Hi folks-
As I've mentioned before, our Halifax group is not very advanced - we welcome a lot of beginners each month, and our regulars are not super regular or super skilled.. - and so the practice we've settled on is to choose one "feature figure" each month to focus on teaching....
in the first part of the evening we break down the figure in detail so everyone gets a chance to learn it inside-out... then do a few dances that has that figure in it, but nothing else difficult (not even swings! unless swing is the feature figure for that evening).
Then at the very end of the evening we do an "advanced segment" where we call a few dances quickly with little teaching (probably more like what all of your dances look like!) - and those dances include all sorts of figures that have been featured over the past 6+ months.
(Usually most of the beginners have been tired out and gone home at this point)
Anyhow, this month our feature figure will be short wavy lines - and I don't have a lot of experience with them myself.
Could anyone point me towards some videos where short wavy lines are featured?
I'm interested in being able to watch different fun things that can be done in SWLs... including the Rory O'Moore sequence, and other simple/basic actions.
No need to send me videos of more elaborate and unusual types of SWL figures.
Also no need to worry about the content of the rest of the dance - I generally write custom dances to incorporate the feature figure while keeping everything else way simpler than you folks are used to :)
I want to do 3 dances with SWLs - each one with a slightly different type of SWL figure - I can think of balancing then allemanding haflway around, repeat...
and the Rory O'Moore sequence as the final more tricky one...
But is there something else I could do in short wavy lines too?
and I would like to see the first two in action so I can make sure to feel confident in my teaching!!
Many thanks :)
Kat in Hfx
In 1810, and for some years before and after, Sudbury MA (incorporated in 1639) was the site of a monthly barn dance. One of the local dance masters, Allen Ortep, composed a contra dance, where four dancers would balance in a circle, left foot then right foot, followed by shift/spin left one place. Allen and another local dance master both had interest in the same lady. To shorten a long story, Allen did not get the lady, and eventually stopped attending the Sudbury dances. His successful rival then composed a dance where four dancers balanced in a circle, right foot then left foot, followed by a shift/spin right one place, and named it petronella (spell petronella backwards to find out why). To honor these events, Sudbury MA was given the zipcode 01776. (Thanks to Don Veino for pointing out Sudbury's zipcode.)
In the discussion about some men being uncomfortable doing ballroom dance hold swing with other men, the modified ballroom hold (hand above elbow of partner instead of on robin’s shoulder) was mentioned.
In this discussion, much has been said about men who don’t want to do ballroom hold with other men, but what nobody has mentioned yet is the scads of women (both straight and queer) who have long been uncomfortable dancing ballroom swing with men (or often just with particular men). I am intrigued by this modified ballroom swing idea because it might solve many problems at once.
I have two simultaneous (and conflicting) emotional responses to men uncomfortable swinging with other men:
The ungenerous one is: "As a lesbian I had to get over my discomfort swinging with you in order to participate in the joy of contra. If I can do it, you can do it." But more importantly (and more generously): We’d like everyone to be as comfortable at contra dances as is reasonably feasible. To that end, I am very interested in this idea of the modified ballroom hold. It might solve MANY different problems. Here are a few that come to mind:
1. The enforced intimacy problem: this is not just a problem with straight men being uncomfortable swinging with other men. There is a lot of forced intimacy in the ballroom hold. Maybe that intimacy is not the best thing to force on anyone?. Modified ballroom swing would help with the problem of not wanting enforced closeness/intimacy with others for all kinds of reasons: keeping distance from the lecherous dancer who uses the ballroom hold as an excuse for unwanted intimacy; but also simply to provide a bit of space for folks who simply aren’t comfortable being that close to ANYBODY. I recently struck up a conversation with a new dancer who was leaving early (because we need to know why we’re losing potential dancers) and she said “It just feels too intimate.” She didn’t say too intimate swinging with men or with women. Just “too intimate” and I got the definite feeling that it was the enforced close hold (with everyone) that was difficult for her. I wonder if we would have lost her if we used the modified ballroom swing (hand above elbow instead of on shoulder).
2. There are other difficulties with the ballroom hold: sometimes there is simply not enough room: short arms or large girth can make it difficult to reach the back of the shoulder of the other partner at times, and this leaves the Lark in the uncomfortable/dangerous position of “where do I put my hand now?” While trying to avoid the “accidental side boob graze” issue.
3. Speaking of which, is nobody else out there having trouble with this “side boob graze” problem with the ballroom hold? I’m a lesbian who dances the Lark role because of knee and hip issues. At least once/evening when moving into or out of the ballroom hold I accidentally graze the side of my partner’s breast. If I were straight I wouldn’t worry about it. But as a lesbian my mind always leaps to “what if she thinks I did that on purpose?” Do straight men not also have this problem?? Why is nobody talking about this?? If the robin is female-presenting, the back of the robin’s shoulder is dangerously close to the side of her breast. Which means (a) it’s easy for a sleaze to cop a feel and pass it off as an accident, and (b) it’s easy for a lesbian or straight man to truly accidentally graze and then worry that they’ll be perceived as a sleaze. The elbow hold would solve both of these problems.
4. The robin clamping down their arm problem: Larks, have you ever danced with a robin who clamps down their arm on your wrist during the swing? Again, elbow hold would solve this.
5. The problem of robins dancing backwards when swinging: I have never danced the modified ballroom hold, but I’d like to know from folks who do: does it solve the problem of many robins feeling like they need to dance backwards when swinging? On the occasions when I do dance robin (usually because I’m pairing with a newbie who is dancing lark) I often find myself skittering backwards in the swing, instead of both of us walking/dancing forward. I’m not experienced enough as a robin to fully understand this phenomenon, but I think it has to do with the closeness and rigidity of some Larks’ hold in the ballroom swing. Question for folks who have used the elbow hold: does this hold solve this problem and allow the robin to dance forward instead of backward in the swing?
