I've just finished a full summer camp season, with 4 week-long camps in
just under 8 weeks and some home-town gigs in between. I feel pretty
wrung out. I've also had seasons when I overbooked and had a big
concentration of local gigs (11 gigs and a weekend, plus a pile of
performance rehearsals, in 8 weeks) that left me similarly pooped. I've
carefully booked the upcoming season to leave myself more down time, and
it's helping a lot. No more than one gig a weekend, with occasion
weeknights.
My question is for the other callers who call a lot, especially if you
travel to do it. What sorts of things to you do to take care of
yourself when your schedule is really intense? How do you keep your
calling fresh, and your attitude good? Do you have any personal
routines that help you focus? Aside from the fact that what we're doing
is mountains of fun, it's also a lot of work and takes careful
concentration and preparation. There's a local square dance caller who
does something like 320 gigs a year. I need to ask him sometime how he
does it, but he's always moving too fast to engage in conversation.
Maybe this is one of those questions that falls too far toward the
"advanced" end of the discussion spectrum. I don't know. But it's one
I'd love to hear from other hard-working callers about.
Kalia
The first couple times I danced this I copied it down, so I know that this was a version of the original. I believe it was Carol Ormand who called the dance both times, but I'm not certain.
Can anyone share their opinion on why the caller would have chosen to make the change in the dance? orientation or flow?
Rocks & Dirt Erik Weberg Type: Contra Formation: Duple-Improper Level: Int
A1 -----------
Neighbor allemande Left 1-1/2 (8)
Women's Chain (8)
A2 -----------
Long lines, forward and back (8)
Ladies by the Right, Gents go round
Women allemande Right 1-1/2 (8) while gents Orbit CCW to the other side
B1 -----------
Partner balance and swing (16)
B2 -----------
Circle Left 3/4 (6)
Square thru to the new ( OR 3 place circular hey without hands )
Ngh Pull by Right - P Left - Ngh Right on to the next with your left
OR Pass 1st Ngh by the Right, Partner Left, Neighbor Right face the next for an alm Left
original dance on Erick's site - A1 N B/S A2 Ladies Chain; Orbit {Ladies Al'd R 1-1/2 while men orbit ccw 1/2 way around}
~
When I dance, I cannot judge, I cannot hate, I cannot separate myself from life. I can only be joyful and whole, that is why I dance. ~Hans Bos~
~
I'd love to add a few more mixers to my repertoire. Which ones do you
like for beginning groups or for early in the evening? And do you have
some that more advanced groups can enjoy?
Kalia
Grant said, "The weekly club dances are much less common in the US contra
dance scene."
Shame! We really miss our weekly dancing when we take vacations in the USA.
It is hard work scheduling so that you are in the right place at the right
weekend to get a dance.
How about starting up some more mid-week, weekly dances? Especially in
places where it is warm in the winter :-)
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
My first experience as a caller was in January of 1981. I was teaching
music at a psychiatric hospital and decided to add a bit of dancing to my
teaching. I spent one night a week teaching on a ward for the hearing impaired. We
placed the speakers facing the floor to help the sound be felt. Each
student had one of our teaching assistants as a partner. This combination of
transmitting the vibrations and having a partner who could hear worked very well.
I've since found that using a demonstration set also helps those with
handicaps to understand the movements.
John B. Freeman, SFTPOCTJ
I have one with some similarities:
Moving Along (by Ray Dawson)
Circle Mixer
Start in big circle
A1: Into the middle and back, twice
A2: Partner Allemande Right and pass on
Next person Allemande Left and pass on
B1: Next person Two Hand Turn and pass on
Next person Dosido and pass on
B2: Next person (Balance & )Swing
I think there are a lot of similar dances used by different callers as easy
starters.
The move where you Allemande Right 1 & 1/2 then Left with the next, repeat
until you meet your partner or you get home, is used in Appalachian Squares
and is called a Lock Chain Swing (allemandes usually done as elbow turns)
(see http://round.soc.srcf.net/dances/krs/guts for one reference)
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Mike's Note:
It's a reordering of one I learned from the English caller John Turner when
he was over here in the mid-90's. (As he presented it, the promenade was the
end of the sequence.)
A1 Partner balance and swing
A2 Promenade
B1 Ladies to the center and back (clap on count 4); gents the same,
end facing your partner around the ring (i.e., gents face CCW, ladies CW)
B2 Allemande Right partner (=#1) once and a half, Allemande Left the
next (=#2) once and a half to face the next (=#3, your new partner)
I always think of this as "John Turner's Mixer," but I wrote him some
years back to see if he had title and author information on it. He
calls it "Grand Chain Allemande" but couldn't remember where/when he
had collected it or who might have composed it. I wonder if John
Sweeney or any other English dance leaders who read [Callers] might
know something about it.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
Jim, I really like your idea for the A1 (Prom ccw,wheel, prom cw).
