Seth Tepfer asked me what Contras I considered to be difficult. Two
immediately sprang to mind:-
Double Back by Mark Elvins (a double progression backwards)
Henry and Jacqui by Scott Higgs
There are several others including Irish Stars.
Barrie Bullimore
Gosport, UK
I’m not saying this phrasing should be outlawed. But it’s enough of a challenge to get new folks to do a balance on 1-2-3-4 without giving them an exception early on.
Tony Parkes
Billerica, Mass.
www.hands4.com<http://www.hands4.com/>
New book! Square Dance Calling: An Old Art for a New Century
(available now)
From: Katherine Kitching <kat(a)outdooractive.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2023 10:03 AM
To: Tony Parkes <tony(a)hands4.com>
Subject: Re: [Callers] Re: Most-Easiest Duple Minors in existence
aw, really?
I say, don't knock it till you try it :)
- I had a mix of beginner and more experienced dancers - I didn't explain it any detail, I just demo'd it once, and then they all did it easily and with gusto. :D
Sep 27, 2023 10:50:10 AM Tony Parkes <tony(a)hands4.com<mailto:tony@hands4.com>>:
Ah, thanks.
Different strokes for different folks. I don’t think I could bring myself to ask for a balance on 3-4-5-6 of an 8-count phrase.
Tony Parkes
Billerica, Mass.
www.hands4.com<http://www.hands4.com/>
New book! Square Dance Calling: An Old Art for a New Century
(available now)
From: Katherine Kitching <kat(a)outdooractive.ca<mailto:kat@outdooractive.ca>>
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2023 9:46 AM
To: Tony Parkes <tony(a)hands4.com<mailto:tony@hands4.com>>
Cc: Shared Weight Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>>
Subject: Re: [Callers] Re: Most-Easiest Duple Minors in existence
haha I was unsure it would work when I called it for the first time the other night - but it worked great!!
Previously I had done LLFB, LLF and pull by, LLFB, LLF and pull by--
but my dancers did it so fast and energetically there was a super long and awkward pause after they pulled by and turned to face their partner again.
the secret is, it only takes them 2 counts to get close enough to rt-hand balance.
so it's 1-2 (walk), 1-2-3-4 (balance), and 1-2 pass by and turn - that part is admittedly fast, but they enjoyed the challenge of it and it really livened up this beginner-oriented dance.
Sep 27, 2023 10:40:00 AM Tony Parkes via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>>:
“- LLFB, LLF, balance pull by:, LLFB, LLF, balance pull by again”
Will someone please explain the timing of this sequence? I get 8 steps for LLFB, 4 for LLF, 4 for a balance, and 4 for a pull by, adding up to 20; but I assume it’s intended to be done in 16. (I’m assuming that “turn to face in” is done as part of the pull by – no problem there.) Is there actually no LLF apart from the balance?
Tony Parkes
Billerica, Mass.
www.hands4.com<http://www.hands4.com/>
New book! Square Dance Calling: An Old Art for a New Century
(available now)
From: Katherine Kitching via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>>
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2023 9:33 AM
To: Joe Harrington <contradancerjoe(a)gmail.com<mailto:contradancerjoe@gmail.com>>
Cc: contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Subject: [Callers] Re: Most-Easiest Duple Minors in existence
lol "full washing machine" - I hadn't heard that before!
I agree on avoiding the full one as much as possible - but I quite like just a circle-left-circle-right - brings the group together for some smiles and allows for fancy footwork for those who want to throw in a little something extra.
But it may be interesting to ask the group to compile a list of beginner-friendly figures, beyond the very basic ones like allemandes and do si dos, that could be used to put together some dances of the type that you (and I, always!!) are seeking?
My criteria would be:
- does not take anyone out of home place
(or takes them out temporarily but puts them back again, such as pulling by your partner across the set, but then pulling by again within the next 1 or 2 moves).
- doesn't involve anything that is known to cause confusion for total beginners, such as courtesy turns or heys.
