Hi Ken, Bill, Colin and Robert,
Thanks for chiming in on my end effects questions. The point about
encouraging people to be ready for whatever and go where needed is a great
one. I really appreciate the specific tips too. :)
I think this query comes from my wanting to make sure that things go as
smoothly as possible while I'm trying something new to me!
Thank you for helping to encourage me along with advice!
:) Emily in Ottawa
Thanks so much for this review Lisa! I love this dance (shout out to Susan Michaels who wrote Kaboom!) and call it whenever I have mostly new dancers.
For the Teen Music camp I called at last week, I added in the B2, Left hand star AND Right hand star, 3,2,1 boom!
I got feedback from some non-dancers (who found contra dances too hard), who said that when they show up without friends or a date to a public dance, that they usually feel awkward about asking someone to dance who they don’t know. So the next time I called our local community barn dance, I started with more mixers to get folks easily mingling. This worked like a charm.
I even made longways sets by having folks line up in 2 long lines (no partners) then pairing them with someone across for a partner. I heard no groans or complaints. The single friends said they loved having more mixers to start, then most seemed comfortable asking someone after I showed them how it’s done (no dive bombs from the rear, eye contact, ask if they want to dance, and the answer can be yes or no)
I also tried to write a longways where folks were not paired with a partner, and make it a mixer…. Still In the testing phase. I know Luke Donforth wrote a longways line mixer !
Claire Takemori
(Asheville NC)
Message: 1
Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2023 09:20:51 -0400
From: Lisa Sieverts <lisa(a)lisasieverts.com <mailto:lisa@lisasieverts.com>>
Subject: [Callers] Good dance for teens/familly dance
To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net <mailto:callers@sharedweight.net>>
Message-ID: <DDDCFBF3-D576-446E-9C1C-BF58A26E02C4(a)lisasieverts.com <mailto:DDDCFBF3-D576-446E-9C1C-BF58A26E02C4@lisasieverts.com>>
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I used this dance recently (I was an emergency substitute) and was very pleased with how well it went. Not only is it a no-partner dance, it doesn’t even matter how big the circles are (though I did have them start out in circles of 4). So no one gets left out even if the scatter to make new circles is chaotic. It’s also easy to get them into one big circle for the last time through and that’s a very nice way to end.
I think I got it here on Shared Weight, thanks Claire!
Beaumont Boom!
By Claire Takemori (8/26/19)
*Any number in scattered circles
A1 Bal ring 2x, CL
A2 Bal ring 2x, CR
B1. LHS (pile of LH in the middle, keep walking same direction after CR) countdown 3-2-1
B2 Boom! Throw hands up and all twirl out of the star and make new circles.
Can end with one big circle
Claire says: I wrote a dance with no Partners that I love for family or parties where you start with a few and folks keep dropping in, but it also works for a large group.
Lisa Sieverts
603-762-0235
lisa(a)lisasieverts.com <mailto:lisa@lisasieverts.com>
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> 1. Good dance for teens/familly dance (Lisa Sieverts)
> 2. Re: Good dance for teens/familly dance (Jimmy Akin)
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> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2023 09:20:51 -0400
> From: Lisa Sieverts <lisa(a)lisasieverts.com>
> Subject: [Callers] Good dance for teens/familly dance
> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
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> I used this dance recently (I was an emergency substitute) and was very pleased with how well it went. Not only is it a no-partner dance, it doesn’t even matter how big the circles are (though I did have them start out in circles of 4). So no one gets left out even if the scatter to make new circles is chaotic. It’s also easy to get them into one big circle for the last time through and that’s a very nice way to end.
>
> I think I got it here on Shared Weight, thanks Claire!
>
> Beaumont Boom!
> By Claire Takemori (8/26/19)
> *Any number in scattered circles
> A1 Bal ring 2x, CL
> A2 Bal ring 2x, CR
>
> B1. LHS (pile of LH in the middle, keep walking same direction after CR) countdown 3-2-1
> B2 Boom! Throw hands up and all twirl out of the star and make new circles.
>
> Can end with one big circle
>
> Claire says: I wrote a dance with no Partners that I love for family or parties where you start with a few and folks keep dropping in, but it also works for a large group.
>
>
> Lisa Sieverts
> 603-762-0235
> lisa(a)lisasieverts.com
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2023 07:58:56 -0700
> From: Jimmy Akin <jimmyakin01(a)gmail.com>
> Subject: [Callers] Re: Good dance for teens/familly dance
> To: Lisa Sieverts <lisa(a)lisasieverts.com>
> Cc: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Message-ID:
> <CAEXFEH0KY1aPEVFkYQjso4DLf7n4ozgnHNzH_CJn4iwTV28-TQ(a)mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
> boundary="00000000000099da0405fe90e4ac"
>
> Interesting! I'll give it a try!
>
> (I'm always looking for simple, no partner circle dances.)
>
> Jimmy Akin
>
> On Tue, Jun 20, 2023 at 6:21 AM Lisa Sieverts via Contra Callers <
> contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
>> I used this dance recently (I was an emergency substitute) and was very
>> pleased with how well it went. Not only is it a no-partner dance, it
>> doesn’t even matter how big the circles are (though I did have them start
>> out in circles of 4). So no one gets left out even if the scatter to make
>> new circles is chaotic. It’s also easy to get them into one big circle for
>> the last time through and that’s a very nice way to end.
>>
>> I think I got it here on Shared Weight, thanks Claire!
>>
>> Beaumont Boom!
