Maia pondered: What are the politics of dance rewrites/variations?
If within a year after calling your variation with a new name, a Fox News
commentator denounces you on the air, then you did indeed err.
After some thought, if I had to choose the best contra ever written
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, Improper, by Bill Sudkamp
A1: Cir L 3/4; M1 and W2 sw, end facing down
A2: Cir L 1/2; W1 and M2 sw, end facing down
B1: Cir L 3/4; 1's sw, end facing down
B2: Cir L 1/2 w. a new couple; pass along the set to original couple (1's
moving up, 2's down)
Cir L 1/2 w. original couple, pass along the set back to the new
couple
One last observation about Chorus Jig, then I'll be quiet because I
certainly respect the fact that other people like this dance. However to
me it seems like all the arguments in its favor center around the fact that
it's so boring (oops-- I should think of a less judgmental word) that it
doesn't interfere with dancers who want to:
1: Listen to the music, and/or
2: Focus timing and technique, and/or
3: Play games with other dancers "outside" the dance.
And it's really old.
These are all things I value about contra, except for maybe the "old" part,
but they seem to me like strange reasons to consider this one of the best
dances ever.
One of the really good things about contra is there's something in it for
everyone. On the other hand hand, one of the challenges for a caller is
providing enough variety to accomodate all the different reasons the
dancers came. So I'll submit to an occasional Chorus Jig as long as I can
have some Three Thirty Three, some Delphiniums and Daisies, and some Manga
Tak enjoy.
Dale
Does or does not this dance have a balance before the partner swing in B1?
I think it makes a lot more sense with a balance there, but I danced it
recently to a caller who insisted that there's not supposed to be a balance
there, and that was how the author wanted it. What do people think? Does it
make more sense with or without a balance? (I'll admit, this is mostly just
a big excuse for me to write a "variant" where all that's different is the
balance before the swing, just so I can title a dance "Ecstasy Trip.")
(Which, admittedly, brings up another question: how different should your
dance be from the original to merit giving it a new name and calling it a
"variation"? What are the politics of dance rewrites/variations?)
Cheers,
Maia
"Whitewater", "Roadkill", or "Sealed with a Keith" all by Cary Ravitz...and many of his others that flow so wonderfully.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID
Michael Fuerst <mjerryfuerst(a)yahoo.com> wrote:
>Mac:
>
>
>
>So why did you suggest Roll in the Hey, as opposed to some other? What others by Roger or Gene would you consider equal or better candidates?
>
>(Others are still encouraged to submit other authors' dances as suggestions for the best contra ever written.)
>
>Roll in the Hey, Improper by Roger Diggle
>A1 Circle left; sw N
>A2 Circle left 3/4; sw P
>B1 Long lines F&B; W ch
>B2 Hey, W start with Rt shoulders
>
>Michael Fuerst 802 N Broadway Urbana IL 61801 217-239-5844
>
>________________________________
> From: Richard Mckeever <macmck(a)ymail.com>
>To: Michael Fuerst <mjerryfuerst(a)yahoo.com>; Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
>Sent: Saturday, December 1, 2012 6:10 PM
>Subject: Re: [Callers] Favorite Dances
>
>
>given that hint - I will submit Roger Diggle's Roll in the Hey (but many others from Roger might also qualify as candidates - and the same could be said for Gene Hubert - lots of great dances from the Midwest).
>
>Mac
>
>
>
>
>________________________________
> From: Michael Fuerst <mjerryfuerst(a)yahoo.com>
>To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
>Sent: Saturday, December 1, 2012 4:56 PM
>Subject: Re: [Callers] Favorite Dances
>
>I did have one specific dance in mind when I started this thread.
>I'm surprised no one has mentioned it yet.
>It almost always gets called at dance weekends with open calling--at least in the Midwest, where such weekends are popular
>Of course that could be because its author is from the Midwest. (hint! hint!)
>But other suggestions can still be offered.
>
>Also Donna Hunt wrote:
>"The Wizard's Walk tune is often played without the Wizard's Walk dance in dance halls these days. So why aren't some of the Chestnut tunes played without the corresponding dance?"
>
>The answer lurks in these lyrics from Fiddler on the Roof: "Tradition, tradition! Tradition!"
>
>
>Michael Fuerst 802 N Broadway Urbana IL 61801 217-239-5844
>
>
>________________________________
>From: Paul Wilde <zenyente(a)gmail.com>
>To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
>Sent: Saturday, December 1, 2012 3:36 PM
>Subject: [Callers] Favorite Dances
>
>Hey everyone,
>
>I'd like to return to Michael's original thread, before it is forgotten.
