Hi Folks,
I was wondering if anyone had relatively 'easy on the brain' 'out of your
minor set' dances???
Here in Ottawa (Ontario), dancers aren't used to leaving their minor
set/partner to go dance with other. I'd like to try a few really great
dances with this feature but they need to have a high success rate for a
room of folks not used to this feature of some contras.
Any ideas and if so, why did you choose that dance????
Much thanks!
Emily Addison
I like "Sneak Preview," by Claudio Buchwald
Improper
A1: Neighbor do si do 1 1/2x to next neighbor
Gypsy left once (I make it an allemande sometimes)
A2: Original neighbor, balance and swing
B1: Circle left 3/4x
Partner swing
B2: Ladies chain across
Star left and on to the next
I like it because there's really only one unusual part and if you have a
crowd of less experienced dancers, there's that nice re-orienting neighbor
balance and swing, which gives everyone 16 counts to get their heads
straight.
I also like to start by asking people to identify their next neighbor and
by reminding folks out on the end that they have to stay on their toes and
be ready to be someone's "next neighbor."
Good luck!
Meg (Chicago)
Jacob said: "See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKYLDM1w6NE for a
fascinating variant".
Hmmm... "variant"?
The way they are dancing in that video is the way it has been done at
every dance, barn dance and ceilidh that I have been to in England for
the last 50 years.
See
http://www.ceilidhcalling.co.uk/danceviewpage.php?view=1&id=5&POSTROUTIN
GMARKER=dancelist_DANCES
Jacob said "the balances had morphed into "kick-jumps".
Ummm... No... they have been kick-jumps for at least 50 years. The term
"balance" at a ceilidh in England usually means kick-jumps!
Americans used to do that balance sometimes as well. See "50 Variations
of the Balance":
http://www.izaak.unh.edu/dlp/northernjunket/pages/NJv05/NJv05-01/NJv.05.
01.p13.htm
- variation number 4!
"Balance" is not a well-defined term!
:-)
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
Hi, all--
I don't have the lore or the archives to answer Tom or Michael, but here's
another spur-of-the-moment composition that seems very likely to have been
created earlier and elsewhere. I had just run out of suitable triplets and
I wanted to teach country corners so in desperation I tried this:
Triplet, all proper
A1: #1 couple balance, cross over, go below #2, half-figure eight up
through #2 to end proper between #2 and #3.
A2: #1 turn country corners with the usual suspects.
B1: #1 gypsy and swing, end facing up.
B2: #1 cast around #2 to go down the outside to bottom while #2 and #3 move
up; lines of three go forward and back.
Seemed to work very well for a mixed-age group of beginners (maybe because
the #1s are so much busier than everyone else?)--if it's a known sequence
I'd like to give credit where credit is due. Also interested in any close
resemblances that people like.
Chip Hedler
============
On Sat, Jan 26, 2013 at 12:00 PM, callers-request(a)sharedweight.net <
callers-request(a)sharedweight.net> wrote:-
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2013 11:06:54 -0500
> From: Tom Hinds <twhinds(a)earthlink.net>
> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
> Subject: [Callers] is this dance new?
> Message-ID: <334AE5EA-1F5D-47C0-BB2F-69F240B17B78(a)earthlink.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed
>
> I just wrote a dance and wanted to know if it's unique. I'm pretty
> sure the A1 is borrowed from another dance.
>
>
> D-imp
> A1 Circle left. Mad Robin (face partner and do-si-do neighbor).
>
> A2 Hey, women pass left shoulders
>
> B1 Women pass left shoulders and swing partner
>
> B2 Ladies chain, forward and back.
>
>
> Tom
> ============
>
Message: 3
> Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2013 08:38:39 -0800 (PST)
> From: Michael Fuerst <mjerryfuerst(a)yahoo.com>
> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] is this dance new?
> Message-ID:
> <1359218319.44607.YahooMailNeo(a)web122202.mail.ne1.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
> How many dances do people know of that were independently written by
> persons?
> I know of two such pairs.
>
> (1) Jim Kitch and Al Olson independently wrote the following sequence:
> Improper
> A1 Alm left N 1 1/2 and swing a 2nd (new) neighbor
> A2 Alm left a 3rd N once, pass right shoulders with the one you swung, and
> swing your original N
>
> The two dances had the same B1 (I don't remember if it's W alm L 1 1/2 and
> partners swing or Circle Left 3/4 and partners swing).
But the two dances differ only in the B2.
> Al Olson's version is called "The Empty Crack." I do not recall the name
> of Jim's version
>
> (2) Mark Richardson from Bloomington IN and someone (in California I
> think) independently wrote the same dance. I do not recall the name or
> sequence of either.
