Contra Callers

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4406 discussions

An observation about end effects -- becoming neutral three times at each end

by James Saxe via Callers

I have a little observation to share about end effects that I've never heard anyone else mention. For background, note that in a simple duple-minor contra with no out-of-minor-set actions, dancers who reach an end of the set make the transitions inactive -> neutral -> active at the top or active -> neutral -> inactive at the bottom, in either case becoming neutral and then rejoining the body of the set exactly once. *** Now, how many of you have noticed that in a (duple minor, single progression) dance with a single temporary excursion out of the minor set, dancers will typically become neutral and return to the body of the set not twice, but *THREE* times? For example, suppose dancers leave their minor set to do an action such as a do-si-do, allemande, or star with their future neighbors (call this action the "sneak preview") and then return to original neighbors for the rest of the sequence before genuinely progressing to the new neighbors. An inactive couple starting in a foursome at the top of the set will experience the following transitions: 1. They leave their minor set and become neutral at the start of the sneak preview action. They might then wait in place during the sneak preview action, dance the action with "ghost" neighbors, or dance the action across the set with partners acting as neighbors. 2. At the end of the sneak preview action, they reenter the body of the set to dance the remainder of the sequence with original neighbors. 3. Then they finally progress to start the next round neutral at the top. 4. They temporarily enter the body of the set to dance the next repeat of the sneak preview action. 5. At the end of that sneak preview, they return to being neutral. 6. And finally they progress into the body of the set for good (or until they get to the bottom). The transitions are: inactive -> neutral -> inactive -> neutral -> active -> neutral - > active Similarly, a couple reaching the bottom would experience the transitions: active -> neutral -> active -> neutral -> inactive -> neutral -> inactive A similar analysis applies to dances where dancers briefly revisit previous neighbors or where dancers briefly depart (in various possible ways) from partners for an interaction with shadows. I only noticed this fact last year, after over 30 years of dancing and nearly 30 years of calling, during which I've both danced and called numerous dances with out-of-minor-set actions. I had previously noticed occasional dances in which out-of-minor-set actions result in dancers dealing with end effects three times, but I'd never before done a careful enough analysis to notice just how common it is. I suspect I'm not alone in not noticing. --Jim _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

11 years, 3 months

Grand Marches

by Luke Donforth via Callers

Hello all, Just yesterday, I was part of a Grand March that Chris Ricciotti led that was such fun, it made me want to up my game for Grand Marches. I'd be curious to hear folks suggestions for: - moves that work well, and how to prompt them - how to gauge space and timing - how to best enroll collaborators (must they be planned ahead, what can you do on the fly) - Train wrecks to avoid - Tempos for the band - suitable crowds (weddings? regular dances? special weekends?) - Transitioning from G.M. straight in to longways sets - Endings for G.M. besides the crowd and clap - Other fun things to incorporate What are good videos that show the action from above? Is it written up anywhere? Or is it one of those learn by doing and stealing things? What folks have passed me so far: New England Dance Masters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9gIFJgDT_c Portland Fancy write-up: http://www.riversidevictoriandance.com/grandmarch.pdf Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend, 2014: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL7k3vftvDE Thanks for any suggestions you have. _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

11 years, 4 months

This might provide insight on how to teach....

by Michael Fuerst via Callers

.. dancers the repeating sequence of a contra dance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABuKR0hUdu8 Michael Fuerst 802 N Broadway Urbana IL 61801 217-239-5844 _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

11 years, 4 months

New Dance

by Ben Werner via Callers

Hey All, I just wrote a new dance and wanted to see if the name, or the dance has been written before. The Erik Effect - Imp, Becket By Danielle Boudreau and Ben Werner - written for Erik Erhardt A1: (16) Yearn Left, give and take, ladies take gents, Neighbor Swing A2: (8) right and left through (8) Ladies chain B1: (16) full hey B2: (16) partner gypsy & Swing Cheers, Ben _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

11 years, 5 months

Re: [Callers] Good ender

by Dereck Kalish via Callers

I'll second that, A1 Reel is a great ender dance and as you know I love calling it. Thank you Chris! -----Original Message----- From: "Chris Weiler (home) via Callers" <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> Sent: ‎6/‎3/‎2014 7:54 PM To: "Kalia Kliban" <kalia(a)sbcglobal.net> Cc: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> Subject: Re: [Callers] Good ender You're very welcome. Chris > On Jun 3, 2014, at 7:20 PM, Kalia Kliban via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > If Chris Weiler, who wrote A1 Reel, is reading this, I'd like to thank you for a really good ender dance. _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

11 years, 5 months

Good ender

by Kalia Kliban via Callers

If Chris Weiler, who wrote A1 Reel, is reading this, I'd like to thank you for a really good ender dance. It's a simple, low-piece count Becket that ends with a partner balance and swing. It gets the caller out of the way in a hurry and lets the dancers and the band have a great time at the end of the program. Here's a link to Chris's website, for those who'd like to find the notes: http://caller.chrisweiler.ws/dances.htm Kalia _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