Here are some that I like:
- do si do as couples
- LLFB, LLF, balance pull by:, LLFB, LLF, balance pull by again
- take 4 steps left then 4 steps right, around the oval
- turn and walk individually around the oval for 8, then back for 8
- balance and spin the star (as per Louise S)
- balance the ring, then 2 hand balance your partner
- holding hands, veer right then left with your partner to progress
- what else?? :)
Sep 27, 2023 12:44:51 AM Joe Harrington <contradancerjoe(a)gmail.com<mailto:contradancerjoe@gmail.com>>:
Thanks for this thread! My group is tired of me bailing out to a small collection of trivial contras (Airpants, Midwest Folklore...).
How about the easiest dance *that experienced dancers don't mind dancing*? I have always disliked the "full washing machine" of circle left, circle right, star right, star left. Even a half-wash makes my shoulders sag, inwardly. Of course, I will try to do them with a smile and encourage both the new dancers and the caller. But, surely we can make it a little more interesting without losing the newbies. Airpants and Midwest Folklore do, though they involve swings. Elbow or crossed-hand swings are fine for this and don't need to be taught outside of a walkthrough. If I'm using these dances in a workshop, I do tell the experienced dancers not to teach the ballroom swing, we'll get to that in a minute. Otherwise, they all try.
--jh--
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 7:27 PM Katherine Kitching via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
Here are a couple more that I wrote, that I called the other night and went very well.
(again, I haven't searched to see if they exist already)
these all build on the skills we did in my "very simple contra" in the sicilian formation, that I outlined in a previous message.
1. "Off they go"
- Circle left
- Circle right
- LLFB
- (still holding hands) - walk 4 steps left then 4 steps right (or call it a giant oval left then right if you prefer)
- partner do si do
- neighbour left hand turn (allemande)
- partner 2 hand balance twice (I suggest the convention of veering slightly to the left the first balance, and slightly to the right on the second, for interest)
- holding inside hands with your partner facing the other couple, veer on a forward right diagonal to pass the other couple, then on a forward left diagonal to meet the next couple
2. "first out of place dance" (at a brisk pace)
people found this very fun!!
- circle left
- circle right
- partner do si do
- neighbour 2 hand balance once, and baby turn (ie switch places, by circling while holding 2 hands in the same direction you would in a 2 hand turn or swing - can also say - switch places with your neighbour, with the ravens going on the inside)
- LLFB
- LLF, balance partner by the right one time and pull by (to switch places w partner)
- LLFB
- LLF, just pull by the right (no balance) - give a little nod and stomp to your old group, turn to face the new
3. " first down the hall dance"
-1's split the 2's and all walk down the hall in line of 4, turn alone
- come on back, bend line
- circle left
- circle right
- partner left shoulder round
- neighbour right hand turn (allemande)
- all circle left again
- left hand star to new group
4. "first swing (or 2 hand turn) dance"
- N bal and 2 hand turn (or swing, depending on level of dancers), for 16
- LLFB
- Partner left shoulder round
- Neighbour right shoulder round
- circle left
- circle right
- balance the circle one time, 2 hand balance your partner one time, turn to face new group
There were 2 more dances in my sequence after this, but they wouldn't qualify as super easy. (though probably still easier than most of you call!! :) )
- Kat k
in Hfx, NS, CA
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Carosel Conra (author unknow)
Not to be confused with Carosel by Tom Hinds
A1 balance ring 2Xs Circle Left 1x
A2 balance ring 2xs Circle Right 1x
B1 Neighbor Do si Do/ Swing
B2 Lines Forward and Back, Ones swing
This has the advantage of being a "real" 2 swing contra
Robert Forsyth in Brasstown NC said this was the best first contra ever
-----Original Message-----
From: Mac Mckeever <macmck(a)ymail.com>
Sent: Sep 25, 2023 2:41 PM
To: contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
Subject: [Callers] Re: Most-Easiest Duple Minors in existence
One I like to do:
A1 Circle Left 1X / Neighbor do-si-do
A2 Ladies do-si-do / gents / do-si-do
B1 Long Lines / 1s swing (or do-si-do)
B2 Face down 1s in center - down the hall / back up 1s arch shoot 2s thru to new N
On Monday, September 25, 2023 at 01:32:40 PM CDT, Michael Barraclough via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
It doesn't have a name, but the very first dance I do in a contra lesson (after a few basics in a big circle) is:A1 1-4 Circle leftA1 5-8 Circle rightA2 1-4 Balance the ring twiceA2 5-8 All move forwards (couples facing the band arching over)Michael Barraclough (Manchester, UK)On 25/09/2023 09:13, Tepfer, Seth via Contra Callers wrote:
Hello hive mind.
