Contra Callers

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28 participants
4298 discussions

by Hannah Chamberlain

Greeting callers! I am calling a friend's wedding this weekend and she requested "the spiral dance," a circle dance where at some point one person leads everyone into a spiral (or, optionally, anywhere around the hall?). I think I've danced it before, but I'm having a hard time finding a name or notes on how to call it. Can anyone share a version with me? Thanks in advance, Hannah Chamberlain (outside of) Portland, ME

1 year, 8 months

Dreamed of a dance?

by Luke Donforth

I'll admit, I occasionally dream calling nightmares. Not usually in line with anything that has or may happen, just awkward situations where I'm calling and things are problematic. Last night the dream was that a member of the band kept stopping the dance to explain to the dancers how the dance SHOULD go. Really weird and not an issue I've actually had. Even David Carpenter (rest his soul) who had strong opinions about chestnuts and would opine from behind his fiddle before playing but not stop a dance in motion. Anyway, upon waking at 4 am and processing said dream, I tried to figure out what dance I'd been calling. It wasn't a challenging dance, and I eventually constructed that it was Becket, ccw A1 (8) Long lines forward and back (8) Balance the ring, petronella one place to the right, face new couple A2 (16) Neighbor balance and swing, end facing partner B1 (8) Long lines forward and back (8) Balance the ring, petronella one place to the right, B2 (16) Partner balance and swing It reminds me of Midwestern Folklore by Oracle Johnson (and Will You Marry Me by Seth Tepfer) in that it's sort of a half length dance you do twice with neighbor and partner. It would work as an Indecent dance too (although I'm pretty sure I was calling it in Becket) : A1 (8) Long lines forward and back (8) Balance the ring, petronella one place to the right A2 (16) Partner balance and swing B1 (8) Long lines forward and back (8) Balance the ring, petronella one place to the right, face new couple B2 (16) New neighbor balance and swing You could even line them up improper and then sneak them into indecent, since the first partner swing fixes it for them. Although if you did that, some folks would probably worry that the twos and ones weren't where they started after one walkthrough; and folks should wait out indecent. Anyway... Looking through my cards, and the online Callers Box, I can't find this dance in either place, in either form. Anybody recognize it? Thanks all. And sweet dreams.

1 year, 8 months

Contras of unusual length?

by Bob Morgan

Hi folks, Any favourite unusual length dances or dances that do unusual things with timings - across the music or unusual figure lengths? I'm thinking dances like Money musk at 24 bars and Major hey at 40 bars for instance. Thanks, Bob

1 year, 8 months

Another dance FOR other playful strategies?

by Michael Fuerst

Here is a dance of mine (which I have called several times) where partners say together, but the calls at a critical moment determines direction and distance of progression. http://aptsg.org/Dance/dances.html#Unconsoled

1 year, 8 months

Re: Spilled Milk analysis (was Re: Do you add a 'do anything' move into a contra? OR other playful strategies? :) )

by K P

I dunno nuttin but, seems tuh me, iffen a dance needs a PhD dissertation for the explainin, maybe it otta be... given to Maistre Sam for "safekeeping" in the secret library. :) Reminds me of the dance, The Hobbit, which caught me eye but, for the life of me, I can't understand how the end effects are, uh, effected. I sometimes wondered if there's a secret decoder ring that, if worn, illuminates everything. Hey, Baby Rose... wanna dance? :) Ken Panton

1 year, 8 months

Questions about It's a Pirate's Life for Me

by Emily Addison

Hi folks, For those who call It's a Pirate's Life for Me, I'm wondering if you might be able to help with a few questions? 1. I don't have language for describing the A1 very well. I get what's happening for sure but I think there could be little tricks to help cue dancers in flowing through all that action. Might you might have some insight? 2. I have two B2 variations, one attributed to Lisa G and another to Seth T. I'm wondering what B2 you enjoy calling? ROB DSD 1.5 THEN N R shoulder round ! then onto next N ROB Right shoulder round 1.5 /// N R Shoulder round and then onto the next (to begin again), can also do with Als 3. Finally ... the funny question! I remember being at a dance on International Pirate's day. I vaguely remember people yelling 'yarrrrs' at a certain point during this dance. Have you ever experienced this??? It seemed pretty darn fun. :) Thoughts? Thanks for any insight! :) Emily in Ottawa