>The idea of posting our favorite 2 or 3 dances seems like a wonderful
>chance to share resources and enrich our dance communities.
>
>Thanks,
>Paul
>
>On Thu, Nov 29, 2012 at 10:19 PM, Michael Fuerst <mjerryfuerst(a)yahoo.com>
>wrote:
>
>> If you had to choose one or two or at most three
> ...
>_______________________________________________
>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
Mac:
So why did you suggest Roll in the Hey, as opposed to some other? What others by Roger or Gene would you consider equal or better candidates?
(Others are still encouraged to submit other authors' dances as suggestions for the best contra ever written.)
Roll in the Hey, Improper by Roger Diggle
A1 Circle left; sw N
A2 Circle left 3/4; sw P
B1 Long lines F&B; W ch
B2 Hey, W start with Rt shoulders
Michael Fuerst 802 N Broadway Urbana IL 61801 217-239-5844
________________________________
From: Richard Mckeever <macmck(a)ymail.com>
To: Michael Fuerst <mjerryfuerst(a)yahoo.com>; Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Sent: Saturday, December 1, 2012 6:10 PM
Subject: Re: [Callers] Favorite Dances
given that hint - I will submit Roger Diggle's Roll in the Hey (but many others from Roger might also qualify as candidates - and the same could be said for Gene Hubert - lots of great dances from the Midwest).
Mac
________________________________
From: Michael Fuerst <mjerryfuerst(a)yahoo.com>
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Sent: Saturday, December 1, 2012 4:56 PM
Subject: Re: [Callers] Favorite Dances
I did have one specific dance in mind when I started this thread.
I'm surprised no one has mentioned it yet.
It almost always gets called at dance weekends with open calling--at least in the Midwest, where such weekends are popular
Of course that could be because its author is from the Midwest. (hint! hint!)
But other suggestions can still be offered.
Also Donna Hunt wrote:
"The Wizard's Walk tune is often played without the Wizard's Walk dance in dance halls these days. So why aren't some of the Chestnut tunes played without the corresponding dance?"
The answer lurks in these lyrics from Fiddler on the Roof: "Tradition, tradition! Tradition!"
Michael Fuerst 802 N Broadway Urbana IL 61801 217-239-5844
________________________________
From: Paul Wilde <zenyente(a)gmail.com>
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Sent: Saturday, December 1, 2012 3:36 PM
Subject: [Callers] Favorite Dances
Hey everyone,
I'd like to return to Michael's original thread, before it is forgotten.
The idea of posting our favorite 2 or 3 dances seems like a wonderful
chance to share resources and enrich our dance communities.
Thanks,
Paul
On Thu, Nov 29, 2012 at 10:19 PM, Michael Fuerst <mjerryfuerst(a)yahoo.com>
wrote:
> If you had to choose one or two or at most three
...
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
I keep waiting to see "Delphiniums and Daisies" show up on the list and
can't believe it hasn't yet so here it is. LOVE this dance - great for
beginners as well as advanced dancers.
As for Chorus Jig, I also don't like it. I remember one time when I was
dancing the lead with a newbie partner and we started the dance at the very
bottom of the set as 2s. While I understood that this was a chestnut, my
newbie kept saying - "Why don't we get to do anything?" And while I could
swing her while the 1s go down the outside, that's about it and I typically
don't throw "extras" at newcomers. I appreciate the reports of those of you
who love this dance and spoke glowingly about what you like about it - but
it seems to me that those things (perfect timing, part of the bigger whole,
etc) is true of most any good contra dance.
As someone who plays early music on instruments that are obsolete - I
respect that things typically fall out of fashion for good reason. I love
to play a crumhorn, but I understand why there are none in the symphony
orchestra (or anywhere else for that matter). While I appreciate keeping
alive the older dances, Chorus Jig is my least favorite even of the
chestnuts.
--
JoLaine Jones-Pokorney
"We are as gods and might as well get good at it!"
- Stewart Brand
Roger Hayes said "Mention must be made of "Wizard's Walk". (Was it
written, or found?)"
It was written by Ruth Ungar. The tune was written by her father Jay
Ungar.
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk <http://www.contrafusion.co.uk/> for
Dancing in Kent
I think there is a Roll Away missing at the end of the Circle Left in
the description provided a few posts back.
Bowl of Cherries by Sue Rosen
Improper
A1 N Dsd & swing
A2 Promenade across; W ch to P
B1 W gypsy each other; sw P
B2 Circle left 3/4, Men Roll Neighbour Lady alone the line with a Half
Sashay; Cross Trails (pass thru across, pass N by left shoulder to face
new N)
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
