doe and Visiting Couple Square.” The instructions for the docey-doe are at the bottom of that page. Those instructions (which I suspect are the work of Bill Litchman) include some variations and a helpful timing note for callers.
One caveat: Where it says “The instructions… in ‘Cowboy Dances’… are not quite correct,” it would be more accurate to say that the instructions in Shaw’s book and those on the LSF webpage describe two related-but-different versions of the docey-doe. And I wouldn’t say, referring to the first move, that one version is the reverse of the other; they’re just different.
Brief descriptions: In Shaw’s book, from a circle of four, the ladies pass left shoulders and face partner. On the webpage, from a circle of four, ladies do a rollaway with their opposite to face partner. In both versions, continue with left hand to partner, pull by, right hand around opposite, courtesy turn with partner.
The rollaway version seems to be more fun and also easier to teach and to understand. It’s the version in every film or video that I’ve seen that includes a docey-doe. (I suspect that Shaw and/or his teenage dancers came up with the rollaway version, too late for it to be included in Cowboy Dances. The book did have a print life of more than a decade, during which the description could conceivably have been changed; but there was a long series of photographs illustrating the figure, and perhaps the publisher balked at reshooting them.)
Tony Parkes
Billerica, Mass.
www.hands4.com<http://www.hands4.com>
New book! Square Dance Calling: An Old Art for a New Century
(to be published Summer 2017)
I'm way out in the boonies teaching square dance to a group of campers, and they asked for a dance called Roll Like Thunder. I did figure out that it's probably a square called Swing Like Thunder, but I'm not having much luck tracking down the actual moves. WiFi is really spotty out here, so I can't watch a video or listen to a recording. Does anyone have this dance in your collection? Thanks for any help.
Deborah Hyland St Louis
Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
Hi Deborah,
The move for two couples is also known as a California Show Basket,
an Appalachian Big Set/Square dance move.
I have the full Swing Like Thunder as:
First Couple out to the Right : Circle Up Four
Take Hands Across: Men take hands; Ladies take hands below
Ladies Bow: Men raise arms over Ladies' heads and bring them down to waist
level
Men Bow: Ladies lift arms over Men's heads to their shoulders - or keep hold
behind the Man's backs
Swing Like Thunder (Basket); Drop Hands; Circle Left
Pick up each next couple and repeat with 6 and 8 dancers:
Men Take Hands: Men step in and hold hands in a Circle
Ladies Bow: Ladies duck under the Men's Arches and take hands
The rest as above
You can see it danced at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5145AaQMliI
You can also have a lot of fun with Reverse the Basket - see 7:22 in this
video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdztRcvtY_o
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
Sharing a recent composition honoring one of our local super volunteers...
I love Mad Robins but find contra dancers routinely rush them - so I've
been writing dances that steal a bit of that 8 beat allotment for added
motion to come out dependably square. This has now been successfully called
by myself and one other caller.
Dedicated to Robin Humes – family friend and super volunteer in service of
the Concord Scout House area contra community. It’s only fitting this dance
include a Mad Robin (besides the obvious eponymous link), because Bob
Isaacs’ dance Redbeard Reel (commissioned by Robin for her husband – John
Wasser) features one as well.
When mentioning the title, I think it’s fun to give it proper super hero
intonation: “SUP-er Robin!” 🙂
Super Robin – DI – Don Veino 20170523
A1
Neighbor Gypsy (or Balance) & Swing
A2
Mad Robin CW 1+1/4 (Gents start Forward & Right, to Wave Across, G by LH in
center)
Short Wave Balance Right & Left, Twirl/Slide Right (Ladies Super Twirl
across)
B1
Partner (Balance &) Swing
B2
Circle Left 3/4 to Wave (L by LH in center, facing progression)
Wave Balance Fwd/Back, Dance Fwd to next
Hello folks,
I am curious what singing calls, if any, are being called nowadays. I am
hoping to build a traditional"singing square dance locally, and hope to use
tunes that bands might have heard or been exposed to.
I am familiar with the ones on Ralph Sweet's CD and Bob Dalsemer's two
collections.
Thanks,
Rich Sbardella
Stafford, CT
When teaching the Weevil, I've found it essential to make it clear that the dancers are NOT standing across from each other. The three dancers are standing across from the gaps between the four dancers. If the dancers stand across from each other, then finding the next diagonal dancer becomes very confusing.
Jacob
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<div>-------- Original message --------</div><div>From: DAVID HARDING via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> </div><div>Date:06/09/2017 5:06 PM (GMT-05:00) </div><div>To: John Sweeney <john(a)modernjive.com>,John Sweeney via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> </div><div>Subject: Re: [Callers] New Dance to Share </div><div>
</div>In observing the teaching of The Weevil, I found it helpful for some contra dancers to have the progression explained. Every time through the dance you should be moving two places to the right, wrapping around the aT the ends.