Bouncing ideas back and forth is something I really enjoy and I think
that the dancers sometimes benefit in the long run.
Last night I called The Wheel with the cw promenade. It worked
fine. It wasn't a riot as Bill described so I was a little
disappointed. I don't know why. It seemed to have the same
excitement as the the Atlantic Polka Mixer (see Zesty) which I
wouldn't describe as a riot. I don't think that the change in
direction of the promenade was the reason.
The wrong way promenade wasn't an issue in terms of negative
learning. It was, perhaps a bit new and different for
the 'experienced' dancers. I called a square early in the evening,
The Wheel in the middle and a square later in the evening and there
weren't any issues with promenading.
For me this isn't about trusting or not trusting Gene and Bill. It's
all about finding a better mouse trap. Innovation from both
musicians and choreographers has given the dance community an
incredible amount of enjoyment. If Gene were alive today I don't
think he'd be insulted by my trying a variation of his dance. Yes he
was a Geneius but he wasn't perfect-not one is.
Trust the folk process instead. There's a reason the Paul Jones
mixers have men on the outside.
Tom
At 11:49 AM -0700 9/29/13, Kalia Kliban wrote:
>On 9/28/2013 11:46 AM, Erik Hoffman wrote:
>>
>>On 9/28/2013 8:54 AM, Aahz Maruch wrote:
>>>One easy way of shaving time from the walkthrough that I wish more
>>>callers would use: *Don't* have dancers return to their starting
>>>points, just start the dance from the place the walkthrough lands.
>>>That can save up to thirty seconds.
>>
>>Depends on if you do one walk through or two. With two walk throughs,
>>no one is out at the top. With one, you're leaving out a top couple --
>>unless it's a double (or quadruple) progression dance. I no long send
>>people back to the beginning if I do two walk throughs unless I deem it
>>a tricky dance, where seeing familiar faces again helps solidify how the
>>dance goes.
>>
>>~erik hoffman
>
>The argument against starting from the place reached after the
>second walk-through is that the couple who were the top #2s or the
>bottom #1s will have gotten one walk-through in their current role,
>then sat out the second walk-through. if you don't bring everyone
>back to their original starting places, then those folks are
>starting the dance in a role they haven't gotten to walk through at
>all. If the dance is asymmetrical in any way, or if it's early in
>the night and new dancers haven't gotten any practice in going
>around the end of the dance, this can be really disorienting and
>cause instant breakage.
Another way to save time is the "rolling start", if the band has been
paying attention to the walkthrough (maybe vamping a beat, and diddling
the melody here and there). Some bands are very good at it. The walkthrough
just seamlessly morphs into the dance before the dancers realize it. They
think they're doing another walkthrough, and getting it right.
There is no time spent going back, and the edge effect is unaffected
(everyone will get a chance to experience it). I called recently with
the Avant Gardeners, and they really do a smooth job of it, as do others.
It can help a lot if the musicians are also dancers, and if they already
have a tune set chosen and aren't focusing tune selection instead of
the floor during the walkthrough.
-Eric
I have a big circle mixer I really like, I'm not sure who wrote it or the name of it, perhaps if someone else recognizes it they can help me out there. I just call it the Balance and Pass mixer so I know what it is.
A1) Balance and Swing Partner
A2) Promenade for 8, Twirl Promenade for eight. (See explanation below)
B1) Balance your partner, pass by the next,
Balance the next, pass by the next,
B2) Balance the next, pass by the next
Do si do the next, (this is your new partner)
The promenade is for 8 counts in Varsovienne position, at which point the man raises his right hand and the woman twirls beneath his hand as they continue moving forward for another 8 counts, ending with the woman facing around the circle in the opposite direction from the man, with their right hands still joined. For the balances, start with your partner balance, then pull by partner and walk past the next person you meet. Balance the next, pull by and skip one again, repeat, then finally do-si-do the one you meet.
It's a fun and energetic dance, people usually get it quickly.
I also wrote a big circle mixer inspired by one of Ted Sanella's, and it works pretty well:
Ted's Waves
A1) Forward and back
Women go forward, return facing out to form a wave, partner in right hand
A2) Balance the wave, allemande partner 1X
Balance the wave, allemande left neighbor 1X
B1) Do si do partner
Swing the same neighbor
B2) Promenade the set
Martha
On Sep 27, 2013, at 6:26 AM, callers-request(a)sharedweight.net wrote:
> Send Callers mailing list submissions to
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> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Re: Favorite mixers? (Laur)
> 2. Re: Favorite mixers? (rich sbardella)
> 3. Re: Favorite mixers? (Robert Livingston)
> 4. Re: norms/ethics of choreography sharing (Jeff Kaufman)
> 5. Re: Dances licensed with CC or similar (Jeff Kaufman)
> 6. Re: Easy Dance List (Michael Fuerst)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 26 Sep 2013 20:06:56 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Laur <lcpgr(a)yahoo.com>
> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>, Caller's
> discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Favorite mixers?
