Contra Callers

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4380 discussions

by Luke Donforth via Callers

Hello folks, There was a recent call for new dances, but I can't find the thread, so here's a fresh post. Continuing what I think of as a long-standing tradition of contra dance choreography stealing moves from other dances; I've written a few with the mini-dip, a move from swing dancing. (Despite the name, it's not really a dip) I was recently on a small tour with Chimney Swift, and premiered one at the BIDA dance in Boston. You can check out a video of it here: https://goo.gl/photos/qaeUuuSKt9PKBY3v8 For an explanation of what swing dancers consider a mini dip: https://youtu.be/nGI9IfhSCQE?t=6 https://youtu.be/LiElJr7YSQA?t=99 There's different opinions in swing if it's a 6 count or 8 count move, but I put it in 8 counts. The break down: 1-2: moving forward on balance 3-4: moving backwards on balance 5: pull past each other 6: clap (while low and moving) 7: catch hands 8: style pause Functionally, it's like a box the gnat; but folks let go and have an opportunity to clap and add style. The entire dance in that video is ~75% Bob Isaacs' "United We Dance"; replacing long wavy Rory O'More's in the A1 with the mini-dip sequence, so it's called "United We Mini-Dip". Improper A1 (8) Right hand to neighbor, balance, and mini-dip; catch right hands (2) Pull by right with current neighbor to previous neighbor (6) Previous neighbor allemande Left 1x, back to current neighbor A2 (16) Current neighbor balance and swing B1 (6) Circle left 3/4 (10) Partner swing B2 (8) Ladies Chain to neighbor (8) Left Hand Star 1x I know NB&S, CL PSwg, Chain Star, overlaps other dances as well. You could do the whole thing with a box the gnat instead of a mini dip in the A1 (that may already exist as a choreographed and called dance); but I like the clap opportunity the mini-dip provides, especially if the band matches it well to a tune (as Chimney Swift did). Enjoy if you're so inclined. -- Luke Donforth Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com <Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com>

8 years, 3 months

Callers workshops

by Jeanette Mill via Callers

I am based in Australia and hoping to travel to the US and attend some contra dance calling workshops in 2018. I would be grateful for any information about upcoming workshops, including workhshops at festivals, to assist with an itinerary. Many thanks in advance for your suggestions Jeanette "We must use time wisely and forever realise that the time is always ripe to do right" Nelson Mandela (18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013)

8 years, 4 months

In search of un-premiered contras!

by Maia McCormick via Callers

Hi choreographer folks, I'm leading a session at NEFFA called "Cutting-Edge Contras", consisting of un-premiered (or very sparsely called) contras. If anyone has any dances they'd like to throw my way for consideration, please do so! Cheers, Maia

8 years, 4 months

Full hey spanning two phrases?

by Maia McCormick via Callers

Hi folks, I'm running up against a wall in a dance I'm currently writing, and it's making me wonder: what dances, if any, have a full hey that spans two sections* and really WORKS? I feel like in general, if I danced such a dance, I would roll my eyes at the choreographer "breaking the rules", but I can also imagine delightful dances a hey spanning two phrases that justify their own existence and feel great to dance. Thoughts? Dances to point me to? As always, in dance, Maia * e.g. hey occurs during the last eight counts of B1 and the first eight of B2

8 years, 4 months

Sad news: Louie

by Joy Greenwolfe via Callers

The Triangle Country Dancers in Central North Carolina would like to share the very sad news of Louie Cromartie’s passing. Louie was a well-loved and admired local dancer, caller, and mentor. We will miss her terribly. Memorial Events: There will be two memorial dances in her honor next weekend, both Friday, March 31st and Saturday, April 1st, coinciding with scheduled dances. Both dances will be at the Carrboro Century Center in Carrboro, NC. More info about dance times, location, and caller/musicians on the TCD website: http://www.tcdancers.org <http://www.tcdancers.org/> There will also be a memorial service for Louie, that same Saturday, April 1st at 11 am. The service will be at: Community Church of Chapel Hill Unitarian Universalist 106 Purefoy Rd Chapel Hill NC 27514 Google map <https://www.google.com/maps/dir/''/community+church+of+chapel+hill/@35.8985362,-79.1220615,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m8!4m7!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x89acc2f0a47d37d5:0x40a4301d3e78db53!2m2!1d-79.0520214!2d35.8985565> link https://goo.gl/maps/wTzAdsgMLv32 <https://goo.gl/maps/wTzAdsgMLv32> There may be some home hospitality for dancers coming from out of town as well. Whether or not you can make it to NC, please keep Louie’s family, especially Robert and Thankful, in your thoughts. Joy Greenwolfe Durham, NC

8 years, 4 months

Re: [Callers] In search of un-premiered contras!

by Jerome Grisanti via Callers

Dear Maia, I recently composed a contra that may fit your criteria. I've sent it out to a few other callers, and posted it to a small Facebook group, but its challenges make it unsuitable for most dances on my schedule. The challenges are: multiple progressions/regressions and potential disorientation. I would guess a hall populated mostly with experienced dancers would not have too much trouble with it. Another caller suggested calling it as a becket starting with the B1, which would certainly give it a different feel. Let me know if you end up using it; good luck with your workshop whatever you end up doing! --Jerome Do Re Mi Re Do By Jerome Grisanti Duple Improper Contra A1 Neighbor right-hand balance (4), pull by (2), next neighbor pull by left (2). Third neighbor right-hand balance (4), box the gnat (4). A2 Gents allemande left 1 1/2 (8), Partner swing (8) B1 Slide left & circle left 3/4 with 2nd neighbors, Neighbor swing B2 Gents walk forward to a long wavy line (4), Balance forward & back (4); Gents allemande left with ladies joining behind partners to turn it into a left-hand star (8) (ladies traveling about 3/4, gents about once+ around). You interact with three neighbors in this order: 1,2,3,2,1. An end-effects warning: you're never out for long. Couples out during the A2 will be in in the B1, if you're out in B1 you return in B2. The A1 figure wraps around the ends. Jerome Grisanti 660-528-0858 http://www.jeromegrisanti.com "Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it." --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe On Sun, Mar 26, 2017 at 8:26 PM, Maia McCormick via Callers < callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > Hi choreographer folks, > > I'm leading a session at NEFFA called "Cutting-Edge Contras", consisting > of un-premiered (or very sparsely called) contras. If anyone has any dances > they'd like to throw my way for consideration, please do so! > > Cheers, > Maia > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > >

8 years, 4 months

In search of un-premiered contras!

by Claire Takemori via Callers

Maia, This has been called a few times across the US recently & is well-loved, but is definitely not wide spread yet. Mad Orbin by Jacqui Grennan A1 (4) N RH Bal (4) Box the Gnat (8) Gents front to R, Mad Robin A2 (8) Gents allem L 1.5, while Ladies orbit CW (8) N Sw B1 (4) Bal ring, Ladies bring P across (12) P Sw B2 (8) CL 3/4 , Pass thru (8) Next N DSD Claire Takemori Campbell CA On Mar 27, 2017, at 1:02 PM, via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: Send Callers mailing list submissions to callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to callers-request(a)lists.sharedweight.net You can reach the person managing the list at callers-owner(a)lists.sharedweight.net When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Callers digest..." Today's Topics: 1. In search of un-premiered contras! (Maia McCormick via Callers) 2. Re: In search of un-premiered contras! (David Harding via Callers) 3. Re: In search of un-premiered contras! (Tom Hinds via Callers) 4. Re: In search of un-premiered contras! (David Harding via Callers) 5. Re: In search of un-premiered contras! (Don Veino via Callers) 6. Re: In search of un-premiered contras! (Linda Leslie via Callers) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2017 21:26:38 -0400 From: Maia McCormick via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> To: "callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net" <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> Subject: [Callers] In search of un-premiered contras! Message-ID: <CAHUcZGPtZDbsacoWgaXknNbzmi7aHMet3TW-azUv-=R9BzkZZA(a)mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Hi choreographer folks, I'm leading a session at NEFFA called "Cutting-Edge Contras", consisting of un-premiered (or very sparsely called) contras. If anyone has any dances they'd like to throw my way for consideration, please do so! Cheers, Maia

8 years, 4 months

Re: [Callers] ???? Looking for Author of Dance -dancers adjust

by K Panton via Callers

To my knowledge, it depends on the dance; i.e. how many beats has the choreographer allowed for. Some dances are timed to 2 beats zig, 2 beats zag. Some are timed for 4 beat zig and 4 beat zag. I believe that "Cows are Watching" (just looked online) and Weave the Line, as examples, are the latter. I can't recall the name of a dance with the similar zig/zag into a gents alle L as "Cows" that, I think, has 2 beats/zig timing. Ken > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sat, 25 Mar 2017 13:43:36 -0500 > From: Jerome Grisanti via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> > To: Tom Hinds <twhinds(a)earthlink.net> > Cc: "callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net" <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> > Subject: Re: [Callers] ???? Looking for Author of Dance -dancers > adjust > Message-ID: > <CAD6SnUQMse394aS9QSQ4XnxWyoGW79J1epej29RAS4c=NZQ9bA@mail. > gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > I tend to think of the zig as four beats and the zag as four more. Four > total would be zesty or rushed, depending on the crowd and music. > > Jerome > > > > On Friday, March 24, 2017, Tom Hinds via Callers < > callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > > I believe that zig left, zag right normally takes 4 beats. If the > dancers > > zag a little farther so men can easily take a left hand that would take > an > > additional 2 beats for a total of 6 counts. I'll confirm the timing this > > Saturday. > > > > For me there's this issue of how much we ask the dancers to adjust. It > > seems that asking dancers to adjust is common in English and perhaps less > > common in contra. > > > > > > Tom > > _______________________________________________ > > Callers mailing list > > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > > > > >

8 years, 4 months

Looking for Author of Dance - The Cows Go Marching

by Cheryl Joyal via Callers

I have a wonderful dance in my box that I enjoy dancing and calling - but do not know who wrote it…. can anyone tell me who wrote it? Also - is this the correct name since another caller said they had a dance called “the Cows are Watching” ? Anyone have any other “Cow” dances since we are on a theme ? The Cows go Marching by _________________ A1 (8) Long lines, forward and back (8) Women allemande Right 1-1/2 A2 (16) Neighbor balance and swing B1 (8) Balance the ring (8) Gents Roll/Sashay Partner across set B2 (4) Zig to Left (w/Partner), (4) Zag to Right and Gents catch by Left (8) Men allemande Left 1x to Partner Swing Thanks - Cheryl Cheryl Joyal clmjoyal(a)gmail.com <mailto:clmjoyal@gmail.com> clmjoyal(a)aol.com <mailto:clmjoyal@aol.com> 630-667-3284 (cell) Cheryl Joyal clmjoyal(a)gmail.com clmjoyal(a)aol.com 630-667-3284 (cell)

8 years, 4 months

Tax Day Dances

by Mary Collins via Callers

I am calling on April 15th....would love some ideas for "tax" related dances. Any out there? Thanks. Mary Collins “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass ... it's about learning to dance in the rain!” ~ Unknown

8 years, 4 months

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Contra Callers