>> By Claire Takemori (8/26/19)
>> *Any number in scattered circles
>> A1 Bal ring 2x, CL
>> A2 Bal ring 2x, CR
>>
>> B1. LHS (pile of LH in the middle, keep walking same direction after CR)
>> countdown 3-2-1
>> B2 Boom! Throw hands up and all twirl out of the star and make new
>> circles.
>>
>> Can end with one big circle
>>
>> Claire says: I wrote a dance with no Partners that I love for family or
>> parties where you start with a few and folks keep dropping in, but it also
>> works for a large group.
>>
>>
>> Lisa Sieverts
>> 603-762-0235
>> lisa(a)lisasieverts.com
>> _______________________________________________
>> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>> To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>>
>
I used this dance recently (I was an emergency substitute) and was very pleased with how well it went. Not only is it a no-partner dance, it doesn’t even matter how big the circles are (though I did have them start out in circles of 4). So no one gets left out even if the scatter to make new circles is chaotic. It’s also easy to get them into one big circle for the last time through and that’s a very nice way to end.
I think I got it here on Shared Weight, thanks Claire!
Beaumont Boom!
By Claire Takemori (8/26/19)
*Any number in scattered circles
A1 Bal ring 2x, CL
A2 Bal ring 2x, CR
B1. LHS (pile of LH in the middle, keep walking same direction after CR) countdown 3-2-1
B2 Boom! Throw hands up and all twirl out of the star and make new circles.
Can end with one big circle
Claire says: I wrote a dance with no Partners that I love for family or parties where you start with a few and folks keep dropping in, but it also works for a large group.
Lisa Sieverts
603-762-0235
lisa(a)lisasieverts.com
Hi Em,
Beneficial Tradition is great fun, but I'd suggest is best left for a crowd
that has successfully dealt with end effects with minimal guidance. I'm not
sure the end effects are, in any event, much more difficult than navigating
the B2 crosses(?). That, to my mind, is a question of familiarity with
unusual orientations, which comes from contra experience and/or an a priori
natural spatial awareness and a firm sense of right and left!‹
ADPD, as I recall, is pretty easy and, as you say, needs the warning -- as
with any multi-progression, or extra-minor set daliance, dance -- that you
need to be aware at the ends and, at its simplest, go where you're needed!
Often forgotten, as well, is to provide guidance to the non "out" dancers
to self-recover when the "out" dancer is not there when/where needed! :)
Bonne chance!
Greg Frock in a Jun 9 thread, 'Dance Modules,' suggested " the 'mandatory swing requirements' these days, more and more choreographic sequences are just coming up with new ways to interestingly connect the swings"
I disagree. A mandatory partner swing requirement seems to exist, but no neighbor swing requirement.
Instead of a neighbor swing, either (a) substantial non-swing interaction with either or both neighbors (stars, allemandes, shoulder rounds, dosidos, chains or heys), or (b) distinctive choreography, can result in a great dances.
(1) Last time I danced an evening to Darlene Underwood's calling, she called 4 excellent dances without a neighbor swing. (As a dance composer I notice such dances.)
(2) The May Heydays festival held in England, just posted on this list (thread 'May the Serpent Be With you') the winners of its annual dance competition. The second place winner, Cherry Season, (3) The Callers' Box has 3525 duple minor dances without a neighbor swing including 9 by me. Clearer descriptions of some of mine may found at my web page
Hi All,
Just before COVID I wrote this dance (Composition 148):
A1: N1 All L 1 1/2 to side waves, balance, N2 All R 3/4;
A2: Balance, All walk forward and swing N1;
B1: Circle L 3/4, P swing;
B2: Balance the Ring, N1 Roll away across, Balance the Ring, Petronella
twirl to next.
Using this dance as a base, I created this dance yesterday afternoon:
(Composition 159)
A1: N1 All R 1 1/2 to side waves, balance, N2 All L 3/4;
A2: Balance, All walk forward and swing N1;
B1: Circle L 3/4, P swing;
B2: Right Hand Chain, Star Left.
If got me thinking that given the 'mandatory swing requirements' these
days, more and more choreographic sequences are just coming up with new
ways to interestingly connect the swings, and most of the connective filler
is just that. This is not an original concept; Cary Ravitz mentioned it
years ago. But, it got me thinking that rather than dances, I am more
creating modules these days. So, I am retitling my A parts (which appear
original, as far as checking callers' Box and Contradb)
Module A:
A1: N1 All L 1 1/2 to side waves, balance, N2 All R 3/4;
A2: Balance, All walk forward and swing N1;
Module A (Isomorph):
A1: N1 All R 1 1/2 to side waves, balance, N2 All L 3/4;
A2: Balance, All walk forward and swing N1;
Using the Circle L 3/4, P Swing B1 Module, here are some B2 modules that
quickly came to mind:
For Module A:
-
B2: Left Hand Chain, Star Right
-
B2: Balance the Ring, Neighbors Roll Away across the set, Balance the
Ring, Petronella twirl to next
-
B2: Larks Allemande left, Partners pull by right, Robins Pull by Left,
Neighbors Allemande Right ¾
For Module A Isomorph:
- B2: Left Hand Chain, Partners Balance Right hand across and square
through 2
- B2: Circle Left, slide left to next as a couple, circle left ¾
(rendezvous
finish)
- B2: Circle Right 1 ¼, Zigzag right then left to next
Of course, there are plenty more that can be worked out, and even more
changing B1 to a partner swing on the other side. I look forward to seeing
some of your own variants.
Regards,
Greg