> Message-ID:
> <1380251216.68138.YahooMailNeo(a)web161002.mail.bf1.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
>
>
> MINE TOO!!!
>
> I use EZ's mixer for any event - great for ONS to introduce moves without teaching...?
> esp for weddings and well, community events.
>
>> ________________________________
>> From: Jack Mitchell <jamitch3(a)mindspring.com>
>> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
>> Sent: Thursday, September 26, 2013 10:55 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Callers] Favorite mixers?
>>
>>
>> Two of my favorites are:
>>
>> *Esmerelda's Revenge* -- Beth Parkes Mixer
>>
>> *A1*Forward and Back
>> All go forward, gents back up (ladies stay in the middle)
>> to have a ring of ladies inside the ring of gents
>>
>> *A2*Ladies turn Left, Gents turn Right
>> single file Promenade around the ring
>> Everyone turn back
>> look for your partner -- last one you swung
>>
>> *B1*P DsD
>> N Alle L 1x
>>
>> *B2*Pass P**by**R
>> Swing the next (new Partner)
>>
>>
>> *Ease About Mixer *-- Gene Hibert (var. by Cis Hinkle)Mixer
>>
>> *A1*B&S
>>
>> *A2*Promenade
>> As a couple swoop into center and back
>>
>> *B1*Ladies weave the ring -- in front, behind, between
>> Ring forward and back
>>
>> *B2*Gents weave the ring -- in front, behind, between
>> Original P Alle L 1? to new partner
>> ? ? ? ? ? ? Note: Once you meet your original Partner, look past them
>> to see who your new partner is.? For some reason there is frequent
>> disorientation when getting out of the allemande and trying to find new
>> partner**
>>
>>
>>
>> On 9/26/2013 6:47 PM, Kalia Kliban wrote:
>>> I'd love to add a few more mixers to my repertoire.? Which ones do you
>>> like for beginning groups or for early in the evening?? And do you
>>> have some that more advanced groups can enjoy?
>>>
>>> Kalia
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Callers mailing list
>>> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
>>> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>>>
>>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Thu, 26 Sep 2013 21:28:27 -0700 (PDT)
> From: rich sbardella <richsbardella(a)snet.net>
> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Favorite mixers?
> Message-ID:
> <1380256107.62495.YahooMailNeo(a)web184705.mail.ne1.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
> Here is a very simple mixer.? On a wood floor a two hand swing would be better.? I adapted this from a dance called by Steve Holland.
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCu3ZGOIpRo
> Rich
> Stafford, CT
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Kalia Kliban <kalia(a)sbcglobal.net>
> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Sent: Thursday, September 26, 2013 6:47 PM
> Subject: [Callers] Favorite mixers?
>
>
> I'd love to add a few more mixers to my repertoire.? Which ones do you like for beginning groups or for early in the evening?? And do you have some that more advanced groups can enjoy?
>
> Kalia
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Thu, 26 Sep 2013 22:03:12 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Robert Livingston <rlivngstn(a)yahoo.com>
> To: rich sbardella <richsbardella(a)snet.net>, Caller's discussion list
> <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Favorite mixers?
> Message-ID:
> <1380258192.76563.YahooMailNeo(a)web122305.mail.ne1.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
> I believe this works so well because there is not a new prompt? for
> each phrase - only four items or calls...(treating dosado/swing as a
> single action with a new partner.)
>
> Bob Livingston
> Middletown, CT
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: rich sbardella <richsbardella(a)snet.net>
> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Sent: Friday, September 27, 2013 12:28 AM
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Favorite mixers?
>
>
> Here is a very simple mixer.? On a wood floor a two hand swing would be better.? I adapted this from a dance called by Steve Holland.
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCu3ZGOIpRo
> Rich
> Stafford, CT
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Kalia Kliban <kalia(a)sbcglobal.net>
> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Sent: Thursday, September 26, 2013 6:47 PM
> Subject: [Callers] Favorite mixers?
> ?
>
> I'd love to add a few more mixers to my repertoire.? Which ones do you like for beginning groups or for early in the evening?? And do you have some that more advanced groups can enjoy?