What are the absolute easiest duple minor dances you know? I know:
Title: Family Contra
Author: Sherry Nevins
A1: Balance 2x; Circle left (8)
A2: Balance 2x; Circle right (8)
B1: Neighbor DSD (8); Partner DSD (8)
B2: As couple, neighbor DSD 1.5 (16)
What other dances do you have that are duple minor and just as easy to teach to people who have never danced before? No swing needed!
Thanks
Seth Tepfer, MBA, CSM, PMP (he, him, his)
Senior IT Manager, Emory Primate Center
(https://outlook.office.com/bookwithme/user/fcd3f5d71da848759228584d1a49babd…)
Book time to meet with me (https://outlook.office.com/bookwithme/user/fcd3f5d71da848759228584d1a49babd…)
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I called community dances regularly in North Florida for almost 30 years (1990-2018), mostly in Tallahassee but also in Gainesville, Jacksonville, and Melrose, and at the Florida Folk Festival.
It probably won’t be news to you that it gets hot in Florida, and stays hot for a long time. Some of my favorite dance venues were not outdoors, or not air conditioned, or not strongly so. Desired dance tempo interacts strongly with how hot and humid the dance space is and how long you run the dances. My own preferred tempo for contras is always in the range of 115 to 118, but in addition to the other factors mentioned here (agility and age of dancers, mix of experience levels, etc) the temperature of the hall modifies that desired tempo.
Some of these same dance venues were not heated in the cool months either, and keeping up the tempo and keeping the teaching succinct are welcomed by the dancers under those conditions.
Sorry if this is belaboring the obvious.
RSH
Richard Hopkins
hopkinsrs(a)comcast.net
850-544-7614
Cross-posting to Callers and Trad Callers lists, please excuse the duplicates.
Friends and Colleagues,
I am seeking wisdom from U.S. callers who’ve recently crossed the border into Canada to do a gig. Words to say or not say? Documentation of gig needed? Problems or ease you have had?
thanks in advance,
sue
Sue Hulsether
www.suehulsether.com
shulsether (at) mac (dot) com
Cell: 608/632-1267
Home: 608/629-6250
P.O. Box 363, Viroqua, WI. 54665
Hi Mo,
Yes, as with Petronella, the move used by contra dancers is very different from the move in the dance Mad Robin!
Happy dancing,
John
From: mjw(a)mowaddington.plus.com <mailto:mjw@mowaddington.plus.com> <mjw(a)mowaddington.plus.com <mailto:mjw@mowaddington.plus.com> >
Sent: 17 September 2023 20:23
To: John Sweeney <john(a)modernjive.com <mailto:john@modernjive.com> >
Subject: RE: [Callers] Re: New Terminology Question
I partly agree, having contorted my brain listening to a well known caller (“sh!”) describe a move then realise that he was describing a ladies chain.
But I always wonder about mad Robin because that wasn’t how we did the move when I first learned the dance. Colin, did you learn it sideways?
Does anyone slip in a ceilidh style dance at a contra? Some of the mixers work well at contra dances. Also, it’s an opportunity to give new dancers brains a break. I suspect this practice is more common in the UK. Colin, feel free to chime in.
Rich