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I'm curious - what is it about having the ladies in the center that makes it work better?
Jacob
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<div>-------- Original message --------</div><div>From: Mac Mckeever via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> </div><div>Date:06/10/2017 1:48 PM (GMT-05:00) </div><div>To: Frederick Park <frederick(a)apalache.com>,Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net </div><div>Subject: Re: [Callers] New Dance to Share </div><div>
</div>Since you mentioned circle mixers - one of my current favorites is a very easy one that has been around for a while - but I only discovered it a couple years ago. I messed with it a little to make it work for all experience levels.
The Wheel by Gene Huber - random circle mixer
Start in a circle with Ladies facing partner with their backs to center - holding 2 hands with partner (I think the original had the gents in the center - but I found it works better this way)
A1 - Into the center - all drop hands with partner take hands with the persons on both sides of you - so you have a circle of gents facing in and a circle of ladies facing out
walk back out so both circles are near their full size - there is lots of time to get everything done in this part.
A2 - everyone circle left (this makes the circles turn in opposite directions
B1 - everyone balance and swing (or do-si-do and swing depending on the experience level) who ever is in front of them at the time - lost and found is in the center.
B2 Prominade with current partner - ladies on outside - roll ladies to the inside to get ready for A1
Mac McKeever
From: Frederick Park via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
To: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Sent: Saturday, June 10, 2017 10:54 AM
Subject: Re: [Callers] New Dance to Share
Dear Folks,
This little opening for discussion of unusual dances that are not contra or square is delightful. Thank you all.
"Le Brandy" and the “Weevil" are both new to me and have great potential I think.
Erik, I don’t have your “double becket" dance - will you send it my way?
The other dances are well known to me and I wish to offer a teaching element I’ve used successfully in the Pat Shaw dance, K + E.
Once sets are established, 1s on the outside facing in, 2s standing back to back in the center facing outside couples, the primary dance move that makes it all work out is the partner relationship.
I ask all to practice once or twice “Change Hands” with Partners. Obviously, those in the center, the 1s, when changing the direction they face at any time places their own Partner on one side and then the other.
Simply suggesting that the call is “Change Hands” when practicing the move makes it unique and clear and simple, all at once!
Having the sense of “double beckett” is not so very intuitive for dancers simply because this dance is a one-of-a-kind dance. I can “see” it but I wouldn’t mention it to dancers.
The 1s need to “bond”. As well those far across on the opposite side of the set, the 2s, need to “bond” or recognize they are a unit…which is all the more useful once any couples reach the end of the set.
To that end I ask the dancers to change places with couple they are initially facing (each 1 changes places with their original 2) and the “Change Hands” introduces them to their other half for any who are in the center four.
The only thing that pushes this dance into the realm of “intermediate to advanced” is the final 8 bars of the dance, the progression.
Those on the outside are swinging their Partners and could and should “move up the hall” every so slightly.
Meanwhile the center four have just met again (the “magic” includes meeting their Partners!) and are with their “other half”, the 2s!
The 1s then “Circle Down - three quarters ‘round - and Change Hands”.
This call indicates the movement of Circle Left 3/4 WHILE moving down the hall ever so slightly (to end with “Trade Hands in the Center”, face out and meet a new Couple 2 to begin again . . .
I’ve found that the movement of Circle and move is akin the square dance chorus figure of four dancers moving in a circle Left while dancing in Promenade direction around the “other couple”.
So introducing such a chorus in a square dance one or two dances earlier allows the whole dance hall to be a bit familiar with the similar pattern used in K+E!
Lastly, may I recommend that any of you may also find interest in Pat Shaw’s “The American Husband”! It’s a sicillian circle for groups of three, very unusual progression and includes a Shetland Hey (for three) with each couple dancing as a single unit in a hey for three pattern! Let me know if you can’t find it and I’ll post it here.
More dances? Yes, please! (especially circle mixers and sicillian circles) : )
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Frederick Park
3377 Halls Chapel Road
Burnsville, NC 28714
828.335.5630
frederick(a)apalache.com
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Hi Frederick,
You'll find lots of dances at:
http://contrafusion.co.uk/Dances.htmlhttp://contrafusion.co.uk/DancesEDS.html
If you call the Weevil, the most helpful things you can do are:
Make sure everyone knows that there are seven positions and the "threes"
must face the gaps between the "fours" - remind them every time the figure
eights and the tunnels end - "face a gap"
As they go through the tunnel call, "First go right, second go left" (Or
vice versa if you set the set up as it was originally written) - that REALLY
helps them to end up on the correct side
Tell the last two of the tunnel not to bother if the set is behind the music
- just get ready for the next time through.
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