I am particularly interested in this issue because I am about to move from Toronto (where the ballroom hold is firmly established) to an island off the coast of Vancouver (Bowen Island) where, if I want to continue to dance, I will have to start my own contra dance. This conversation has made me wonder whether I should start that group with the modified ballroom hold to solve many of these problems. I’d love to hear from others who have used this swing about the pros and cons (if any) and any other advice you’d have for someone starting a dance using this swing hold.
Thanks!!
Becky Liddle
(Note: my email is changing from beckyliddle(a)bell.net <mailto:beckyliddle@bell.net> to becky.liddle(a)icloud.com <mailto:becky.liddle@icloud.com> )
Hi all,
I have a note to myself from pre-pandemic times about a square-within-a-square called The Weaving Way. I have no other information about it, and searching the archives of this list and the trad callers list produced no useful results, so… I turn to all of you. Do you know this dance, and if so, are you willing to share?
Thanks very much,
Louise.
As mentioned earlier, know your crowd. With some I can say with a grin “What did you expect what you booked me to call on April 1?” and we can all have a good time. With others, not so much, so use “Fool-ish” dances sparingly.
Some of my usual, easy enough for most crowds, Foolish tricks, include:
Left hand chain: Any dance with a full chain (e.g Summer Sunshine <https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=49>), alternate full left hand chain (formerly Gent’s chain, from the usual side), with the standard full right hand chain.) I’ll often use this early if I have a left hand chain later in the program, teaching the LH chain first, demo-ing if necessary.
Swing the wrong way: Morning Star <https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=3498> or here <https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=3498> (Actives Balance Swing CW as usual, then Bal and Swing CCW, “Ideally with the 'other hands joined’ in waltz position, with the left foot in front for the buzz step --- or some other way you can work it out!”) Amazing how hard it is for even many experienced dancers - think about how new dancers must feel! Can alternate 1s 2s as the actives, and dance proper or not.
What, no progression? Teach (1 or no walkthrough) and call a Becket A1 Slide left and Circle L dance without the slide left the first 2 or 3 times through…”same 4, circle left 3/4…” before, as some dancers catch on and start to murmur, “April Fools! This time, slide left and circle…”
An Alternating Dance, esp Sun Dance and Moon Dance. Robert Cromartie. Alternates A2 Larks BS in middle with A2 Robins BS in middle, with some alternating tweaks to A1 and B2 to make it work. Or other two similar dances, maybe 1 version 4X, then spring the other version 4X then 2/2, then 1/1 e.g Hey Man <https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=12333>, or a Jed’s Reel/Edna’s Reel medley
A real dance (not much foolish except for the A2 which give those that only dance that lefthand/Larks/Gents role a chance to experience the lovely chain to hey combination):
Chain of Fools, Steve Pike
A1 BSN
A2 Left hand chain to P, 1/2 hey (those who chained - Larks - pass left shoulder to start, NR, they pass L in middle)
B1 P BS (or RSR/Swing)
B2 Cir L 3/4, PT, next N DsD ( alt: Cir L 3/4, Bal, PT…)
Steve Pike
Mequon, WI
I have the pleasure this year of calling the Knoxville contra dance on
Monday, April 1st ... occasionally remembered as April Fools Day.
I'm taking the approach of exploring the spirit of the Fool --
challenging our assumptions and traditions and reminding us to smile,
in spite of ourselves if necessary. In choosing/crafting my program,
I'm looking for a balance of different and fun, of course.
What foolish dances have you done in the past?
Timothy
Knoxville, TN
P.S. Here's my "concept" list:
* Reverse progression ("which way is up?")
* Contra mixer ("who needs a partner?")
* Left/Lark chain ("why do Robins chain and Larks allemand?")
* 3 face 3 formations ("what's a partner?")
* Crooked tunes ("why is everything 64 beats?)
* No swing ("how far can I go before the dancers burn me at the
stake?")
Hi,
I'm calling a session at NEFFA next month where we're honoring David
Kaynor's contribution in music and dance. The band has a relationship with
David and will be playing his music.
I've searched for David's dances and have several I've called before. What
I'm seeking are recommendations for DK dances that are particular favorites
of yours.
Harder to search for are dances written to honor David. For instance,
David's Guiding Star by Steve Zakon-Anderson - should you have any such
favorites I'd be happy to hear of those too!
Our slot is the penultimate contra session of the weekend, so solid
sequences without significant complications will rule.
Thanks!
Don
Among those classics and others I already have are: The Baby Rose, Young
Adult Rose, Excretion Reel, Terror on Takeoff, Cherokee Shuffle, The Dog's
Breakfast, Paul's Line, Hands of Brass, Mary Cay's Reel plus Steve Z-A's
dance above and one I wrote for David too (Fiddler's Fling).
John,
<Perhaps, “the roles were originally (completely and utterly) based on
gender”!
Ya think? :)
I had what I assume is a similar response when I read that, John.
Aside to John: In this entire, ongoing discussion, it seems to me that
there is an active conspiracy of pretense (along the lines of 'the
emperor's new clothes') that the elephant sitting squarely in the middle of
the room is actually a blueberry muffin.
Open and honest questions:
Am I the only living person who has a preference for dancing with the
opposite cisgender (realizing that any particular, such opposite,
cisgendered individual may, in fact, have a different preference)?
If the above is a reasonable question, what is wrong with saying "If you
have a preference to dance primarily with women, I recommend dancing the
left role. If you have a preference to dance with men, I'd recommend
dancing the right-side role; if you have no preference, it doesn't matter"?
What is the surveyed percentage of dancers in your community who have such
a preference vs those who don't?