11 years, 5 months

Yet more unknown dances!

by Maia McCormick via Callers

Hi all, Cleaning out my pile of notes on excellent and unknown dances again. If anyone knows names/authors for these, shout it out! Thanks so much! Cheers, Maia ----- *#1: *?????, imp. ("cool shadow dance") A1: new neighbor balance and swing A2: ladies bull by right to allemande partner L 3/4; shadow allemande 1 1/2 B1: in wavy lines w/ ladies facing out, balance, spin right to partner (like a half Rory O'Moore); partner swing B2: circle L 3; do-si-do neighbor 1 1/2 to the next *#2: *Becket – Left prog. Long lines F&B / Ladies chain (to Nbr) (Petronella) balance ring, spin to Right / Balance ring, spin to Right [Square thru two]: Right hand balance w/partner, Pull by partner to face Nbr, Along set pull by Nbr to face next neighbor Swing new neighbor Circle Left ¾ / Partners Swing *#3: *Imp. A1: long lines Gents alle L 1 ½ to short waves (partner in R) A2: balance, partner alle R ¾ to long waves Balance and circulate B1: balance and circulate Balance and partner cross to swing B2: circle L ¾ Pass thru and swing next (Greenfield, Halloween Extravadance 2013) *#4: *???, becket A1: long lines Circle L ¾ A2: N swing Next N swing B1: Prom across and face R Ladies R 1 ½ B2: shadow swing Partner swing (NEFFA ’14) *#5: *???, becket A1: yearn L Gents chain A2: bal ring, roll P away N swing B1: R/L thru Ladies chain B2: bal ring, roll N away P swing (NEFFA ’14) *#6: *???, imp A1: star R star L A2: P courtesy turn and ladies cross Swing N B1: gents by R(?) P swing B2: long lines (and gent roll lady) Pass thru, turn R, prom single file to next (NEFFA ’14) *#7: *???, imp. A1: N b&s Pass ocean and balance A2: N R ½, gents pull by L, P R ¾ B1: Shadow alle L 1x P swing B2: pass ocean, bal P R ½, gents pull by, N R ¾ to next N (NEFFA ’14) *#8: *a frustrating fragment--loved this dance, but have no idea what the rest of the choreography is!! mad robin gents in front à gents cross for long waves balance and circ. Balance and circ P swing (NEFFA ’14, Saturday) _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

11 years, 5 months

Contra choreography survey

by Jennifer Shafer

Greetings-- First, thank you to everyone who has responded to my initial message and has taken the survey. I have already received a good number of responses, and my advising professor and my colleagues are impressed by the number of responses I have received--a testimony to the spirit of the contra community. I would like to re-post the link to the survey on contra choreographies (see original message below), to allow anyone who hasn't had a chance yet to take the survey. I will be closing the survey soon, and want to make sure that I am collecting responses from as many respondents as I possibly can. Again, thank you for your indulgence in allowing me to re-post this, and for your participation--I sincerely appreciate your time! Jennifer Shafer I am a Ph.D. student in music at Ohio State University, and I am developing a research project to investigate some aspects of contra dance choreography. To continue in this project I am asking for your participation in a survey. The survey should take about 20 minutes to complete. It does ask that you recall names of dance choreographies that you have danced, and I recognize that this may make it more difficult for some of us (myself included) to fill out such a survey. However, I know that callers are more likely to be able to recall names of dances, which is why I have chosen to distribute the survey primarily to callers. Here is the link to the survey: https://casosu.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_8e5SQGiwCL3MmiN

11 years, 5 months

Why is teaching a repeating 30-32 second sequences of relatively simple dance moves so complicated?

by Michael Fuerst via Callers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWK5bzWkiuE Michael Fuerst 802 N Broadway Urbana IL 61801 217-239-5844 Links to photos of many of my drawings and paintings are at www.ArtComesFuerst.com _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

11 years, 5 months

Mailing list issues

by Seth Seeger

Dear calling community, Many of you received a "you've been unsubscribed" email this morning! I'm terribly sorry about that. Yahoo/Comcast/Hotmail recently turned on some very strong spam filtering which broke nearly every mailing list on the internet. It finally affected us today. I have quickly moved the site to an updated version of Mailman (the software that runs this list) which has some options to deal with this. Primarily, the "From" address is now the list address. The Reply-To address should be the original sender. We'll see how this goes. If you received that email, you can ignore it. I have re-subscribed you. If you did not get a bounce noticed, then you have nothing to worry about. Note that if you used to get digest messages, you are now getting regular emails. I have not carried that setting over from the old server yet. Please hang in there with us as we figure this out and get it all working again. Thanks, Seth & Chris

11 years, 5 months

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