>
> Kalia
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Fri, 27 Sep 2013 08:11:30 -0400
> From: Jeff Kaufman <jeff(a)alum.swarthmore.edu>
> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] norms/ethics of choreography sharing
> Message-ID:
> <CAK36jCOH+cKQPC8P_UDU6+gYqeMkk2=v8xSAYLFzHcy-Rj8dZg(a)mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
>
> Tavi wrote:
>> regarding to calling a CC BY-NC dance at a paid
>> event: is it in fact noncommercial use?
>
> Sounds commercial to me. The text from the license is:
>
> "You may not exercise any of the rights granted to You in Section 3
> above in any manner that is primarily intended for or directed toward
> commercial advantage or private monetary compensation." --
> http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/legalcode
>
> I think the relevant right would be to "Publicly Perform the Work".
> You're getting paid to call, so "directed toward private monetary
> compensation" sounds applicable.
>
> Jeff
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Fri, 27 Sep 2013 09:18:52 -0400
> From: Jeff Kaufman <jeff(a)alum.swarthmore.edu>
> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>, David
> Casserly <david.j.casserly(a)gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Dances licensed with CC or similar
> Message-ID:
> <CAK36jCOxtZ6-OVCoCXYcsYEwyQY736J9_ytC7uiBA=F+hczQ8g(a)mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
>
> On Fri, Sep 13, 2013 at 2:43 PM, Dave Casserly
> <david.j.casserly(a)gmail.com> wrote:
>> I do not think Dan is correct that dance choreography is not copyrightable.
>> Dan, I don't know where you got that information, but nothing I know about
>> copyright law gives me that impression. I guess you could argue that
>> contra dances are not sufficiently "original," but the standard for
>> originality is so low in copyright law that I don't think that would be a
>> winning argument, or even close to it.
>>
>
> I read more about this, and it looks like a social dance might not
> qualify as a "dramatic work".
>
> On the other hand, if your dance is not a ?dramatic work? because it
> is not a choreographic show, does not tell a story or is not part of a
> dramatic performance, it is not protected.
> -- http://www.copyright.org.au/admin/cms-acc1/_images/15356429875239252b8737e.…
>
> They conclude "In our view, it is unlikely that social dances will be
> protected by copyright."
>
> I wrote a blog post: http://www.jefftk.com/p/can-you-copyright-a-contra-dance
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Fri, 27 Sep 2013 06:26:09 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Michael Fuerst <mjerryfuerst(a)yahoo.com>
> To: Gloria Johnson <obscure_adventurer(a)yahoo.com>, Caller's discussion
> list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Easy Dance List
> Message-ID:
> <1380288369.42150.YahooMailNeo(a)web122206.mail.ne1.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
> Hello Gloria
>
> Here is a link to the file I promised, downloadable, and readable by any word processor
> There is also a link to dances I have written.
> Email me ?if you have trouble accessing them or questions about any of the dances contained in the two files
> http://aptsg.org/Dance/dance_links.html
>
> ?
> 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
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Gloria Johnson <obscure_adventurer(a)yahoo.com>
> To: "callers(a)sharedweight.net" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Sent: Monday, August 26, 2013 6:11 PM
> Subject: [Callers] Easy Dance List
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> Michael,
> I, too, would like a copy of your list of easy dances. ?Thanks!
>
> Gloria Johnson Scarlet
> Springfield, MO?
>
> ?>> From: Michael Fuerst <mjerryfuerst(a)yahoo.com>
>>> To: "callers(a)sharedweight.net" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
>>> Sent: Sunday, August 25, 2013 7:58 PM
>>> Subject: [Callers] Easy dance List
>>>
>>>
>>> I have sent the list of easy dances I have collected to he 23 people?
>>> who requested such.
>>> If you have not received it by Monday, email me.
>>> Make sure to check your trash ans spam folders, in case it ended up?
>>> there.
>>>
>>> Michael Fuerst? ? ? 802 N Broadway? ? ? Urbana IL 61801? ? ? ?
>>> 217-239-5844
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>
> ------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
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> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>
>
> End of Callers Digest, Vol 109, Issue 49
> ****************************************
Bill,
Thanks for sharing The Wheel. It looks like a great dance. Tonight
I'm planning to call The Wheel with one minor change:
A1 Promenade the wrong way (why not?)
This will put the women on the inside. I'll let everyone know how it
works out. Come to think of it, having the men on the outside is
how the Paul Jones mixer was done at Blob's Park in Maryland (a place
to eat sausage and dance polkas). Perhaps your warning (see below)
suggests the reason they did that mixer the way they did.
I too honor Gene. I don't think anyone has written as many fantastic
dances.
Tom
>
>
> Needs many couple to make it work, especially since women are on
> the outside of the concentric and have shorter arms on the average.
> If this becomes a problem 9womens arms being pulled out or arm
> sockets) tell dances "big steps in, short steps out"..