>
> Michael Fuerst
>
802 N Broadway
Urbana IL 61801
217-239-5844
>
>
Hi Kalia,
I do the hand turns and dosido still in the line of six, so the
dancers are in line for the hey at the end of the dosido. When I
looked for the dance on youtube, I found that the versions I found
all had the hey before the turns, but I call it the way I learned
it. That was in 1981, at a late night dance at the All Folk Around
The Wrekin festival, with music by the Oyster Ceilidh band, and
calling by someone who was wearing a pencil skirt and high spike
heels. (I think that's the only time I've danced to a caller who
couldn't have done the dances they were calling in the outfit they
were wearing.)
It was educational looking at the youtube versions. I found both
one done by a Cornish performing group (they moved out into two
facing lines for the hand turns, and left out the swing entirely),
and one recorded at a ceilidh dance, in which the balances had
morphed into "kick-jumps".
Jacob
At 12:00 PM 2/3/2013, you wrote:
>Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2013 16:52:04 -0800
>From: Kalia Kliban <kalia(a)sbcglobal.net>
>To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
>Subject: Re: [Callers] Dances for Smaller groups
>
>On 2/2/2013 2:25 PM, Jacob & Nancy Bloom wrote:
> > For 6: Cornish Six Hand Reel, or any triplet that's suitable for your group
> > (See Zesty Contras for the triplets Ted's Triplet #3 and
> > Housewarming.)
> >
> > Cornish Six Hand Reel - 64 bar dance - Starting formation:
> > three couples in a line of six facing down the hall
> > Line of six go down the hall, balance twice 8 bars
> > Turn alone, come up the hall, balance twice 8 bars
> > With partner RH turn, LH turn 8 bars
> > Two hand turn, Dosido 8 bars
> > Hey for six 16 bars
> > Take partner in promenade position, face RH wall,
> > couple at RH end of set leads promenade to LH end of set and
> > makes an arch,
> > other couples come under arch, all swing partner in new
> > position 16 bars
>
>I love this dance, but learned it (and teach it) with the hey
>immediately after the lines of 6 up the hall. At that point they're
>still conveniently in the line for the hey and simply have to face their
>partners. At the end of the hey, just turn your partner enough to end
>with the men facing down the hall and the ladies facing up.
>
>Actually it has just occurred to me to ask, do you do the hand turns and
>the dosido all still in the lines of 6?
Dear Cheryl,
Here are some dances I've found useful for smaller groups of dancers.
Jacob
For 4: Billingsdale Pattern by Chip Hendrickson or O'Donnell Anew by
Tony Saletan
(Both in Zesty Contras)
For 5: General Dummer's Reel
(http://www.library.unh.edu/special/forms/rpdlw/syllabus2006.pdf
page 38)
For 6: Cornish Six Hand Reel, or any triplet that's suitable for your group
(See Zesty Contras for the triplets Ted's Triplet #3 and
Housewarming.)
Cornish Six Hand Reel - 64 bar dance - Starting formation:
three couples in a line of six facing down the hall
Line of six go down the hall, balance twice 8 bars
Turn alone, come up the hall, balance twice 8 bars
With partner RH turn, LH turn 8 bars
Two hand turn, Dosido 8 bars
Hey for six 16 bars
Take partner in promenade position, face RH wall,
couple at RH end of set leads promenade to LH end of set and
makes an arch,
other couples come under arch, all swing partner in new
position 16 bars
(See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKYLDM1w6NE for a
fascinating variant)
For 7: Shira's Seven
Shira's Seven Jacob Bloom
Starting formation: Longways for 3 couples plus extra dancer
at top of set, in Ocean Wave with RH to partner, LH to next
Suggested music: Westfork Gals
All Balance, those who can Allemande R 4 bars
All Balance, those who can Allemande L 4 bars
Balance & swing partner, while extra dancer dances to foot
of set 8 bars
Extra dancer B&S their choice of the dancers in couple #3,
The dancer left out B&S their choice of the dancers in couple #2
The dancer left out B&S their choice of the dancers in
couple #1 8 bars
All three new couples F&B to new extra dancer at top of
set 4 bars
Dosido partner to an ocean wave 4 bars
For 9: Stars In The Triangle
Stars In The Triangle Jacob
Bloom Starting formation: Triangle of threesomes
Middles swing RH person, LH people Star R, return 8 bars
Middles swing LH person, RH people Star R, return 8 bars
Middles Star R, Star L and go on to new threesome 8 bars
Heys for three with new people 8 bars
For 10: Texas Star (it may have been written as a square, but I think
I've called it for five couple sets at least as often as I've called
it for four couple sets)
(http://www.phantomranch.net/folkdanc/dances/texassta.htm)
Also, there are many whole-set-longways dances which work
for sets of four to six couples.