1 year, 9 months

Re: Spilled Milk analysis (was Re: Do you add a 'do anything' move into a contra? OR other playful strategies? :) )

by Bill Baritompa

Hi Jim and all, This dance intrigued me and I thought I'd try and use a program I wrote ages ago to analyse it. It proved a bit tricky until I realized that the dance really begins with Shadow Bal and Swing. Starting with P Bal and Swing might be what confuses the dancers. Of course as it is a mixer, Partner and Shadow change each time. This link gives screen shots of the dance which illustrates Jim's points. https://youtu.be/pWC51unqhvs Larks shift clockwise 3 places each time, Robins 1 place. With 6 couples dance repeats after 6 times. Over that cycle swing with everyone at A1, swing with 3 at A2, allemand left with the other 3 at B1, chain with everyone at B2. For an odd number of couples, will meet everyone at A2 and B1. What makes this a mixer is that after the first time A1 New Partner (which is the Shadow) bal and swing. This has the effect of moving the Larks one more place clockwise and the Robins one less place than the progression distance of the dance. (eg 3 and 1 resp for Spilled Milk) Any becket that starts with P bal and swing, can be turned into a mixer by replacing with Shadow bal and swing. (It won't necessarily have the nice flow of Spilled Milk, also if the becket is only single progression, the Robins will stay in the same spot!). Cheers, Bill

1 year, 9 months

Do you add a 'do anything' move into a contra? OR other playful strategies? :)

by Emily Addison

Hey folks, After a number of relatively quiet caller years (parenting; pandemic), I've started to dig deep to expand my repertoire and up my skills. It feels like it's time for lots more dance fun! :) One dance that I've really enjoyed is Heartbeat Contra (by Don Flaherty - see below). Tom Calwell called it in Ottawa way back in 2010 and at the top of the B1, he called Al R 1.5 or ANYTHING (R shoulder round, swing, DSD). *Do any of you throw in a 'do anything' moment in an evening of contra programming?* I'm always looking for fun, playful moments that make dancers smile and this feels like a lovely one. If you throw in an anything moment, how do you choose when? *And do you have other strategies for adding playfulness to an evening?* I've got some dances which I find super playful and fun (e.g., Three's Company - Altered & Alternating - Paul Balliet) Thoughts on this? Thanks! Emily in Ottawa ------------------------------- Heartbeat Contra (Don Flaherty) A1 Bal Ring & Petronella Twirl Bal Ring & Petronella Twirl A2 Bal Ring & N Sw B1 ROB Al R 1.5 *OR ANYTHING! *(Al R, Rshoulder round, swing, DSD... original was RH round) P Sw B2 Cir L 3/4 Bal Ring & California Twirl

1 year, 9 months

Potentially dumb question not quite about calling

by Amy Cann

I'm in the midst of changing my email for the first time in twenty two years (I've had invasive surgery that was more fun) and could use a hand -- the various resources/archives/boxes/files we regularly link to on here -- any warnings on which ones I'll need to re-register/sign in/update? I'm trying to remember all the places where this email is part of my bonafides/access and I KNOW I'm missing a few. For the record, the new personal one is amycannmusic(a)gmail.com, and the other work ones (amy.cann(a)uvmusic.org and acann(a)thegrammarschool.org) are both still valid, it's this venerable Putney School one that's finally sunsetting. Thanks A

1 year, 9 months

Rompin' Stompin'

by Amy Wimmer

Hey All, What are your favorite barn burner contras? I have a few, but they get old. -Amy

1 year, 9 months

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