(http://homepage.ntlworld.com/greenery/BarnDances/ToC.html)
At 12:00 PM 2/2/2013, you wrote:
>Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2013 22:10:37 -0600
>From: Cheryl Joyal <clmjoyal(a)aol.com>
>To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
>Subject: Re: [Callers] Callers Digest, Vol 102, Issue 1 - Dances for
> Smaller groups
>
>THANKS SO MUCH for the spreadsheet - I am a relatively new caller
>and appreciate the resource!
>
>I am also looking for dances for a smaller number of dancers which
>often "shrinks" to only about 6 - 12 people for second half of the
>dance?. Anyone have some easy dances for 4, 5 ,6 people that they like ?
>
>(yes I know I also need to start working on calling squares ! Open
>to some easier ones of those as well, and especially breaks to mix things ups!)
>
>THANKS !
THANKS SO MUCH for the spreadsheet - I am a relatively new caller and appreciate the resource!
I am also looking for dances for a smaller number of dancers which often "shrinks" to only about 6 - 12 people for second half of the dance…. Anyone have some easy dances for 4, 5 ,6 people that they like ?
(yes I know I also need to start working on calling squares ! Open to some easier ones of those as well, and especially breaks to mix things ups!)
THANKS !
On Feb 1, 2013, at 11:00 AM, callers-request(a)sharedweight.net wrote:
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> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Re: Adult ONS - first dance (Michael Clark)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:12:01 -0500
> From: Michael Clark <michael.clark(a)wmich.edu>
> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Adult ONS - first dance
> Message-ID: <0MHI00MKCARDIP00(a)mta01.service.private>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
>
> Thanks for the link to your ONS spreadsheet, JoLaine. That's a nice resource.
>
> I was curious about the title "Coray's Silver Jubilee," since I know
> another dance with the same name, a four-face-four by Carol Ormand.
> See http://carolormand.com/dances.html#corays. Carol's notes give
> 2003 as the year of composition.
>
> Do you have any update on the attribution (date, author) of the
> whole-set longways dance in your spreadsheet? Does it possibly have a
> different title?
>
> Thanks,
> Mike
>
> At 01:21 PM 1/30/2013, you wrote:
>> ........
>>
>> I am the regular caller at a tiny community dance here that will always be
>> a ONS dance every month ;-). I have gathered a good collection of super
>> easy dances. Here is a link to them if you can use any of them, you're
>> welcome to them:
>> https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AnrSNRQDems3dEQwNXJ6djRGd21vdE…
>>
>> --
>> JoLaine Jones-Pokorney
>>
>> "We are as gods and might as well get good at it!"
>> - Stewart Brand
>> _______________________________________________
>> Callers mailing list
>> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
>> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
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>
>
> End of Callers Digest, Vol 102, Issue 1
> ***************************************
Thanks for the link to your ONS spreadsheet, JoLaine. That's a nice resource.
I was curious about the title "Coray's Silver Jubilee," since I know
another dance with the same name, a four-face-four by Carol Ormand.
See http://carolormand.com/dances.html#corays. Carol's notes give
2003 as the year of composition.
Do you have any update on the attribution (date, author) of the
whole-set longways dance in your spreadsheet? Does it possibly have a
different title?
Thanks,
Mike
At 01:21 PM 1/30/2013, you wrote:
>........
>
>I am the regular caller at a tiny community dance here that will always be
>a ONS dance every month ;-). I have gathered a good collection of super
>easy dances. Here is a link to them if you can use any of them, you're
>welcome to them:
>https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AnrSNRQDems3dEQwNXJ6djRGd21vdE…
>
>--
>JoLaine Jones-Pokorney
>
>"We are as gods and might as well get good at it!"
>- Stewart Brand
>_______________________________________________
>Callers mailing list
>Callers(a)sharedweight.net
>http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
Sue,
Good luck with your community dance series. You might enjoy Catch:
Two dancers are chosen to make a two-handed arch. The other dancers
promenade single file around the hall, going under the arch one by
one. When the caller says the word catch, the arch is dropped.
Anyone caught goes to the center and waits. If no one is caught then
the arch goes back up and the dancers start moving again. When two
people are in the center, they pair up and make a second arch.
Basically this continues until all have a partner. The most
frustrating part of this game/dance is when the arches are left down
too long and everyone has to sit in rush hour traffic. Although I
tell them to bring their arches up right away there are always some
who ignore me on this point. Catch leaves the dancers in the perfect
formation to do the Paddy Cake Polka if you want to do another dance
right away.
I think Catch is only fun with a large number of people like 20 or
more. Warn them about eye glasses!!!!!!!
Tom
